NHTSA vehicle safety data

2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet Recalls & Complaints

The 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 14 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Audi dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet owner complaints

Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet, describing incidents dated February 9, 2016 to June 2, 2018.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 12 complaints
Engine 1 complaint
Unknown or Other 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #11131789 · Filed September 26, 2018
THE SOFT TOPS FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE EXTREMELY DEFECTIVE.I AQUIRED MY VEHICLE AT 65000 MILES AND THE TOP WOULD ACT FUNNY EVERY NOW AND THEN BUT IT WOULD SNAP OUT OF IT AND WORK FINE.THE BACK WINDOW COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE TOP AND HAS NOT OPERATED SINCE.GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH AUDI I WAS TOLD…
ODI #11112964 · Filed July 23, 2018
MY 2011 AUDI A5 2.0T HAS EXPERIENCED LOW COMPRESSION ON PISTON NUMBER 1 WHICH IS A SIGN OF ENGINE FAILURE AND REQUIRES THE ENGINE TO BE REDONE. SINCE THEN I HAVE CHECKED WITH AUDI MECHANICS AND ONLINE REVIEWS AND IT SEEMS LIKE MY MODEL OF AUDI HAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THE FACT THAT MANY…
ODI #11078916 · Filed March 13, 2018
TAKATA RECALL. AUDI OF AMERICA INC. KEEPS SENDING OUT RECALL NOTICES AND THE DEALER KEEPS CLAIMING THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS AVAILABLE. ENOUGH ALREADY, EITHER MAKE REPLACEMENTS AVAILABLE OR STOP SENDING NOTICES.

Read all 14 complaints

Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture

NHTSA #18V082000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Driver Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported January 30, 2018 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 162,782 vehicles

Repair completion: 78.88% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 69R6 · Owners notified February 23, 2018 · Vehicles built June 4, 2009 – March 6, 2012 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

Safety consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Manufacturer remedy

Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture

NHTSA #16V078000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Driver Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported February 10, 2016 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 659,493 vehicles

Repair completion: 58.54% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified March 10, 2017 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Safety consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Manufacturer remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet C FWD

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet C AWD

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

14 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11131789

Incident: July 7, 2017 · Filed: September 26, 2018

THE SOFT TOPS FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE EXTREMELY DEFECTIVE.I AQUIRED MY VEHICLE AT 65000 MILES AND THE TOP WOULD ACT FUNNY EVERY NOW AND THEN BUT IT WOULD SNAP OUT OF IT AND WORK FINE.THE BACK WINDOW COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE TOP AND HAS NOT OPERATED SINCE.GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH AUDI I WAS TOLD THEY CANNOT FIX THIS BUT INSTEAD TO GET A NEW TOP.AFTER I PAID FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT AND THE TECHNICIAN DIDNT HAVE A CLUE.THAT WINDOW AND TOP HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE IT SEEMS LIKE AUDI DOESNT WANT TO OWN UP TO.I DRIVE THE FREEWAY TO AND FROM WORK EVERYDAY.AT HIGH SPEEDS I FEAR THAT THING WILL COME OUT AND HURT SOMEONE ON THE FREEWAY ONE DAY SOON.I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS SINCE LAST YEAR AND HAVE NOT FOUND A SOLUTION BESIDES "GET A NEW TOP".

Engine

ODI #11112964

Incident: June 2, 2018 · Filed: July 23, 2018

MY 2011 AUDI A5 2.0T HAS EXPERIENCED LOW COMPRESSION ON PISTON NUMBER 1 WHICH IS A SIGN OF ENGINE FAILURE AND REQUIRES THE ENGINE TO BE REDONE. SINCE THEN I HAVE CHECKED WITH AUDI MECHANICS AND ONLINE REVIEWS AND IT SEEMS LIKE MY MODEL OF AUDI HAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THE FACT THAT MANY A5'S HAVE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURES BEGS THE QUESTION OF WHY AUDI HAS NOT RECALLED THIS VEHICLE AND WHY THE ENGINES WERE ALLOWED TO BE RELEASED THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY SUB OPTIMAL AND WEAK!

Air Bags

ODI #11078916

Incident: February 14, 2018 · Filed: March 13, 2018

TAKATA RECALL. AUDI OF AMERICA INC. KEEPS SENDING OUT RECALL NOTICES AND THE DEALER KEEPS CLAIMING THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS AVAILABLE. ENOUGH ALREADY, EITHER MAKE REPLACEMENTS AVAILABLE OR STOP SENDING NOTICES.

Air Bags

ODI #11078688

Incident: March 1, 2017 · Filed: March 12, 2018

TAKATA RECALL. I HAVE CALL FOR THE PAST YEAR TO HAVE THIS RECALL FIXED AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND AN AUDI DEALERSHIP THAT HAS THE PARTS. THEY KEEP TELLING ME THEY WILL CALL WHEN THE PARTS ARE IN. AS I MENTIONED IT HAS BEEN A YEAR, AND I HAVE CHECKED IN WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES.

Air Bags

ODI #11045939

Incident: February 9, 2016 · Filed: November 14, 2017

TAKATA RECALL RECEIVED 1ST LETTER APR 2016. NO ACTION. COMPLAINT FILED WITH SAFERCAR.GOV 11/13/2016. RECEIVED TEMP FIX LETTER 8/14/2017. LOCAL DEALER SAYS ONLY TEMP BUT THERE ARE NO PARTS ANYWAY. CONTACTED CORPORATE AUDI SEP 2017. THEY SAY LOCAL DEALER HAS PARTS. LOCAL DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE NO PARTS. RECEIVED CARD FOR RECALL 11/13/2017. LOCAL DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE NO PARTS! ??? RUN-AROUND ???

Air Bags

ODI #11042630

Incident: November 2, 2017 · Filed: November 2, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS DO TO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE OVER A YEAR AGO. THE DEALER (AUDI FAIRFIELD, 435 COMMERCE DR, FAIRFIELD, CT 06825 (203) 951-6570) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT EACH DEALER RECEIVED A FEW REPLACMENT PARTS EVERY MONTH. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A POSTCARD FROM TK HOLDINGS, ALERTING HIM THAT THEY FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Air Bags

ODI #10966273

Incident: April 18, 2016 · Filed: March 16, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Air Bags

ODI #10938973

Incident: December 31, 2016 · Filed: January 1, 2017

TAKATA RECALL. I AM TRYING TO TRADE IN MY CAR AND DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPAIR/REPLACE MY AIRBAG.

Air Bags

ODI #10928989

Incident: December 1, 2016 · Filed: December 1, 2016

TAKATA RECALL. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 11 MONTHS AND PER CONVERSATION WITH MY DEALER TODAY, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS OR ANY IDEA WHEN THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE.

Air Bags

ODI #10925689

Incident: April 2, 2016 · Filed: November 13, 2016

TAMARA RECALL. MY CAR WAS RECALLED IN APRIL AND I HAVE HEARD NOTHING SINCE EXCEPT THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. HOW ABOUT HAVING THE DEALER DISABLE THE AIRBAG UNTIL PARTS ARE AVAILABLE!

Other Audi A5 Cabriolet model years

Check your 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Audi A5 Cabriolet at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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