2012 Audi A5 problems & reliability
22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Audi A5. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2012 Audi A5 vehicles were involved in 4 fatal crashes with 4 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags → | 11 | 50% |
| Engine | 7 | 32% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 9% |
| Unknown / Other | 2 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My 2012 audi a5 has 155,000 miles on it and it has had every oil change and maintenance up to date , my turbos and pistons have caused complete engine failure with 0 compression in my only car . Both have recalls on them for my year and model and even tho I got a letter in the mail about being part of a settlement for…”
Engine · filed Nov 6, 2025
“2012 Audi a5 quattro burns oil every 100miles 5qt and does not allow a quick acceleration if trying to avoid an accident. The car misfires and shuts off while driving. No check engine light was on when it first did this. Mechanic was able to reproduce the same problem. Turbo is bad. O2 sensor is bad. Air intake leak…”
Engine · filed Sep 22, 2022
“While I was driving, my car started to slow down and eventually stopped in the middle of the road. There were no warning sensors or indicators on the car. II then started to see smoke coming from my hood and decided to turn off the car and get out to inspect. On the right front side, I saw a fire under the car. The…”
Electrical System · filed Aug 9, 2022
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
1,057 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Audi A5. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.
TSB_2074436_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2026
This bulletin provides information for all models regarding brake sounds.
TSB_2069904_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This bulletin provides information on the zirconium insercts in the brake piston (ceramic brakes only).
TSB_2069078_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels.
TSB_2079732_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026
This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns.
TSB_2075120_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026
This bulletin provides information on the GFF test plan required for AC compressor replacements regardless of the concern.
TSB_20741717_15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is an ABS/ESC speed sensor implausible signal.
TSB_2072304_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026
This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00.
TSB_2082846_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is a film/visible rings on the clear glass cover of the headlight when the dipped beam is switched on.
TSB_2073282_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
SM 01-2026 · Other · issued Jul 9, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2012 Audi A5 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2012 Audi A5?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.