Representative model. Photo: Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recalls & complaints · NHTSA data

2018 Audi S5 recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint NHTSA has on file for the 2018 model year. Not every vehicle is affected by every campaign: check a specific car by VIN below.

Recall campaigns: 3
Park-it warnings: 0
Complaints: 26
Latest campaign: Nov 10, 2021

Recall summary by component3

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

Component	Campaigns	Latest	Campaign IDs
Air bags	2	Jul 24, 2019	19V547000 18V325000
Seats	1	Nov 10, 2021	21V874000

Safety recalls3

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

0Park-it warnings

0Fixable over the air

Nov 10, 2021Latest campaign


Nov 10, 202121V874000	Seats A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash. DetailsHide details for campaign 21V874000 What's wrong 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. Filed under S5 Campaign NHTSA 21V874000 · Nov 10, 2021
Jul 24, 201919V547000	Air bags: frontal passenger side A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash. DetailsHide details for campaign 19V547000 What's wrong 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. Filed under S5, S5 Cabriolet Campaign NHTSA 19V547000 · Jul 24, 2019
May 16, 201818V325000	Air bags 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. DetailsHide details for campaign 18V325000 What's wrong 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. Filed under S5 Cabriolet Campaign NHTSA 18V325000 · May 16, 2018

Nov 10, 202121V874000

Seats

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

DetailsHide details for campaign 21V874000

What's wrong: 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.
Filed under: S5
Campaign: NHTSA 21V874000 · Nov 10, 2021

Jul 24, 201919V547000

Air bags: frontal passenger side

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

DetailsHide details for campaign 19V547000

What's wrong: 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.
Filed under: S5, S5 Cabriolet
Campaign: NHTSA 19V547000 · Jul 24, 2019

May 16, 201818V325000

Air bags

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.

DetailsHide details for campaign 18V325000

What's wrong: 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.
Filed under: S5 Cabriolet
Campaign: NHTSA 18V325000 · May 16, 2018

Merged from NHTSA model names: S5, S5 Cabriolet. Not every vehicle of a model year is affected by every campaign.

To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Audi recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer (federal law; see limits).

Buying a used 2018 Audi S5? Recalls cover the model; a history report checks one car's title, odometer and accident records. VinAudit history report → Sponsored · disclosure

Owner complaints by component26

NHTSA Complaints API · cached ≤24 h

26Complaints filed

2Involving a crash

0Involving a fire

1Injuries reported

Component	Complaints	%	Crashes	Injuries
Engine	9	35	0	0
Unknown or other	8	31	1	0
Air bags	3	12	0	1
Visibility/wiper	3	12	0	0
Seat belts	2	8	0	0
Parking brake	2	8	1	1
Power train	2	8	1	0
Electrical system	2	8	0	0
Seats	1	4	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	4	0	1
Forward collision avoidance	1	4	0	0
Lane departure	1	4	0	0
Suspension	1	4	0	0
Steering	1	4	0	0
Electronic stability control (ESC)	1	4	0	0

2 more components with fewer complaints not shown. An owner can tag several components, so percentages add up to more than 100. Complaints are unverified owner reports, de-duplicated by NHTSA ODI number, merged from NHTSA model names S5, S5 Sportback.

Latest reports

Engine
“An Audi dealer has just diagnosed my 2018 S5 Cabriolet Prestige with vacuum system contamination caused by water pump failure.”
Filed 12/14/2025 · ODI 11704929
Air bags
“Component/System: Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) / Airbag system — Recall 74E3 / NHTSA 21V874.”
Filed 12/08/2025 · ODI 11703772
Engine
“VEHICLE Year: 2018 Make: Audi Model: S5 Prestige Trim: 3.0 TFSI (EA839 V6 Turbo) Mileage: 86,000 Engine Code: CWGD COMPLAINT TITLE Latent Engine Failure – EA839 Piston Skirt + Rocker Arm Defects – Dealer Broke Engine…”
Filed 11/16/2025 · ODI 11699716

Other Audi S5 model years

All years: 2025 · 2023 · 2021 · 2020 · 2019 · 2018 · 2013 · 2012 · 2011 · 2010

Other Audi models

All Audi models and years →

2018 Audi S5 recall questions

How many recalls does the 2018 Audi S5 have?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2018 Audi S5. The most recent, 21V874000 (reported November 10, 2021), concerns seats. Not every vehicle is covered by every campaign; check a specific car by VIN.

What are the 2018 Audi S5 recalls for?

The largest group is air bags, with 2 campaigns. Others: seats (1). Each campaign below lists the defect, the risk and the free remedy.

What is the most common complaint about the 2018 Audi S5?

Engine is the most-reported component, named in 9 complaints out of 26 filed with NHTSA (35%). Across all complaints, owners reported 2 crashs and 0 fires. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

How do I check if a recall is open on my 2018 Audi S5?

Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Audi recall lookup. That shows campaigns still unrepaired on that exact car. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised Audi dealer.

Check a specific Audi by VIN

Free · No signup · US-market vehicles, 1981+

Need the factory options too? See the Audi build sheet & window sticker guide.