8 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
A software problem in the infotainment system can leave the screen blank or black when you shift into reverse, instead of showing the view from the backup camera. With no picture, you cannot see a person, a child, or an object directly behind the car while you are backing up, so it is much easier to hit something you never saw. The dealer fixes it by updating the infotainment software; nothing needs to be replaced.
These Audis were part of an earlier recall (21V-295) that involved work on the rear axle. Afterward, the shop was supposed to check that the rear wheels were still lined up correctly, and on some cars that check was skipped. If the rear axle is out of alignment, the tires can wear out early or wear unevenly, which increases the chance of a crash. Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment if needed, and replace any badly worn tires at no charge.
The front passenger seat has a sensor mat that tells the car whether someone is sitting there, so the passenger airbag knows when to work. On these cars, the cable running between the seat heater and that sensor can develop a bad connection. The car then thinks something is broken and shuts the passenger airbag off, meaning it would not inflate in a crash. If your car was already fixed under the earlier 2019 recall, it still needs this new repair.
In these Audi and Volkswagen models, the rear seat belts have a locking feature you use to hold a child safety seat tightly in place. On these vehicles that lock can switch off too early, so the belt no longer keeps the child seat secure. A child seat that can shift or move means a child is less protected in a crash. Federal occupant protection rules are not met. Dealers will inspect the middle rear seat belts and replace them free if needed.
On these Audi cars and SUVs, a lock nut holds part of the rear suspension — the trailing arm — to the rear axle. That nut can corrode under stress and break. If it breaks, the rear axle can shift out of alignment, and the car can become hard to keep straight in a way the driver may not be able to correct. That can lead to a loss of control and a crash. A dealer will replace the lock nuts, and the bolts with them if needed, at no cost.
The wires that feed the rear lights run near the spare tire well, and on these cars the protective covering that keeps them from rubbing may be missing. If the car is hit from behind, those unprotected wires can be damaged. When that happens, the doors may not open from the outside and the hazard lights may quit working, which can make it harder for help to reach you after a crash. A dealer adds the missing protection.
These Audis have a sensor system in the front passenger seat that tells the car whether someone is sitting there. The cable connected to that sensor can corrode. When it does, the car's software can wrongly decide something is broken and switch off the front passenger airbag. If a crash happens while the airbag is switched off, the person in that seat has less protection and can be hurt more badly. Dealers will add cable ties to the wiring so the cable is protected.
The forks that hold the front shock absorbers in place can develop cracks. A shock absorber is the part that soaks up bumps and keeps the wheel settled against the road. If a fork cracks, the shock it holds can work itself loose. A loose shock on the front of the car changes how the front wheels behave, so the steering can feel wrong or stop responding the way you expect it to.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Audi S5. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: