AUDI A5 CABRIOLET · model year

2012 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 2012AUDIA5 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. 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 2012 A5 CABRIOLET is air bags with 13 filings, followed by engine (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 2012 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.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS13
ENGINE1

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

20190308AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL MY AUDI DEALER [AUDI OF HUNTINGTON NY] HAS BEEN TELLING ME FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE REPLACEMENT AIRBAG. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THEM AND IT IS ALWAYS "ON ORDER, WE WILL CALL YOU". THEN I RECEIVE A POST CARD FROM AUDI OF HUNTINGTON TO CALL FOR THE RECALL SERVICE....AND SAME STORY. AS I SAID, THIS IS THE PAST FEW YEARS. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT PART. COULD YOU INQUIRE SO THAT I DO NOT WIND UP SERIOUSLY INJURED BECAUSE OF MY DEALER'S FAILURE AND NEGLECT. *JS

20180619ENGINE

MY CAR HAS HAD THE ADD OIL LIGHT ON MANY TIMES TO WHICH I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER. FIRST TIME THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A WATER PUMP FAILURE. I REPLACED AND PAID FOR THE WATER PUMP. SECOND TIME A YEAR LATER I RETURNED TO HEAR THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME IT WAS THE CAM BEARING LADDER THAT FAILED WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE WATER PUMP TO FAIL. BOTH TIMES I ASKED IF THE WATER PUMP IS REPLACED SHOULD I REPLACE THE TIMING BELT, I AM TOLD IT IS A TIMING CHAIN AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEN THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN I TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED THEY SAY IT IS FINE. TWO MONTHS LATER THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON, WHILE DRIVING TO THE GAS STATION TO GET OIL I TURN ENGINE OFF ONLY TO HAVE IT TURN BACK ON RUNNING SUPER ROUGH. CAR THEN WILL NOT START. I AM NOW TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TIMING BELT FAILURE AND THAT THE TENSIONER ROD BROKE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE. HTTPS://WWW.AUDIFORUMS.COM/FORUM/GENERAL-TECH-50/A5-2-0T-TIMING-CHAIN-FAILURE-215409/

Mileage: 106,000

20180409AIR BAGS

MY VEHICLE IS IMPACTED BY THE TAKATA AIRBAG SAFETY ISSUE. I RECENTLY RECEIVED A FOLLOW UP LETTER FROM AUDI INDICATING THAT I SHOULD "SCHEDULE THIS RECALL REPAIR IMMEDIATELY, EVEN IF AN INTERIM REPAIR WAS RECENTLY DONE." UPON CALLING THE LOCAL AUDI DEALERS THEY ALL INDICATE THAT THE MANUFACTURER (AUDI) HAS NOT YET SHIPPED THE NECESSARY PARTS TO EFFECT THE REPAIR, AND THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE PARTS SINCE EARLY TO MID MARCH 2018. IF AUDI IS NOT READY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLES THEN THE COMMUNICATION TO THE VEHICLE OWNERS SHOULD INDICATE THIS CLEARLY. IT NOW FEELS LIKE AUDI IS COVERING THEMSELVES BY STATING THEY ARE READY TO MAKE A REPAIR WHICH THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT YET READY FOR.

20180312AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5 CABROLET. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER (AUDI ALBUQUERUE, 8900 PAN AMERICAN FWY NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87113) STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20170707AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO MOHEGAN LAKE AUDI (1791 E MAIN ST, MOHEGAN LAKE, NY 10547) WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE PARTS IN SEPTEMBER AND PLACE THE CONTACT ON A WAITING LIST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20170310AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20170310AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE AIR BAGS AND WANTED TO KNOW THE DEALER'S LOCATION. 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 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20170203AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. AFTER MORE THAN 1 YEAR, AUDI HAS FAILED TO REPLACE THIS DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG, EITHER WITH NEW TAKATA , OR BY SOURCING THROUGH ONE OF ITS OTHER SUPPLIERS. THEY HAVE ALSO FAILED TO VOLUNTARILY TAKE THE CAR OUT OF SERVICE. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE.

Mileage: 20,000

20170127AIR BAGS

:TAKATA RECALL" MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IT WILL BE ONE YEAR SINCE I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE TO HAVE MY AIRBAG DEFLATOR REPLACED,AND IT IS STILL NOT COMPLETED. I HAVE CALLED MY DEALER, EMAILED AUDI DIRECT AND ALL THEY SAY THEY ARE WAITING ON THE PARTS. MY VEHICLE IS IN FLORIDA NOW (PURCHASED IN MI) BEING A SMALLER VEHICLE AND IN THE HOT CLIMATE I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED QUICKLY. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I TRADED THE CAR IN FOR A NEW ONE, THAT BEFORE THE DEALER COULD SELL THE AUDI Q5 THEY HAD TO HAVE THE AIRBAG REPLACED, AND THEY COULD GET IT DONE THEN. SO SOMEONE THAT HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE FOR YEARS GET THE BENEFIT, THAT IS NOT RIGHT.

20170120AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. THE CAR IS NOW 5 YEARS OLD, YET THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE PARTS STILL ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THIS IS A PRETTY MUCH RIDICULOUS SITUATION, CONSIDERING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

20161212AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20161211AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL - I FIRST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN FEB. 2016 BUT TO DATE MY AUDI SERVICE DEALER (CLASSIC AUDI - MT. VERNON, NY) CONTINUES TO TELL ME THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PART(S) AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REQUIRED REPAIR.

20161202AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL - IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR AND THERE'S NO SOLUTION?

20160914AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

Compare 2012AUDIA5 CABRIOLET to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET have?
The 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET has 14 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET?
Yes, the 2012 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 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET?
The most-complained component for the 2012 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET is AIR BAGS with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE.
Is the 2012 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. 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.