2018 Audi S5: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2018 Audi S5 at 23–24 mpg combined across 3 versions. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 26 owner complaints for this model year.
Safety recalls
3
EPA combined mpg
23–24
NHTSA overall rating
—
Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT
NHTSA lists this vehicle as S5 CABRIOLET.
Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Audi dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.
2018 Audi S5 recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 3 safety recalls for the 2018 Audi S5, newest first.
Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification: Front passenger and 1 more component
NHTSA 21V874000Reported Nov 10, 2021
Filed by
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. 74E3)
Components
Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification: Front passenger; Seats
Units affected
208,332 (estimate)
Problem
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.
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 and 1 more component
NHTSA 19V547000Reported Jul 24, 2019
Filed by
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. 74D9)
Components
Air bags: Frontal: Passenger side: Inflator module; Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification
Units affected
145,337 (estimate)
Problem
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.
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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. 69W6)
Components
Air bags: Side/window; Air bags
Units affected
548 (estimate)
Problem
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain Audi S5 Cabriolet vehicles equipped with Super Sport seats. The seat-mounted head/thorax air bag in the front passenger seat may have been folded incorrectly during installation.
Risk
If the air bag was not folded correctly during installation, the seat-mounted air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat-mounted head/thorax air bag, free of charge. The recall began July 13, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69W6.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2018 Audi S5 fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.
EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.
2018 Audi S5 crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
2018 Audi S5 NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2018 Audi S5 2 DR AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
Standard
2018 Audi S5 C AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
Standard
2018 Audi S5 Sportback 4 DR AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
5 stars
9.9%
Standard
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.
Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.
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2018 Audi S5 owner complaints
Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Audi S5, most recently on Dec 14, 2025. 2 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2018 Audi S5 complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Engine
9
Unknown or other
8
Air bags
3
Visibility/wiper
3
Electrical system
2
Parking brake
2
Power train
2
Seat belts
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Forward collision avoidance: Adaptive cruise control
1
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
