2012 Audi S5 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
57/100
#7 most-complained of 15 S5 years
The 2012 Audi S5 has a Complaint Index of 57, ranking 7th worst out of 15 model years and earning a Caution rating. It logged 10 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall, with Airbags accounting for 80% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 10
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 19
- 16 city / 24 hwy
Top 2012 Audi S5 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags8 (80%)
- Electrical System1 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (10%)
What owners report
- Owners report waiting extended periods for Takata airbag recall parts to become available, with some questioning whether the car was safe to drive in the meantime.
- Multiple contacts describe repeated calls to Audi dealers about the airbag recall with no repair timetable provided.
- One owner reported a mechatronic transmission failure at 76,456 miles, with the gearbox malfunctioning, the car jerking and stuttering, and a TPMS light flashing.
- A separate complaint describes the backup camera failing to activate roughly 10% of the time at 40,000 miles, an issue the owner said affected other A5/S5/RS5 platform owners.
2012 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.
2012 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.
2012 compared with other S5 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Audi S5 reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2012 S5 a Complaint Index of 57 and a Caution rating, ranking 7th worst among 15 model years of the S5. Most complaints (80%) relate to airbags tied to a recall.
- What is the top problem area for the 2012 Audi S5?
- Airbags are the top problem area, making up 8 of 10 complaints (80%), largely tied to the Takata airbag recall.
- Does the 2012 Audi S5 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2012 Audi S5, campaign 15V019000, covering a fuel system issue where fuel injection rails and seals were replaced.
- How does the 2012 Audi S5 compare to other S5 years?
- With a Complaint Index of 57, the 2012 S5 ranks worse than the 2014 (29), 2015 (14), and 2019 (43) model years but better than the 2018 (86), 2020 (79), and 2025 (100) years, which carry Avoid verdicts.
- What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2012 Audi S5?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 70,000 miles overall, with the transmission complaint occurring at 76,456 miles and an electrical complaint at 40,000 miles.