AUDI A5 CABRIOLET · model year

2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET

14 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011AUDIA5 CABRIOLET carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 A5 CABRIOLET is air bags with 12 filings, followed by engine (1) and unknown or other (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. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 2011 A5 CABRIOLET. 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.

14
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

14 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS12
ENGINE1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recalls (2)

18V08200030/01/2018

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure m

16V07800010/02/2016

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal

Recent Complaints

20180926UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE SOFT TOPS FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE EXTREMELY DEFECTIVE.I AQUIRED MY VEHICLE AT 65000 MILES AND THE TOP WOULD ACT FUNNY EVERY NOW AND THEN BUT IT WOULD SNAP OUT OF IT AND WORK FINE.THE BACK WINDOW COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE TOP AND HAS NOT OPERATED SINCE.GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH AUDI I WAS TOLD THEY CANNOT FIX THIS BUT INSTEAD TO GET A NEW TOP.AFTER I PAID FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT AND THE TECHNICIAN DIDNT HAVE A CLUE.THAT WINDOW AND TOP HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE IT SEEMS LIKE AUDI DOESNT WANT TO OWN UP TO.I DRIVE THE FREEWAY TO AND FROM WORK EVERYDAY.AT HIGH SPEEDS I FEAR THAT THING WILL COME OUT AND HURT SOMEONE ON THE FREEWAY ONE DAY SOON.I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS SINCE LAST YEAR AND HAVE NOT FOUND A SOLUTION BESIDES "GET A NEW TOP".

Mileage: 67,000

20180723ENGINE

MY 2011 AUDI A5 2.0T HAS EXPERIENCED LOW COMPRESSION ON PISTON NUMBER 1 WHICH IS A SIGN OF ENGINE FAILURE AND REQUIRES THE ENGINE TO BE REDONE. SINCE THEN I HAVE CHECKED WITH AUDI MECHANICS AND ONLINE REVIEWS AND IT SEEMS LIKE MY MODEL OF AUDI HAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THE FACT THAT MANY A5'S HAVE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURES BEGS THE QUESTION OF WHY AUDI HAS NOT RECALLED THIS VEHICLE AND WHY THE ENGINES WERE ALLOWED TO BE RELEASED THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY SUB OPTIMAL AND WEAK!

Mileage: 59,000

20180313AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. AUDI OF AMERICA INC. KEEPS SENDING OUT RECALL NOTICES AND THE DEALER KEEPS CLAIMING THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS AVAILABLE. ENOUGH ALREADY, EITHER MAKE REPLACEMENTS AVAILABLE OR STOP SENDING NOTICES.

20180312AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. I HAVE CALL FOR THE PAST YEAR TO HAVE THIS RECALL FIXED AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND AN AUDI DEALERSHIP THAT HAS THE PARTS. THEY KEEP TELLING ME THEY WILL CALL WHEN THE PARTS ARE IN. AS I MENTIONED IT HAS BEEN A YEAR, AND I HAVE CHECKED IN WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES.

20171114AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL RECEIVED 1ST LETTER APR 2016. NO ACTION. COMPLAINT FILED WITH SAFERCAR.GOV 11/13/2016. RECEIVED TEMP FIX LETTER 8/14/2017. LOCAL DEALER SAYS ONLY TEMP BUT THERE ARE NO PARTS ANYWAY. CONTACTED CORPORATE AUDI SEP 2017. THEY SAY LOCAL DEALER HAS PARTS. LOCAL DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE NO PARTS. RECEIVED CARD FOR RECALL 11/13/2017. LOCAL DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE NO PARTS! ??? RUN-AROUND ???

20171102AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS DO TO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE OVER A YEAR AGO. THE DEALER (AUDI FAIRFIELD, 435 COMMERCE DR, FAIRFIELD, CT 06825 (203) 951-6570) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT EACH DEALER RECEIVED A FEW REPLACMENT PARTS EVERY MONTH. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A POSTCARD FROM TK HOLDINGS, ALERTING HIM THAT THEY FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20170316AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20170101AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. I AM TRYING TO TRADE IN MY CAR AND DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPAIR/REPLACE MY AIRBAG.

20161201AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 11 MONTHS AND PER CONVERSATION WITH MY DEALER TODAY, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS OR ANY IDEA WHEN THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE.

20161113AIR BAGS

TAMARA RECALL. MY CAR WAS RECALLED IN APRIL AND I HAVE HEARD NOTHING SINCE EXCEPT THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. HOW ABOUT HAVING THE DEALER DISABLE THE AIRBAG UNTIL PARTS ARE AVAILABLE!

20161104AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20161005AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL IT AS BEEN 8 MONTHS SINCE THE NOTIFICATION, AND MY WIFE MUST CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH A LIFE THREATENING AIRBAG DEFECT.....THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!

20160923AIR BAGS

"TAKATA RECALL" I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR WHILE THERE IS A RECALL IN EFFECT THAT THERE IS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. I DON'T WANT MY FAMILY MEMBERS TO DRIVE THIS CAR EITHER. I FIND IT UNACCEPTABLE THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY AUTOMOBILE THAT I AM DRIVING.

20160826AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL THE DEALER/ MANUFACTURER HAS NOT OFFERED TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS-- THEY CLAIM THE REPAIR IS NOT YET AVAILABLE. NHTSA SHOWS MY CAR, LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA IS AT HIGH RISK AND REPAIR SHOULD BE DONE BY DECEMBER 2016

Compare 2011AUDIA5 CABRIOLET to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET have?
The 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET has 14 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET?
The 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET?
Yes, the 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET?
The most-complained component for the 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET is AIR BAGS with 12 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. 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.