2018 AUDI A5

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.

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

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.

Risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

SUSPENSION:FRONT

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.

Risk: A loose front wheel may increasing the risk of a crash.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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.

Risk: If the air bag does not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of an injury.

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

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."

Risk: 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.

POWER TRAIN

The water pump failed on my vehicle. Initially reported 2/2025 at Authorized Audi Service Center. They claimed it was normal for coolant to dip. Audi USA Confirmed I have a settlement class vehicle in 03/2025. Mentioned an 80K Mileage limit. (Car only had 69K miles at the time) When the issue persisted I reached out for repair in accordance to Water Pump Settlement. McKenna Audi Service center initially stated the extended warranty expired 05/2025, and mentioned an 8 Year Limit (8/80K whichever comes first) 9/3 Reached out to Audi USA again and they initially provided an approval. Instructed to take to authorized service center for official diagnosis. 9/5 Audi USA recanted approval 2 days later. Instructed to Call Settlement Administrator. SA stated this is fully Audi responsibly warranty does not expire until 9/2025 unable to assist. Spoke to supervisor at Audi USA who stated extended warranty did not expire until 09/26/2025 09/08 Audi Beverly Hills confirmed water pump malfunction. Sent invoice to supervisor at Audi USA. $2338.25 Supervisor informed me later that warranty is expired after all. Stated a regional manager would look at it but no guarantees. At this point I have spent $350 for a diagnosis I did not need to satisfy the demands of the Audi warranty that is now being denied.

ENGINE

The vehicle has 36000 miles on it and the oil cooler has failed. The car is meticulously maintained. This failure compromises the ability for the engine to cool properly. Because of the failure, coolant is then forced into the engine oil potentially destroying the engine. Engine replacements are 10,000 for these types of cars. Audi is aware of this issue and should repair all vehicles with this known issue

ENGINE

Engine shuts off occasionally whilst cornering at very low speed. No warning. Been happening for several years.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2018 Audi A5. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, the yellow message "Steering Malfunction - Safe to Drive" was displayed. The contact continued driving 40 MPH, and the message turned red, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the power steering control module (PSCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

The Audi pre-sense system will not stop malfunctioning. The specific message is: "Audi pre sense: Malfunction! Please contact Service It is not related to any specific event that I can tell but appears to happen mostly when there is another vehicle in front of me. I have spent over $400 in Audi dealership costs to solve the problem and they have been unable to solve it. The last time, they did a software update in September 2024 and after that, the malfunctions became more frequent. It now happens every time I drive the car. I have tried turning it off and resetting it, but it still does not reset or stop being a problem. There are numerous issues with this reported in Audi Forums and on the internet with no one seeming to have solved their specific problem. There was a class action lawsuit on this, but I was dealing with a death in the family and was unable to file the claim in time. And the lawsuit did not provide a remedy to fix it. I need help on this. Audi doesn't seem to know how to fix it.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

The Audi pre-sense system will not stop malfunctioning. The specific message is: "Audi pre sense: Malfunction! Please contact Service It is not related to any specific event that I can tell but appears to happen mostly when there is another vehicle in front of me. I have spent over $400 in Audi dealership costs to solve the problem and they have been unable to solve it. The last time, they did a software update in September 2024 and after that, the malfunctions became more frequent. It now happens every time I drive the car. I have tried turning it off and resetting it, but it still does not reset or stop being a problem. There are numerous issues with this reported in Audi Forums and on the internet with no one seeming to have solved their specific problem. There was a class action lawsuit on this, but I was dealing with a death in the family and was unable to file the claim in time. And the lawsuit did not provide a remedy to fix it. I need help on this. Audi doesn't seem to know how to fix it.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

In connection to my previous filing : NHTSA tracking # 11641542, please see the below, thank you. On June 24, 2022, I checked my 2018 Audi A5 into Audi Cherry Hill’s service department to diagnose and repair an issue with the front right tire. The dealership indicated that service would take approximately two days. However, upon returning for an update, I was shocked to learn that my car had been towed—without my knowledge, consent, or any lawful justification. Suspicious Connection to ECU Failure & Audi’s Potential Non-Compliance with NHTSA Audi Cherry Hill’s owner, Amanda DeMateo, attempted to justify the tow by stating that my ECU replacement two years earlier had been performed at Wynnewood Audi (Sept 2019) not Cherry Hill. This raises serious concerns about a second ECU failure, which Audi may have sought to conceal. If Audi Company failed to report an initial ECU failure to the NHTSA in 2019, a second failure would highlight this noncompliance. Audi Cherry Hill's actions appear to be linked to an attempt to obscure a recurring issue with the vehicle's Electronic Control Unit (ECU). Audi Cherry Hill’s owner, Amanda DeMateo, attempted to justify the unauthorized towing by stating that my previous ECU replacement had not been conducted at her dealership, implying an effort to avoid responsibility. This raises suspicion that my tire malfunction was a consequence of another ECU failure, possibly affecting the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) through an electrical malfunction. Given these violations and Audi Cherry Hill’s failure to act in accordance with consumer protection laws, I request a thorough investigation and appropriate enforcement action. I urge you, please to investigate Audi’s failure to report ECU failures to the NHTSA and whether my issue was part of a larger defect pattern. Thank you

WHEELS

In connection to my previous filing : NHTSA tracking # 11641542, please see the below, thank you. On June 24, 2022, I checked my 2018 Audi A5 into Audi Cherry Hill’s service department to diagnose and repair an issue with the front right tire. The dealership indicated that service would take approximately two days. However, upon returning for an update, I was shocked to learn that my car had been towed—without my knowledge, consent, or any lawful justification. Suspicious Connection to ECU Failure & Audi’s Potential Non-Compliance with NHTSA Audi Cherry Hill’s owner, Amanda DeMateo, attempted to justify the tow by stating that my ECU replacement two years earlier had been performed at Wynnewood Audi (Sept 2019) not Cherry Hill. This raises serious concerns about a second ECU failure, which Audi may have sought to conceal. If Audi Company failed to report an initial ECU failure to the NHTSA in 2019, a second failure would highlight this noncompliance. Audi Cherry Hill's actions appear to be linked to an attempt to obscure a recurring issue with the vehicle's Electronic Control Unit (ECU). Audi Cherry Hill’s owner, Amanda DeMateo, attempted to justify the unauthorized towing by stating that my previous ECU replacement had not been conducted at her dealership, implying an effort to avoid responsibility. This raises suspicion that my tire malfunction was a consequence of another ECU failure, possibly affecting the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) through an electrical malfunction. Given these violations and Audi Cherry Hill’s failure to act in accordance with consumer protection laws, I request a thorough investigation and appropriate enforcement action. I urge you, please to investigate Audi’s failure to report ECU failures to the NHTSA and whether my issue was part of a larger defect pattern. Thank you

SERVICE BRAKES

I am writing to formally bring to your attention a potential violation of federal vehicle safety reporting requirements by Audi regarding an Electronic Control Unit (ECU)/Comfort Control Module failure in my 2018 Audi A5. As the original owner of this vehicle, I experienced a critical ECU failure approximately 2yrs after purchase (Sept 2017), which I believe qualifies as a major safety defect under 49 CFR 573.6-577.7. According to federal regulations, manufacturers are required to report such safety defects to the NHTSA within five (5) days of discovery. Furthermore, a root cause analysis should have been conducted & its findings reported w/in sixty (60) days. However, I have strong reason to believe that Audi failed to meet these reporting obligations, as I have never been provided with any findings from the investigation, nor have I seen any publicly available reporting on this defect. Key Concerns: • Unexplained ECU Failure: My vehicle’s ECU/Comfort Control Module failed inexplicably despite being only 2yrs old at the time. • Failure to Report to NHTSA: I haven't found record of Audi disclosing this issue to the NHTSA, despite clear requirement to do so. • Root Cause Analysis Not Provided: Audi informed me that analysis was conducted in Germany, but I was repeatedly told that the results were “not yet available.” This raises concerns that the findings may have revealed a broader defect affecting multiple vehicles of the same model/yr. • Potential Safety Risk: If this is not an isolated case, other Audi A5 owners may unknowingly be at risk of ECU failures, which could lead to critical vehicle malfunctions, including loss of control, electrical failures, or immobilization while driving. Given the seriousness of this issue, I urge the NHTSA to investigate Audi’s compliance with 49 CFR 573.6-577.7 & determine if this defect affects a broader range of vehicles. If Audi has indeed failed to report this defect properly, appropriate action be taken for consumer safety

POWER TRAIN

I am writing to formally bring to your attention a potential violation of federal vehicle safety reporting requirements by Audi regarding an Electronic Control Unit (ECU)/Comfort Control Module failure in my 2018 Audi A5. As the original owner of this vehicle, I experienced a critical ECU failure approximately 2yrs after purchase (Sept 2017), which I believe qualifies as a major safety defect under 49 CFR 573.6-577.7. According to federal regulations, manufacturers are required to report such safety defects to the NHTSA within five (5) days of discovery. Furthermore, a root cause analysis should have been conducted & its findings reported w/in sixty (60) days. However, I have strong reason to believe that Audi failed to meet these reporting obligations, as I have never been provided with any findings from the investigation, nor have I seen any publicly available reporting on this defect. Key Concerns: • Unexplained ECU Failure: My vehicle’s ECU/Comfort Control Module failed inexplicably despite being only 2yrs old at the time. • Failure to Report to NHTSA: I haven't found record of Audi disclosing this issue to the NHTSA, despite clear requirement to do so. • Root Cause Analysis Not Provided: Audi informed me that analysis was conducted in Germany, but I was repeatedly told that the results were “not yet available.” This raises concerns that the findings may have revealed a broader defect affecting multiple vehicles of the same model/yr. • Potential Safety Risk: If this is not an isolated case, other Audi A5 owners may unknowingly be at risk of ECU failures, which could lead to critical vehicle malfunctions, including loss of control, electrical failures, or immobilization while driving. Given the seriousness of this issue, I urge the NHTSA to investigate Audi’s compliance with 49 CFR 573.6-577.7 & determine if this defect affects a broader range of vehicles. If Audi has indeed failed to report this defect properly, appropriate action be taken for consumer safety

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am writing to formally bring to your attention a potential violation of federal vehicle safety reporting requirements by Audi regarding an Electronic Control Unit (ECU)/Comfort Control Module failure in my 2018 Audi A5. As the original owner of this vehicle, I experienced a critical ECU failure approximately 2yrs after purchase (Sept 2017), which I believe qualifies as a major safety defect under 49 CFR 573.6-577.7. According to federal regulations, manufacturers are required to report such safety defects to the NHTSA within five (5) days of discovery. Furthermore, a root cause analysis should have been conducted & its findings reported w/in sixty (60) days. However, I have strong reason to believe that Audi failed to meet these reporting obligations, as I have never been provided with any findings from the investigation, nor have I seen any publicly available reporting on this defect. Key Concerns: • Unexplained ECU Failure: My vehicle’s ECU/Comfort Control Module failed inexplicably despite being only 2yrs old at the time. • Failure to Report to NHTSA: I haven't found record of Audi disclosing this issue to the NHTSA, despite clear requirement to do so. • Root Cause Analysis Not Provided: Audi informed me that analysis was conducted in Germany, but I was repeatedly told that the results were “not yet available.” This raises concerns that the findings may have revealed a broader defect affecting multiple vehicles of the same model/yr. • Potential Safety Risk: If this is not an isolated case, other Audi A5 owners may unknowingly be at risk of ECU failures, which could lead to critical vehicle malfunctions, including loss of control, electrical failures, or immobilization while driving. Given the seriousness of this issue, I urge the NHTSA to investigate Audi’s compliance with 49 CFR 573.6-577.7 & determine if this defect affects a broader range of vehicles. If Audi has indeed failed to report this defect properly, appropriate action be taken for consumer safety

SEAT BELTS

passenger side safety seat belt buckle not fixing properly.