Decode any A5 VIN below, find the VIN on any Coupe, Sportback or Cabriolet, then decode the PR codes from the data sticker to get the full factory options list.
Try It Yourself. Copy/Paste This Audi A5 VIN Into Our Decoder Below: WAUENCF56NA067890
Check VIN identity, factory spec, recalls, complaints, and ownership risks before you buy.
EPA fuel economy for the vehicle year and model profile.
Supplementary spec matching for output such as power, transmission, size, and weight.
Model level safety and complaint data for the decoded year, make, and model.
Platform specific reliability patterns, critical engine platform audits, and pre purchase inspection guidance.
Probability model for common package combinations around this production era.
The free scan verifies identity and surfaces early risk signals. The paid report goes deeper into what those signals mean for ownership, repairs, and buying confidence.
Unlock Full VIN ReportEvery Audi A5 Coupe, Sportback and Cabriolet carries the same 17 character VIN, also called the chassis number, in several places on the car and on its paperwork. Check that at least two of them match before you rely on it.
If the VIN on the windshield doesn't match the door label, the paperwork or the body stamping, stop there and find out why before you go any further.
European A5 VINs usually start WAUZZZ, where the three Z characters are filler. US VINs use those positions for engine, body and restraint details instead. On both, positions 7 and 8 tell you the generation and position 10 tells you the model year.
Example European format: WAUZZZ8T0DA012345, a 2013 B8 A5
| Positions 7 and 8 | Generation | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 8T | A5 B8 Coupe and Sportback, plus S5 and RS5 | 2007 to 2016 |
| 8F | A5 B8 Cabriolet, plus S5 and RS5 Cabriolet | 2009 to 2017 |
| F5 | A5 B9 Coupe, Sportback and Cabriolet, plus S5 and RS5 | 2016 to 2024 |
From 2025 the A5 name moved to the car that replaced the A4. This guide covers the 8T, 8F and F5 cars.
Position 10 of the VIN.
Generation changeover years overlap, so always check positions 7 and 8 as well.
Not from the VIN itself. The 17 characters tell you the model, generation and year, but not the options.
The full option list is stored against the VIN in Audi's factory system, so any Audi dealer can pull it with your VIN. If you'd rather do it yourself, the same PR codes are printed on the car.
Lift the trunk floor. The vehicle data sticker lists the VIN, paint code, engine code, gearbox code and every PR code on the car.
An identical sticker sits inside the front cover. Handy if the one in the trunk is damaged or missing.
Give the service desk your VIN and ask for the vehicle data printout. It shows the original build and every factory code.
A scan tool reads coding from the control modules. Good for confirming lighting, assistance or infotainment equipment, but it won't give you the full PR list on its own.
Grab the codes from either sticker and paste them into the decoder below to get your full Audi A5 options list.
Paste the codes from your data sticker and get a readable A5 options list, grouped by system.
Separate codes with spaces, commas or new lines.
Search by code or keyword. Covers PR codes, paint, engine codes and gearboxes.
Type a code or keyword to see matches.
Tip: click any code to copy it. Some codes change meaning by generation and market, so check anything important against the dealer printout.
Positions 7 and 8 of the VIN give you the generation and tell a Cabriolet from a Coupe or Sportback on B8 cars. From there, the engine code and data sticker tell you if you're looking at a standard A5, an S5 or an RS5.
VIN code 8T
The first A5. Gearbox type moves the value most: manual, Multitronic CVT, S tronic or Tiptronic. The facelift arrived for 2012. The Sportback wasn't sold in the US.
VIN code 8F
Same engines as the Coupe, plus a fabric roof. Check the roof mechanism, seals and drains as carefully as the engine.
VIN code F5
Coupe, Sportback and Cabriolet with virtual cockpit, LED lighting, assistance packs and Bang and Olufsen audio. Spec can matter almost as much as the engine. The facelift arrived for 2020.
| Model | What it is | How to confirm it |
|---|---|---|
| A5 | Petrol or diesel Coupe, Sportback or Cabriolet, front wheel drive or quattro | Engine code on the sticker and the absence of S or RS codes |
| A5 S line | Styling and interior pack, same engines as the A5 | S line PR codes on the sticker, not the bumpers or badges |
| S5 | V8 on early B8 Coupes, then a V6, always with quattro | S5 engine code, the quattro code 1X1 and the dealer printout |
| RS5 | 4.2 V8 on the B8, 2.9 twin turbo V6 on the B9, with quattro | RS5 engine code and the dealer printout. Visual upgrades can't copy the engine. |
Trim names depend on the market. UK cars are sold as SE, Sport, S line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. US cars are Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. They don't translate cleanly, and bumpers, wheels, black trim and badges are easy to change after the fact. The VIN alone won't confirm trim. The PR codes on the data sticker, or the dealer printout, will. If a car is priced like a higher spec A5, the codes should prove it.
The same A5 badge covers a front wheel drive CVT Coupe, a quattro diesel Sportback and a V8 RS5, and the mix changes by market. Confirm the mechanical setup before you judge the spec.
Most A5s use a 1.8 or 2.0 TFSI petrol engine. UK and European cars were often 2.0 or 3.0 TDI diesels. The S5 started with a 4.2 V8 and moved to V6 power, and the RS5 went from a 4.2 V8 to a 2.9 twin turbo V6. US A5s were petrol only, almost all 2.0 TFSI.
Manuals are 6 speed. Front wheel drive B8 automatics use the Multitronic CVT. quattro B8 cars and the facelift S5 mostly use the 7 speed S tronic DL501, and B9 four cylinder cars use the 7 speed S tronic DL382. The early S5, V6 TDI models, the B9 S5 and the B9 RS5 use Tiptronic automatics.
Lower output A5s are often front wheel drive, especially in Europe. quattro is standard on the S5 and RS5 and common everywhere else. Many B9 quattro models use quattro ultra, which runs in front wheel drive until it needs the rear axle. A quattro A5 should show 1X1 on its data sticker.
A front wheel drive Multitronic Coupe, a quattro S tronic Sportback and an RS5 share a badge but not running costs, insurance or value. Engine code, gearbox and drivetrain first, then worry about wheels and trim.
| Setup | What it is | What it means for a buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Manual | 6 speed | Simple and cheap to maintain. Rarer on later cars, especially in the US. |
| Multitronic (01J) | CVT automatic | Front wheel drive B8 only. Smooth, but research it hard and look for records of gearbox work. |
| S tronic DL501 (0B5) | 7 speed dual clutch | Common on B8 quattro cars, the facelift S5 and the B8 RS5. Quick shifts, and it needs its fluid changed on schedule. |
| S tronic DL382 (0CK) | 7 speed dual clutch | The B9 four cylinder gearbox. Generally more robust than the earlier units, but servicing still matters. |
| Tiptronic | 6 or 8 speed torque converter | Found on the early V8 S5, V6 TDI models, the B9 S5 and the B9 RS5. Smooth and traditional. |
| quattro | All wheel drive | Standard on S5 and RS5. More grip and appeal, with higher running costs to match. |
Known issues depend on the exact engine, gearbox, body style and generation, which is why confirming them comes first.
| Engine or setup | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| B8 2.0 TFSI | Oil consumption, timing chain tensioner wear, patchy servicing | Good engines when looked after. The exact engine code tells you if the car has the earlier or updated parts. |
| B9 2.0 TFSI | Coolant leaks from the water pump and thermostat housing | A common repair. Check the coolant level and look for crusty residue around the pump. |
| Multitronic CVT | Hesitation, judder, shudder when pulling away | Front wheel drive B8 cars. Confirm the gearbox and look for evidence of repairs. |
| S tronic DL501 | Mechatronic faults, clutch wear, harsh or slipping shifts | Common on B8 quattro cars, the S5 and the RS5. Service history on the gearbox matters. |
| 2.0 and 3.0 TDI | DPF, EGR and other emissions system wear | Short journeys are hard on diesel emissions systems. Common on UK and European cars. |
| V8 S5 and RS5 | Carbon buildup, timing chain wear, high running costs | Characterful engines with maintenance bills to match. Service history is essential. |
| Cabriolet | Roof operation, seals, blocked drains and water leaks | Run the roof several times and check the carpets and trunk for damp. |
Recall campaigns differ by market, so check through the channel that covers where the car was sold.
Run the VIN through the decoder above for NHTSA recall records, or use the NHTSA recall lookup directly.
Use the DVSA vehicle recall checker on GOV.UK with the make, model and year, then ask an Audi dealer to run the VIN.
A car sold new in one country may never have had recall work done in the country it's in now. An Audi dealer can check the VIN against every open campaign.
Never assume recall work was done. Ask for proof it was completed, not just booked. Older A5s in particular should be checked for airbag campaigns.
Wheels are easy to swap, so compare what's on the car with what it left the factory with. Wrong sizes or budget tires change how an A5 rides and handles.
| Wheel size | Common tire size | Typical on |
|---|---|---|
| 17 inch | 225/50 R17 | Entry level cars, Premium and SE |
| 18 inch | 245/40 R18 | Most mid spec cars and many S5s |
| 19 inch | 255/35 R19 | S line, Black Edition, Prestige and S5 |
| 20 inch | 265/30 R20 | S line options, S5 and RS5 |
The tire placard on the door jamb shows the sizes approved for that exact car.
The full list behind the decoder, grouped by system. Codes can vary by generation and market, so verify anything important against your own car.
Engine codes vary by generation, output and market. S5 and RS5 codes aren't listed here, so confirm yours on the data sticker or the engine itself.
These are gearbox families, not PR codes. The gearbox code on the data sticker is a separate three letter code.
Sorted by paint code. Not every color was offered on every A5 generation or in every market.
Matrix LED codes vary by generation and year. If your car has Matrix LED, confirm the code on the dealer printout.
Wheel design codes vary by year and market. Verify fitment against the VIN, brake size and tire placard before buying wheels.
At the bottom of the windshield on the driver side, on the door jamb label, on the data sticker in the spare wheel well and service book, and stamped into the body in the engine bay. It's also on the title or V5C logbook.
The chassis number is the VIN. It's stamped into the body in the engine bay and repeated on the windshield, door jamb and data sticker.
Only partly with most free tools, because they run on US data. You can read the generation and model year yourself using the guide above, then decode the PR codes for the full spec.
WAU is Audi, ZZZ is filler used on European market VINs, and 8T is the model code for the B8 A5 Coupe and Sportback. A B8 Cabriolet shows 8F and a B9 A5 shows F5 in the same spot.
Look at positions 7 and 8 of the VIN. 8T or 8F is a B8 and F5 is a B9. Position 10 gives you the model year.
Read the PR codes from the data sticker in the spare wheel well or service book and paste them into the decoder above. An Audi dealer can also print the full factory spec from your VIN.
Not on its own. The VIN confirms the model and year. Trim and packs show up in the PR codes and on the dealer printout.
Not reliably. US decoders sometimes return a transmission style, but the gearbox code on the data sticker or the dealer printout is the proof.
Check the engine code, the quattro code 1X1 on the data sticker and the dealer printout. Bumpers, badges and wheels prove nothing.
No. Many are front wheel drive, especially lower output European cars. quattro is standard on the S5 and RS5 and common on everything else.
Founder, Check Your Spec. LinkedIn
Dale has spent more than 20 years in vehicle valuations, forecasting and asset management. He was a Forecast Manager at CAP HPI, the UK's leading vehicle valuation authority and a counterpart to Kelley Blue Book.
He helped pioneer early electric vehicle depreciation models adopted by major manufacturers, and his residual value forecasts cover more than 10,000 vehicles. Today his data led insights help buyers, enthusiasts and automotive professionals around the world.
Virtual cockpit, LED lighting, Bang and Olufsen, quattro, S line. Two A5s can look the same in photos and be worth very different money. See what the options on yours are worth today.
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