Buying a used 2018 Audi A5? Check these 6 recalls first
This year carries the heaviest recall list here — six, including a critical one limited to the A5 Sportback where a front wheel may come loose. Four more involve airbags: side curtain bags that may misfire on the Coupe, two separate passenger airbag shutoff campaigns, and a loose airbag screw. A door speaker trim sharp-edge recall is minor. Owner complaints are few (eight, unverified) with no crashes, fires or injuries, across electrical, engine, suspension and air bags.
Before you buy
- Get the 17-character VIN from the seller and run it at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows which recalls are still unrepaired on that exact car.
- On a Sportback, get written proof the front wheel recall was completed.
- Run the VIN against all four airbag recalls — several overlap on this year.
- Ask the seller whether the passenger airbag ever switched off with an adult in the seat.
- Open recalls are repaired free at any Audi dealer, whoever owns the car — an open recall is a to-do item, not a bill.
Recalls covering the 2018 Audi A5
| Recall | Area | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Audi A5 Sportback front wheel may come loose | Suspension | critical |
| Audi A5 Coupe side curtain airbags may misfire | AIR Bags | high |
| Audi A4, A5, S4, S5 passenger airbag may shut off | AIR Bags | high |
| Audi passenger airbag may be switched off by faulty cable | Seats | high |
| Audi A5 and A4 Allroad passenger airbag screw loose | AIR Bags | medium |
| Audi A4, A5 door speaker trim leaves sharp edges | Structure | low |
What owners have reported to NHTSA
8 complaints filed for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and popular models collect more of them simply because more are on the road.
| Problem area | Complaints | Recall in this area? |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | None found |
| Electrical System | 2 | None found |
| Suspension | 1 | Yes |
| AIR Bags | 1 | Yes |
| Power Train | 1 | None found |