2020 Audi A5 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 16 A5 years
The 2020 Audi A5 has a complaint index of 100, the highest of all 16 model years covered, ranking it worst overall with a rank of 1. NHTSA lists 60 complaints, 4 recalls, 1 crash, and 1 death, with Electrical System issues making up 68% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 60
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 1
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 27
- 24 city / 32 hwy
Top 2020 Audi A5 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System41 (68%)
- Other26 (43%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras15 (25%)
- Lane Departure3 (5%)
- Seat Belts2 (3%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (3%)
- Airbags1 (2%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (2%)
What owners report
- MMI infotainment screens randomly reboot while driving, sometimes going blank on both driver displays and requiring user action to restart.
- Backup camera and parking sensors drop out during reboots that recur roughly every few minutes, distracting drivers during reversing or cross-traffic alerts.
- Bluetooth hands-free connection and the built-in SOS alarm system malfunction, with the alarm sounding repeatedly every 2-4 minutes while driving.
- A driver's side window failed to stay up after the regulator went bad, reported at 67,000 miles median mileage for that complaint category.
- One owner reported unevenly worn tires causing loss of traction in a crash where a side airbag failed to deploy and the seatbelt broke.
2020 Audi A5 recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 22V034000Jan 26, 2022Suspension, Wheels & Tires31,058 vehicles
Tires
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 21V874000Nov 10, 2021Airbags208,332 vehicles
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger
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 21V295000Apr 26, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires40,993 vehicles
Suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly
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.
2020 Audi A5 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 24 MPG
- Highway
- 32 MPG
- Combined
- 27 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,950
- 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.
2020 compared with other A5 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2020 Audi A5 reliable?
- Compared to other A5 model years, 2020 ranks worst, with a complaint index of 100 and rank 1 out of 16 years covered. NHTSA lists 60 complaints and 4 recalls for this year.
- What is the main problem with the 2020 Audi A5?
- Electrical System issues dominate, accounting for 68% of complaints (41 of 60), largely tied to MMI screen reboots, Bluetooth failures, and the SOS alarm system.
- Does the 2020 Audi A5 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2020 Audi A5, covering suspension/wheel lock nuts, airbags/seat heating cable, and an electrical wiring harness issue for rear lights. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2020 A5 compare to other years?
- With a complaint index of 100, the 2020 A5 ranks worse than every other year in the dataset; by contrast, 2015 and 2016 score 13 and 7 and are rated Best.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Audi A5?
- EPA rates the 2020 Audi A5 at 27 mpg combined (24 city / 32 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950.