2012 Audi A5 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2012 Audi A5 has a complaint index of 59, ranking 8th worst among 18 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Airbags (Takata recall parts delays) and engine problems, including water pump failures, dominate the 22 complaints filed.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 59/100
- #8 of 18 A5 years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 22
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 0
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 0
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Airbags
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 24.5
- 21 city / 30 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2012 Audi A5 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags11 (50%)
- Engine8 (36%)
- Electrical System2 (9%)
- Fuel System2 (9%)
- Other2 (9%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report the Takata airbag recall repair parts were unavailable for extended periods, leaving cars unrepaired.
- Some owners stopped driving the car while waiting on Takata airbag recall parts due to safety concerns.
- Engine complaints describe faulty water pumps triggering the check engine light, sometimes after a prior engine replacement.
- One owner reported the vehicle lost power and stopped in the road, with smoke and fire appearing near the front of the vehicle.
- Fuel system complaints describe hesitation when accelerating from a stop or on an incline, traced to a faulty mass air flow sensor.
- One complaint noted the electric after-run coolant pump was flagged in a related recall and reportedly caused coolant pump damage.
2012 Audi A5 recalls
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
2012 Audi A5 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21 MPG
- Highway
- 30 MPG
- Combined
- 24.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,250
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other A5 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Audi A5 reliable?
- NHTSA data shows a complaint index of 59 for the 2012 A5, which rates Caution among Audi A5 model years. It ranks 8th worst out of 18 years tracked.
- What problems does the 2012 Audi A5 have?
- Owners most often reported airbag issues (50% of complaints), largely tied to Takata recall parts delays, followed by engine problems (36%) including water pump failures at a median mileage of 110,500.
- Does the 2012 Audi A5 have any recalls?
- This dataset lists 0 recalls specifically logged against the 2012 model year, though sample complaints reference the broader Takata airbag campaign (16V078000) affecting many Audi vehicles.
- How does the 2012 Audi A5 compare to other years?
- The 2012 A5's complaint index of 59 is worse than 2015 and 2016 (18 and 12, both Best) but better than 2013, 2018, and 2020, which are rated Avoid with indexes of 88, 94, and 100.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Audi A5?
- The 2012 Audi A5 gets an EPA combined rating of 24.5 mpg (21 city / 30 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,250.