The Used Car Index

2013 Audi A5 problems

NHTSA lists 35 complaints for the 2013 Audi A5, 2 of them mention a crash and 2 mention a fire. 2 complaints mention an injury, with 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as AUDI A5.

At a glance

Complaints
35
With crash
2
With fire
2
With injury (complaints)
2
Injuries
2
Deaths
0
Recalls
3
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
342,867
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
1,378

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
ENGINE1234.3%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM925.7%
STEERING822.9%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING411.4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM38.6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER38.6%
POWER TRAIN25.7%
SERVICE BRAKES25.7%
VISIBILITY/WIPER25.7%
AIR BAGS12.9%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMINTERIOR LAMPS/BULBS1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
loss of control1234.3%0.83
mechanical failure617.1%0.86
unclear617.1%0.93
fire or overheating411.4%0.97
electrical electronic38.6%0.88
fluid or fuel leak25.7%0.80
noise or comfort12.9%0.71
restraint or airbag12.9%0.99
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate2057.1%0.91
low1131.4%0.78
high411.4%0.98

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 35 tagged complaints of 35 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

3 recalls.

18V229000

Date: 2018-04-11. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circu (excerpt)

Consequence: A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire. (excerpt)

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

17V622000

Date: 2017-10-05. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.

Consequence: The melted wires can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 80C5 and 80C6.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

17V002000

Date: 2017-01-03. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating.

Consequence: If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

1,378 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT385
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM309
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING160
POWER TRAIN98
STEERING98
UNKNOWN OR OTHER71
ENGINE69
SERVICE BRAKES50

11038027

Date: 2026-09-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.

11038130

Date: 2026-09-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.

11038042

Date: 2026-09-22. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STEERING.

This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.

11038025

Date: 2026-09-15. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.

11038033

Date: 2026-09-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases.

11036917

Date: 2026-08-26. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.

11036909

Date: 2026-08-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES.

This bulletin provides information on the zirconium insercts in the brake piston (ceramic brakes only).

11036911

Date: 2026-08-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES.

This bulletin provides information for all models regarding brake sounds.

11036921

Date: 2026-08-11. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES.

This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns.

11036934

Date: 2026-08-11. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels.

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
A535

Same model, other years

All model years | All Audi models

Other Audi models, 2013

Sources

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