Owners have filed 50 complaints
about the 2020 Audi S5 with NHTSA between 2022 and 2025.
The largest single group is the driver assist & collision avoidance.
Across this model's run it ranks 2 of 7 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 98
Against the median year of the Audi S5. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a
system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and
knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
Warnings
1041.7%
Rearview System Braking
416.7%
Automatic Emergency Braking
416.7%
Warnings
416.7%
Blind Spot Detection
28.3%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
May 2022peak 29Aug 2025
Recalls on the 2020 Audi S5
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 20220224,361 units in Canada
Suspension
Issue: On certain vehicles, the rear wheel alignment was not checked during recall 42L1 (Transport Canada Recall 2021-249). As a result, the steering could pull to one side or another and the tires could wear unevenly. If you continue to drive the vehicle in this condition, there may be reduced traction. Eventually, a tire could fail and lose air pressure. Safety Risk: A tire failure could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Audi will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect and adjust the rear wheel alignment, as necessary. Additionally, the dealer will inspect the rear tires for premature and uneven wear due to this issue, and replace them if necessary.
Recall 202168835,107 units in Canada
Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction. This could cause the airbag system to turn off the passenger-front airbag even when a passenger is seated. Note: This problem would cause an error message to display on the instrument panel and a warning chime to sound. The airbag indicator light would also display "passenger airbag off". Additional note: For the 2020 model year A5 model, only the A5 Sportback is affected by this recall. Safety Risk: An airbag that is turned off could increase the risk of injury to a passenger in a crash. Corrective Actions: Audi will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to inspect the front passenger seat. Depending on the seat type, the dealer will either replace the seat heating mat including the connecting cable or the entire seat cover.
Recall 20212495,396 units in Canada
Suspension
Issue: On certain vehicles, the lock nuts for the rear trailing arm bolts may be defective. If a nut breaks, there could be sudden changes in rear wheel alignment. This can cause a loss of vehicle stability. Safety Risk: Reduced vehicle stability could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Audi will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the rear trailing arm lock nuts. If necessary, the associated bolt(s) will be replaced as well.
Recall 20205751,409 units in Canada
Electrical
Issue: On certain vehicles, a layer of protective tape may not have been installed around a wiring harness in the spare tire area. As a result, the wiring harness could become damaged in a rear crash. If this happens, it may not be possible to open the doors from the outside and/or the hazard lights may not work. Safety Risk: Doors that cannot be opened from the outside could increase the risk of injury after a crash. Hazard lights that do not work could make the vehicle less visible and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Audi will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to apply protective tape to the wiring harness for the rear lights.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Cottage Grove, MN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MMI - Multi Media Interface constantly reboots about every 90 seconds. This is a safety issue since if I am backing up and the MMI reboots I lose the backup camera and when the MMI reboots I also lose collision/parking/proximity sensors. This issue started happening with my Audi on 7/26/25 and can be reproduced every time the ignition is on or car is running. From doing a quick search on the internet this is a very common problem that just started happening within the last few months with a number of 2020 model Audi's.
NHTSA complaint #11677943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cottage Grove, MN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MMI - Multi Media Interface constantly reboots about every 90 seconds. This is a safety issue since if I am backing up and the MMI reboots I lose the backup camera and when the MMI reboots I also lose collision/parking/proximity sensors. This issue started happening with my Audi on 7/26/25 and can be reproduced every time the ignition is on or car is running. From doing a quick search on the internet this is a very common problem that just started happening within the last few months with a number of 2020 model Audi's.
NHTSA complaint #11677943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cottage Grove, MN
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
MMI - Multi Media Interface constantly reboots about every 90 seconds. This is a safety issue since if I am backing up and the MMI reboots I lose the backup camera and when the MMI reboots I also lose collision/parking/proximity sensors. This issue started happening with my Audi on 7/26/25 and can be reproduced every time the ignition is on or car is running. From doing a quick search on the internet this is a very common problem that just started happening within the last few months with a number of 2020 model Audi's.
NHTSA complaint #11677943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fall River, MA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE RADIO (MMI SYSTEM) IS REBOOTING WHILE DRIVING EVERY 5-10 MIN. DEALERSHIP CAN'T FIX AND IS AFFECTING SAFETY SYTEMS LIKE FRONT AND REAR CAMERAS/SENSORS.
NHTSA complaint #11677363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fall River, MA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
THE RADIO (MMI SYSTEM) IS REBOOTING WHILE DRIVING EVERY 5-10 MIN. DEALERSHIP CAN'T FIX AND IS AFFECTING SAFETY SYTEMS LIKE FRONT AND REAR CAMERAS/SENSORS.
NHTSA complaint #11677363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE RADIO (MMI SYSTEM) IS REBOOTING WHILE DRIVING EVERY 5-10 MIN. DEALERSHIP CAN'T FIX AND IS AFFECTING SAFETY SYTEMS LIKE FRONT AND REAR CAMERAS/SENSORS.
NHTSA complaint #11677363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kirkland, WA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am writing to report a critical and recurring safety defect concerning the Multi Media Interface (MMI) system in my Audi S5. The MMI system consistently restarts itself approximately every 90 seconds, regardless of whether the vehicle is stationary (parking) or in motion (driving). This issue presents a significant safety hazard because critical sensor information and vehicle status displays, which are shown on the infotainment screen, become unavailable during each restart cycle. During the 5-10 second period of the system restarting, the screen goes blank, and all related functions and visual aids, including parking sensor readouts, camera views (if active), and other driver assistance information, are completely inaccessible. The intermittent loss of these visual aids creates a hazardous situation, especially when maneuvering at low speeds, parking, or when relying on sensor alerts for proximity to other vehicles or obstacles. Even during normal driving, the sudden loss of the display is a distraction and removes vital information that a driver might rely on. This is particularly concerning as it affects features directly related to situational awareness and collision avoidance. The problem is persistent and has been occurring since July 2025. I have attemptedrestarting the car, checking for software updates. The issue remains unresolved and consistently compromises my ability to safely operate the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11676791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kirkland, WA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I am writing to report a critical and recurring safety defect concerning the Multi Media Interface (MMI) system in my Audi S5. The MMI system consistently restarts itself approximately every 90 seconds, regardless of whether the vehicle is stationary (parking) or in motion (driving). This issue presents a significant safety hazard because critical sensor information and vehicle status displays, which are shown on the infotainment screen, become unavailable during each restart cycle. During the 5-10 second period of the system restarting, the screen goes blank, and all related functions and visual aids, including parking sensor readouts, camera views (if active), and other driver assistance information, are completely inaccessible. The intermittent loss of these visual aids creates a hazardous situation, especially when maneuvering at low speeds, parking, or when relying on sensor alerts for proximity to other vehicles or obstacles. Even during normal driving, the sudden loss of the display is a distraction and removes vital information that a driver might rely on. This is particularly concerning as it affects features directly related to situational awareness and collision avoidance. The problem is persistent and has been occurring since July 2025. I have attemptedrestarting the car, checking for software updates. The issue remains unresolved and consistently compromises my ability to safely operate the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11676791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kirkland, WA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
I am writing to report a critical and recurring safety defect concerning the Multi Media Interface (MMI) system in my Audi S5. The MMI system consistently restarts itself approximately every 90 seconds, regardless of whether the vehicle is stationary (parking) or in motion (driving). This issue presents a significant safety hazard because critical sensor information and vehicle status displays, which are shown on the infotainment screen, become unavailable during each restart cycle. During the 5-10 second period of the system restarting, the screen goes blank, and all related functions and visual aids, including parking sensor readouts, camera views (if active), and other driver assistance information, are completely inaccessible. The intermittent loss of these visual aids creates a hazardous situation, especially when maneuvering at low speeds, parking, or when relying on sensor alerts for proximity to other vehicles or obstacles. Even during normal driving, the sudden loss of the display is a distraction and removes vital information that a driver might rely on. This is particularly concerning as it affects features directly related to situational awareness and collision avoidance. The problem is persistent and has been occurring since July 2025. I have attemptedrestarting the car, checking for software updates. The issue remains unresolved and consistently compromises my ability to safely operate the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11676791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
La Verne, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Audi MMI reboots constantly while the car is one. There is about 30 seconds between each reboot. This causes certain safety features like the backup camera to stop working when in use. I am not sure what the cause is but this seems to be a more common issue with the 2020 Audi's.
NHTSA complaint #11676410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Carmel, NY
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Sudden reboot of the vehicle's infotainment system, which then repeats every 60-90 seconds consistently. The reboot has happened while reversing the vehicle, which results in losing view of the backup camera and parking sensors / rear cross traffic detection. This issue was originally sparse, but after 7/14 manifests 100% of the time when using the vehicle. This represents a safety issue due to the loss of rear backup camera for 30+ seconds while the infotainment reboots. No warning lights appear, no inspections have been performed by the dealer or any others.
NHTSA complaint #11676426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Carmel, NY
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Sudden reboot of the vehicle's infotainment system, which then repeats every 60-90 seconds consistently. The reboot has happened while reversing the vehicle, which results in losing view of the backup camera and parking sensors / rear cross traffic detection. This issue was originally sparse, but after 7/14 manifests 100% of the time when using the vehicle. This represents a safety issue due to the loss of rear backup camera for 30+ seconds while the infotainment reboots. No warning lights appear, no inspections have been performed by the dealer or any others.
NHTSA complaint #11676426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Carmel, NY
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
Sudden reboot of the vehicle's infotainment system, which then repeats every 60-90 seconds consistently. The reboot has happened while reversing the vehicle, which results in losing view of the backup camera and parking sensors / rear cross traffic detection. This issue was originally sparse, but after 7/14 manifests 100% of the time when using the vehicle. This represents a safety issue due to the loss of rear backup camera for 30+ seconds while the infotainment reboots. No warning lights appear, no inspections have been performed by the dealer or any others.
NHTSA complaint #11676426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kirkwood, MO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MMI system is failing, parking assist is malfunctioning, back up camera doesn’t activate, CarPlay turns off mid drive and reboots, navigation not working, car wants to brake at highway speeds as computer system malfunctions, Bluetooth phone connection drops mid call, overall the computer infotainment system has failed.
NHTSA complaint #11676293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MMI system is failing, parking assist is malfunctioning, back up camera doesn’t activate, CarPlay turns off mid drive and reboots, navigation not working, car wants to brake at highway speeds as computer system malfunctions, Bluetooth phone connection drops mid call, overall the computer infotainment system has failed.
NHTSA complaint #11676293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kirkwood, MO
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
MMI system is failing, parking assist is malfunctioning, back up camera doesn’t activate, CarPlay turns off mid drive and reboots, navigation not working, car wants to brake at highway speeds as computer system malfunctions, Bluetooth phone connection drops mid call, overall the computer infotainment system has failed.
NHTSA complaint #11676293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ashburn, VA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Component or System that Failed or Malfunctioned: The infotainment system in my vehicle fails frequently and unpredictably. This includes both the built-in system and connected features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system is available for inspection upon request. How Was Safety Put at Risk: The failure of the infotainment system creates multiple serious safety hazards. First, it disables navigation features, which forces drivers who rely on GPS directions to pull out their phones while driving—causing distraction and increasing the risk of accidents. More critically, when the infotainment system shuts down, it also disables parking cameras, blind-spot cameras, and collision warning alerts—all of which rely on the infotainment screen to function properly. This loss of driver assistance features compromises visibility, awareness of surroundings, and response to potential collisions. Has the Problem Been Reproduced or Confirmed by a Dealer or Independent Service Center? Yes, the issue has been reproduced and acknowledged by the dealership. However, no long-term solution has been provided, and the failure continues to occur despite software updates and attempted resets. ? Additionally, there are hundreds if not thousands of individual following TSB's and discussing potential remedies as the dealerships have no solution. The infotainment failure has been reported to the dealership (manufacturer's authorized service center), but the issue has not been inspected by law enforcement or insurance representatives at this time. No warning lights or messages typically appear prior to the failure. The system often shuts down suddenly while the vehicle is in use, without any forewarning.
NHTSA complaint #11676067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ashburn, VA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Component or System that Failed or Malfunctioned: The infotainment system in my vehicle fails frequently and unpredictably. This includes both the built-in system and connected features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system is available for inspection upon request. How Was Safety Put at Risk: The failure of the infotainment system creates multiple serious safety hazards. First, it disables navigation features, which forces drivers who rely on GPS directions to pull out their phones while driving—causing distraction and increasing the risk of accidents. More critically, when the infotainment system shuts down, it also disables parking cameras, blind-spot cameras, and collision warning alerts—all of which rely on the infotainment screen to function properly. This loss of driver assistance features compromises visibility, awareness of surroundings, and response to potential collisions. Has the Problem Been Reproduced or Confirmed by a Dealer or Independent Service Center? Yes, the issue has been reproduced and acknowledged by the dealership. However, no long-term solution has been provided, and the failure continues to occur despite software updates and attempted resets. ? Additionally, there are hundreds if not thousands of individual following TSB's and discussing potential remedies as the dealerships have no solution. The infotainment failure has been reported to the dealership (manufacturer's authorized service center), but the issue has not been inspected by law enforcement or insurance representatives at this time. No warning lights or messages typically appear prior to the failure. The system often shuts down suddenly while the vehicle is in use, without any forewarning.
NHTSA complaint #11676067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverview, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
"The 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. The reboots have affected other sensors/systems in the car like resetting my stored tire pressure values resulting in a TPMS malfunction warning and blocking use of the SOS call feature resulting in a SOS system malfunction warning. Restoring functionality after the reboots requires user input to get through the loading screens. It’s been happening since I purchased the car less than a week ago. I’m unsure of how long the previous owner dealt with this issue. Factory resets prescribed by the dealer do not resolve this issue. 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] ). It is also interesting that most of the users experiencing this issue, also report it starting around the same time (Jan/Feb 2025), and they all have similar software versions, and likely production dates. 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. Relevant TSB numbers include: TSB 2067021, TSB 2076404, TSB 2069112. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11675499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverview, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
"The 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. The reboots have affected other sensors/systems in the car like resetting my stored tire pressure values resulting in a TPMS malfunction warning and blocking use of the SOS call feature resulting in a SOS system malfunction warning. Restoring functionality after the reboots requires user input to get through the loading screens. It’s been happening since I purchased the car less than a week ago. I’m unsure of how long the previous owner dealt with this issue. Factory resets prescribed by the dealer do not resolve this issue. 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] ). It is also interesting that most of the users experiencing this issue, also report it starting around the same time (Jan/Feb 2025), and they all have similar software versions, and likely production dates. 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. Relevant TSB numbers include: TSB 2067021, TSB 2076404, TSB 2069112. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11675499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverview, FL
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
"The 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. The reboots have affected other sensors/systems in the car like resetting my stored tire pressure values resulting in a TPMS malfunction warning and blocking use of the SOS call feature resulting in a SOS system malfunction warning. Restoring functionality after the reboots requires user input to get through the loading screens. It’s been happening since I purchased the car less than a week ago. I’m unsure of how long the previous owner dealt with this issue. Factory resets prescribed by the dealer do not resolve this issue. 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] ). It is also interesting that most of the users experiencing this issue, also report it starting around the same time (Jan/Feb 2025), and they all have similar software versions, and likely production dates. 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. Relevant TSB numbers include: TSB 2067021, TSB 2076404, TSB 2069112. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11675499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Loveland, OH
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Main computer, multi media interface, MMI constantly shuts off and disconnects from system. This renders all backup cameras, traffic sensors and impact avoidance sensors inoperative. It also stops speedometer
NHTSA complaint #11674760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Loveland, OH
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Main computer, multi media interface, MMI constantly shuts off and disconnects from system. This renders all backup cameras, traffic sensors and impact avoidance sensors inoperative. It also stops speedometer
NHTSA complaint #11674760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Main computer, multi media interface, MMI constantly shuts off and disconnects from system. This renders all backup cameras, traffic sensors and impact avoidance sensors inoperative. It also stops speedometer
NHTSA complaint #11674760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wyandotte, MI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My vehicles MMI screen keeps rebooting every 90 seconds, this makes hands free calling, multimedia functions, cameras etc non functional while driving. I have an appt with the dealership next week, but I'm seeing a lot of negative experiences regarding Audi's acceptance of this flaw, leading to large expenses put on the owner. Safety concerns are low, but still exist, inability to use navigation, cameras and hands free calling is not ideal, but not overwhelmingly unsafe as other options exist. My car has not been inspected yet, appointment has been made with an Audi service center though. There were no warning lights or indicators of this failing, the multimedia interface screen simply blacks out and reboots every 90 seconds. (I timed them, it is precise)
NHTSA complaint #11674468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.