Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Audi S5, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags8
- Power train1
- Electrical system1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 2012 S5 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2012 Audi S5 failed the safety check 0.96% of the time — 62% less often than the average 2012 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 76,381 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2012
744 new Audi S5 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (381), Luxembourg (70), Germany (60).
- Average mass
- 1,778 kg
- Average power
- 246 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 100%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In the Netherlands
34 first registered in 2012 are on Dutch roads; 85% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €91,323.
Most common APK defects
- Band onvoldoende profiel13
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld11
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde10
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage3
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse3
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen3
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm3
- Band beschadigd3
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
215 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 39 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 150 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 82% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2012 the figure was 66%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 9.3% | 7.0% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.7% | 14.3% |
| Suspension | 3.3% | 12.2% |
| Brakes | 2.0% | 7.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| Visibility | 2.0% | 5.0% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
12 of these cars first registered in 2012 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 193,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
69 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 39% arrived as used imports, 57% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 3 variants; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Audi S5 2 DR AWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2012 Audi S5 C AWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2012 Audi S5 C FWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 12.6–14.2 L/100 km (about 17–19 mpg US), CO₂ 290–327 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| S5 Coupe · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 14.4 | 10.5 | 12.6 |
| S5 Coupe · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 16.8 | 11.1 | 14.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2012 Audi S5.
| 2018059 30 Jan 2018 | Airbag On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propella… |
| 2016064 9 Feb 2016 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the inf… |
| 2015018 16 Jan 2015 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, a fuel leak may occur in the fuel injection system under certain driving conditions. Leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source co… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Audi told its dealers about the 2012 Audi S5: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011303 | This bulletin provides information when the anti-theft alarm activates for no reason, or when the anti-theft alarm does not activate. |
| 11011285 | This TSB Provides information when parking assistance provides false warnings. |
| 11011282 | This bulletin provides information when speaker rattles, vibrations, or audio interference is noted. |
| 11011240 | This bulletin provides information about professional noise analysis with the VAS 611 015 PICO-NVH tool |
| 11009983 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11009941 | This bulletin provides diagnostic information regarding the locking system. |
| 11009928 | This bulletin provides informatin when the engine does not run smoothly at idling speeds. |
| 11009375 | This bulletin provides information pertaining to the GFF test plan required for A/C compressore replacements, regardless of the concern. |
| 11009356 | This bulletin provides informaion regarding zirconium inserts in the bake piston for vehicle equipped with ceramic brakes. |
| 11009351 | This bulletin provides information regarding the general approach to brakes rubbing. |
| 11009348 | This bulleitn provides information when there is an implausible signal in the ABS/ESC speed sensor. |
| 11009347 | This bulletin provides information when there are vibrations and rotational steering wheel vibrations. |
| 11009327 | This bulletin provides information when ther is an Engine: start/stop system fault shown and start/stop system not is working; mileage below 50 km/32 miles. |
| 11009313 | This bulletin provides guidance in order to provid informaiton regarding preparatoin when calling the Audi Technical Assistnce Center (TAC). |
| 11009312 | This bulletin provides informationw hen there are car was brush bristles trapped in the seam between the headlight and fender. |
| 11007345 | This bulletin proves information when the bluetooth does not work, adaption channel deactivated. |
| 11007315 | This bulletin provides information vibrations and rotational steering wheel vibrations. |
| 11007305 | This bulletin offers information about the basic information needed for technical requests for gaerbox complaints. |
| 11007297 | This bulletin provides service information ror when the fuel tank cannot be fully filled. |
| 11007264 | This bulletin proves information when the bluetooth does not work, adaption channel deactivated. |
| 11007234 | This bulletin provides information vibrations and rotational steering wheel vibrations. |
| 11007224 | This bulletin offers information about the basic information needed for technical requests for gaerbox complaints. |
| 11007216 | This bulletin provides service information ror when the fuel tank cannot be fully filled. |
| 11005935 | This bulletin provides informaiton when there are speaker rattles, vibrations or audio interference in the sound system. |
| 11005911 | This bulletin provides informatin for the GFF test plan that is requied for AC compressor replacements. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)