Most common 2013 Audi A5 problems
Share of the 35 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 →
2013 Audi A5 recalls (3)
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4.
Electrical system › Wiring
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge.
What 2013 Audi A5 owners say
Engine & cooling
The contact's cousin owns a 2013 Audi A5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to overheat. The warning message "Pull Over and Check Coolant" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road and upon checking the coolant reservoir, the contact noticed that the coolant was leaking. The contact added coolant and was able to continue driving. However, the failure reoccurred increasingly. The contact stated that the coolant would leak onto the ground while refilling the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that the vehicle was no longer drivable. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. …
The contact owns a 2013 Audi A5. The contact stated that after activating the AC system, there was hot air and a burning odor coming from the passenger's side vents. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V002000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact called an independent mechanic and referenced the recall campaign. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 157,653.
Electrical system
The contact's cousin owns a 2013 Audi A5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to overheat. The warning message "Pull Over and Check Coolant" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road and upon checking the coolant reservoir, the contact noticed that the coolant was leaking. The contact added coolant and was able to continue driving. However, the failure reoccurred increasingly. The contact stated that the coolant would leak onto the ground while refilling the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that the vehicle was no longer drivable. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. …
The contact owns a 2013 Audi A5. The contact stated that after activating the AC system, there was hot air and a burning odor coming from the passenger's side vents. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V002000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact called an independent mechanic and referenced the recall campaign. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 157,653.
Steering
About 3 weeks ago I noticed the beginning of a steering problem. I first noticed that the wheel seemed to require more than normal force to turn, especially in about the 10 and 2 o'clock position. It would behave pretty normally most of the time, but then, unpredictably, this would happen. Now it seems to be pretty constant. The steering wheel now requires much more force than usual, but only when in certain positions. Otherwise, everything appears normal. A couple of days ago I needed to try an evasive maneuver, which required sudden, hard steering. However, the response of the car was not what I expected under similar conditions with other Audi's I own. This is an obvious safety concern. There appears to be a repair bulletin by Audi, but only Audis that are still under warranty will be fixed for free by Audi. …
While approaching a turn I slowed down , another car came around the right side. My car wasn't resoonding I wasn't able to bear right around curve and went across road and up hill. Approaching hill felt like I didn't have power steering, I took 2 hands and grabbed the steering wheel and forced myself to go down , brakes seemed useless.. Car went down hill. I put foot on my brake because I was in head on traffic on a small back road. I then put car in reverses, it jerked back to straighten car up, and straighten up car- drove up to light shaken up, pulled over to shoulder - no shoulder the back road at it was about 10 pm weeknight... I looked at the drivers front end that made contact and it looked OK- just scrapes... I drove home and woke up to flat tires in am. I took my car to Audi turnersville- automall. …
2013 Audi A5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | AWD | 22 / 32 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | CVT | FWD | 24 / 31 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 30 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Audi A5 a good car?
Based on 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 A5 rates avoid: 2.6× 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 2013 Audi A5?
The engine & cooling — 15 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (9) and steering (8).
How many recalls does the 2013 Audi A5 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2013 Audi A5, the most recent from April 11, 2018 (cooling system). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the 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 2013 Audi A5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 52,000 miles; 50% 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.