Without warning or alerts from vehicle, car became disabled while partially into a left turn at a four way intersection. Car engine would rev, but not move. Gear selector worked, but wheels would not turn. Front wheels were completely locked and vehicle had to be dragged onto a flatbed truck. Police had to be dispatched to ensure safely of other drivers passing through the intersection until my vehicle was removed. Had a [XXX] child in the car with me that had to be received by my spouse. After towing car to an ASE certified independent repair shop, a full transmission replacement was recommended. Car has approximately 38,900 miles and is 8 years old. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The worst 2018 Audi A5 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine9
- Body4
- Brakes4
- Electrical4
- Visibility4
- Airbags3
- Transmission3
- Steering2
- Suspension2
- Driver assistance1
- Fuel system1
- Lights1
- Seat belts1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 Audi A5
Recalls 6
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles. The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) may have a contact fault, causing the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
- Risk
- A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Recall 19V‑547 (74D9). Vehicles previously repaired under 19V‑547 will need to return for the new remedy.
Recall number 21V874000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2018 S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, S4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, and 2017-2018 A4 Sedan and A4 Allroad vehicles. Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) connecting cable may cause the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
- Risk
- A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.
Recall number 19V547000 · Recall details
Suspension: front
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of North America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback vehicles. The front suspension fasteners may not have been sufficiently tightened during vehicle production, possibly resulting in a front wheel becoming loose.
- Risk
- A loose front wheel may increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the front suspension fasteners, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40O2.
Recall number 18V893000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback and 2017-2018 Audi A4 Allroad vehicles. A passenger air bag module mounting screw may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly affecting the deployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
- Risk
- If the air bag does not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of an injury.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag mounting screw, tightening or replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y4.
Recall number 18V836000 · Recall details
Air bags: side/window
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles were built with head curtain air bag assemblies that may not unfold properly. As such, these vehicle fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the head curtain air bag, if the air bag does not deploy properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will modify the head curtain air bags so that they deploy properly, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 11-800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69T7.
Recall number 17V822000 · Recall details
Structure: body: door: hinge and attachments
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad, and 2018 A5 Sportback vehicles. The aluminum trim on the front and rear doors can come loose from around the door speakers, leaving sharp edges exposed.
- Risk
- The sharp edges of the speaker trim increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the speaker cover aluminum trim, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 70G6.
Recall number 17V675000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2018 Audi A5 1,073
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Diagnosed and confirmed malfunction of the vehicle’s AEB system that resulted from failure or malfunction...
- This bulletin provides informaiton on the use of the PICO-NVH tool (VAS 611 015).
- This bulletin provides infomration when basic settings are not possible after repair; DTC P17F900 stored...
- This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed and only order the successor parts...
- This bulletin proides service information when there is a prompt to take over the steering wheel (hands...
- This bulletin provides information when the starter battery is discharged or malfunctioning.
- This bulletin provides information when there is an Audi pre sense warning, warning jolt, or brake...
- This bulletin provides information to aid in diagnosing the vehicle locking system.
- This bulletin provides information when the engine is not runing smoothly; all gas engines.
- This bulletin provides information on VIN plates, Safety Certification labels, and ordering procedures.
2018 Audi A5 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | AWD | 24 | 33-34 | 27 |
What 2018 Audi A5 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
2018 Audi A5 Sportback has 16,500 miles only on it. Used for city driving only; never off road. Recently went in for annual inspection and was told that my right rear coil spring had snapped in two and vehicle was unsafe to drive. Took vehicle to local Audi dealer and they confirmed broken coil spring; they wanted $3000 to repair the vehicle. I took the vehicle instead to a local mechanic who did the repair--replacement of both broken right rear spring and one on left side--for ~$1000. Mechanic noted that he has seen and repaired many Audis with similar snapped rear coil springs.
My 2018 Audi A5 Sportback previously received Audi Safety Recall 74E3 on January 27, 2023. The recall repair documentation indicates a seat POD (Passenger Occupant Detection System) update was performed. Several years later, the vehicle developed another passenger airbag fault. The vehicle displays a message indicating the front passenger airbag is OFF even when an occupant is seated in the front passenger seat. Audi diagnosed fault code B12251B, "Passive Occupant Detection System Mat Resistance Too High," and determined that the seat POD occupancy mat and wiring are defective and require replacement. Audi has refused to cover the repair because more than 12 months and 12,000 miles have passed since the recall repair. I am concerned that the passenger occupant detection system involved in the previous safety recall has failed again, resulting in the passenger airbag being disabled while the seat is occupied. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review whether the recall remedy adequately corrected this safety issue.
The MMI ( main screen) system randomly reboots every 5 minutes, even when using CarPlay, which is unsafe. Please check it out. Thank you!
I turned on my car and several malfunctions came on the dash,and would not start and went in limp mode. A local mechanic stated it's the electrical component of the coolant pump causing malfunction. He also stated that could lead the car catching fire if overheats since the 5V is dipping below due to the faulty coolant /water pump. Ultimately forcing the car in limp mode for safety precautions. The problem is I purchase my car at 87,000 miles from the Audi dealership, and the extended warranty that covers the car is 80,000 miles
I own a 2018 Audi A5. Many critical cooling system parts — including the thermostat housing, water pump housing, radiator end tanks, breather tubes, and quick-connect hoses — are made of plastic and sit in constant exposure to coolant temperatures over 200°F. Over time, these components become brittle, crack, and fail prematurely. Recently, the plastic breather/return hose between the coolant reservoir and the radiator broke apart during routine service due to brittleness. When these parts fail, coolant leaks quickly, which can cause sudden overheating, engine damage, and potential vehicle disablement while driving. Based on owner reports and my own experience, this appears to be a widespread issue across Audi/VW vehicles of this generation. I request that the federal safety agency investigate whether the use of plastic in these high-heat, high-pressure components represents a design defect that creates a safety hazard.
The water pump failed on my vehicle. Initially reported 2/2025 at Authorized Audi Service Center. They claimed it was normal for coolant to dip. Audi USA Confirmed I have a settlement class vehicle in 03/2025. Mentioned an 80K Mileage limit. (Car only had 69K miles at the time) When the issue persisted I reached out for repair in accordance to Water Pump Settlement. McKenna Audi Service center initially stated the extended warranty expired 05/2025, and mentioned an 8 Year Limit (8/80K whichever comes first) 9/3 Reached out to Audi USA again and they initially provided an approval. Instructed to take to authorized service center for official diagnosis. 9/5 Audi USA recanted approval 2 days later. Instructed to Call Settlement Administrator. SA stated this is fully Audi responsibly warranty does not expire until 9/2025 unable to assist. Spoke to supervisor at Audi USA who stated extended warranty did not expire until 09/26/2025 09/08 Audi Beverly Hills confirmed water pump malfunction. Sent invoice to supervisor at Audi USA. $2338.25 Supervisor informed me later that warranty is expired after all. Stated a regional manager would look at it but no guarantees. At this point I have spent $350 for a diagnosis I did not need to satisfy the demands of the Audi warranty that is now being denied.
The vehicle has 36000 miles on it and the oil cooler has failed. The car is meticulously maintained. This failure compromises the ability for the engine to cool properly. Because of the failure, coolant is then forced into the engine oil potentially destroying the engine. Engine replacements are 10,000 for these types of cars. Audi is aware of this issue and should repair all vehicles with this known issue
Engine shuts off occasionally whilst cornering at very low speed. No warning. Been happening for several years.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A5. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, the yellow message "Steering Malfunction - Safe to Drive" was displayed. The contact continued driving 40 MPH, and the message turned red, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the power steering control module (PSCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Compare the 2018 Audi A5
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Questions about the 2018 Audi A5
Is the 2018 Audi A5 reliable?
Owners have filed 38 complaints about the 2018 Audi A5, 3.2 times a typical A5 model year.
What is the 2018 Audi A5 year score?
The 2018 Audi A5 scores 26 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Audi A5: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Audi A5?
Engine and cooling, with 9 complaints. Next is body (4).
How many recalls does the 2018 Audi A5 have?
6 recalls, covering air bags, suspension and structure.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Audi A5 get?
Official estimates for the 2018 Audi A5 range from 27 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, AWD) gets 24 city and 33-34 highway.
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