NHTSA Safety Complaint DraftVehicle Information:Year/Make/Model: 2013 Audi S5 Premium Plus CoupeVIN: [XXX]: Power Train / Transmission (7-Speed Dual-Clutch S-Tronic / DSG)Description of Safety Defect:I am writing to report a severe, recurring safety defect regarding the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission in my 2013 Audi S5. The vehicle is experiencing catastrophic transmission issues, including sudden power loss, violent juddering, erratic shifting, and abruptly entering "limp mode" without warning.This issue presents an immediate and severe safety hazard. When the transmission abruptly loses power or forces the vehicle into limp mode while driving at highway speeds, it leaves the driver completely unable to accelerate or safely keep pace with surrounding traffic. This sudden, unpredictable loss of propulsion significantly increases the risk of a high-speed rear-end collision. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11744360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Below is a detailed timeline of the problems I experienced: Intermittent starting issue Over the past few months, the car has occasionally failed to start on the first attempt. It always started on the second try, so I planned to mention it at the next service visit. Complete MMI/display blackout while driving on the highway In the middle of my trip, the entire center display and instrument cluster went completely black while I was driving at highway speed. All information disappeared (speed, fuel level, navigation, radio — everything). The car continued running, but I had no visibility into critical driving data. After pulling over and restarting the vehicle, only half the screen returned. Hours later, the second half came back on its own. Catastrophic front-right tire blowout in a remote area of Texas The following day, while driving through a very remote stretch of highway, the front-right tire suddenly exploded with a loud bang. I safely pulled over and discovered the tire was completely destroyed. No spare tire provided The trunk contained only a tire inflator kit — no spare tire or temporary spare. A new tire was required. Inadequate roadside assistance experience I called Audi Roadside Assistance twice. Both representatives appeared to be reading from a script, were located in another country, and could not understand the urgency or specifics of my situation. After repeated miscommunication, I received no meaningful help and had to resolve the situation on my own at significant personal expense. When the local tire shop inspected the vehicle, the mechanic immediately pointed out severe abnormal inner tire wear on both front tires and stated that the alignment is clearly defective. He said the left front tire was also about to fail and that the car was unsafe to drive in its current condition. Both front tires had to be replaced before I could continue.
NHTSA complaint #11701665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vacuum line has coolant due to water pump failure and over heating of engine. Whole water pump and coolant reservoir plus hoses need to be replaced before additional damage to vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11678414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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 last few days this issue has gone from happening once or maybe twice a day to almost every single minute I am driving the vehicle. Completely unacceptable and dangerous! Restoring functionality requires user input to get through the loading screens. The issue started in mid 2024 and the vehicle has been inspected by the Audi dealership (06/25), who verified the concern and attempted a factory reset (which did not solve the issue), and they continue to claim there's nothing they can do since their OBD scans return no fault codes, even though there are numerous TSBs (filed with NHTSA) that point to available software updates that should be applied to address infotainment-related issues. 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 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. Please Audi, do the right thing and fix this issue! Recall these vehicles! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11674136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
For the past 6 months, I have experiencing Audi MMI reboots on every single drive. It is rather dangerous as if I am navigating using car navigation and suddenly lost connection to the route. I had few instances when I was backing up to a driveway or garage, the backup camera shuts down during backing as MMI needs reboot. There are many others online having the same issue. This is a safety issue which Audi needs to address at their own expense.
NHTSA complaint #11669800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The MMI entertainment system completely reboots several times on a 10-15 minute drives this causes me to lose all visibility into my clusters, maps, GPS, and much more. This problem has been replicated by my local dealership with no solution to the issues. There are many others online with the same exact problem, and have yet to be given a solution. There is no warning to this issue happening as it's very random.
NHTSA complaint #11668397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Audi completed an over the air update and now the mmi screen reboots randomly, making it very dangerous when reversing using the backup camera and relying on parking sensors. Following navigation and it rebooting and having to utilize my cell phone making it difficult to also pay attention to the road.
NHTSA complaint #11661076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The sunroof exploded. Driving on a good quality highway (CA76), no temperature extremes, no bumps or potholes. Heard what sounded like a gunshot. Pulled over thinking it might be a tire failure, to find my sunroof severely shattered. There was no debris inside the car, other than the shattered glass itself.
NHTSA complaint #11542769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vehicle has a failed SOS module, which breaks hands free Bluetooth/emergency calling, which is a safety concern. This also breaks parts of the MMI system that were purchased but now do not function as designed. Audi of America does not seem to take this issue very seriously, as there was a recall but it was cancelled, yet there are still thousands of vehicles affected. I have spoken to several people with same make/model/year vehicle as mine and they have the same exact symptoms. AoA has not seemingly corrected supply chain issues with this defective part. I have been waiting 2+ months for a fix, with little to no timeframe of resolution since purchasing the vehicle. I feel that AoA needs to make more of a good-faith effort for this problem, due to length of resolution.
NHTSA complaint #11501840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON A BIG HIGHWAY DOING ABOUT 75MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN FOR NO REASON I GET A BIG PRESENSE WARNING FLASH ON MY CONSOLE, THEN A TRANSMISSION ERROR, THEN TIRE PRESSURE ERROR, THEN ENGINE MALFUNCTION ALL IN A ROW AND MY CAR JUST TOTALLY SHUTS OFF AND I HAD TO COAST OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER. I'M HONESTLY JUST SHOCKED I MANAGED TO GET TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT BEING HIT BY SOMEONE. AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON IT SEEMS TO BE OKAY OTHER THAN THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP MIL LIGHT IS STILL ON. THIS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER SEVERAL MONTHS, PRESENSE WOULD ACCIDENTLY TRIGGER AND PUT MY CAR IN VERY COMPROMISING SITUATIONS AND ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT MULTIPLE TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #11289072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BANG AND OLFISEN SYSTEM SPEAKERS RATTLES A LOT AT VOLUME OVER 50 PERCENT AND SOUNDS VERY DISTORTED AT LOUDER VOLUMES SYSTEM ONLY PLAYS WELL AT 50 PERCENT AND LOWER VOLUME
NHTSA complaint #11122842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY S5 SPORTBACK'S TOP VIEW CAMERA DOES NOT WORK AS DESIGNED. IT REVERTS BACK TO "GRAPHIC" MODE EVERY TIME I START THE CAR. "GRAPHIC" MODE IS SIMPLY A BLACK SCREEN WITH A CARTOON CAR IN THE MIDDLE, AS OPPOSED TO THE ACTUAL "CAMERA" MODE THAT SHOWS YOU WHAT SURROUNDS YOUR VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DUE TO THE DISTRACTING NATURE OF THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE STATE OF THE BACKUP CAMERA, AS YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SERIES OF BUTTON PRESSES TO GET THE CAMERA VIEW, WHICH MIGHT BE DANGEROUS IN A REAL-LIFE SETTING. THIS AFFECTS NEARLY EVERY AUDI WITH THIS OPTION SOLD IN THE 2018 MODEL YEAR. AUDI HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS SAFETY ISSUE BUT HAS REFUSED TO OFFER ANY SOLUTION FOR OVER A YEAR, AND HAS CONTINUED TO KNOWINGLY SELL THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES WITH THIS DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #11119956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY CAR HAS A "TOP VIEW" REAR CAMERA SYSTEM TO AID IN REVERSING. THIS SYSTEM FAILS AND IS IN AN UNPREDICTABLE STATE ON THE SCREEN EVERY TIME I REVERSE, NOT SHOWING THE VIEW AROUND MY CAR. THIS IS DISTRACTING, AND LEADS TO PROBLEMS IN TRYING TO SWITCH MY TOP-VIEW CAMERA ON (IT REQUIRES A COMPLEX SERIES OF 8 BUTTON PRESSES WHILE IN REVERSE!) WHILE BACKING UP. I HAVE NEARLY HIT OBJECTS AND PEDESTRIANS DUE TO THIS SAFETY DEFECT, AND IT DIMINISHES MY ABILITY TO SAFELY OPERATE MY VEHICLE WHEN IT IS REVERSING. THIS SAME DEFECT AFFECTS ALL AUDI MODELS WITH THIS OPTION SOLD IN CY 2017 AND 2018 (INCLUDING A4, S4, A5, S5, Q5, AND Q7). I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SAFETY DEFECT TO MY DEALER ON SEPT 17, 2017. AUDI HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS DEFECT, AND CLAIMS IT HAS A FIX, BUT HAS REFUSED TO DISTRIBUTE THE FIX TO EXISTING VEHICLES FOR 6+ MONTHS. IN THE TIME IT HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AUDI MISREPRESENTED THE SAFETY FEATURES OF THEIR NEW VEHICLES SOLD IN THE US, AND CONTINUED TO SELL VEHICLES WITH THIS EXPENSIVE SAFETY OPTION KNOWING THAT THE SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY -- AND, IN FACT, IS SO DISTRACTING AS TO REDUCE SAFETY WHILE REVERSING INSTEAD OF ENHANCING IT.
NHTSA complaint #11119453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.