FaultScore

Audi A5 other reported problems

57 of the 443 complaints filed about the Audi A5 are about the other systems — 13% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2020.

57

Complaints

13%

Share of all complaints

2

Crashes

1

Fires

Other & Unspecified complaints by model year

2008 A5 1 1.8%

Median failure at 100,000 miles

2010 A5 1 1.8%
2011 A5 4 7.0%

Median failure at 81,000 miles

2012 A5 2 3.5%
2013 A5 3 5.3%

Median failure at 130,000 miles

2014 A5 4 7.0%
2015 A5 3 5.3%

Median failure at 25,000 miles

2016 A5 1 1.8%
2018 A5 8 14.0%

Median failure at 3,100 miles

2020 A5 25 43.9%
2021 A5 2 3.5%
2022 A5 1 1.8%
2024 A5 1 1.8%
2025 A5 1 1.8%

What owners said

2011 Audi A5 Maryville, TN Crash

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I filed a claim with insurance company with what I thought was minor damages for a hit and run that happened to me while I was at emergency room for the multiple surgeries I’ve had recently and when the claim came back total loss due to defective airbag recalls and cause my airbags were supposed to deploy where they hit me and didn’t, now I’m left with 7k still owed on my full coverage insurance on Audi and no car and deemed total loss and unsafe to have on roads. The insurance company only gave me salvage value for the 2011 audi a5 that had 57k miles on it and left me with no car, no repairs, and no way to get another cause airbags didn’t deploy for where I was hit! 🤬🔥

NHTSA complaint #11757139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 Audi A5 Los Angeles, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I have Autoimmune disorder and extreme inflammation. Simply Google Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp to truly understand how much i hate my glass or whatever material roof which after Ceramic Tinting limousine tint the roof my condition has worsen since I got this vehicle last November. I've always had Audis and I need help please!

NHTSA complaint #11751135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2024 Audi A5 Van Nuys, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I am reporting a severe, systemic, and undiagnosed electrical defect that compromises vehicle safety and control. The manufacturer’s authorized repair facilities and corporate Technical Assistance Center (TAC) have explicitly documented that their factory test plans are "inconclusive" and they cannot isolate the root cause of the failures. The primary symptom is the catastrophic failure of the climate control/defrost system, which intermittently stops cooling and blows hot/ambient air. Dealerships have repeatedly replaced the physical AC head unit (E87), replaced high-pressure switches, and performed battery capacity discharges to clear persistent diagnostic trouble codes (DTC B131207 and B10AE22). Because these hardware replacements fail to fix the issue and the system continues to drop out, the defect lies deeper within the vehicle's central electrical architecture or wiring harness. Additionally, the vehicle has exhibited erratic, un-commanded behavior. After parking, turning off the vehicle, and walking away, the vehicle spontaneously started running on its own without any input. The dealership was unable to find stored codes for this event, indicating the vehicle’s diagnostic system is failing to log critical electrical malfunctions.A vehicle that spontaneously starts itself poses an extreme risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in residential garages, as well as a runaway or theft hazard if a deeper electrical short commands the transmission to engage while unattended.The manufacturer has exhausted its standard Technical Service Bulletins (TSB 2078655/3) and multiple corporate TAC cases (#3667725 and #3686882), ultimately releasing the car back to me each time. I am at a loss for what to do because this car is dangerous, they don't know what is wrong with it, and I am being forced to drive it.

NHTSA complaint #11746731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Audi A5 Orem, UT

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Immediately after taking it home from a dealership, I noticed the MMI system wasn’t turning on. I figured it would fix itself, but it’s been 4 days and nothing has happened. The screen stays black when starting the car. When I reset the MMI by holding the volume knob for 10 seconds, it briefly turns on but shuts itself off right after.

NHTSA complaint #11711758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Audi A5 Rockwall, TX

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was driving down the interstate when my Warning Transmission Failure light came on. Then another message said you can drive with limited use if vehicle. Seconds later the Warning Transmission Failure light came on again and said drive to your nearest repair shop. Moments later the Warning came on and said safely stop your vehicle. I pulled over on the side of the road and pit my car in park. After doing so the Warning Transmission Failure stayed on and the car no longer would shift into any gears. The car never overheated or stopped running. I had to get the car towed. My car has been in the shop for 3.5 weeks and no one can tell me what's wrong with it.

NHTSA complaint #11700320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 Audi A5 Miami Beach, FL

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

After purchasing the vehicle on 8/2/25, I discovered it had outstanding safety recalls that were neither addressed nor disclosed by the dealership at the time of sale. I have since taken steps to fix these safety issues, but the dealer’s failure to inform me or resolve the recalls before the sale put me at unnecessary risk. I urge the NHTSA to review the dealership’s records from 8/2/25 to hold them accountable for selling a vehicle with unresolved safety defects that compromised my safety. It is not allowing me to add case card with report, only case card available as of today.

NHTSA complaint #11679510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Beverly Hills, MI

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The MMI resets every 3-5 minutes. This problem started approximately 9 months ago and has continued to happen more frequently. Navigation, car play and the radio are affected. It is startling when the radio turns on when it was previously turned off. It is not possible to use the navigation system. The concern is that the MMI controls other important functions and it's unclear if they will continue to work. Additionally, a linked phone restarts the Audi ap so using its navigation system (not in car play) is affected. I have to turn Bluetooth off so the car won't recognize the phone. I have reset the MMI multiple times, reentered my email and password and/or PIN. Nothing works even with assistance from Audi software service. The car is virtually undrivable and incredibly disappointing that Audi is doing nothing about solving the problem.

NHTSA complaint #11676251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Abita Springs, LA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My car’s Multi Media Interface (MMI) keeps restarting every 1 to 2 minutes everyday while driving the carThe MMI runs my navigation (not through my phone) and music by connecting to my phone with Bluetooth. It also shows me my backup camera and diagnostics with the car. Safety is affected by distractions, not knowing where to go, irritation. No dealership has inspected or been able to reproduce the issue. No other issues came before the MMI began restarting.

NHTSA complaint #11674472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Pocasset, MA, MA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The MMI system in the car constantly reboots and does not work for more than 30 seconds

NHTSA complaint #11674570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Lakeland, FL

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The MMI system keeps rebooting. Once when I was backing up, the screen started resetting compromising the backup camera display and any cross traffic warning that may of been there.

NHTSA complaint #11674649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Studio City, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MMI system frequently shuts down and reboots. This is a safety concern as the screen has shut down and gone dark in the middle of backing up, while using the backup camera and navigation is lost when driving on the highway causing a dangerous distraction. Within a minute of turning on car, the system shuts down, reboots and continues to shut down and reboot repeatedly throughout the duration of the drive. They system only stays operational for a few seconds to a few minutes at a time. This has been happening ever since I purchased the vehicle in 2022, however it used to be sporadic, occurring only once a month or so. Recently is has been occurring daily and the MMI system is now completely unusable.

NHTSA complaint #11674406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Highland, MD

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The MMI reboots 3-4 times while driving, a big distraction. It starts by checking remote access rights, then has a few other messages. It takes nearly 2 minutes to reset and often this occurs several times. If you select certain options, the MMI starts to change seat and other settings while vehicle is in operation. The dealer has no software updates/upgrades to resolve this potentially serious issue. This has happened several times recently (last few weeks).

NHTSA complaint #11673637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Burlington, NC

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Communication system: The telephone microphone works intermittently and fails while the seat belt is fastened. The car is equipped with telephone microphones in the driver's seatbelt and on the roof, under the rearview mirror. The microphone system works when the seatbelt is NOT fastened. If the belt is buckled correctly and the mobile phone answers a call, the driver must manually disconnect the Bluetooth to answer the call (or unbuckle the seatbelt). The dealer said it was an iPhone issue; however, this issue has been known since 2020. The driver's belt is not damaged in any way. The dealer says I am responsible for replacing the safety belt to remedy the issue, but it is not assured that it will fix the problem. I purchased this vehicle in 2023, and the telephone issue has been a persistent problem. NC is a hands-free state, and this issue causes me to disconnect my telephone and navigation maps or to handle my phone while driving to disconnect the Bluetooth. MMI Reboots While Driving: The MMI system turns off and restarts while driving. The screen goes black, and the system requires the driver to select User and sometimes enter a code. This issue will also cause a mobile device to disconnect. Particularly dangerous while using a CarPlay map application while driving. The dealer says I am responsible for paying for the software update. On Tuesday, [XXX] I was driving in Greensboro, NC, when the MMI system went black. My phone was connected using Maps, but I unplugged it from the car, and my maps would not load on my phone. It was dark, and I was in an unfamiliar neighborhood. This experience was frightening and very unsafe. Audi has issued Technical Service Bulletins on both problems without issuing a recall. Many owners of the 2020 model are experiencing these two issues. These are serious issues and should warrant recalls without any cost to the consumer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11673170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Denver, CO

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The MMI/ radio shuts off and reboots at least 4-5 times within a 30 minute drive. When it comes back up, I get the error “user hasn’t been detected for some time”. I have had it go out while in reverse which is a safety concern. Every time it shuts off it is 30 seconds to a minute where nothing in my MMI is accessible. This began around April of 2025. No warning lights or error codes have been found. I have not taken it in for diagnosis, as it seems to be software related. [XXX] This link shows a lot of people that are experiencing the same issue and how it may be related to software updates, as the current software I have matches what is in the link and is incredibly outdated and old. Never once has it been addressed by the company. It is incredibly frustrating, and provides potential safety concerns as access to any GPS services, backup cameras, and any feature tied to the MMI go completely blank while driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11671809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Dover, NJ

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MMI spontaneously reboots numerous times while driving. When the reboots happen, the screen goes black and key systems such as the backup camera, rear obstacle detection, and navigation, become unavailable until the reboot completes and the systems reload. Restoring functionality requires user input to get through the loading screens. The issue started in February/March 2025 and I requested my the Audi dealer to investigate while performing a 50,000 mile service in May 2025. This appears to be a widespread issue based on the numerous reports found on user forums online, affecting the same model year vehicles (for multiple examples, refer to [XXX] ). This should be considered a safety issue, as the reboots can happen in the middle of a reverse parking maneuver, and they render the backup camera and obstacle detection sensors completely inoperative until the system reloads. They also impact safety on the highway, as the reboots completely disable the navigation screens, and require multiple user input to restore, while driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11671220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Holbrook, NY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MMI/radio shuts off while driving every day. Good morning. I’m hoping someone here can help me. I have a 2020 A5 and about 2 weeks my car started doing an annoying thing where while driving the radio/MMI randomly shuts off and reboots. I’ve tried everything I can think of to both replicate it and stop it but nothing has worked.

NHTSA complaint #11670017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Scottsdale, AZ

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My MMI system is routinely shutting down. I cant use my garage opener, rear backup, warning collision effects and have to routinely reset while driving.

NHTSA complaint #11669851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Oak Harbor, WA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Multiple owners as well as mine MMI system just randomly rebooted multiple times when I was driving on the interstate. The speed goes up to 70MPH and I lost my maps and everything.

NHTSA complaint #11669078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Woodbridge, VA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The vehicles MMI multimedia infotainment system will randomly shut off, go blank and reboot. This happens at random intervals and there doesn’t seem to be a pattern to the cause. It also happens at times when trying to back in, this is dangerous as it cuts out the reverse camera and the parking sensors while it reboots. It not only shuts off music it shuts off gps while it reboots. It does it with the regular gps as well as with Apple CarPlay on

NHTSA complaint #11668384 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Audi A5 Edgewood, WA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MMI randomly reboots involuntarily at any point during the drive. Reboots as often as once every few minutes and reboots about 5-8 times per drive. Cannot pin point the cause since it is not obvious. Also a safety concern because the MMI can reboot while backup camera is active or while car sensors are in use. Multiple owners of the same year model are having this same issue for months now with no fix from Audi. I have been having this issue non stop the last few months now.

NHTSA complaint #11668250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Audi A5 problems