Model year guide

2012 Audi S5

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2012 Audi S5 is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 61 on record.

2012 Audi S5 — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2012 Audi S5 at a glance

Safety recalls1
Owner complaints10
Combined17–19 mpg
Typical price$32,867

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2012 Audi S5 recalls 1

Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System:fuel Rail NHTSA Campaign #15V019000 · manufacturer #Audi: 24AP/VW: 24BK · 20/01/2015

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Audi S4, S5, Q7, 2012 Audi A6, Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles. In the affected vehicles the fuel injection system may experience a fuel leak.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 2…

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2012 Audi S5 common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 10 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.

2012 Audi S5 MPG & running costs

Combined17–19 mpg
City15 mpg
Highway23 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$4,600
EPA size classSubcompact Cars
TransmissionAutomatic (S6) or Manual 6-spd
Passenger volume84 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$11,000 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

What's a 2012 Audi S5 worth?

Low
$27,500
Typical price
$32,867
High
$39,500

From 44 comparable 2012 Audi S5 listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2012 Audi S5 costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$23,000
Depreciation (5 yrs)$14,400
Total$37,400
Per mile$0.50

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($32,867) with the same model 4 model-years older ($21,350), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Dimensions & weight

Length
182.7 in
Width
72.8 in
Height
53.9 in
Wheelbase
108.3 in
Curb weight
3,858–4,310 lb
Front track
61.8 in
Rear track
61.0 in

Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2012 Audi S5 — ranges cover the 2 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.

Investigations & service bulletins

Manufacturer service bulletins 733

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 733.

This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.

Bulletin TSB_2052680_2 · Sep 2026

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.

Bulletin TSB_2083409_1 · Sep 2026

This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.

Bulletin TSB_2074846_5 · Steering · Sep 2026

This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.

Bulletin TSB_2030471_9 · Sep 2026

This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.

Bulletin TSB_2074436_3 · Aug 2026

This bulletin provides information on the zirconium insercts in the brake piston (ceramic brakes only).

Bulletin TSB_2069078_4 · Service Brakes · Aug 2026

This bulletin provides information for all models regarding brake sounds.

Bulletin TSB_2069904_3 · Service Brakes · Aug 2026

This bulletin provides information when there is an ABS/ESC speed sensor implausible signal.

Bulletin TSB_2072304_4 · Service Brakes · Aug 2026

This bulletin provides information on the GFF test plan required for AC compressor replacements regardless of the concern.

Bulletin TSB_20741717_15 · Visibility/wiper · Aug 2026

This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns.

Bulletin TSB_2075120_3 · Service Brakes · Aug 2026

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the S5 FWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

Canadian recalls 3

Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2012 Audi S5. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.

Airbag

On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propellant contained in the driver frontal airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. As a result, if the vehicle were involved in a collision that warrants airbag deployment, fragments could be p…

Transport Canada #2018059 · Jan 2018

Airbag

On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the inflator to rupture, which could allow fragments to be propelled toward vehicle occupants, increasing the risk of injury. This could also damage the airbag module, which could prevent proper deployment. Failure of the airba…

Transport Canada #2016064 · Feb 2016

Fuel System

On certain vehicles, a fuel leak may occur in the fuel injection system under certain driving conditions. Leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source could lead to a fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding fuel injector seals.

Transport Canada #2015018 · Jan 2015

Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

About the Audi S5

The Audi S5 is one of two high-performance variants of Audi's A5. The B8 and B9 generations were marketed as the coupé, cabriolet, and five-door fastback sedan versions of the B8 and B9 Audi S4 saloon and estate models, while the B10 S5 is the direct replacement of the B9 S4 models.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

2012 Audi S5 trims & engines on record

Trims
Premium Plus quattro · 3.0T Premium Plus quattro · quattro Premium Plus
Engines
4.2L 8-cyl 354 hp · 3.0L 6-cyl 333 hp

2012 Audi S5 vehicles on record

2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR9CA017644 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR7CA002429 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR2CA005450 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 3.0T Premium Plus quattroWAUVGAFH2CN004687 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR8CA001726 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 3.0T Premium Plus quattroWAUVGAFH3CN002060 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 3.0T Premium Plus quattroWAUCGAFH8CN004958 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR1CA000854 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUGVAFR5CA016430 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR0CA002689 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR7CA003743 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR7CA001748 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR1CA002944 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 3.0T Premium Plus quattroWAUCGAFH4CN000325 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 3.0T Premium Plus quattroWAUVGAFH8CN004533 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUVVAFR3CA014537 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR4CA001531 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUVVAFR5CA003037 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR5CA017768 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR6CA001319 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAU3VAFR6CA004026 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUVVAFR9CA028894 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR6CA016578 2012 Audi S5 2012 Audi S5 Premium Plus quattroWAUCVAFR9CA005624

Other Audi S5 model years

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

2012 Audi S5 — frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Audi S5 have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Audi S5. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Audi S5?

Across all 10 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are air bags, electrical system, power train.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Audi S5 get?

The 2012 Audi S5 has U.S. EPA estimates of 17–19 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

How much is a 2012 Audi S5 worth?

Comparable 2012 Audi S5 listings run roughly $27,500–$39,500, typically around $32,867 (from 44 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.