Audi A5 common problems & fixes (Mk1 8T 2007–2016, Mk2 F5 2016–2024)

Written by the C4R team from DVSA data and owner reports. Fact-checked 2026-10-13.

30-second verdict

A used Audi A5 coupe, Sportback or Cabriolet is a classy, relaxed buy, but early 1.8 and 2.0 TFSI petrols can burn oil and rattle their timing chains when cold. On the 2007–2016 Mk1, a Multitronic CVT automatic also needs proof of care, and you should confirm the coolant-pump and air-con heater recalls are closed. The safer picks are a well-documented 2.0 TDI with a recorded cambelt change, or a 2016–2024 Mk2, which has fewer reported faults, with full service and gearbox-oil history. Electrical glitches are the most common owner complaint on both generations, so test every switch.

Generations at a glance

Known issues

1. Early 1.8/2.0 TFSI petrols burning oil

Label: Manufacturer technical bulletin/known issue

• What you notice: low-oil warnings between services, an owner who tops up regularly, and in bad cases blue smoke or rough running.
• Which cars: Mk1 cars with the EA888 1.8 TFSI and 2.0 TFSI, mainly early builds. Audi's own US-market bulletin names the A5 and A5 Cabriolet 2.0 TFSI for model years 2009–2011, and says a production change to cut crankcase pressure arrived from model year 2012.
• Why: Autocar links the problem to the piston rings; Audi's bulletin says internal crankcase pressure can raise oil use, especially in stop-start traffic with long spells of idling.
• Fix: Audi's procedure starts with a revised crankcase pressure-regulating valve, a new front crankshaft seal and an engine software update, followed by a measured oil-consumption test. If the rings are to blame, the cure is major internal engine work, so get a specialist diagnosis and a written quote.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5 (checking the level yourself is easy).
• Check when buying: ask how often the car needs oil and whether Audi ever ran a consumption test. Autocar notes there is no dipstick, so read the oil level through the MMI screen before and after a long test drive, and watch the exhaust as you accelerate after idling. Autocar adds that Audi's own limit was one litre per 1,242 miles, and that some cars have needed a litre in as little as 600 miles.
• Evidence: Audi of America bulletin 2027731/7 (April 2015); Autocar's A5 used buying guide; Carbuyer's Mk1 coupe guide; FixMyCar's A5 common-problems guide.

2. TFSI timing-chain rattle on cold start

Label: Manufacturer technical bulletin/known issue

• What you notice: a rattle from the front of the engine for a few seconds after a cold start, then an engine warning light with cam/crank correlation codes such as P0016, misfires or flat performance. If the chain jumps a tooth the engine can be badly damaged.
• Which cars: Mk1 1.8 and 2.0 TFSI (EA888). After a US class action, Audi extended timing-chain and tensioner cover on US-market cars with this engine, including A5 Cabriolets of model years 2010–2013. A UK specialist says a revised tensioner went into production between late 2011 and mid-2012, so the build date matters more than the registration year.
• Why: the early hydraulic tensioner can lose pressure and let the chain go slack; chain stretch and worn guides cause similar symptoms.
• Fix: replace the chain, tensioner and guides with the updated parts. This is a specialist job that needs the correct timing tools.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5.
• Check when buying: ask the seller not to start the car before you arrive, then listen to a genuinely cold start. A rattle that lasts more than a few seconds, or gets louder, is a reason to walk away or get a specialist opinion. Ask for an invoice showing the tensioner or chain kit has been replaced, and have the fault memory read.
• Evidence: Audi of America warranty bulletin AWA-18-15; Star Garage Mansfield's 2.0 TFSI timing-chain guide.

3. 2.0 TFSI auxiliary coolant pump recalls

Label: Confirmed recall R/2017/115 and R/2018/152

• What you notice: possibly nothing. DVSA's records say debris can jam the additional electric coolant pump and make it overheat, and that moisture can get into its electronics, causing overheating, local smouldering and, in individual cases, fire.
• Which cars: DVSA lists A5s built from 01/05/2011 to 31/10/2016 (R/2017/115) and 01/05/2011 to 31/05/2017 (R/2018/152). DVSA does not name the engine; reporting on a similar US recall ties the pump to the 2.0 TFSI (EA888) petrol, so do not rule out other engines until a VIN check does.
• Why: the two DVSA records describe two causes, debris and moisture. The first remedy was software; the second replaces the pump itself.
• Fix: the first campaign adds engine software that switches the pump off if it malfunctions, and replaces a pump that has already failed. The second replaces the pump and updates the engine software. Both are free at an Audi dealer.
• DIY difficulty: 1/5 for the check; the repair is dealer recall work.
• Check when buying: on any A5 built inside these windows, especially a 2.0 TFSI, ask an Audi dealer to confirm both campaigns are closed against the VIN.
• Evidence: DVSA recalls data; Auto Express lists the coolant-pump recalls in its Mk1 and Mk2 guides; The Drive's report of Audi's US coolant-pump recall.

4. Multitronic CVT judder or failure

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: judder or shudder when pulling away, jerky progress, slipping, overheating and, at worst, complete failure.
• Which cars: front-wheel-drive Mk1 automatics fitted with the Multitronic CVT (FixMyCar flags 2007–2015 front-drive cars with this gearbox). Carbuyer names the 3.2 petrol and the automatic-only 2.7 TDI, and the RAC says the post-facelift front-drive 3.0 TDI used it too, so check the specification of any other front-drive automatic. Auto Express lists only manual, S tronic and Tiptronic gearboxes for the Mk2.
• Why: the sources describe the symptoms rather than a single root cause, and list overheating among them.
• Fix: start with a specialist diagnosis, including fluid and operation checks. A confirmed internal fault can mean a specialist rebuild or a replacement gearbox.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5.
• Check when buying: confirm which gearbox the car has from its specification rather than its badge. Pull away gently on a slope and in traffic, feel for judder, and look for evidence of gearbox-oil changes. Carbuyer says Mk1 automatic gearboxes need fresh oil at 40,000 miles.
• Evidence: Autocar's used buying guide; FixMyCar; BreakerLink; Carbuyer and the RAC for which engines used Multitronic.

5. S tronic jerky shifts or missed oil changes

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: hesitation, slipping, jerky low-speed changes or slow engagement of Drive and Reverse.
• Which cars: cars with the seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox, on both generations. Auto Express says the Mk2 3.0 TFSI S5 used an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic instead.
• Why: Carbuyer notes that the S tronic's reliability record is mixed; the RAC tells buyers to check it has had regular oil and filter changes.
• Fix: bring any overdue oil and filter changes up to date. Slipping or jerky shifts need a specialist diagnosis of the clutch packs and control unit.
• DIY difficulty: 4/5.
• Check when buying: drive from cold and again when warm, including creeping in traffic, reversing and a hill start. Ask for invoices for gearbox-oil changes, and on quattro cars have the four-wheel-drive system checked too.
• Evidence: Carbuyer's Mk1 guide; the RAC's 2016–2019 Sportback used review; Auto Express's Mk2 guide (gearbox line-up).

6. MMI, locking, window and parking-brake glitches

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: on the Mk1, an MMI screen that freezes, faulty central locking, parking sensors or phone system, failed window regulators and door-lock mechanisms, and a fuel-filler flap mechanism that can fail. On the Mk2, phones that will not connect, flickering screens, alarm and central-locking faults, windows that open when the indicator is used, and an electronic parking brake that will not apply.
• Which cars: both generations. What Car? calls electrical faults the single biggest Mk1 problem; it says the Mk2 coupe has relatively few reported faults, and its 2024 Reliability Survey placed it seventh of 15 in its sports-car class.
• Why: a mix of software and component faults. What Car? says the latest Audi software can cure some Mk2 infotainment problems.
• Fix: proper diagnosis with suitable equipment first, then a software update or replacement of the failed regulator, lock unit or switch. Auto Express rates a window regulator as a DIY job, quoting £120 for the part from Audi in 2021, and notes a manual release for the fuel flap behind the boot trim.
• DIY difficulty: 3/5.
• Check when buying: run every window up and down, lock and unlock each door with the key and from inside, open the fuel flap, pair your own phone, check every sensor and camera, and apply and release the parking brake several times.
• Evidence: What Car? reliability reviews of the Mk1 Coupe, Mk1 Sportback and Mk2 Coupe; RAC used reviews of the Coupe, Cabriolet and Sportback; Auto Express Mk1 and Mk2 guides; FixMyCar.

7. Stiff or slipping clutch on manuals

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: a heavy pedal, slipping under load or a clutch that fails outright.
• Which cars: manual Mk1s and early manual Mk2s (Audi dropped the manual from the Mk2 after a couple of years).
• Why: the sources report the symptoms rather than one cause. Autocar points out the A5's clutch is normally light, so a stiff pedal is a warning sign.
• Fix: diagnose the clutch and its hydraulics; replacement is a gearbox-off job.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5.
• Check when buying: feel the pedal weight and biting point, then accelerate firmly in a high gear from low revs and make sure the revs and road speed rise together. Autocar also notes the pedal sits offset to the right, so make sure the driving position suits you.
• Evidence: Autocar's used buying guide; What Car?'s Mk1 reliability review; BreakerLink.

8. 2.0 TDI emissions fix, cambelt and DPF

Label: Manufacturer technical bulletin/known issue

• What you notice: usually nothing for the emissions update. A rattle from a worn cambelt tensioner once the engine is warm, or diesel particulate filter (DPF) warnings; FixMyCar mentions DPF soot problems on 3.0 TDI quattro cars used mainly for short trips.
• Which cars: the cambelt applies to every 2.0 TDI on both generations; the emissions update concerns some Mk1 2.0 TDIs. Auto Express says some A5s were caught up in the Volkswagen Group diesel emissions scandal, which What Car? says involved 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0 diesels with the EA189 engine code, including 393,450 Audis in the UK. FixMyCar also reports EGR valve blockages and oil leaks on 3.0 TDI quattro cars.
• Why: the emissions work is a manufacturer software update rather than a repair of worn parts. The 2.0 TDI uses a cambelt, which has a time limit as well as a mileage limit, and Autocar warns that the diesels' plastic belt tensioners are weak.
• Fix: an Audi dealer can confirm by VIN whether the emissions update applies and has been done; What Car? says the work was free and took under an hour. Quoted Mk1 cambelt intervals vary (Carbuyer gives 75,000 miles or five years, with a new water pump; Autocar about 120,000 miles or five years), so follow the car's own schedule and treat five years as the limit if the history is unclear. Auto Express gives 140,000 miles or five years for the Mk2 and quotes £476 for the belt, or £807 with a new water pump.
• DIY difficulty: 4/5.
• Check when buying: ask for a dated cambelt invoice, let the engine warm up and listen for rattles, have the VIN checked for the emissions update, and watch for DPF or engine warnings on a long test drive.
• Evidence: Auto Express Mk1 problems page and Mk2 guide; What Car?'s emissions-scandal explainer; Carbuyer; Autocar; FixMyCar.

9. Worn suspension, springs, bearings and tyres

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: a groan when cornering (often a front wheel bearing), knocks or clonks over bumps, vague steering, or tyres worn unevenly across their width.
• Which cars: all, particularly high-mileage Mk1s and powerful or S line cars on large wheels. One analysis of 2025 DVSA first-MOT results puts rear coil springs at the top of the failure list for 2017–2019 registrations.
• Why: normal wear on a heavy car with multi-link suspension. UK analyses of DVSA MOT results repeatedly list tyres, front arm pins and bushes, coil springs, drive-shaft boots and dampers among the A5's most common failures.
• Fix: replace worn bearings, bushes, arms, springs or dampers, then set the four-wheel alignment.
• DIY difficulty: 3/5.
• Check when buying: listen for groans on long bends and knocks on rough roads, look at the inner edges of the front tyres, check that the car sits level, and read the MOT history for repeat suspension, spring and drive-shaft advisories.
• Evidence: Auto Express Mk1 problems page (front wheel bearings); RAC used reviews (uneven tyre wear on powerful versions); MOT Data, Motorwise and MOT Search analyses of DVSA MOT results.

Recalls (DVSA data)

These are the A5 records in the DVSA recalls file downloaded on 2026-10-07, summarised in our own words. Launch dates and build windows are copied from that file. Duplicate rows for the A5 and A5 Cabriolet are merged. The file has no separate S5 or RS5 rows. Not every car built in a window is affected, so check the exact car by registration and VIN.

No end-before-start dates appear in these A5 rows. Run the GOV.UK vehicle recall check and ask an Audi dealer to confirm every campaign is closed.

MOT watch-points

C4R has not computed its own A5 pass rates, so none are quoted here. Independent analyses of DVSA MOT results point to the same practical checks:

• Tyres: low tread, damage and exposed cords are the most common failures; look at the inner edges of the front tyres in particular.
• Suspension: worn pins, bushes and joints come up again and again, with front arm pins and bushes a leading failure on some older registration years.
• Springs and dampers: fractured coil springs (front on older cars, rear on 2017–2019 cars) and leaking or damaged shock absorbers are both frequent failure items.
• Drive shafts: split or missing constant-velocity joint boots on the front drive shafts.
• Lights and wipers: headlamp aim and wipers that do not clear the screen both appear in the failure lists.
• Brakes: pads worn below the limit appear in the failure lists, and the RAC's owner surveys mention a few cases of grinding brakes.

These are condition checks, not a prediction that a particular A5 will fail. Read the individual car's record on the GOV.UK MOT history service, looking for repeat advisories and an odometer reading that rises steadily.

Buying one? Our checklist

1. Run the registration through the GOV.UK recall checker, then ask an Audi dealer to confirm by VIN that every campaign is closed, especially the coolant-pump, auxiliary-heater and Takata airbag recalls.
2. On a Mk1 1.8 or 2.0 TFSI, ask how much oil it uses, read the level on the MMI before and after the drive, and listen to a genuinely cold start for chain rattle.
3. Identify the gearbox from the car's specification. On a Multitronic, reject judder or slipping; on an S tronic, ask for oil-change invoices.
4. On a manual, check for a heavy pedal or a slipping clutch.
5. On a 2.0 TDI, ask for a dated cambelt invoice and confirm the emissions update status; check clean-air-zone compliance if it matters to you.
6. Test every electrical item: windows, locks, fuel flap, MMI, phone pairing, sensors, cameras, alarm, seat adjustment and the electronic parking brake.
7. On a Cabriolet, cycle the roof fully, then check the carpets, footwells and boot for damp; FixMyCar warns that blocked drains and worn seals can let water in as the roof ages, although the RAC's owner survey found no roof complaints.
8. Listen for wheel-bearing groan, suspension knocks and dashboard or parcel-shelf rattles, and check every tyre across its full width.
9. Inspect the long doors, bumpers and large alloys for scrapes and kerb damage; the RAC notes that many Mk2 Sportbacks were company or lease cars, so check the bodywork carefully.
10. Insist on a service history that matches the mileage, and compare the MOT mileages with the odometer.

Running costs

• Vehicle tax, cars registered 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 (all Mk1s and the earliest Mk2s): charged by CO2 band. At the current GOV.UK rates a single 12-month payment ranges from £20 (bands A and B) to £790 (band M). For example, the RAC quotes 154g/km for the early front-drive 2.0 TFSI, which is band G (£275), and 173g/km for a quattro version, which is band H (£325). Check the CO2 figure on the car's V5C.
• Vehicle tax, cars registered from 1 April 2017: the standard rate is £200 a year, plus £440 a year for five years (from the second time the car is taxed) if its list price was over £40,000. Check the list price of high-spec, S5 and RS5 models.
• Clean air zones: TfL's ULEZ needs Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel. TfL says petrol cars registered after 2005 generally meet it, so A5 petrols normally will, but Autocar says only the last Mk1 diesels, from 2016, are Euro 6. Check the exact car on TfL's checker.
• Official economy, Mk1 (figures of the time): Carbuyer lists 55mpg for the 2.0 TDI (51mpg with quattro and an automatic), 39mpg for the 1.8 TFSI and the 3.0 TDI quattro, and 26mpg for the V8 S5 and RS5.
• Official economy, facelifted Mk2: Auto Express quotes up to 58.9mpg for the 35 TDI, 50.4mpg for the 40 TDI, 42.8mpg for the 40 TFSI and 36.7mpg for the 45 TFSI. Expect less in real-world driving.
• Servicing: Carbuyer describes a choice of fixed (yearly) or variable (up to two years) servicing on the Mk1. For the Mk2, Auto Express gives fixed servicing every 12 months or 9,000 miles, or flexible servicing up to two years or 18,600 miles, and quotes £270 for an oil service, £350 for an oil-and-inspection service with a pollen filter, and £65 for the brake-fluid change due every two years.

Sources & further reading

Official data and checks

• DVSA: Vehicle Safety Branch recalls database (data.gov.uk)
• GOV.UK: Check if a vehicle has been recalled
• GOV.UK: Check the MOT history of a vehicle
• GOV.UK: Vehicle tax rates for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017
• GOV.UK: Vehicle tax rates for cars registered on or after 1 March 2001
• Transport for London: ULEZ standards for cars

Manufacturer bulletins

• Audi of America: TSB 2027731/7, engine oil consumption too high, 2.0L TFSI (NHTSA copy)
• Audi of America: AWA-18-15 timing chain and tensioner warranty extension (NHTSA copy)

Reviews, buying guides and reliability

• Auto Express: Used Audi A5 Mk1 (2007–2016) review
• Auto Express: Used Audi A5 Mk1, what should you look out for?
• Auto Express: Used Audi A5 Mk2 (2016–2024) buyer's guide
• Autocar: Audi A5 2007–2016 used buying guide
• Carbuyer: Used Audi A5 Coupe buying guide 2007–2016 (Mk1)
• Carbuyer: All-new Audi A5, the successor to the Audi A4
• What Car?: Used Audi A5 Coupe 2007–2016 reliability
• What Car?: Used Audi A5 Sportback 2007–2016 reliability
• What Car?: Used Audi A5 Coupe 2016–2024 reliability
• What Car?: Volkswagen emissions, what you need to know
• RAC: Audi A5 Coupe (2007–2011) used review
• RAC: Audi A5 Coupe (2011–2016) used review
• RAC: Audi A5 Cabriolet (2009–2016) used review
• RAC: Audi A5 Sportback (2012–2015) used review
• RAC: Audi A5 Sportback (2016–2019) used review
• The Drive: Audi recalls 1.2 million cars for overheating coolant pumps
• Wikipedia: Audi A5

Independent specialists and MOT analyses

• Star Garage Mansfield: Audi 2.0 TFSI timing chain problems
• FixMyCar: Common problems with the Audi A5
• BreakerLink: 10 of the most common problems with the Audi A5
• MOT Data: Audi A5 MOT analysis
• Motorwise: Audi A5 MOT reliability by registration year
• MOT Search: Audi A5 MOT statistics

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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