2020 Audi A5: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2020 Audi A5
On the 2020 Audi A5, the failure owners report most often is backup camera failure, with 21 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 65,000 miles. Overall it scores 61 out of 100, high risk for a 2020.
High risk for a 2020 — 233rd riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. 102 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2020 Audi A5
Owners have reported 13 named failure modes on the 2020 Audi A5, and the three most-reported carry 55% of everything filed.
Backup camera failure leads with 21 reports and about 1.5 per 1,000 vehicles.
Infotainment screen failure follows with 19 reports.
Audio or connectivity failure follows with 16 reports.
By system, the reports fall mostly into infotainment (56), electrical (16) and adas (14).
The mileage the reports cluster at
Too few of the reports on this year carry an odometer reading to describe the timing: 1 of them do. The mileages quoted elsewhere on this page come from the modes that have enough of them.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 13. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 3 mention a crash and 3 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 2.76, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: backup camera failure at $250–$1,200, infotainment screen failure at $400–$2,600, audio or connectivity failure at $150–$900 and other electrical problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
1% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 21 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.5 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 19 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.4 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.2 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.1 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $200–$900 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Window regulator or power window failure | body | 1 | 1 | — | 67k | — | 0.1 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Software fault or failed update | software | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $0–$600 | Moderate |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2020 Audi A5 draws about 7.3 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 89th percentile of complaint rates among 2020 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 13,888 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2020 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2020 model year
NHTSA has issued 4 recall campaigns covering the 2020 Audi A5, affecting an estimated 16,850 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly, seats and electrical system. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY
31,058 vehicles 2022-01-26- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
- Consequence
- Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
SEATS
208,332 vehicles 2021-11-10- Defect
- 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.
SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY
40,993 vehicles 2021-04-26- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
- Consequence
- A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
5,426 vehicles 2020-11-25- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2020-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, and S5 Sportback vehicles. The wiring harness for the rear lights could be missing the anti-abrasion protection in the area of the spare wheel well.
- Consequence
- Without the scuff protection, the wires may become damaged during a rear crash, disabling the doors from being opened from the outside, causing a loss of hazard lights, and increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will apply scuff protection, free of charge. The recall began January 21, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 97EU.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2020 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2020 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2020 — 233rd riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 9 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2014 comes out best at 60 and 2019 worst at 75, with 2020 itself at 61.
No other year of this model scores meaningfully better than 2020, so if this generation is what you want, the year is not the lever.
Within the 2019–2021 generation specifically, 2020 is the strongest year at 61 and 2019 the weakest at 75.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2019-2021 generation, 2020 Audi A5 scores best at 61 and 2019 Audi A5 worst at 75.
The limits of complaint data
102 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 102 reports, 1 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 1% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Audi A5?
The most-reported failures are backup camera failure (21 reports), infotainment screen failure (19 reports) and audio or connectivity failure (16 reports). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2020 Audi A5 reliable?
It scores 61 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 233rd riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2020 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Audi A5 is best?
Within the 2019–2021 generation, 2020 scores best at 61 out of 100 and 2019 worst at 75. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed