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2010 audi S5 powertrain problems

moderate 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500

Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$2,500

What owners are reporting 10 most recent

powertrain · filed 11/20/2015

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 NE…

powertrain · filed 11/10/2015

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 TR…

powertrain · filed 10/24/2015

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 WITHOU…

powertrain · filed 10/09/2015

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 N…

powertrain · filed 09/18/2016

WHEN DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER, ON A BUSY BOULEVARD, COMING TO A RED LIGHT, AS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN TO FIRST GEAR, CAR LURCHES FORWARD WITH A STRONG BANG IN THE TRANSMISSION. ALMOST HIT PEDESTRIANS IN THE CROSSWALK. IF I WAS NOT HEAVY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THERE WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE BEEN INJURIES. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES AND WITHOUT WARNING. AUDI SERVIC…

powertrain · filed 09/16/2015

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 I…

powertrain · filed 06/06/2017

A "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" INTERMITTENTLY OCCURS, LEAVING THE CAR IN A "NON-MOVING" STATE. WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURS, AN ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE FROM A DEAD STOP WILL MOVE THE VEHICLE ONLY ENOUGH TO GET YOU INTO TRAFFIC AND POTENTIALLY GET BROADSIDED OR REAR-ENDED. THE CAR SIMPLY "STOPS MOVING" RIGHT WHEN YOU NEED IT TO MOVE IN ORDER TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. IT WILL NOT MOVE BUT REMAINS RUNNING AND …

powertrain · filed 05/30/2017

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. WHICH MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER ALMOST HITTING UPCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO ACCELERATION. AUDI SAYS IT'S A MECHATRONIC UNIT.

powertrain · filed 03/23/2016

2010 AUDI S5 S-TRONIC TRANSMISSION JUMPS AND JERKS WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP.

powertrain · filed 01/05/2017

CAR STARTED OF GOING ON LIMP MODE ABOUT ONCE A MONTH THEN IT STARTED TO GET MORE FREQUENT. LIMP MODE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO PUT YOUR CAR INTO A LOWER GEAR TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION, BUT INSTEAD OF DOING THAT THE CAR WOULD SHIFT ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL POSITION WHILE ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING ME NOT HAVE A FULL CONTROL OF THE CAR MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER. AS SOON AS I TURN OFF THE C…

Common questions

How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2010 audi S5?

It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 10 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.

At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?

Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.

Are there any recalls related to powertrain?

No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.

Other problem areas on this vehicle

Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
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