Most common 2018 Audi A5 problems
Share of the 38 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 →
2018 Audi A5 recalls (6)
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2018 S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, S4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, and 2017-2018 A4 Sedan and A4 Allroad vehicles.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Suspension › Front
Volkswagen Group of North America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback vehicles. The front suspension fasteners may not have been sufficiently tightened during vehicle production, possibly resulting in a front wheel becoming loose.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the front suspension fasteners, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback and 2017-2018 Audi A4 Allroad vehicles. A passenger air bag module mounting screw may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly affecting the deployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag mounting screw, tightening or replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018.
Air bags › Side/window
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles were built with head curtain air bag assemblies that may not unfold properly.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will modify the head curtain air bags so that they deploy properly, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 11-800-253-2834.
Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and attachments
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad, and 2018 A5 Sportback vehicles. The aluminum trim on the front and rear doors can come loose from around the door speakers, leaving sharp edges exposed.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the speaker cover aluminum trim, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
What 2018 Audi A5 owners say
Engine & cooling
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the gears unexpectedly shifted. Additionally, on one occasion, the vehicle lost motive power for two full days. The vehicle was later able to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the Engine Control Unit (ECU) was replaced; however, the contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle also experienced a loss of power steering. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to various other unknown dealers; however, the mechanics were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 16,000.
I own a 2018 Audi A5. Many critical cooling system parts - including the thermostat housing, water pump housing, radiator end tanks, breather tubes, and quick-connect hoses - are made of plastic and sit in constant exposure to coolant temperatures over 200 F. Over time, these components become brittle, crack, and fail prematurely. Recently, the plastic breather/return hose between the coolant reservoir and the radiator broke apart during routine service due to brittleness. When these parts fail, coolant leaks quickly, which can cause sudden overheating, engine damage, and potential vehicle disablement while driving. Based on owner reports and my own experience, this appears to be a widespread issue across Audi/VW vehicles of this generation. …
Brakes
I am writing to formally bring to your attention a potential violation of federal vehicle safety reporting requirements by Audi regarding an Electronic Control Unit (ECU)/Comfort Control Module failure in my 2018 Audi A5. As the original owner of this vehicle, I experienced a critical ECU failure approximately 2yrs after purchase (Sept 2017), which I believe qualifies as a major safety defect under 49 CFR 573.6-577.7. According to federal regulations, manufacturers are required to report such safety defects to the NHTSA within five (5) days of discovery. Furthermore, a root cause analysis should have been conducted & its findings reported w/in sixty (60) days. …
Audi pre sense, the new technology Audi uses for predictive safety. I have experienced several Audi pre sense braking malfunctions. The Audi pre sense in my vehicle will abruptly & violently come to a full stop, with no obstructions or hazards anywhere near the vicinity of the car. First occurrence happened on 405 highway heading north on October 27, 2018 at approximately 11:30 pm, driving approximately 60 MPH. The roads were clear no drivers anywhere in my vicinity. The road were wet from heavy rainfall earlier in the evening. The car comes to a violent sudden stop, red hazard triangle appears on the dashboard, these two things happen simultaneously, the seatbelt engages & I'm slammed forward. The brakes emit a loud grinding & crunching sound. It takes several seconds before I can begin to drive again as the car is locked up. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof
Malfunctioning sunroof: I was the only vehicle on a flat paved road, partly cloudy skies and 65 . I had issues last summer, where when the sunroof was in the tilted position, it would not close securely. When I exited the vehicle to see what the issue was, I noticed the driver side corner was still in the tilted position, whereas the passenger side corner of the panoramic sunroof, was latched and secured. Causing the glass to warp. After messing with the switch a few times, it finally "popped* alarmingly loud, but closed completely. I informed Audi of this issue the next day, and had them add it to my upcoming service. The sunroof functioned normally up until the appointment. Audi could not get it to reproduce the issue, and during other maintenance like fluid top offs, they greased the track of the sliding roof. …
I was driving my new 2018 Audi A5 cabriolet (approx. 4500 miles) on a local road. The driver side sun visor was in the 'down' position when driving this morning headed into the rising sun. As the sun shifted from in front of me to my left side, I released the sun visor from the clip and moved it to the left side to block the sun. The arm of the sun visor, attached to the car just above the windshield, broke away from that attachment and fell into my lap (see attached photo p3110021). This left me with no protection from the intense sunlight, blinding me as the car turned to the left with the sun now in my eyes. This is the second time this has happened, the first time at about 1500 miles on a new vehicle (which was eventually repaired by the dealer, under warranty ' see attached 'scan_001'). …
2018 Audi A5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 7-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 24 / 34 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | AWD | 24 / 33 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Audi A5 a good car?
Based on 38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 A5 rates avoid: 2.5× 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 2018 Audi A5?
The engine & cooling — 9 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (4) and windows, wipers & sunroof (4).
How many recalls does the 2018 Audi A5 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2018 Audi A5, the most recent from November 10, 2021 (front passenger). 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 2018 Audi A5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 7,000 miles; 77% 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.