Here Are The Audi S5 Years To Avoid
If you’re thinking about getting an Audi, the S5 is a great option. This luxury vehicle is available in a wide range of different shapes and sizes, but the core function of the vehicle is the same across all of them. Looking for a luxury vehicle, the Audi S5 is a good mid-range choice that feels like it’s even nicer than it is.
Here’s what you need to know about the Audi S5, including which Audi S5 years to avoid and which models are more reliable and better for your pocketbook.
Of course, since this is an incredibly consistent and high-performing model, we’ll also talk about the more successful model years and why those models are so effective durable. Of course, we’ll also talk about some of the most important problems with the Audi S5 so you can make an informed decision if you’re thinking about buying one for yourself.
Ready to learn everything you need to know about the Audi S5 years to avoid?
Audi S5 Years You Should Avoid
There’s some good news if you’re here to make sure the Audi S5 is a reliable luxury vehicle to add to your collection. Like most Audi lines, the S5 has been both successful and consistent. There really aren’t many Audi S5 years to avoid, and even the worst years still have high-performance ratings.
THE MOST RELIABLE YEAR FOR THE AUDI S5
It’s been on the market for a decade, offering a quality experience. If you’re interested in the Audi S5, you might wonder - what is the most reliable Audi S5 year available on the market today?
After all, what kind of luxury car has a lot of serious failures or engineering problems?
That said, there have been a couple of years where the S5 wasn’t doing quite as well. Each of these years had slightly lower performance ratings or a higher rate of problems, but each of them still performs far better than the average.
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
This was a rough run of a couple of years, all three of these models were one after another, and all three had relatively similar problems. That’s partially because Audi doesn’t usually make big changes between model years, which helps prevent problems runs like this.
That said, this run of three years still performed a lot better than most vehicles and is a relatively short run for a manufacturer to be able to fix a problem.
In fact, the performance was so top-notch that we’re drawing from problems common across the S5 models for the next section. While these three years had a higher rate of reported problems, there aren’t many standout issues that are unique to these years.
BE CERTAIN YOU’RE GETTING THE BEST DEAL
CoPilot searches your area and lets you know if there’s a better deal on a similar vehicle nearby, so you’re always certain you got the best deal possible. The CoPilot app is the smartest way to buy a car.
Common Problems With The Audi S5
It’s worth noting for this section that ‘common’ only applies relative to other Audi S5 models. All of these problems are rare compared with other vehicles. But they’re also all problems it’s worth keeping an eye out for.
Let’s take a closer look.
Low Coolant
This is one of the most serious problems you can get with an Audi S5, even though it’s a relatively minor problem at first. That’s because low coolant can be hard to notice, and your vehicle might be running without enough coolant for quite a while before you notice that there’s a problem.
Worse, once the warning indicator for low coolant turns on, you need to get fresh coolant in the system quickly, or you’re risking overheating the engine.
There’s not any one set cause of low coolant problems with Audi S5; it can be a range of problems, including that the engine just uses a little coolant.
That said, as long as you check your coolant levels occasionally, this is a very manageable problem.
THE BEST USED SUVS UNDER $10,000
We looked into price, reliability, features, and more to create this list of the best used SUVs under $10k on the market today. Take a look - some of the best used SUVs have gone mostly overlooked or forgotten.
A/C Not As Cold As It Should Be
Another common issue with the Audi S5 is that the A/C doesn’t blow ice cold air the way it should.
Of course, all vehicles need to have the A/C recharged occasionally, so this problem isn’t unique to the Audi S5 by any stretch. However, it’s a little more common in some S5’s, and there are a range of problems that can contribute to this issue.
Usually, the problem is relatively minor and can either be directly repaired or fixed by recharging the A/C a little more often.
Seat Adjustments Not Working
This problem is mostly about comfort, especially since most of the problem is with the seat’s recorded memory. In some cases, your Audi S5 might seem to ‘forget’ the settings it’s programmed with and won’t move to pre-set settings on its own.
Since this can often indicate a computer problem, there isn’t typically an easy fix, and most users just stop using the memory system and adjust the seat with the electric controls. Usually, the seat position controls still work fine.
Suspension Problems
Another common problem with the Audi S5 is the air suspension not working quite as intended. Usually, the ride is just a little rougher than it should be when this happens, but it’s not a part failure or another immediately fixable problem.
Instead, this issue seems to be that the suspension system just doesn’t work as well on a very small percentage of the S5s on the market.
Blown Turbo Issues
The last problem is probably the most serious problem with the Audi S5, both in terms of the danger of the problem and the cost of the repair.
The S5 comes with a Turbo, which is known to blow out without much warning. The turbo failing is still an incredibly rare issue, but it can be both a dangerous problem and an expensive repair if it happens to you.
THE BEST USED MINIVANS ON THE MARKET
When it comes to hauling a lot of people and cargo, the minivan is hard to beat. We’ve factored in reliability, affordability, and functionality to create this curated list of the 8 best used minivans on the market today.
Reliable Audi S5 Model Years
If you’re looking for a reliable Audi S5, you can choose from pretty much any model other than the three models we’ve already talked about. After all, Audi has done a great job making sure this vehicle was incredibly durable and effective, as well as making sure it meets all performance expectations for a luxury vehicle.
Rather than list all of the reliable Audi S5 models, we’ll just say that you should avoid the 2013-2015 models. Other than that, chances are you’re getting one of the most reliable vehicles currently on the market.
Which Audi S5 Models Are Good Used Vehicles?
Like most vehicles from Audi, when it comes to the S5, it’s less a matter of choosing which models are good used and more about looking at the individual vehicles themselves. Since even the Audi S5 years to avoid are high-performance, high-quality vehicles, it’s more important to look at the maintenance and accident history of any used S5 you’re considering.
There aren’t really any bad model years of the S5, so instead, you should look for previous owners who performed all recommended maintenance, changed the oil regularly, and kept good records. You should also look for vehicles that haven’t been in any previous accidents.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
