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2011 Audi A5

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 10 of 25 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

25 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2016
EnginePower Train

THIS VEHICLE WHEN I START IN THE MORNING FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS RUBBING ON THE WHEELS. IT MAYBE THE WHEEL BEARINGS. ALSO JUST LIKE THE OTHER AUDI OWNERS HAVE SAID THIS CAR CONSUMES AT LEAST A QUART OF OIL EVERY 800 TO A 1000 MILES OR SO. I DECIDED ON THIS VEHICLE BASED ON REPUTATION, I'VE HAD IT A YEAR AND I'M NOT HAPPY. I THO…

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THIS VEHICLE WHEN I START IN THE MORNING FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS RUBBING ON THE WHEELS. IT MAYBE THE WHEEL BEARINGS. ALSO JUST LIKE THE OTHER AUDI OWNERS HAVE SAID THIS CAR CONSUMES AT LEAST A QUART OF OIL EVERY 800 TO A 1000 MILES OR SO. I DECIDED ON THIS VEHICLE BASED ON REPUTATION, I'VE HAD IT A YEAR AND I'M NOT HAPPY. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL. BUT I SEE ITS NOT. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI #10823625

37,123 miles · Oct 9, 2015
Power Train

I WAS MOVING FROM A STATIONARY POSITION AND SAW AN ERROR FOR TPMS AND THEN AN ERROR CAME UP AS NO REVERSE GEAR AVAILABLE - YOU CAN COTNUE TO DRIVE. I CAN MOVE FORWARD NOT REVERSE AND THE GEARS MOVE IN ODD NUMBER FROM 1 -3-5 ETC. I BOUGHT THIS CERTFIED PREOWNED CAR OVER A WEEK AGO AND THIS ISSUE CAME UP. THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR IS…

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I WAS MOVING FROM A STATIONARY POSITION AND SAW AN ERROR FOR TPMS AND THEN AN ERROR CAME UP AS NO REVERSE GEAR AVAILABLE - YOU CAN COTNUE TO DRIVE. I CAN MOVE FORWARD NOT REVERSE AND THE GEARS MOVE IN ODD NUMBER FROM 1 -3-5 ETC. I BOUGHT THIS CERTFIED PREOWNED CAR OVER A WEEK AGO AND THIS ISSUE CAME UP. THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR IS 37K M SO I DONT KNOW WHATS THE ISSUE

NHTSA ODI #10780967

70,000 miles · Apr 13, 2015
Power Train

THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED DURING NORMAL OPERATION AT 70,000M. THE CAR WAS MAINTAINED BY THE DEALER ACCORDING TO MANUF. SPECS. ALL RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE. THE AUDI A5 2.0T ENGINE IS KNOWN TO HAVE A MANUF DEFECT CAUSING HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION (CLASS ACTION SUIT AND SETTLEMENT). THE MANUF. DENIES ANY LINKAGE TO LOW OIL AND DENIES …

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THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED DURING NORMAL OPERATION AT 70,000M. THE CAR WAS MAINTAINED BY THE DEALER ACCORDING TO MANUF. SPECS. ALL RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE. THE AUDI A5 2.0T ENGINE IS KNOWN TO HAVE A MANUF DEFECT CAUSING HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION (CLASS ACTION SUIT AND SETTLEMENT). THE MANUF. DENIES ANY LINKAGE TO LOW OIL AND DENIES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE POWER TRAIN FAILURE. THESE INTERNAL PARTS ARE DESIGNED FOR LONG-LIFE AND ARE NOT MAINTAINED ON A REGULAR BASIS. FAILURE IS ACCUSED BY A DESIGN DEFECT OR A MANUF DEFECT. THE MASSIVE FAILURE OF THE INTERNAL PARTS OF THE ENGINE DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A PART OFTEN REQUIRES WHOLESALE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE. AUDI HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY. THIS FAILURE WHEN THE CAR IS IN POTION WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF ALL POWER ASSISTANCE TO BRAKES AND STEERING - SUBJECTING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS TO POTENTIAL SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10705254

70,600 miles · Apr 8, 2015
EnginePower Train

MARCH 21 MY LOW OIL LIGHT CAME ON, AS IT HAS EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT MY CAR. AUDI ALWAYS TOLD ME THIS WAS NORMAL. I WOULD GO TO THE DEALER EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON AND GET A QUART POURED IN. I'VE NEVER HAD ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE CAR AND I HAVE SERVICED IT PERFECTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. …

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MARCH 21 MY LOW OIL LIGHT CAME ON, AS IT HAS EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT MY CAR. AUDI ALWAYS TOLD ME THIS WAS NORMAL. I WOULD GO TO THE DEALER EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON AND GET A QUART POURED IN. I'VE NEVER HAD ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE CAR AND I HAVE SERVICED IT PERFECTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I GOT NOTICE OF THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR MY CAR AND IT'S OVERCONSUMPTION OF OIL. ON MARCH 21ST WHEN I HAD MORE OIL ADDED, WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE OIL OVERSCONSUMPTION PROBLEM TO BE FIXED. THAT NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT. I STARTED MY CAR. DROVE ABOUT A BLOCK TO AN INTERSECTION. STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. AND THE CAR STOPPED. THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THE ENGINE IS DESTROYED. A TIMING CHAIN SHOULD NEVER BREAK. I AM LUCKY I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. THE OIL OVERCONSUMPTION COULD DEFINITELY LEAD TO THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING. AUDI REFUSES TO ADMIT THIS EVEN THOUGH IT IS DOCUMENTED. THERE IS A DOCUMENTED MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN MY ENGINE FOR THE 2011 A5S, BUT THEY REFUSE TO COVER THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. IT IS THEIR FAULT. I WAS SITTING ON A TIME BOMB AND AUDI WAS FULLY AWARE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AND THEY NEVER CHECKED AND NEVER MENTIONED IT TO ME. NOW THEY EXPECT ME TO COVER THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE WHEN IT WAS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. IT CLEARLY STATES IN THE CLASS ACTION SUIT THAT THE DEFECT CAN LEAD TO COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. I AM OVER MY WARRANTY, BUT THAT SHOULD NOT MATTER. THIS DEFECT EXISTED FROM DAY ONE. THEY NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10704503

11,501 miles · Jul 2, 2014
Engine

THE AUDI 2.0T ENGINE IS KNOWN TO HAVE ISSUES WITH SIGNIFICANT OIL CONSUMPTION. DURING SERVICE VISITS I HAVE MENTIONED TO THE AUDI DEALER THAT THE CAR BURNS A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000-1200 MILES. AUDI CLAIMS THAT THIS IS PART OF THE ENGINE DESIGN IN ORDER FOR IT TO GIVE BETTER FUEL ECONOMY. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT TRUE. I HAVE FR…

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THE AUDI 2.0T ENGINE IS KNOWN TO HAVE ISSUES WITH SIGNIFICANT OIL CONSUMPTION. DURING SERVICE VISITS I HAVE MENTIONED TO THE AUDI DEALER THAT THE CAR BURNS A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000-1200 MILES. AUDI CLAIMS THAT THIS IS PART OF THE ENGINE DESIGN IN ORDER FOR IT TO GIVE BETTER FUEL ECONOMY. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT TRUE. I HAVE FRIENDS WITH AUDIS EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.0T ENGINE AND THEY HAVE ZERO OIL CONSUMPTION. THERE ARE MULTIPLE ONLINE BLOGS WITH OTHER AUDI OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT IS CLEARLY SOMETHING THAT AUDI SHOULD BE FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL TO RESOLVE THE MATTER. I HAPPEN TO WON TWO AUDI'S WITH THIS SAME 2.0T ENGINE, BOTH HAVE THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607755

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.