⌘K
Find a vehicle
RecallsCompareNewsPricing
Your vehicle
VIN decoderWindow stickerProblems by systemTitle brands
Federal filings
Service bulletinsOwner complaintsInvestigationsEarly Warning reportsWarranty extensionsDriver-assist crashesTrouble codes
Browse the record
GuidesRankingsAll makesQuarterly reportsWhat is in the data
Paperwork
Repair Claim KitCar CheckFor attorneysFor expert witnessesFor repair shopsRecall disclosure formRecall fix sheets
Tools and data
Recall WatchFleet VIN checkCost calculatorsCar crosswordAPI & data
Sign inGarage
Your vehicleHome›Audi›A5› 2016
Audi · Convertible

2016 Audi A5

Gas
Subcompact Cars
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
D
Safety Signal
61 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls3 critical 3
Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 7
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 26 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2016 Audi A5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas convertible with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the A5 quattro, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, 3 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 7 complaints, most often about the engine.

Audi A5 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Audi A5 · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
A5 quattroGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo223226$3,150
A5 Cabriolet quattroGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo212924$3,400
A5 quattroGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo213024$3,400

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36390, 36382, 36381.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
A5 Cabriolet quattro, A5 quattro5–6 / 10Bin 5 / LEV-II ULEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleCoupe
Doors2
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower220 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: S Line quattro Premium, S Line quattro Premium Plus). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length182.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)72.8 in
Height53.9 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Track, front61.8 in
Track, rear61.8 in
Curb weight3,583–4,045 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear52/48

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 2-door Cabriolet 2.0 Tfsi Quattro, 2-door Coupe 2.0 Tfsi Quattro. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2016 A5
Other years The 2027 A5 Recalls Audi recalls
Advertisement

Factory warranty running out?

The 2016 Audi A5 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Engine And Engine Cooling

19N3/19N4
342,867 vehicles 87% reported repaired built Mar 8, 2012 – Nov 19, 2016
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump. Risk A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire. Fix Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V229000 reported Apr 11, 2018 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Electrical System

80C5/80C6
216,913 vehicles 86% reported repaired built Mar 8, 2012 – Jul 31, 2015
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt. Risk The melted wires can increase the risk of a fire. Fix Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 80C5 and 80C6.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF
NHTSA campaign 17V622000 reported Oct 5, 2017 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Engine And Engine Cooling

19M1
342,867 vehicles 92% reported repaired built Mar 8, 2012 – Dec 16, 2016
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating. Risk If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire. Fix Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 17V002000 reported Jan 3, 2017 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific A5

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Audi publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Audi’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Audi A5, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Advertisement

Parts & accessories for the 2016 Audi A5

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this A5 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
7complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Engine 3
Power Train 2
Steering 1
Electrical System 1
Structure 1
Unspecified 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A5. While the contact was making a three point turn with the shifter in the reverse position, the vehicle abruptly accelerated forward and moved approximately 3 to 5 feet when the accelerator pedal was depressed.
Engine at 35,000 miles Jul 2, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11228900
On August 3, 2025, my wife and I came home from dinner and I couldn’t get out of the driver’s side door. I took it to Naples Audi where I bought the car and delt with its Assistant Service Manager and Service Advisor. Audi estimated the repair to be over $1,300.
Structure Aug 7, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11679117
Electromechanical steering rack has gone out. Had this completely failed while driving myself and others could be put in serious harm of a collision or crash. There are many online complaints and issues with the audi steering racks. No other warnings then it just went out at the same time it tells you stop driving
Steering Mar 19, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11578259
The drive chain broke, causing permanent damage to the engine which requires a complete engine replacement. The car was 5 + years old with 38,000 miles on it and well maintained
Power Train Aug 31, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11431232
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A5. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 18v229000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact did not contact a local dealer.
Engine Sep 18, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11130219

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Audi itself: 4 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 3 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every A5 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,329
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1314 service bulletins, 9 others, 4 service campaigns

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Service Brakes.

  • TSB_2083409_1 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
  • TSB_2052680_2 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
  • TSB_2074846_5 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Steering
  • This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
  • TSB_2020552_15 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Visibility/Wiper
  • This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
  • TSB_2030471_9 Service bulletin
    2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
  • TSB_2068999_5 Service bulletin
    2026-09-08 · Structure — Body
  • This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases.
  • TSB_2051095_12 Service bulletin
    2026-09-08 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.
  • TSB_2074436_3 Service bulletin
    2026-08-26 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0461
P0461 on Audi →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →3 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Audi A5 failed the emissions check on 2.1% of first inspections — lower than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.8% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%).

New York inspections 2.1%

failed emissions

282 initial inspections of 278 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2016 A5Every 2016 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check2.1%4.2%281
Failed the safety inspection1.8%2.2%282
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.71%0.27%282
Miles driven a year7,25810,028odometer at inspection
Average odometer74,516103,109odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

A5 by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A 0 0 26 mpg2026 A 0 1 26 mpg2025 B 2 9 29 mpg2024 A 0 8 30 mpg2023 A 0 8 28 mpg2022 A 2 7 29 mpg2021 C 5 8 28 mpg2020 C 4 60 27 mpg2019 B 3 12 27 mpg2018 D 6 38 27 mpg2017 D 3 2 26 mpg2016 this page D 3 7 26 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 A5

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Audi A5 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Audi A5, 3 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 18V229000, covering Engine And Engine Cooling. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Audi A5?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2016 Audi A5 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it D (61/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Audi A5?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Audi A5, the best EPA combined figure is 26 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Audi A5?

Transport Canada measured it at 182.7 in long, 72.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 53.9 in tall, on a 108.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,583–4,045 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Audi A5?

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Audi A5, most often about engine, power train, steering. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Audi A5?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Audi A5 runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 5, LEV-II ULEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Audi A5?

The manufacturer has filed 1329 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Audi A5, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2016 Audi A5 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Audi A5 failed the emissions check on 2.1% of first inspections — lower than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.8% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations3 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates3 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls3NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints7NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratingsnoneNHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins1329NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA9 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2027 A5 The A5 model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Audi recall on file All campaigns filed against Audi vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this A5 by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API