The 2018 A5 with the 2.0T EA888 Gen3 engine is generally solid, but suffers from a catastrophic piston ringland failure issue that can grenade motors without warning. Transmission cooling and engine mount problems are also noteworthy on this platform.
Symptoms: Sudden loss of power, rough running, check engine light, Metallic knocking or rattling from engine, White or blue smoke from exhaust, Complete engine seizure in severe cases, Oil consumption increasing rapidly before failure
Fix: Ringland cracks on cylinder 3 or 4 lead to total engine destruction. Requires complete engine replacement or full rebuild with updated pistons. 18-24 labor hours for engine R&R, machine work adds another 15-20 hours if rebuilding. Many opt for reman long block.
Estimated cost: $8,500-15,000
Transmission Oil Cooler Failure
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission slipping or harsh shifts, Coolant mixing with ATF (milky fluid on dipstick), Engine overheating or transmission overheating warnings, Red fluid leaking from transmission area, Limp mode activation
Fix: The integrated cooler inside the radiator fails, allowing coolant and ATF to cross-contaminate. Requires radiator replacement, transmission flush (often multiple times), and sometimes full transmission rebuild if caught late. 6-8 hours labor for cooler and flush, add 15-20 if transmission is damaged.
Estimated cost: $1,800-8,500
Passenger-Side Airbag Inflator Defect (Takata)
Common · high severity
Symptoms: Airbag warning light on dash, Recall notice from Audi (multiple campaigns), No symptoms until deployment, then risk of shrapnel injury
Fix: Two separate NHTSA recalls for passenger airbag inflators. Dealer replacement only, covered under recall. Takes 2-3 hours. Check VIN for open recalls before purchase—parts availability has been spotty.
Estimated cost: $0 (recall)
Transmission Mount Failure (Pendulum Mount)
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Excessive vibration at idle, especially with AC on, Shudder during acceleration or deceleration, Visible sagging or torn rubber on mount
Fix: The rear transmission pendulum mount wears out prematurely on the DL382 7-speed dual-clutch. Requires subframe lowering for access. 3-4 hours labor. Use OE part—aftermarket mounts fail quickly.
Estimated cost: $600-1,000
Fuel Filter Clogging / Fuel System Contamination
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 40,000-70,000 mi
Symptoms: Rough idle, hesitation, or stumbling under load, Check engine light with lean codes (P0171/P0174), Hard starting or extended crank time, Loss of power at highway speeds
Fix: In-tank fuel filter clogs earlier than spec if low-quality fuel used. Requires fuel pump/sender module removal. 2-3 hours labor. Sometimes reveals contaminated fuel pump that also needs replacement.
Estimated cost: $400-900
Front Suspension Lower Control Arm Bushing Wear
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking over bumps, especially small sharp impacts, Steering wander or vague on-center feel, Uneven tire wear on inside edges, Increased road noise
Fix: Front lower control arm bushings crack and tear, common on all B9 platform cars. Replace both control arms as assembly—pressing bushings costs more than new arms. 2.5-3 hours labor plus alignment. One NHTSA recall issued for suspension attachment, verify completion.
Estimated cost: $800-1,200
Owner tips
Change oil every 5,000 miles with VW 502.00 spec or better—the EA888 is sensitive to oil quality and extended intervals accelerate ringland failure
Inspect transmission cooler lines and check ATF condition every 30,000 miles; catch cooler failure early to save the transmission
Verify all Takata airbag recalls completed before purchase—check airbag warning light carefully on test drive
Use Top Tier gasoline only; this direct-injection engine carbons up quickly with cheap fuel and clogs the in-tank filter
Budget $1,500-2,000/year for repairs after 60,000 miles—these are not cheap to maintain
Buy only with comprehensive warranty or engine replacement documentation—the ringland failure risk makes sub-80k mile examples a gamble without protection.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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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.
Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 19V547000
2019-07-24
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2018 S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, S4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, and 2017-2018 A4 Sedan and A4 Allroad vehicles. Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) connecting cable may cause the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.
SUSPENSION:FRONT · 18V893000
2018-12-17
Volkswagen Group of North America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback vehicles. The front suspension fasteners may not have been sufficiently tightened during vehicle production, possibly resulting in a front wheel becoming loose.
Consequence: A loose front wheel may increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the front suspension fasteners, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40O2.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 18V836000
2018-11-27
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback and 2017-2018 Audi A4 Allroad vehicles. A passenger air bag module mounting screw may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly affecting the deployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Consequence: If the air bag does not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of an injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag mounting screw, tightening or replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y4.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW · 17V822000
2017-12-20
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles were built with head curtain air bag assemblies that may not unfold properly. As such, these vehicle fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the head curtain air bag, if the air bag does not deploy properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will modify the head curtain air bags so that they deploy properly, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 11-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69T7.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS · 17V675000
2017-10-25
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad, and 2018 A5 Sportback vehicles. The aluminum trim on the front and rear doors can come loose from around the door speakers, leaving sharp edges exposed.
Consequence: The sharp edges of the speaker trim increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the speaker cover aluminum trim, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 70G6.
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