Model year record

2012 Audi S5 recalls & problems

The 2012 Audi S5 has 1 safety recall and 10 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is air bags (8 complaints).

Recalls1safety recalls

Complaints10filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Fuel system, gasolineJan 20, 2015

Fuel injection system › Fuel rail

Recall 15V01900026,008 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Audi S4, S5, Q7, 2012 Audi A6, Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles. In the affected vehicles the fuel injection system may experience a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the injection system in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 24AP for Audi customers and 24BK for Volkswagen customers.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2012 Audi S5 C AWD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

2012 Audi S5 2 DR AWD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

2012 Audi S5 C FWD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

S5

19mpg combined

City / highway	16 / 24 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

4.2 L · 8 cyl · Automatic (S6) · All-Wheel Drive · about $4,350/year to fuel

S5

17mpg combined

City / highway	14 / 22 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

4.2 L · 8 cyl · Manual 6-spd · All-Wheel Drive · about $4,850/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Typical mileage*
Air bags	8	—
Power train	1	—
Electrical system	1	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Air bags
I am affected by recall 69R6 for this vehicle. I moved to Germany in 2012 and took my car with me. Audi in Germany refused to honor the recall claiming that it is not applicable to Germany due to different "climate conditions". What can I do (other than shipping the car back to the US) ? Thanks
May 23, 2022
Electrical system
THE CAR'S BACKUP CAMERA FEED HAS A LOT OF ISSUES FOR MANY OWNERS, MYSELF INCLUDED. THERE IS A PROBABLY 10% CHANCE OF THE BACKUP CAMERA NOT TURNING ON WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR EACH TIME. LOTS OF OTHER OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES ON THE A5/S5/RS5 PLATFORM FROM SIMILAR YEARS. IF YOU GOOGLE THE FOLLOWING: "SITE:A5OC.COM BACKUP CAMERA" YOU CAN SEE LOTS OF THREADS FROM A FORUM DEDICATED TO THE ABOVE MODELS. THE FAILING BACKUP CAMERAS ARE DANGEROUS SINCE THEY INTERMITTENTLY FAIL. SOMETIMES I CATCH MYSELF STARTING TO REVERSE ASSUMING THE BACKUP CAMERA WILL COME ON BUT IT NEVER DOES. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A WHILE NOW. I WILL PUT AN ESTIMATE FOR WHEN IT FIRST APPEARED.
Jan 1, 2019 · 40,000 miles
Power train
I GET THE GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS LIGHT FLASHING AND THE CAR JERKS AND STUTTERS ESPECIALLY FROM START AND COMING TO A STOP. WHEN STOPPING, IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HIT YOU FROM BEHIND. RAN THE CODES AND IT IS A MECHATRONIC MALFUNCTION/FAILURE. *TR
Jun 1, 2020 · 76,456 miles
Air bags
FT. COLLINS DEALER SAYS REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS NOT AVAILABLE
Feb 1, 2017 · 70,000 miles
Air bags
TAKATA RECALL.SAFETY RECALL 69N2. I CONTINUE TO GET DEFECT NOTICES FROM AUDI BUT NO ONE AT AUDI HAS ANY IDEA WHEN THE REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. WHEN AND WHERE WILL THE REPAIR PARTS BE AVAILABLE IS MY QUESTION?
Jul 9, 2017
Air bags
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI S5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mar 1, 2016
Air bags
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI S5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Feb 9, 2016
Air bags
TAKATA RECALL. DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG INFLATOR COULD POTENTIALLY RUPTURE. REPEATED CALL AND INQUIRIES TO AUDI DEALER ABOUT REMEDY WITH NO TIMETABLE PROVIDED. I WAS TOLD THAT NO AIRBAGS HAVE THUSFAR BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED WITH NO ESTIMATE OF WHEN PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST ONE YEAR SINCE RECALL. UNACCEPTABLE.
Feb 9, 2016

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.