Total Complaints
26 filings
AUDI S5 · model year
26 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2010AUDIS5 carries 26 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 2010 S5 is power train with 10 filings, followed by air bags (7) and engine (3). 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 9 investigation files overlapping the 2010 S5. 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.
Total Complaints
26 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 10 |
| AIR BAGS | 7 |
| ENGINE | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
The contact owns a 2010 Audi S5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. Upon a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the aftermarket TRQ High-Pressure Fuel Pump (FPA-63379) exploded, covering the contact in hot gasoline. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.
Mileage: 112,000
CANNOT GET AUDI TO REPLACE AIRBAG. HAVE WAITED OVER A YEAR. CALLED DOZENS OF TIMES.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI S5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (AUDI FREMONT, 43191 BOSCELL RD, FREMONT, CA 94538) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TAKATA RECALL. I'VE RECEIVED CARDS IN THE MAIL STATING THAT I'M OVERDUE ON GETTING THE AIRBAG RECALL COMPLETED. MY CAR HAS BEEN TO DAY AUDI IN MONROEVILLE, PA 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 1.5 YEARS AND THEY INFORM ME THAT THEY HAVE NO AIRBAGS IN STOCK.
ENGINE OVERHEATED AUGUST 21, 2017. IT LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY. I TOOK IT TO DAY AUDI MONROEVILLE, PA. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT AN AUDI THERMOSTAT RECALL WAS JUST ISSUED. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR $999.71 AND WAS PROMISED BY AUDI CUSTOMER CARE THAT I WOULD BE REIMBURSED. AS OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2017, I WAS ADVISED THAT MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE THERMOSTAT RECALL AND THAT THE RECALL HAS TO BE ISSUED BY THE NHTSA. THEREFORE I RECEIVED AN EMPTY PROMISE FROM AUDI THAT I WOULD BE REIMBURSED.
Mileage: 84,088
A "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" INTERMITTENTLY OCCURS, LEAVING THE CAR IN A "NON-MOVING" STATE. WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURS, AN ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE FROM A DEAD STOP WILL MOVE THE VEHICLE ONLY ENOUGH TO GET YOU INTO TRAFFIC AND POTENTIALLY GET BROADSIDED OR REAR-ENDED. THE CAR SIMPLY "STOPS MOVING" RIGHT WHEN YOU NEED IT TO MOVE IN ORDER TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. IT WILL NOT MOVE BUT REMAINS RUNNING AND IN GEAR. I'VE SPENT OVER $3000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE ISSUE (REPLACED MECHATRONIC UNIT AND BATTERY) BUT THE ERROR STILL OCCURS. THE CAR IS EFFECTIVELY USELESS AND COUNTLESS OTHERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS SEEN WITH ANY SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, THE ISSUE WILL STOP, ONLY TO REAPPEAR AGAIN RANDOMLY AT ANOTHER INTERSECTION.
Mileage: 58,000
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. WHICH MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER ALMOST HITTING UPCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO ACCELERATION. AUDI SAYS IT'S A MECHATRONIC UNIT.
CAR STARTED OF GOING ON LIMP MODE ABOUT ONCE A MONTH THEN IT STARTED TO GET MORE FREQUENT. LIMP MODE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO PUT YOUR CAR INTO A LOWER GEAR TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION, BUT INSTEAD OF DOING THAT THE CAR WOULD SHIFT ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL POSITION WHILE ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING ME NOT HAVE A FULL CONTROL OF THE CAR MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER. AS SOON AS I TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT ON THE CAR WOULD RUN NORMAL AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IT WILL GO OFF ON LIMP MODE INTO THE NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. RIGHT AFTER THAT THE CAR WOULD START HAVING STARTING UP PROBLEMS SO I HAD TO PAY MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET TO HAVE THE ECU REPLACED AND THE FUEL REGULATOR REPLACED AS WELL. AS OF DECEMBER 2016 I STARTED HAVING NEW PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. SEEMS TO ME LIKE THAT LIMP MODE HAS AFFECTED MY WHOLE CAR AND IT HAS TO BE FIXED. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BUT IT IS MY ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. I TOOK IT TO AUDI DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE LIMP MODE WAS REL
CAR STARTED OF GOING ON LIMP MODE ABOUT ONCE A MONTH THEN IT STARTED TO GET MORE FREQUENT. LIMP MODE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO PUT YOUR CAR INTO A LOWER GEAR TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION, BUT INSTEAD OF DOING THAT THE CAR WOULD SHIFT ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL POSITION WHILE ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING ME NOT HAVE A FULL CONTROL OF THE CAR MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER. AS SOON AS I TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT ON THE CAR WOULD RUN NORMAL AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IT WILL GO OFF ON LIMP MODE INTO THE NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. RIGHT AFTER THAT THE CAR WOULD START HAVING STARTING UP PROBLEMS SO I HAD TO PAY MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET TO HAVE THE ECU REPLACED AND THE FUEL REGULATOR REPLACED AS WELL. AS OF DECEMBER 2016 I STARTED HAVING NEW PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. SEEMS TO ME LIKE THAT LIMP MODE HAS AFFECTED MY WHOLE CAR AND IT HAS TO BE FIXED. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BUT IT IS MY ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. I TOOK IT TO AUDI DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE LIMP MODE WAS REL
CAR STARTED OF GOING ON LIMP MODE ABOUT ONCE A MONTH THEN IT STARTED TO GET MORE FREQUENT. LIMP MODE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO PUT YOUR CAR INTO A LOWER GEAR TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION, BUT INSTEAD OF DOING THAT THE CAR WOULD SHIFT ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL POSITION WHILE ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING ME NOT HAVE A FULL CONTROL OF THE CAR MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER. AS SOON AS I TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT ON THE CAR WOULD RUN NORMAL AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IT WILL GO OFF ON LIMP MODE INTO THE NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. RIGHT AFTER THAT THE CAR WOULD START HAVING STARTING UP PROBLEMS SO I HAD TO PAY MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET TO HAVE THE ECU REPLACED AND THE FUEL REGULATOR REPLACED AS WELL. AS OF DECEMBER 2016 I STARTED HAVING NEW PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. SEEMS TO ME LIKE THAT LIMP MODE HAS AFFECTED MY WHOLE CAR AND IT HAS TO BE FIXED. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BUT IT IS MY ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. I TOOK IT TO AUDI DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE LIMP MODE WAS REL
TAKATA RECALL- I WAS INFORMED IN FEBRUARY, IT'S NOW DECEMBER WILL THIS EVER GET FIXES?
TAKATA RECALL - NOTICE DATED FEB. 9, 2016 - UNREASONABLE DELAY IN REPLACING DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG INFLATOR WHEN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY COULD OCCUR. WHY ISN'T AUDI EXPEDITING THIS RECALL?
WHEN DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER, ON A BUSY BOULEVARD, COMING TO A RED LIGHT, AS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN TO FIRST GEAR, CAR LURCHES FORWARD WITH A STRONG BANG IN THE TRANSMISSION. ALMOST HIT PEDESTRIANS IN THE CROSSWALK. IF I WAS NOT HEAVY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THERE WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE BEEN INJURIES. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES AND WITHOUT WARNING. AUDI SERVICE TELLS ME IT IS THE MECHATRONIC UNIT IN THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING WHEN IT GETS HOT. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS TO AUDI SERVICE FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS AND IT IS GETTING WORSE. AUDI HAS BEEN STALLING AND HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE MECHATRONIC UNIT UNDER WARRANTY.
Mileage: 24,897
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI S5. 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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI S5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD 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. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS UNAVAILABLE.
2010 AUDI S5 S-TRONIC TRANSMISSION JUMPS AND JERKS WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP.
Mileage: 36,800
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI S5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE GEAR ENGAGED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE MECHATRONICS WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER TWO MORE TIMES AND THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
Mileage: 65,000
THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO COMPLAINT 10785783; AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE HISTORY IT REVEALED THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE INITIAL COMPLAINT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST AS WELL AND THIS CLEARLY INDICATES COMMON AND REOCCURRING MANUFACTURING ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY VAG: 1) THE TRANSMISSION 0B5 DL501 HAD BEEN ALREADY SERVICED FOR MECHATRONICS ISSUES AT 58.273 MILES. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRANSMISSION IS ALSO USED ON SIMILAR AND MORE COMMON MODELS: A4,S4, A7...IN THE PAST VW HAD ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR DSG TRANSMISSION BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THESE MODELS ALTHOUGH IT SHOULD. 2) THE THERMOSTAT HAD ALSO FAILED BEFORE AT 22.415 MILES...ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN FOR THE SAME PART NUMBER IT DIDN'T COVER THIS SPECIFIC MODEL. A TECHNICIAN ACTUALLY SAID THEY ARE KNOW TO FAIL. 3) FOR THE BRAKES AUDI SAYS IT IS SOMEHOW "NORMAL"
Mileage: 58,273
THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO COMPLAINT 10785783; AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE HISTORY IT REVEALED THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE INITIAL COMPLAINT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST AS WELL AND THIS CLEARLY INDICATES COMMON AND REOCCURRING MANUFACTURING ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY VAG: 1) THE TRANSMISSION 0B5 DL501 HAD BEEN ALREADY SERVICED FOR MECHATRONICS ISSUES AT 58.273 MILES. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRANSMISSION IS ALSO USED ON SIMILAR AND MORE COMMON MODELS: A4,S4, A7...IN THE PAST VW HAD ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR DSG TRANSMISSION BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THESE MODELS ALTHOUGH IT SHOULD. 2) THE THERMOSTAT HAD ALSO FAILED BEFORE AT 22.415 MILES...ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN FOR THE SAME PART NUMBER IT DIDN'T COVER THIS SPECIFIC MODEL. A TECHNICIAN ACTUALLY SAID THEY ARE KNOW TO FAIL. 3) FOR THE BRAKES AUDI SAYS IT IS SOMEHOW "NORMAL"
Mileage: 58,273
1) THE MAIN SAFETY CONCERN IS THE 7 SPEED DSG/S-TRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH FEELS JERKY WHEN REACHING TO A STOP; THE BREAKS FULLY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE TRIES A SUDDEN MOVE FORWARD DUE TO THIS. VARIOUS TPI'S RELATED TO THE PROBLEM (TPI 2023830/1 JERK WHEN STOPPING, HARD 2-1 SHIFT, S-TRONIC). AUDI DEALERSHIPS ARE ASKING FOR ABOUT 500$ JUST TO UPGRADE THE SOFTWARE ON THE TRANSMISSION WITHOUT A GUARANTEE THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. ALSO WHEN SHIFTING FROM N TO D IT IS VERY SUDDEN AND FORCEFUL WHICH FEELS UNSAFE. 2) BRAKE SAFETY CONCERN: THE BREAK PEDAL SINKS SLOWLY TO THE FLOOR UNDER PRESSURE ALTHOUGH THE BREAKS WERE COMPLETELY SERVICED (NEW ROTORS, PADS, MASTER BREAK CYLINDER AND BRAKE FLUID). TESTED OTHER AUDI VEHICLES AND A SIMILAR BEHAVIOR WAS NOTICED. 3) I HAD ALSO A FAILED THERMOSTAT WHICH I FOUND TO BE UNDER WORKSHOP CAMPAIGN 19H3 2024932/1 THAT INDICATED SAME PART NUMBER FOR THE THERMOSTAT TO FAIL BUT THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPLACE IT FOR FREE BECAUSE THE CAMPA
Mileage: 5
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.