2018 Audi RS 5: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Unknown Or Other: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 |
2021: 1
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11442724 · 2021-12-05 (December 5, 2021)
Autonomous Emergency Services Notification Feature: Audi has informed its owners of vehicles made from 2018 and earlier that a safety feature provided as standard equipment in the vehicle will no longer be available because of the inevitable shut down of 3G wireless systems across North America. However, features that are not free (which require a subscription) are supported by a 4G radio in the car and will not be impacted. Owners were NEVER notified that two different wireless systems were used in the car, a 20 year old technology for safety …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11442724 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
19V547000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification
Reported: 2019-07-24 (July 24, 2019)
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. Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) connecting cable may cause the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
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. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V760000 · Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
Reported: 2020-12-09 (December 9, 2020)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Coupe vehicles. An incorrect positive battery terminal cover was installed.
Consequence: In the event of a rear crash, the incorrect cover can cause the 12-volt power supply to be compromised, preventing the vehicle doors from being opened from the outside, or the hazard warning lights from functioning, increasing risk of injury.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the positive terminal cover, free of charge. The recall began January 19, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 27i6.
NHTSA campaign record ↗21V874000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger | Seats
Reported: 2021-11-10 (November 10, 2021)
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. The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) may have a contact fault, causing the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
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. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Recall 19V-547 (74D9). Vehicles previously repaired under 19V-547 will need to return for the new remedy.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10849571 · 20,000 miT-MOBILE IS NOT PERFORMING TO SPECIFICATIONS ANYMORE. WE ARE NOT GETTING 3G SPEEDS AS ADVERTISED AND SOLD TO US. OUR SPEED IS 2G AT BEST. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 11442724Autonomous Emergency Services Notification Feature: Audi has informed its owners of vehicles made from 2018 and earlier that a safety feature provided as standard equipment in the vehicle will no longer be available because of the inevitable shut down of 3G wireless systems across North America. However, features that are not free (which require a subscription) are supported by a 4G radio in the car and will not be impacted. Owners were NEVER notified that two different wireless systems were used in the car, a 20 year old technology for safety … | 133.3%ODI 11667425Could you please make Audi add my car to the recall list? Thank you- Audi has issued a recall for certain models due to a software issue affecting the Emergency Call (SOS) system. This malfunction can prevent the system from establishing an online connection and receiving cell broadcast messages, potentially hindering emergency services. The recall, designated as Service Action 90T2, involves updating the emergency call module control unit and communication unit software. Details of the Recall: Problem: A software configuration issue can lead … | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 2100.0%ODI 11529551I was driving down the highway and the panoramic sunroof exploded for no known reason. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System | 133.3%ODI 11698821While driving through the middle of a busy intersection, my 2013 Audi RS5 suddenly lost all power and was unable to engage any gears. The car came to a stop in active cross-traffic with vehicles approaching from multiple directions. I could not restart or move the car under its own power and had to push it to safety with the help of a passerby. Component that failed: Transmission / Power Train – specifically the DL501 S-Tronic Mechatronic Unit (Transmission Control Module). The part is still available for inspection at the dealership. Safety ri… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 266.7%ODI 11667425Could you please make Audi add my car to the recall list? Thank you- Audi has issued a recall for certain models due to a software issue affecting the Emergency Call (SOS) system. This malfunction can prevent the system from establishing an online connection and receiving cell broadcast messages, potentially hindering emergency services. The recall, designated as Service Action 90T2, involves updating the emergency call module control unit and communication unit software. Details of the Recall: Problem: A software configuration issue can lead … | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train | 3100.0%ODI 11034016 · 50,200 miTHE MECHATRONIC UNIT ON MY VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS DRIVING AND A WARNING POPPED UP ON MY DASHBOARD SAYING "TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, YOU MAY CONTINUE DRIVING". I WAS QUOTED $5000 FOR THE . THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE NOT ONLY WITH MY MODEL, BUT ACROSS ALL AUDI MODELS WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSION. AUDI CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO PAY FOR AUDI PUTTING FAULTY EQUIPMENT IN THEIR VEHICLES. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10781621 · 20,000 mi2014 AUDI RS5 WITH 20,000 MILES W. SHUDDERING OF BRAKES. ON OCT 3. 2015 MY LOCAL MECHANIC TOOK ALL WHEELS OFF AND WE INSPECTED THE BRAKES. VISUALLY WE SAW NO PROBLEMS, NO SIGNS OF OVERHEATING, OR CONCERNS. HE SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. ON OCTOBER 9, 2015 I TOOK MY CAR TO AUDI OF ORLAND PARK AND AFTER AN INSPECTION, THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THE ROTORS HAVE HIGH AND LOW SPOTS, THAT I NEED NEW ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS, THAT AUDI ROTORS MUST BE REPLACED AT 20,000 MILES -HE HAS REPLACED ROTORS EVERY 13,000 MILES ON SOME CUSTOMERS CAR… | 1100.0%ODI 11164748THE BREAKING SYSTEM ON MY AUDI RS5 IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUDDER QUITE VIOLENTLY. THERE HAS BEEN SOME SHUDDERING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR BUT NOW WITH ONLY 20K MILES IT IS GETTING WORSE. I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK IT OUT, BUT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE SHUDDERING EXPERIENCE IS NOT UNCOMMON IN THE RS5. APART FROM THE DISCOMFORT I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Engine | 133.3%ODI 11698821While driving through the middle of a busy intersection, my 2013 Audi RS5 suddenly lost all power and was unable to engage any gears. The car came to a stop in active cross-traffic with vehicles approaching from multiple directions. I could not restart or move the car under its own power and had to push it to safety with the help of a passerby. Component that failed: Transmission / Power Train – specifically the DL501 S-Tronic Mechatronic Unit (Transmission Control Module). The part is still available for inspection at the dealership. Safety ri… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Structure:Body | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 11515193My husband and son were driving down the road and the sunroof exploded causing glass shards to go everywhere. Temp was 43 degree. According to my husband, it sounded like a bomb went off. Both my husband and son were covered in glass. We had to pull small glass pieces from my son.The vehicle is currently at the dealership. Audi has had know issues/recalls with sunroofs in the last 10 years. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2022: 0 complaints · 2023: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Unknown Or Other |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.