Total Complaints
13 filings
AUDI 5000 · model year
1987 AUDI 5000
13 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987AUDI5000 carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 5000 is steering: steering wheel/handle bar with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:power assist (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1987 5000. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
13
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000614SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH AND BRAKES DEVELOPED A VIOLENT SHAKING AND VIBRATION. ALSO, UPON APPLYING BRAKES CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WAS VERY HOT. *AK
20000614ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH AND BRAKES DEVELOPED A VIOLENT SHAKING AND VIBRATION. ALSO, UPON APPLYING BRAKES CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WAS VERY HOT. *AK
19980910ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
SWITCH WHICH CONTROLS THE HEADLIGHTS, WIPERS, CRUISE CONTROL AND TURN SIGNALS WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
19980713POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20MPH WHEN THE AXLE ASSEMBLY GAVE WAY. CONSUMER LOST ALL POWER. THE WHEELS DID NOT LOCK UP. THERE IS A RECALL FOR POWER TRAIN AXLE ASSEMBLY MANDATED IN 1993. CONSUMER HAD RECALL REPAIRS DONE ON 5-5-93 AT 48,651 MILES, BUT NEVER EXPERIENCED THE DEFECT UNTIL NOW. *AK
19980224VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEAT EXCHANGER BLEW CAUSING OVERFLOW OF HOT WATER TO SPILL INTO FRONT SEATS OF VEHICLE.
19971213ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED.
19971121VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
STICKING ACCELERATOR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. *AK
19970122STRUCTURE:BODY
SUNVISOR COMES DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY, OBSTRUCTING VIEW. (1ST VEHICLE ON 602405)
19960216CrashSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHEN MAKING A TURN THE CAR WENT ONE WAY WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED ANOTHER. THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE AND THE CAR HIT A BARRIER. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19960216CrashSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHEN MAKING A TURN THE CAR WENT ONE WAY WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED ANOTHER. THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE AND THE CAR HIT A BARRIER. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19951026CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT ON 2ND TIME. *TW
19950619ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
PURCHASE CAR USED ON THE SECOND DAY CAR BROKE DOWN FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTH. TT
19950302SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
HAD LITTLE STOPPING ABILITY, HYDROBOOST HAD GONE BAD. (PLEASE GIVE DETAILS). TT
Compare 1987AUDI5000 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 AUDI 5000 have?▼
The 1987 AUDI 5000 has 13 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 AUDI 5000?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 AUDI 5000 is STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1987 AUDI 5000 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.