2010 Audi S5: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
20 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
58,273 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: . 11 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 20 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 45.0% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 20.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 5.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 5.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 5.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 10 |
| Air Bags | 7 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
Power Train: 10; Air Bags: 7; Engine: 3; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Service Brakes: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 9 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2011: 1; 2015: 5; 2016: 6; 2017: 5; 2018: 2; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10375105 · 2011-01-07 (January 7, 2011)
2010 AUDI S5 OVERHEATED ON DEC. 6, 2010 IN COLD WEATHER (20 DEGREES) WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. AUDI REPORTED A WATER PUMP CRACK AND ORDERED THE PART. SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON DEC. 31, 2010, RENDERING CAR DISABLED. AUDI REPORTED THAT THERMOSTAT REPLACED. I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINS ON AUDI S4 VEHICLES AND DEFECT IN WATER SEAL AND/OR PUMP, YET AUDI HAD DONE NOTHING TO WARN THE PUBLIC OR RECALL VEHICLES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED, WHETHER BY THE CAR BREAK DOWN OR GETTING …
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10375105 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10764105 · 2015-09-16 (September 16, 2015)
AFTER DRIVING IN STOP AND GO DRIVING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO ACT UP. WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR WILL SHIFT DOWN INTO FIRST GEAR AFTER THE STOP AND CAUSE THE CAR TO LEAP FORWARD. I HAVE ALMOST REAR ENDED SEVERAL CARS AS A RESULT OF THIS. IT IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE AUDI S-TRONIC TRANSMISSIONS FOUND IN THE AUDI S5 CABRIOLET AND THE AUDI S4 MODELS. THE OIL IN THE MECHATRONICS UNIT HEATS UP AND CAUSES PROBLEMS WITH THE CIRCUITRY WHICH CAUSES THE ISSUE. I HAVE ALREADY HAD IT IN ONCE FOR A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" …
Owner-reported narrative. 58,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10764105 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10781020 · 2015-10-09 (October 9, 2015)
THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE AUDI S-TRONIC TRANSMISSION WHERE THE MECHATRONICS UNIT WHICH CONTROLS THE SHIFTS IS DEFECTIVE. THIS WILL RESULT IN THE MECHATRONIC NEEDING TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF 4 THOUSAND DOLLARS OR AT WORST THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED FOR 11 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE CAR WILL START DOING HARD 2 TO FIRST SHIFTS AND ALMOST THROW YOU INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU IF YOU DO NOT PUSH DOWN HARD ON THE BRAKES. THIS HAPPENS ON A CITY STREET OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY AND BEGINS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION OIL GETS HOT. TECHN…
Owner-reported narrative. 59,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10781020 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10785783 · 2015-10-24 (October 24, 2015)
1) THE MAIN SAFETY CONCERN IS THE 7 SPEED DSG/S-TRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH FEELS JERKY WHEN REACHING TO A STOP; THE BREAKS FULLY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE TRIES A SUDDEN MOVE FORWARD DUE TO THIS. VARIOUS TPI'S RELATED TO THE PROBLEM (TPI 2023830/1 JERK WHEN STOPPING, HARD 2-1 SHIFT, S-TRONIC). AUDI DEALERSHIPS ARE ASKING FOR ABOUT 500$ JUST TO UPGRADE THE SOFTWARE ON THE TRANSMISSION WITHOUT A GUARANTEE THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. ALSO WHEN SHIFTING FROM N TO D IT IS VERY SUDDEN AND FORCEFUL WHICH FEELS UNSAFE. 2) BRAKE SAFETY CONCE…
Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10785783 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10789693 · 2015-11-10 (November 10, 2015)
THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO COMPLAINT 10785783; AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE HISTORY IT REVEALED THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE INITIAL COMPLAINT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST AS WELL AND THIS CLEARLY INDICATES COMMON AND REOCCURRING MANUFACTURING ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY VAG: 1) THE TRANSMISSION 0B5 DL501 HAD BEEN ALREADY SERVICED FOR MECHATRONICS ISSUES AT 58.273 MILES. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRANSMISSION IS ALSO USED ON SIMILAR AND MORE COMMON MODELS: A4,S4, A7...IN THE PAST VW HAD ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR DSG TRANSMISSION BUT DID NOT…
Owner-reported narrative. 58,273 miles reported. Look up ODI 10789693 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10795144 · 2015-11-20 (November 20, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI S5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE GEAR ENGAGED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE MECHATRONICS WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER TWO MORE TIMES AND THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10795144 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10851241 · 2016-03-23 (March 23, 2016)
2010 AUDI S5 S-TRONIC TRANSMISSION JUMPS AND JERKS WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP.
Owner-reported narrative. 36,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10851241 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10864720 · 2016-05-13 (May 13, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI S5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS UNAVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10864720 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.