AudiRS5 Sportback2021Overview/audi/rs5-sportback/2021/base/

2021 Audi RS5 Sportback

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 RS5 Sportback.

Transmission Automatic (S8)

The 2021 Audi RS5 Sportback is a five-door performance hatchback equipped with an eight-speed automatic (S8) transmission and requiring 8.0 quarts of 0W-30 engine oil for service. Official EPA fuel economy ratings for this model year stand at 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. With only two recorded owner complaints and a top complaint area classified as unknown or other, the 2021 model year demonstrates notably lower reported issues compared to other model years within the RS5 Sportback's production history; however, five recalls have been issued for this model year, indicating that while complaint-driven reliability appears strong, manufacturer-identified defects necessitated official corrective action through the warranty period.

Model year20252024202320222021

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity8.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/25/21 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 06M115441G. 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 size265/35ZR19/XL (98Y)OEM · verified
Wheel / rim9 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter06M115441G alt 06M198405F
Engine air filter8W0133843D
Spark plug06M905606F
Battery000915089BD alt 000915089BF
Front wiper blades8W1998002
Thermostat06M121688 alt 06M121115N
Cabin air filter4M0819439C

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length188.2 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase111.4 in
Curb weight3990 lb
Track (front / rear)62.6 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 25 / 21 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 holds 8.0 qt of 0W-30 engine oil, Front: 0D; Rear: 0D; Rear: 0D in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to Use new seal: 22.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-3-6-2-5.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidAudi P/N G 060 162 A2
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity9.0 qt
Brake FluidDOT 4
Clutch FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilFront: 0D; Rear: 0D; Rear: 0D
Engine Oil0W-30 · Synthetic
Engine Oil Capacity8.0 qt

Engine torques

Cylinder Head InstructionsOnly use new bolts.
Engine Oil Pan Drain PlugUse new seal: 22.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts89 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-3-6-2-5

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
1Completely install all bolts by hand. Step 222 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22.011 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 30,000 mi; coolant every 20,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 20,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

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) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · 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.

Owner complaints about the 2021 Audi RS5 Sportback dominate in one area — the unknown or other, 2 of 2 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the unknown or other pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
942
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Unknown Or Other2

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 942 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
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…
TSB_2065960_62026-06-23Electrical SystemThis bulletin provides information when the display of the Audi virtual cockpit is…

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 RS5 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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2021 RS5 Sportback take?

8.0 qt of Audi 0W-30 Synthetic, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 RS5 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 RS5 Sportback get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 25 highway / 21 combined mpg.