Audi A4 Problems by Year
NHTSA has 2,895 owner complaints and 27 safety recalls on file for the Audi A4, across 31 model years (1995–2025). The 2006 model year has the most complaints (295). The most reported problem area overall is air bags.
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Audi A4 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical A4 year: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2020. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2006 A4: 295 complaints, 3 recalls
- 1998 A4: 258 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2005 A4: 219 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Audi A4 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 516 | 24 | 60 |
| Electrical System problems | 469 | 28 | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 366 | 19 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 306 | 14 | 15 |
| Engine problems | 251 | 24 | 2 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 229 | 21 | 2 |
| Power Train problems | 201 | 24 | 5 |
| Steering problems | 130 | 21 | 7 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 127 | 16 | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 121 | 20 | 16 |
| Suspension problems | 102 | 19 | 7 |
| Visibility | 92 | 14 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 70 | 18 | 2 |
| Tires | 61 | 17 | 1 |
| Structure | 53 | 14 | 2 |
| Back Over Prevention | 48 | 5 | 0 |
| Equipment | 38 | 12 | 0 |
| Seats | 35 | 15 | 2 |
| Service Brakes | 27 | 19 | 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 24 | 10 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 21 | 13 | 6 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 18 | 3 | 0 |
| Wheels | 18 | 12 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 16 | 9 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 15 | 7 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 10 | 8 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 9 | 4 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| Communication | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Audi A4 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2020: electrical system (91)
- 2008: air bags (116)
- 2007: air bags (119)
- 2006: exterior lighting (159) · air bags (73)
- 2005: exterior lighting (101) · air bags (54)
- 2002: electrical system (76)
- 1999: service brakes, hydraulic (81)
- 1998: service brakes, hydraulic (112)
All Audi A4 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 A4 | 1 | 0 | 5★ | Service Brakes | |
| 2024 A4 | 2 | 0 | 5★ | Air Bags | |
| 2023 A4 | 10 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 A4 | 6 | 3 | — | Unknown or Other | |
| 2021 A4 | 11 | 4 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 A4 | 128 | 3 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2019 A4 | 10 | 1 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 A4 | 44 | 1 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 A4 | 55 | 1 | 5★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 A4 | 11 | 0 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2015 A4 | 19 | 0 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2014 A4 | 32 | 0 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2013 A4 | 24 | 0 | 5★ | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 A4 | 19 | 0 | 4★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 A4 | 11 | 0 | 4★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 A4 | 64 | 0 | — | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2009 A4 | 120 | 2 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2008 A4 | 175 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 A4 | 196 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2006 A4 | 295 | 3 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2005 A4 | 219 | 3 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 A4 | 189 | 2 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2003 A4 | 210 | 3 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 A4 | 181 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 A4 | 131 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 A4 | 96 | 2 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | More complaints than other years |
| 1999 A4 | 190 | 4 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 A4 | 258 | 4 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 A4 | 98 | 6 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 1996 A4 | 89 | 4 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 1995 A4 | 1 | 1 | — | Vehicle Speed Control |
More from Audi: all Audi models · Audi VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Audi A4 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1998 (258), 1999 (190), 2001 (131), 2002 (181), 2003 (210), 2004 (189), 2005 (219), 2006 (295), 2007 (196), 2008 (175), 2009 (120), 2020 (128) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical A4 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Audi A4?
Air Bags, with 516 complaints across 24 model years.
How many recalls does the Audi A4 have?
27 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.