2025 Audi S5 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2025 Audi S5 has a complaint index of 100, the highest among 16 model years with data, and ranks worst overall (rank 1). It carries 2 recalls for seat belts and 11 complaints, mostly involving electrical systems and driver-assistance features, earning an Avoid verdict.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 100/100
- #1 of 16 S5 years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 11
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 0
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 22.5
- 19.5 city / 28.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
Top 2025 Audi S5 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System5 (45%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras5 (45%)
- Lane Departure5 (45%)
- Engine3 (27%)
- Brakes2 (18%)
- Other1 (9%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (9%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Driver assistance and safety systems (forward collision, lane assist, rear traffic alert) randomly shut off for periods ranging from about 45 minutes to 12 hours after startup.
- Emergency braking system reportedly activated violently during a low-speed turn with no nearby traffic, causing the car to shut off.
- The SOS/eCall emergency communications system failed to function shortly after delivery.
- Multiple systems malfunctioned together, including drive system, parking brake, stabilization control, and hold assist.
- Vehicle lost power while driving with no warning light, failed to respond, and required a restart.
2025 Audi S5 recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 25V899000Dec 19, 2025Seat Belts27,768 vehicles
Seat belts:rear/other:retractor
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2025 SQ6 E-Tron, SQ6 Sportback E-Tron, Q6 Sportback E-Tron, A6, A5, A6 Sportback E-Tron, Q6 E-Tron, S5, and S6 Sportback E-Tron vehicles. The automatic locking retractor may fail to engage when a child seat is installed using the seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: An improperly secured child seat can increase risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the right and left rear seat belt assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 16, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69D8. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.
- NHTSA 25V638000Sep 24, 2025Seat Belts1,042 vehicles
Seat belts:front:retractor
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 GTI, Golf R, Audi A5, A6 Sportback E-Tron, S5, S6 Sportback E-Tron, 2026 Q4 Sportback E-Tron, and Q4 E-Tron vehicles. The torsion bar in one or both front seat belt retractors may have been damaged during production.
Risk: In a crash, a damaged torsion bar in a retractor could fail. If this happens, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace one or both front seat belts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 30, 2025, and October 31, 2025. Owners may contact Audi at 1-800-253-2834 or Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 69UM; Volkswagenâs number for this recall is 694T. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 26, 2025.
2025 Audi S5 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19.5 MPG
- Highway
- 28.5 MPG
- Combined
- 22.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,550
- 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.
2025 compared with other S5 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2025 Audi S5 reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2025 S5 has a complaint index of 100, the highest of any S5 model year in the data, so it carries an Avoid verdict relative to other S5 years.
- What problems does the 2025 Audi S5 have?
- Owners most often report issues with the electrical system, along with collision avoidance/camera systems and lane departure features, each making up 45% of complaints. There were also engine, brake, and suspension complaints.
- Does the 2025 Audi S5 have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2025 S5, both involving seat belts: one for rear seat belt lock-in issues and one for a torsion bar problem in the front seat belts. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
- At what mileage do 2025 Audi S5 problems occur?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for the 2025 S5 is 8,577 miles, indicating issues surfacing early in ownership.
- How does the 2025 Audi S5 compare to other S5 years?
- The 2025 model has a complaint index of 100 and ranks worst among all 16 S5 model years with data, worse than 2018 and 2020, which were also rated Avoid with indexes of 80 and 87.