What breaks most · 2008 to 2018 model years
Audi A5 problems by year
Owners have filed 112 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Audi A5 across model years 2008 to 2018. Three years stand out: 2010 for air bags complaints, 2013 for steering complaints and 2011 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 2015, 2008 and 2014.
- Years to check closely: 2010, 2013, 2011
- Fewest complaints: 2015, 2008, 2014
- Complaints on file
- 1122008 to 2018, all trims
- Worst year
- 201028 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 22 fires · 1 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 46kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 20Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 1 | Air bags (2) | |
| 11 | 0 | 1 | Engine and cooling (3) | |
| 28 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (14) | |
| 18 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (10) | |
| 14 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (10) | |
| 20 | 1 | 3 | Steering (6) | |
| 8 | 0 | 3 | Engine (4) | |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | Wheels (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 3 | Engine (1) | |
| 5 | 1 | 6 | Unknown or other (3) |
What fails on the 2010 Audi A5
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 50% |
14 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 25% |
7 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2010 Audi A5 |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 11% |
3 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2010 Audi A5 |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 7% |
2 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2010 Audi A5 |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2010 Audi A5 |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2010 Audi A5 |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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2010 audi a5. Consumer writes in regards to rear main seal leak and pistons. *ld the consumer stated the dealer advised the cylinder was bad and the motor needed to be replaced. The consumer requested to be included in the class action suit. *js
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While turning the steering wheel, there are spots that seem to stick around the 11 and 1 o clock marks. This problem comes and goes, independent of speed. Now the car seems to have trouble correcting out of a turn and must be manually turned back to center. The problems seem to be getting worse.
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The timing chain tensionor failed with no warning causing catastrophic engine failure. Audivw is aware of the issue and refuse to issue a recall on the part they have redesigned more than 4 times. Repair cost is $10-12,000 when it fails. Replacing the defective part would cost $700.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Audi A5 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2010, 2013, 2011 carry the most filings on the Audi A5. The 2010 alone has 28 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Audi A5 problem?
On the 2010 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 14 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Audi A5 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Audi A5 complaints that include mileage is about 46,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.