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2021 Audi A5 Sportback

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 A5 Sportback.

Transmission Automatic (AM-S7)

The 2021 Audi A5 Sportback is a five-door coupe equipped with a seven-speed automated manual transmission (AM-S7) that achieves EPA fuel economy ratings of 25 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined. With only 7 owner complaints recorded for this model year, the 2021 A5 Sportback falls between the model's highest complaint year (2020 with 60 complaints) and its lowest (2025 with just 1 complaint), suggesting it represents a transitional point in the vehicle's reliability trajectory alongside five recalls that indicate ongoing quality improvements across the model range.

Model year202520242023202220212020201820142013

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy25/34/28 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI Refer to the appropriate service information for options and battery usage. battery, OE oil filter 06L115562B. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI Refer to the appropriate service information for options and battery usage.OEM · verified
Tire size245/40R18/XL 97HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter06L115562B
Engine air filter8W0133843C
Spark plug06Q905601A
Battery8W0915089A
Front wiper blades8W1998002
Cabin air filter4M0819439C

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (AM-S7)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length187.4 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase111.4 in
Curb weight3704 lb
Track (front / rear)62.6 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined25 / 34 / 28 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Clutch FluidDOT 4

Engine torques

Cylinder Head InstructionsOnly use new bolts.

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts89 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.12-1.18 lbs
Oil Capacity3.50-4.10 oz

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 1LA
ABS Sensor Torque6.4
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079" in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1LA; Rear: 1KD

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1110.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 150.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 90°110 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Bolts with Collar37 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 40,000 mi.

Every 10,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire Repair Kit Sealant (inspect)
Every 20,000 miBody Water Drains (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection)
Every 40,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 60,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Compared with the 2020 model's spike of 60 complaints, the 2021 Audi A5 Sportback's complaint volume dropped sharply to just 7, while the 2019 model logged 12 and the 2025 model has only 1. However, recalls moved in the opposite direction, rising from 3 in 2019 and 4 in 2020 to a generation-high 5 in 2021, before falling to 0 in 2025; TSBs also peaked at 1,048 in 2021, essentially flat with 2020's 1,046. The 2021 model therefore sits at a turning point: owner-reported problems eased dramatically after 2020, yet factory campaigns and service bulletins remained at their highest level for this generation. Crash and fire complaints are recorded as zero, and the leading complaint categories—"Unknown or Other" and "Electrical System" with two each, plus one each for powertrain and airbags/seats—show no single dominant failure pattern, though the data does not specify root causes. Because the elevated recall count is the main caveat, a 2021 A5 Sportback is a sound used-car choice provided the vehicle's recall history is fully documented and completed.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1048
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
7
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’19’20’21’25

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 7 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Unknown Or Other2
Electrical System2
Power Train1
Air Bags,Seats1
Forward Collision Avoidance1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1048 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_2078939_22026-06-30EngineThis bulletin provides information when there DTC P218500 is stored in temerature sender…
TSB_2076404_82026-06-29Unknown Or OtherThis bulletin provides a deployment overview for customer service packages MLB and MQB…
TSB_2074640_32026-06-26EngineThis bulletin provides information when there is increased oil consumption; >0.5ltr/1000…
TSB_2074729_32026-06-23Electrical SystemThis bulletin provides informationwhen noises/vibration are detected from front of…
TSB_2059335_72026-06-23Electrical SystemThis bulletin provides information when there are noises from the area around the…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific A5 Sportback. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group R batteryEngine oil filter 06L115562BEngine air filter 8W0133843CSpark plug 06Q905601ABattery 8W0915089A

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 2021 A5 Sportback have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the A5 Sportback get?

EPA figures are 25 city / 34 highway / 28 combined mpg.