Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2012 Audi A5. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (36)
36 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The air bags is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 36 |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 24 | 66.7% |
| Engine | 8 | 22.2% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 5.6% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 5.6% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 2.8% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 2.8% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 2.8% |
How 2012 compares with other A5 years
Best and worst A5 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 5 | 1 |
| 2009 | 11 | 1 |
| 2010 | 50 | 2 |
| 2011 | 39 | 2 |
| 2012 | 36 | 2 |
| 2013 | 38 | 3 |
| 2014 | 29 | 3 |
| 2015 | 9 | 3 |
| 2016 | 7 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 | 3 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 25 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,300
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 356 g/mi
- EPA class
- Subcompact Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 25 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 / 30 / 25 | $3,300 | 356 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | All-Wheel Drive | 21 / 31 / 25 | $3,300 | 356 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 21 / 29 / 24 | $3,400 | 370 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 21 / 29 / 24 | $3,400 | 370 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2012 A5 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2012 Audi A5 FAQ
How many recalls does the 2012 Audi A5 have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 18V082000 (air bag), 16V078000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2012 Audi A5 problems?
Owners filed 36 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (24), Engine (8), Electrical system (2) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2012 Audi A5 get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · CVT version at 22 city, 30 highway and 25 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
How does the 2012 A5 compare with other years?
Among the 2008–2017 Audi A5 model years at least five years old, the 2017 drew the fewest complaints (2) and the 2010 the most (50). The 2012 drew 36. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.