2011 Audi S5 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
50/100
#8 most-complained of 15 S5 years
The 2011 Audi S5 has 8 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall, with a Complaint Index of 50 and a Caution verdict, ranking 8th worst of 15 model years. Airbags account for half of all complaints, largely tied to Takata recall parts delays.
- Complaints
- 8
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 19
- 16 city / 24 hwy
Top 2011 Audi S5 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags4 (50%)
- Other3 (38%)
- Brakes1 (13%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (13%)
What owners report
- Owners report waiting long periods for Takata airbag recall replacement parts with no timetable given by Audi.
- Several owners say they were notified of recall campaign 16v078000 for airbags but could not get the repair completed because parts were unavailable.
- One owner describes the transmission hesitating and dropping gears, tied to sensor and limited-functionality issues on the MSE transmission unit.
- One owner reports Audi upgraded newer models to a revised NSY transmission but did not proactively inform 2011 owners of the earlier known issue.
- Owners express concern about driving with an unreplaced airbag that could cause injury if it deployed improperly.
2011 Audi S5 recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 15V019000Jan 20, 2015Fuel System26,008 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:fuel rail
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.
2011 Audi S5 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 16 MPG
- Highway
- 24 MPG
- Combined
- 19 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,200
- 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.
2011 compared with other S5 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Audi S5 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 8 complaints and 1 recall for the 2011 Audi S5, giving it a Complaint Index of 50 and a Caution verdict. It ranks 8th worst out of 15 model years for this model based on complaints and recalls.
- What are the main problems with the 2011 Audi S5?
- Airbags are the top problem area, making up 50% of complaints (4 of 8), mostly related to delayed Takata recall parts. Brakes and Transmission & Powertrain each account for 13% of complaints.
- Does the 2011 Audi S5 have any recalls?
- Yes, one recall (campaign 15V019000) covers the fuel system on the 2011-2012 Audi S4, S5, Q7 and related Volkswagen Group vehicles, involving fuel rail and seal replacement due to a fuel injection issue.
- How does the 2011 Audi S5 compare to other years?
- Its Complaint Index of 50 is lower than 2010 (71), 2012 (57), and 2013 (64), but higher than 2014 (29) and 2015 (14). The worst years are 2025 (100), 2023 (93), and 2018 (86), all rated Avoid.