Audi S5 Recalls (2010-2025)
The Audi S5 has been the subject of 18 recall campaigns on record with NHTSA across the 2010 to 2025 model years. They cluster mostly around the air bags, seat belts, and back over prevention.
The Audi S5 scores 62 out of 100 (grade B), a better-than-average recall record. That score reflects how serious the recalls are rather than how many. 83% involve a critical safety system, none carried a do-not-drive warning, and 17% were issued in the last three years. How the score works.
Those 18 campaigns span 11 model years of the Audi S5. The single largest affected 659,493 vehicles, over air bags. A recall repair is free at a franchised dealer and most never expire, so an older open recall is still worth fixing. Beyond recalls, you can also see the most common S5 problems owners report.
The full record is below, grouped first by model year and then listed in detail. Each entry gives the defect NHTSA describes, the safety risk it creates, the manufacturer's remedy, the number of vehicles in that campaign, and the dates. A recall covers a whole production run, so a campaign listed for the Audi S5 may not apply to your exact vehicle, and one you have already had repaired will still appear in the history. To see what is actually open and unfixed on a specific car, check its 17-digit VIN.
Audi S5 recalls by model year
Recall activity by model year. Select a year to jump to its recalls below. Older years often carry more recalls simply because defects surface over time.
Audi S5 recalls by affected system
Which vehicle systems the recalls touch, using NHTSA's component groups. Select a system to see how it is recalled across every make and model.
Recalls by model year
2025 Audi S5 Recalls
2 recalls affect the 2025 Audi S5, involving the seat belts.
2022 Audi S5 Recalls
2 recalls affect the 2022 Audi S5, involving the back over prevention and equipment.
2021 Audi S5 Recalls
5 recalls affect the 2021 Audi S5, involving the suspension, back over prevention, and tires.
2020 Audi S5 Recalls
4 recalls affect the 2020 Audi S5, involving the suspension, tires, and air bags.
2019 Audi S5 Recalls
4 recalls affect the 2019 Audi S5, involving the suspension, tires, and air bags.
2018 Audi S5 Recalls
3 recalls affect the 2018 Audi S5, involving the air bags and seats.
2012 Audi S5 Recalls
3 recalls affect the 2012 Audi S5, involving the air bags and fuel system.
2011 Audi S5 Recalls
3 recalls affect the 2011 Audi S5, involving the air bags and fuel system.
Every Audi S5 recall in detail
Select any recall to read the full defect, risk, and remedy text. Do Not Drive and Park Outside warnings stay visible without opening anything.
Seat Belts
- Affected years
- 2025 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 27,768
- Reported
- Dec 19, 2025
- Owners notified
- Feb 16, 2026
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2025 SQ6 E-Tron, SQ6 Sportback E-Tron, Q6 Sportback E-Tron, A6, A5, A6 Sportback E-Tron, Q6 E-Tron, S5, and S6 Sportback E-Tron vehicles. The automatic locking retractor may fail to engage when a child seat is installed using the seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: An improperly secured child seat can increase risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the right and left rear seat belt assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 16, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69D8. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.
NHTSA campaign number 25V899000.
Seat Belts
- Affected years
- 2025 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 1,042
- Reported
- Sep 24, 2025
- Owners notified
- Oct 31, 2025
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 GTI, Golf R, Audi A5, A6 Sportback E-Tron, S5, S6 Sportback E-Tron, 2026 Q4 Sportback E-Tron, and Q4 E-Tron vehicles. The torsion bar in one or both front seat belt retractors may have been damaged during production.
Risk: In a crash, a damaged torsion bar in a retractor could fail. If this happens, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace one or both front seat belts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 30, 2025, and October 31, 2025. Owners may contact Audi at 1-800-253-2834 or Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 69UM; Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 694T. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 26, 2025.
NHTSA campaign number 25V638000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2023 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 91
- Reported
- Apr 3, 2024
- Owners notified
- May 8, 2024
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Audi S5 Cabriolet, A4 Allroad, Q5 Sportback, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, SQ7, TT Coupe, TT Roadster, RS5 Sportback, 2024 A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q8, RSQ8, 2023-2024 Q3, Q5, and Q7 vehicles. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the occupant detection system (ODS) control module may loosen and deactivate the front passenger air bag.
Risk: A deactivated front passenger air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant detection system control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 8, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69GU.
NHTSA campaign number 24V251000.
Back Over Prevention
- Affected years
- 2022 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 6,076
- Reported
- Oct 26, 2022
- Owners notified
- Jun 6, 2023
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 AUDI A8, A6 Allroad, E-TRON Quattro, 2022 S3, RSQ8, RS7, RS6 Avant, Q8, Q7, Q3, E-TRON Sportback Quattro, S5 Cabriolet, E-TRON GT, S5 Sportback, A7, A6, A5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, A4, A4 Allroad, A3, S8, SQ7, SQ8, S6, and S4 vehicles. The infotainment main unit may become damaged internally when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display the next time the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the infotainment main unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91Ei.
NHTSA campaign number 22V806000.
Back Over Prevention
- Affected years
- 2021 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 170,296
- Reported
- Oct 5, 2022
- Owners notified
- Oct 25, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A blank rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.
NHTSA campaign number 22V742000.
Suspension
- Affected years
- 2019-2021 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 31,058
- Reported
- Jan 26, 2022
- Owners notified
- Mar 3, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
NHTSA campaign number 22V034000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2018-2020 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 208,332
- Reported
- Nov 10, 2021
- Owners notified
- Jan 7, 2022
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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 number 21V874000.
Back Over Prevention
- Affected years
- 2022 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 2,857
- Reported
- Oct 20, 2021
- Owners notified
- Nov 9, 2021
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8 and S8, 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, A4 Sedan, E-Tron GT, Q3, Q5, RS6 Avant, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RSQ8, SQ7, SQ8, and S3 Sedan vehicles. A software error may prevent the rear-view image from initially displaying when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rear-view camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment unit parameters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 9, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91CR.
NHTSA campaign number 21V825000.
Seat Belts
- Affected years
- 2021 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 45,496
- Reported
- Aug 5, 2021
- Owners notified
- Aug 27, 2021
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).
NHTSA campaign number 21V606000.
Suspension
- Affected years
- 2019-2021 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 40,993
- Reported
- Apr 26, 2021
- Owners notified
- Jun 4, 2021
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
NHTSA campaign number 21V295000.
Electrical System
- Affected years
- 2020-2021 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 5,426
- Reported
- Nov 25, 2020
- Owners notified
- Jan 21, 2021
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2020-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, and S5 Sportback vehicles. The wiring harness for the rear lights could be missing the anti-abrasion protection in the area of the spare wheel well.
Risk: Without the scuff protection, the wires may become damaged during a rear crash, disabling the doors from being opened from the outside, causing a loss of hazard lights, and increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will apply scuff protection, free of charge. The recall began January 21, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 97EU.
NHTSA campaign number 20V737000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2018 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 145,337
- Reported
- Jul 24, 2019
- Owners notified
- Sep 9, 2019
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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 number 19V547000.
Suspension
- Affected years
- 2019 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 34
- Reported
- Feb 20, 2019
- Owners notified
- Mar 18, 2019
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019 Q7, Q8, S5 Cabriolet, and S5 Sportback vehicles. The front shock absorber forks may develop cracks allowing the shock absorbers to loosen.
Risk: Loose shock absorbers may impair vehicle steering, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the shock absorber forks, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 40O4.
NHTSA campaign number 19V114000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2018 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 548
- Reported
- May 16, 2018
- Owners notified
- Jul 13, 2018
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain Audi S5 Cabriolet vehicles equipped with Super Sport seats. The seat-mounted head/thorax air bag in the front passenger seat may have been folded incorrectly during installation.
Risk: If the air bag was not folded correctly during installation, the seat-mounted air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat-mounted head/thorax air bag, free of charge. The recall began July 13, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69W6.
NHTSA campaign number 18V325000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2010-2012 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 162,782
- Reported
- Jan 30, 2018
- Owners notified
- Feb 23, 2018
Defect: 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 may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
NHTSA campaign number 18V082000.
Seat Belts
- Affected years
- 2017 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 1,676
- Reported
- Mar 8, 2017
- Owners notified
- Jun 28, 2017
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. A component within the front, rear, and rear center seat belt retractor pretensioners may detach after the seatbelt retractor pretensioner is deployed in the event of a crash.
Risk: Although, the seat belt will operate as intended in the event of a crash, the pretensioner component may be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the safety belt retractors/pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began on June 28,2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 69O8.
NHTSA campaign number 17V150000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2010-2012 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 659,493
- Reported
- Feb 10, 2016
- Owners notified
- Mar 10, 2017
Defect: 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 air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
NHTSA campaign number 16V078000.
Fuel System
- Affected years
- 2011-2012 Audi S5
- Vehicles in this recall
- 26,008
- Reported
- Jan 20, 2015
- Owners notified
- Mar 17, 2015
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Audi S4, S5, Q7, 2012 Audi A6, Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles. In the affected vehicles the fuel injection system may experience a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the injection system in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 24AP for Audi customers and 24BK for Volkswagen customers.
NHTSA campaign number 15V019000.
Common questions about Audi S5 recalls
- Does the Audi S5 have any recalls?
- Yes. NHTSA has 18 recall campaigns on record for the Audi S5 across the 2010 to 2025 model years. The most common areas are the air bags, seat belts, and back over prevention.
- How many times has the Audi S5 been recalled?
- The Audi S5 has 18 recall campaigns from the 2010 to 2025 model years. A single campaign often covers several model years at once, so the number of recalls is not the same as the number of years affected.
- What is the most serious Audi S5 recall?
- The most serious recall on record involves the air bags, affecting 659,493 vehicles. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Which Audi S5 model year has the most recalls?
- The 2021 Audi S5 has the most, with 5 recall campaigns on record. Older model years often pick up more recalls over time, since defects can surface years after a car is built.
- How do I check if my Audi S5 has an open recall?
- Enter your 17-digit VIN on the recall check page. It returns the recalls tied to your exact vehicle straight from NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer, with no expiration on most safety recalls.
Recall data comes from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. For how it is sourced and how the safety score is built, see the methodology and data sources. This page is a reference, not legal or safety advice.