NHTSA (USA)High Risk
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 6 recalls and 35 owner complaints for the 2018 Audi A5.
For 2018 Audi A5 owners, engine cooling is the most consistent theme in complaint filings. Multiple owners report failures involving the water pump, thermostat housing, coolant hoses, and related plastic components, with symptoms including coolant loss, overheating warnings, and the car entering limp mode. A separate cluster of reports describes oil cooler failure allowing coolant to mix with engine oil, which owners say can accelerate internal engine damage. Several owners note these failures occurring at relatively low mileage, some under 40,000 miles. Service brake complaints account for the next-largest named category, though the volume is small. Engine cooling complaints are the clearest pattern here, and water pump failure specifically appears in more than one report, with owners describing repeated or unresolved service visits before the underlying issue was addressed.
35
Total Complaints
2
Crash-Related
2
With Injuries
By System
The 2018 Audi A5 has 6 recalls, the most serious being a front suspension fastener that may not have been tightened properly, which can allow a front wheel to work loose while driving and raise the risk of a crash.
Three recalls concern the passenger airbag and its supporting systems. On certain trims, a mounting screw securing the passenger airbag module may not have been torqued fully, which can cause the airbag to deploy incorrectly in a crash. A separate issue involves corrosion on the cable connecting the passenger occupant detection system, which can cause the vehicle's software to misread the sensor and disable the passenger airbag entirely. Related to this, the passenger seat sensor that determines whether to enable or suppress the airbag can also fail, again leaving the passenger airbag inactive when it is needed. Head curtain airbags are affected on Coupe trims, where the curtain may not unfold correctly during deployment, reducing the protection it provides against occupant ejection in a side crash.
Rounding out the list, aluminum speaker trim on the front and rear doors can detach from its mounting around the door speakers, leaving sharp metal edges exposed inside the cabin that could cut a passenger reaching near the door panel. This last issue affects Sportback trims specifically, along with certain A4 models.
At a glance
What can fail
We may earn a commission for purchases made through these links.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
A cable connecting the seat heater to the passenger air bag detection system may develop a contact fault, causing the system to incorrectly disable the passenger air bag.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System connecting cable may cause the software to incorrectly diagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
What the fix does
Dealers will install cable ties to the harness at no cost to secure the cable and prevent oxidation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Front suspension fasteners may not have been tightened enough during production, which could cause a front wheel to become loose.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the front suspension fasteners and replace them as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The mounting screw securing the passenger air bag module may be insufficiently tightened, which could impair air bag deployment in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the air bag mounting screw and tighten or replace it as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The head curtain air bags may not unfold correctly during a side impact, leaving occupants unprotected.
What the fix does
Dealers will modify the head curtain air bag assemblies to ensure they deploy properly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The aluminum trim around the door speakers on the front and rear doors can loosen, exposing sharp edges.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the speaker cover aluminum trim at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.