Problems · NHTSA complaints
2011 Audi S5 problems
Owners filed 8 complaints about the 2011 Audi S5 with NHTSA between Jul 2016 and Apr 2017. The most-cited component is air bags (4).
Complaints
8
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags4
- Power train1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Other / unknown3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
6
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 6 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
4 reports
“THE AIRBAG IN MY CAR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BUT AUDI HAS OFFERED NO TIMETABLE AS TO WHEN THIS MAY BE POSSIBLE. NO SOLUTION IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. I FIND IT DISCONCERTING TO BE DRIVING A CAR THAT HAS AN AIRBAG THAT COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY. UPDATED 10/10/2017*JS”
Power train
1 report
“UNABLE TO GET PARTS FOR FAULTY MSE TRANSMISSION CURRENTLY IN MY 2011. AUDI UPGRADED BECAUSE OF KNOWN PROBLEMS TO NSY MODEL TRANSMISSION AND EXPECTS OWNER TO PAY EXPENSE. THEY DID NOT AND HAVE NOT MAKE THE CUSTOMER/CONSUMER AWARE OF THIS UNTIL YOU FORCED TO TAKE IT IN FOR SERVICE DUE TO SENSORS AND LIMITED FUNCTIONALITY IN DRIVING CAPABILITIES. VEHICLE HESITATES AND DROPS GEARS WHILE IN MOTION. THIS OCCURRED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY CREATING A HAZARDOUS EVENT, IN ADDITION THEY WILL ALSO CHARGE YOU FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND BOGUS SERVICE WHILE THEY ARE ALREADY AWARE THAT THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THAT TRANSMISSION. UPON RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM, OR DUE TO DRIVING, MILEAGE, WEAR AND TEAR, PREVIOUS OWNER, LACK OF WARRANTY OR WHATEVER ELSE THEY WANT TO COME UP WITH. *TR”
Electronic stability control (esc)
1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.