Head-to-head reliability
AUDI RS 5 vs Toyota Camry
How the AUDI RS 5 and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
AUDI RS 5 vs Toyota Camry: The Audi RS 5 has 2 complaints and 2 recalls over 10 years, while the Toyota Camry has 2,056 complaints and 31 recalls. The Camry also has 171 crash-related reports and 158 injuries. The RS 5's only complaint is a sunroof explosion. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the AUDI RS 5 or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
AUDI RS 5
The Audi RS 5 is a high-performance luxury coupe that sees very few owner complaints—just 2 over 10 years, averaging 0.2 per year. The only reported issue is a panoramic sunroof that exploded while driving, which is alarming but appears isolated. Two recalls for passenger-side air bag inflator modules also exist. Overall, the data suggests a low complaint rate, but the sunroof incident is a notable safety concern.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a mainstream family sedan with a much higher complaint volume: 2,056 over 10 years, or about 206 per year. Owners report a wide range of problems, especially with the power train, engine, brakes, and electrical systems. Many complaints involve stalling, hesitation, and brake noises. Recalls cover seats, air bag sensors, and wheel studs. This volume indicates that while the Camry is popular, it has recurring reliability issues that buyers should investigate.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | AUDI RS 5 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 2 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.2 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 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 RS 5
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
The only complaint category for the Audi RS 5 is 'Unknown or Other,' with a report of a panoramic sunroof exploding while driving. This is a serious safety concern because shattered glass could distract or injure occupants. Buyers should inspect the sunroof for cracks or prior repairs.
“I was driving down the highway and the panoramic sunroof exploded for no known reason.”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners report the ignition key getting stuck and unable to be removed even when the car is in Park, requiring a battery disconnect. Others describe hesitation and shuddering while driving with the check engine light on. These issues can leave you stranded or cause costly repairs.
Complaints include delayed throttle response when pressing the accelerator, with the car taking several seconds to move. This hesitation can be dangerous when merging or crossing traffic. The problem may be intermittent and hard to diagnose.
The electronic parking brake may fail to disengage, requiring a tow to the dealer. Owners also hear a clicking or vibrating noise from the brake pedal area, which the manufacturer says is normal but owners find concerning. Brake issues affect safety and can be expensive to fix.
Multiple systems—smart stop, stability control, power steering, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping—can malfunction simultaneously. This suggests a broader electrical or software fault that could compromise safety features. Such failures may be intermittent and difficult to replicate.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
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 RS 5 — 2 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. (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.
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
AUDI RS 5 or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Audi RS 5 has far fewer issues per year (0.2 vs. 205.6 for the Camry), but its low complaint count may reflect lower sales volume. The Camry's high complaint rate means you're more likely to encounter problems, especially with the power train and brakes. In practice, the RS 5 appears less troublesome in the data, but the sunroof explosion is a unique risk.
Key differences
- The Audi RS 5 has only 2 complaints in 10 years, while the Toyota Camry has 2,056—a massive difference in reported problem frequency.
- The RS 5's sole complaint is a panoramic sunroof explosion, a sudden safety event; the Camry's complaints span power train, engine, brakes, and electrical systems, often causing drivability issues.
- The Camry has 171 crash-related complaints and 158 injuries, while the RS 5 has none, though the sunroof incident could have caused a crash if it happened.
- Recalls differ: the RS 5 has two for passenger air bag inflators, while the Camry has 31 covering seats, air bag sensors, and wheel studs.
- Inspect the panoramic sunroof for any cracks, chips, or signs of prior replacement, as one owner reported it exploding while driving.
- Check for open recalls on the passenger-side air bag inflator module and confirm they have been repaired.
- Test the ignition key removal in Park and listen for any sticking; also check for hesitation or shuddering during a test drive.
- Test the electronic parking brake engagement and disengagement, and listen for clicking or vibrating noises from the brake pedal area.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models, especially the Audi's air bag inflators and the Camry's seat and air bag sensor recalls.
- For the Audi RS 5, have a mechanic inspect the sunroof mechanism and glass for any defects or prior repairs.
- For the Toyota Camry, test drive at various speeds to check for transmission hesitation, shuddering, and delayed throttle response.
- On the Camry, verify the electronic parking brake releases properly and that no warning lights are on for stability control or power steering.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and consider a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic familiar with the specific model.
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 RS 5 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 163 |
| 2024 | 0 | 50 |
| 2023 | 0 | 64 |
| 2022 | 0 | 61 |
| 2021 | 2 | 157 |
| 2019 | 0 | 395 |
| 2018 | 0 | 744 |
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 RS 5 or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- AUDI RS 5 vs Toyota Camry
- AUDI RS 5 total complaints
- 2
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- AUDI RS 5 total recalls
- 2
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- AUDI RS 5 avg complaints/year
- 0.2
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- AUDI RS 5
- AUDI RS 5 top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN