Head-to-head reliability
AUDI A5 vs FORD F 150
How the AUDI A5 and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
AUDI A5 vs FORD F 150: The Audi A5 averages 10.7 complaints per year, while the Ford F-150 averages 1,131. The A5's main issue is MMI screen reboots, while the F-150 has transmission problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the AUDI A5 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
AUDI A5
The Audi A5, over a decade, has averaged about 11 complaints per year—a relatively low rate. The dominant issue is the electrical system, particularly the MMI infotainment screen, which owners report randomly rebooting or going dark, sometimes while reversing or driving. This can disable the backup camera and navigation, creating a distraction and safety concern. Other complaints involve the SOS emergency call system and occasional false brake activations, but these are less frequent.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 has a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 1,100 per year, reflecting its popularity and widespread use. The most common problems are with the powertrain, especially the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners describe as hard shifting, jerking, or even losing power. Electrical issues, including camera and pre-collision warnings, are also frequent. These issues can affect drivability and confidence, especially in a workhorse truck.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | AUDI A5 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 107 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 24 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 2 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 10.7 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
AUDI A5
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM55
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER30
- 03BACK OVER PREVENTION17
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE8
- 05ENGINE7
The MMI screen randomly shuts down and reboots, sometimes repeatedly. This can cut off the backup camera while reversing and navigation while driving, which owners describe as a dangerous distraction.
The rearview camera can go blank or become inoperable when the MMI system reboots, or when an 'SOS System Deactivated' message appears. This reduces visibility when backing up, increasing the risk of a collision.
Some owners report unexpected and forceful brake applications, such as the brake hold engaging aggressively in stop-and-go traffic, which can impede normal driving maneuvers. Others mention auto start/stop and cruise control malfunctions that cut off while driving.
“The vehicle's Multi-Media Interface (MMI) system is reportedly shutting down randomly while the vehicle is in operation. This issue occurs without warning and is intermittent, making it unpredictable. Observed Symptoms/Events: Complete Loss of MMI Functionali…”
“The car has a very loud sequence of high pitched beeps accompanying a “SOS EMERGENCY CALL FUNCTION MALFUNCTION” warning light that comes on and stays on. It is a major driving distraction when the warning beeps suddenly come on (up to six sustained times in a…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a major source of complaints. Owners report hard and delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and occasional loss of power, which can be alarming and potentially dangerous in traffic.
Many owners see warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' on startup, even after dealer visits. These warnings indicate issues with driver-assist systems that may not function properly.
Headlight problems are common, though specific symptoms are not detailed in the sample. Given the high complaint count, expect issues with bulbs, housings, or electrical connections that affect visibility.
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2020 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission shifts hard (ie: jerks, clunks) between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, and has on occasion…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
AUDI A5 — 24 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2018 S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, S4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, and 2017-2018 A4 Sedan and A4 Allroad vehicles. Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) connecti…
The risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback and 2017-2018 Audi A4 Allroad vehicles. A passenger air bag module mounting screw may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly affecting the deployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
The risk: If the air bag does not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of an injury.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag mounting screw, tightening or replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Vo…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of North America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback vehicles. The front suspension fasteners may not have been sufficiently tightened during vehicle production, possibly resulting in a front wheel becoming loose.
The risk: A loose front wheel may increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the front suspension fasteners, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswag…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles were built with head curtain air bag assemblies that may not unfold properly. As such, these vehicle fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the head curtain air bag, if the air bag does not deploy properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will modify the head curtain air bags so that they deploy properly, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 11-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number…
FORD F 150 — 145 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
Buyer analysis
AUDI A5 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Audi A5 has far fewer complaints per year (about 10.7) compared to the Ford F-150 (about 1,131). While the A5's issues are mostly infotainment-related, the F-150's transmission problems are more serious and widespread. In practice, the A5 is likely to have fewer trips to the shop for major mechanical failures.
Key differences
- The A5's main issue is the MMI screen rebooting, which can disable the backup camera and navigation, while the F-150's main issue is harsh shifting and power loss from the transmission.
- The A5 has a much lower complaint rate (10.7 per year) than the F-150 (1,131 per year), indicating a lower frequency of reported problems.
- The F-150 has more recalls (145) and more crash-related complaints (328) than the A5 (24 recalls, 2 crash-related), suggesting a higher overall safety-related issue count.
- The A5's electrical problems are mostly about the infotainment system, whereas the F-150's electrical problems include camera and pre-collision warnings, which are more directly tied to safety systems.
- Test the MMI system thoroughly: check for random reboots, screen freezes, or delays, especially when using the backup camera or navigation.
- Verify that the SOS emergency call system does not trigger false alarms or show malfunction warnings, as this can be a distraction.
- Take a test drive and pay close attention to transmission behavior: listen for clunks, feel for hard shifts, and note any hesitation or loss of power.
- Check for warning lights on startup, such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available', and ask if they have been resolved.
Before you buy
- For the Audi A5: reset the MMI system and observe if it reboots during a 10-minute drive, including while reversing.
- For the Audi A5: check if the SOS warning light comes on and if the beeping is present.
- For the Ford F-150: drive at highway speeds and manually shift through gears to feel for harsh shifts or delays.
- For the Ford F-150: ask for service records showing any transmission repairs or software updates.
- For both: check recall status on NHTSA's website and ensure all recalls have been addressed.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | AUDI A5 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 24 |
| 2025 | 9 | 329 |
| 2024 | 8 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 7 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 60 | 33 |
| 2019 | 12 | 36 |
| 2018 | 8 | 56 |
| 2017 | 2 | 43 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific AUDI A5 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- AUDI A5 vs FORD F 150
- AUDI A5 total complaints
- 107
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- AUDI A5 total recalls
- 24
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- AUDI A5 avg complaints/year
- 10.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- AUDI A5
- AUDI A5 top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN