2013 Audi A5 Reliability
The 2013 Audi A5 has 38 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. Compared with other A5 model years, it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the A5's typical year, while the 2012 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
38
NHTSA owner complaints
3
Recall campaigns
3
Complaints citing a crash
2
Complaints citing a fire
2013 Audi A5 complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 model year, filed between 2013 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 14 | 37% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 24% |
| Steering | 8 | 21% |
| Engine & cooling | 4 | 11% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 8% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 3 | 8% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 2 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 5% |
2013 Audi A5 recalls
3 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2013 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17V002000 | Jan 3, 2017 | Engine & cooling — cooling system | 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… |
| 17V622000 | Oct 5, 2017 | Electrical system — wiring | 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… |
| 18V229000 | Apr 11, 2018 | Engine & cooling — cooling system | 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… |
How the 2013 compares with nearby A5 years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year A5 analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 38 | 2 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2012 | 36 | 2 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2013 (this page) | 38 | 3 | Engine | Caution |
| 2014 | 29 | 3 | Engine | Caution |
| 2015 | 9 | 3 | Unknown or other | Too few reports |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2013 Audi A5
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 3 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2013 Audi A5 can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2013 Audi A5 reliability FAQ
Is the 2013 Audi A5 reliable?
The 2013 Audi A5 has 38 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. Compared with other A5 model years, it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the A5's typical year, while the 2012 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2013 Audi A5 problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Audi A5 are engine (14), electrical system (9), steering (8), engine & cooling (4). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2013 Audi A5 have recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 Audi A5, including 17V002000 (engine & cooling — cooling system) and 17V622000 (electrical system — wiring). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2013 Audi A5 compare with the 2012 and 2014 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2012 has 36 complaints and 2 recalls (better year); the 2014 has 29 complaints and 3 recalls (caution). The 2013 has 38 complaints and 3 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2013 Audi A5?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Audi A5 research
Other Audi A5 model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2013 A5, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.