Most common 2011 Audi A5 problems
Share of the 25 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Audi A5 complaints by model year
Best A5 years: 2017, 2016, 2015. Years to avoid: 2020, 2010, 2013, 2018, 2014. Compare all years →
What 2011 Audi A5 owners say
Air bags
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!
Earlier models were recalled for defective air bag modules. My 2011 A5 was not recalled but the air bag module failed in exactly the same way as earlier models. The modules were not upgraded and perhaps the newer models should be included in recall. I have an invoice for $1443.45 from the dealer. Thanks.
Engine & cooling
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. …
Was leaving house, car started shaking violently so I drove back home, engine light turned on. Have been waiting long before this happened to hear back from Audi about oil consumption warranty recall, car was under 80K mi at the time I made report, had already paid for the required tests they needed, took them 4 months to finally get back to me. Received special case since it was a pre owned vehicle & could not provide them with the service maintenance records since I had just purchased vehicle, not the dealership nor Audi have been helpful with obtaining that information. Now they are saying they are not willing to fix it or buy back.
Transmission & drivetrain
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. …
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.
2011 Audi A5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | CVT | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | AWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Audi A5 a good car?
Based on 25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 A5 rates use caution: 1.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the A5 at the same age. It is one of the A5 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Audi A5?
The air bags — 14 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (6) and transmission & drivetrain (4).
How many recalls does the 2011 Audi A5 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2011 Audi A5. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Audi A5?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2016 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2020, 2010, 2013, 2018 and 2014. See the full Audi A5 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Audi A5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 30% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.