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2019 Audi A5 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2019 Audi A5 has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 3safety recalls
- 12owner complaints
- 1crash report
- 0fire reports
- 12%fail the UK MOT
12 complaints, against an average of 17 for the other 14 Audi A5 model years.
Every Audi A5 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2019 Audi A5?
The components named most often in the 12 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2019 Audi A5 been recalled?
3 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
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.
Fix: 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.
Seats 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.
Fix: 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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Is the 2019 Audi A5 recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAFollowing a previous campaign the toe and/or camber values on the rear axle may in certain circumstances incorrectly be changed without…FOLLOWING A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN THE TOE AND/OR CAMBER VALUES ON THE REAR AXLE MAY IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES INCORRECTLY BE CHANGED WITHOUT THIS BEING NOTICED
Risk: Following a previous campaign the toe and/or camber values on the rear axle may in certain circumstances incorrectly be changed without this being noticed.
Fix: The wheel alignment must be checked and if necessary the suspension must be serviced on the affected vehicles.
UK DVSARear axle suspension links nuts do not meet specifications
Risk: One or more nuts which do not meet the specifications may have been fitted on the rear axle suspension links.
Fix: The affected nuts on the rear axle will be replaced on affected vehicles.
UK DVSAVehicles may have been fitted with a hinged towing bracket on which the locking mechanism in the hinge module could be faulty
Risk: Vehicles may have been fitted with a hinged towing bracket on which the locking mechanism in the hinge module could be faulty.
Fix: The hinge module for the towing bracket must be checked and where necessary replaced on the vehicles affected.
UK DVSAMoisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator
Risk: It is possible that moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator.
Fix: The starter-alternator must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
UK DVSAThe locking mechanism in the hinged towing bracket could be faulty
Risk: Hinged towing bracket on which the locking mechanism in the hinge module could be faulty.
Fix: The hinge module for the towing bracket must be checked and replaced if required.
UK DVSAAn error in the casting process may affect the rigidity of the shock absorber fork
Risk: An error in the casting process may affect the rigidity of the shock absorber fork.
Fix: The corresponding shock absorber forks must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
EU Safety GateAlteration of the rear axle’s toe and/or camber values lead to increased and uneven wear on the rear tyres, and if worn down to its…Alteration of the rear axle’s toe and/or camber values lead to increased and uneven wear on the rear tyres, and if worn down to its carcass may suffer a sudden loss of pressure. This can lead to loss of traction and may affect vehicle handling, increasing the risk of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe vehicles are equipped with control software regarded as unauthorised by the competent authorities.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Importer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 23/04/2021
EU Safety GateThe nuts on the eccentric bolt of the rear-axle spring-link control arm may break due to stress corrosion.As a result, the rear axle could move in the wrong direction, in an uncontrollable manner at high speeds.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe vehicles may be fitted with a towbar with a swivel mechanism that may have a defective locking pin.As a result, the pin could break while driving, increasing the risk of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe propellant used in the airbag inflator may experience a material alteration over time due to degradation occurring after prolonged…Years estimatedThe propellant used in the airbag inflator may experience a material alteration over time due to degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures and high-temperature cycling. In the event of an airbag being deployed, the excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to rupture and metal fragments may pass through the cushion material causing injury to the occupants.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateMoisture can ingress into the belt starter generator, generating short-circuits.This can lead to local overheating of the component, increasing risk of fire.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateMoisture can penetrate into the belt starter generator.This can result in a short circuit, leading to local overheating and increased risk of fire.Due to the permanent power supply of the starter generator, this can occur when the vehicle has already been parked for a while.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateA damaged transistor may have been installed in the airbag control unit.Years estimatedConsequently, it may not properly make contact leading to the passenger airbag not to be triggered in the event of an accident, increasing the risk of injuries.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe screw fitting the passenger airbag module to the instrument panel may not have been correctly tightened.This could have an impact on the inflation of the airbag and thus the protection of the occupant.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2019 Audi A5 fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2019, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2019 Audi A5 owners report?
12 of the 12 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
I drive an 2019 Audi A5 and there is a terrible Auto start/stop malfunction and cruise control malfunction that has made this car unsafe to drive. The Auto start is featured on the A5 to "save gas," but however malfunctions and cuts off while driving or coming to a stop. Tonight on 1/21/2025 at 1:44 am it did just that. While sitting at the light it stalled out, manually crank it up attempt to get thru the light and it cuts off leaving my son and I stranded dead center of the intersection leaving the two of us sitting ducks. I look and there is traffic coming and we were nearly taken out by an…
The contact owns a 2019 Audi A5. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and shifting into reverse(R), the message "SOS System Deactivated" was displayed, and the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact shifted to park(P) and shifted back to reverse(R); however, the failure persisted. The contact stated upon restarting the vehicle and shifting to reverse(R), the rearview camera became operable, but the message "SOS System Deactivated" was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that while his wife was at a complete stop two weeks later, the Audi pre-sense warning light…
Hello, I was driving down highway at 55mph when my Electric Power steering Failed suddenly. I almost crashed to the barrier as I was in the passing lane. My steering failure message popped up on my instrument cluster and steering wheel became stiff. I had my mom and niece in the vehicle with me. This vehicle could had hurt all three of us. It is difficult to turn the steering wheel now. Failure message is still active.
The contact owns a 2019 Audi A5. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V874000 (Seats, Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2019 Audi A5. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked with the engine running, all four doors of the vehicle locked independently while she was outside of the vehicle and in possession of the keys. The contact was unable to unlock the door of the vehicle using the key fob or the keys manually. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact’s son who was occupying the vehicle assisted her in unlocking the doors. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while her two-year-old daughter was in the car seat on the rear passenger’s side. The contact was unable…
The contact owns a 2019 Audi A5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the "Steering Malfunction" message displayed on the instrument panel and continued flashing. Moments later the steering wheel was extremely difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who discovered that the power steering module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 17,000.
I was driving when the rear of my car began vibrating, then fishtailing and I lost control and hit a curb resulting in mostly forward damage. In reviewing the Preliminary Estimate from the auto-shop and insurance adjuster, there was quite a bit of damage to the Rear Suspension including a broken Trailing arm lock nut, washer, and bolt, as well as the Protector lining, lower control arm, its lock nut and the control arm mount bolt. The broken rear axle components caused me to lose control of my vehicle resulting in forward impact with a curb. My car was deemed a total loss with $28K in…
On three different occasions, I have experienced automatic emergency braking of the car which, rather than keeping me safe, placed me in a very dangerous situation. Each time, I was in a controlled intersection on a green light and in the left turn lane, with oncoming traffic also having a green light. When it was amply safe to make the left turn, with oncoming traffic at a safe distance from the intersection, I began my left turn. Just as my car was turning in front of that oncoming traffic, and just as I needed to proceed safely and promptly through the intersection, the Pre-Sense system…
WATER IS COLLECTING IN THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR WELL OR THE DOOR SILL. WATER SLOSHING IS HEARD WHEN BRAKING OR ACCELERATING FROM STOP. PROBLEM IS MORE SEVERE AFTER RAINS OR CAR WASHES.
ON TWO OCCASIONS SO FAR, WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN IN A FOUR WAY INTERSECTION, THE PRE-SENSE SYSTEM DETECTED AN ONCOMING CAR WAY TOO EARLY AND APPLIED THE BRAKES HARD JUST AS I WAS WELL INTO THE TURN AND NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE INTERSECTION BEFORE I BECAME A DANGER TO THE ONCOMING CAR. THIS PUT ME INTO A POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM AWARE THAT THE SENSITIVITY CAN BE ADJUSTED BUT, IN THIS CASE, THERE WAS NO DANGER AT ALL UNTIL MY CAR BRAKED SUDDENLY AS I WAS TRYING TO COMPLETE MY TURN SAFELY. THAT ACTUALLY CREATED A HAZARD. AS WITH OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE READ ABOUT, I…
THIS IS ANOTHER OCCURRENCE THEREFORE A CONTINUATION OF COMPLAINT NUMBER 11258717. ON A SECOND OCCASION WHILE DRIVING IN THE EXPRESS LANES OF AN EXPRESSWAY, THE PRE-SENSE DISPLAYED A CROSSROAD INDICATION ON THE INSTRUMENT DISPLAY AND APPLIED THE BRAKES WHILE I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON A LIMITED ACCESS EXPRESSWAY IN THE EXPRESS LANES. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD A CAR TAILGATING ME AT THAT TIME? THERE IS SOME SERIOUS SOFTWARE DEFECTS WITH THIS SYSTEM. IS ANYONE GOING TO RESPOND TO THIS?
I WAS STOPPED IN A TURN LANE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS 3 LANES OF OPPOSING TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR US HIGHWAY. . I STARTED THE TURN AND THE PRE-SENSE SYSTEM STOPPED THE CAR AS IT WAS ENTERING THE OPPOSING LANE OF TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSING A DISASTER AS THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS MOVING APPROXIMATE 50-60 MPH. FORTUNATELY FOR THE ONCOMING CAR, THE LANE ADJACENT WAS EMPTY AT THE MOMENT SO THEY COULD MOVE OVER AND PASS ME SAFELY AS I WAS STUCK IN THE LANE OF THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH THE BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED.
2019 Audi A5: questions owners ask
Is the 2019 Audi A5 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Audi A5; the most common categories were vehicle speed control (4, 33.3%), steering (3, 25%), electrical system (2, 16.7%). There are 3 safety recalls. 1 complaint mentions a crash.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Audi A5?
Across 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are vehicle speed control (33.3% of complaints), steering (25% of complaints), electrical system (16.7% of complaints), forward collision avoidance (16.7% of complaints), air bags (8.3% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2019 Audi A5 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2019 Audi A5; the most recent (campaign 22V034000, 2022-01-26) concerns Tires. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own A5
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2019 only; combines NHTSA's entries for A5 and A5 SPORTBACK.