NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 476 complaints against the 2020 Audi A5. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2020 Audi A5 complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2020 Audi A5 has generated 120 NHTSA complaints and has 4 active recalls. If your 2020 Audi A5 has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Audi pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2020 Audi A5 include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 44 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Audi USA sent me a recall letter/service action for Infotainment System Software. The system reboots and shuts down unexpectedly while driving. Took the car to a local Audi dealership and they informed me that they cannot repair the recall because they now want to change my SOS module in order for both to work. They are asking me to pay them $1,500 for that. Meanwhile they informed me that my SOS system is not working either because of that, and I cannot use.” (NHTSA Complaint #11694280)
The 2020 Audi A5 has generated 20 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The MMI resets every 3-5 minutes. This problem started approximately 9 months ago and has continued to happen more frequently. Navigation, car play and the radio are affected. It is startling when the radio turns on when it was previously turned off. It is not possible to use the navigation system. The concern is that the MMI controls other important functions and it’s unclear if they will continue to work. Additionally, a linked phone restarts the Audi ap so using its navigation system (not in car play) is affected. I have to turn Bluetooth off so the car won’t recognize the phone. I have reset the MMI multiple times, reentered my email and password and/or PIN. Nothing works even with assistance from Audi software service. The car is virtually undrivable and incredibly disappointing that Audi is doing nothing about solving the problem.” (NHTSA Complaint #11676251)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2020 Audi A5 include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 12 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The Multi-Media Interface (MMI) randomly reboots and poses a safety hazard. Several times while reversing using my backup camera, the MMI has rebooted which causes the camera to go blank. This poses a risk to back up into an object or a person during this time. Also during this time, the Rear Cross Traffic Warning system is disabled until the system reboots. Also, while using navigation, the MMI has rebooted on me several times. It has occurred during critical times such as exiting freeways at high speeds. When this occurs it is terribly distracting and could cause an accident. The problem has been re-produced by my dealer. They said it needed a software upgrade and performed that. It worked better for a couple days but is now back to rebooting spontaneously. There were no warning lamps or messages indicating the fault will be occurring. It just reboots and the MMI goes totally blank for about 20 seconds while the system reboots. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when it will reboot. I can drive for 20 minutes and it may happen 4 times and then another time drive for an hour and never have it happen. Lately, it has gotten so bad I drive my son’s car if it is available due to the safety concerns.” (NHTSA Complaint #11678628)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2020 Audi A5 include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 10 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The MMI system in the car constantly reboots and does not work for more than 30 seconds” (NHTSA Complaint #11674570)
The 2020 Audi A5 has generated 6 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “My car’s Multi Media Interface (MMI) keeps restarting every 1 to 2 minutes everyday while driving the carThe MMI runs my navigation (not through my phone) and music by connecting to my phone with Bluetooth. It also shows me my backup camera and diagnostics with the car. Safety is affected by distractions, not knowing where to go, irritation. No dealership has inspected or been able to reproduce the issue. No other issues came before the MMI began restarting.” (NHTSA Complaint #11674472)
The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2020 Audi A5 by the NHTSA or Audi. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: TIRES
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi’s number for this recall is 42L5.
Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Without the scuff protection, the wires may become damaged during a rear crash, disabling the doors from being opened from the outside, causing a loss of hazard lights, and increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will apply scuff protection, free of charge. The recall began January 21, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi’s number for this recall is 97EU.
Component: SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi’s number for this recall is 42L1.
Component: SEATS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi’s number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Rec
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2020 Audi A5:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Audi to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Audi must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2020 Audi A5 qualifies as a lemon under California law, Audi may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Audi a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Audi dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Audi pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Audi a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Audi is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2020 Audi A5 has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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