1997 Audi A4 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A4 years
- More complaints than other years 13th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Audi A4. That ranks 13th out of 31 A4 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (33 complaints, 34%), typically at around 118,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
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- 98owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Audi A4 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 33 | 34% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 19 | 19% | 57,100 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 14 | 14% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 12% | 76,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 5% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 4% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 4% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 4% | 29,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 4% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 3% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3% | 68,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 183,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Audi A4 recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 1998 Audi A8 and 1997-1998 Audi A4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to explode or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: The inflator could explode during air bag deployment, resulting in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternative inflator of a different design, free of charge. Owner notification letters were sent September 21, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BT. The vehicles in this recall were mistakenly omitted from recall 20V-056. All vehicle owners have already been notified by mail and informed that the remedy is available.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, as a result of a problem in the production process of the ignition switch, the anchor point of the spring may crack. This could potentially cause the return spring force to be insufficient for returning the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine.
Risk: This condition causes electrical accessories such as windshield wipers and headlights to become inoperative increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a new ignition switch with an optimized anchor point free of charge. The recall began on november 27, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834. Note: this recall supersedes the remedy program under a previous recall (please see 00v317).
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The plastic ignition switch housing can fracture at the return spring anchor point. Fracture of the housing could cause the return spring force to be insufficient for returning the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine.
Risk: This condition causes electrical accessories such as windshield wipers and headlights to become inoperative.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. A control valve in the vacuum hose connecting the brake booster to the intake manifold may not open or close fully at temperatures below -4 f under certain driving conditions.
Risk: This condition could cause insufficient vacuum to be provided to the brake booster.
Fix: Dealers will install a vacuum by-pass system into vehicles operated in these states which is designed to provide sufficient vacuum for full brake assist under all weather conditions.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The discharge of static electricity under low humidity conditions can activate the driver side air bag when the driver enters or exits the vehicle and forms an electrical circuit by touching certain areas of the steering wheel.
Risk: Activation of the air bag under these conditions can cause personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will install a ground wire on the driver side air bag.
Seat belts:rear/other
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may not lock properly when engaged, or not remain locked after being engaged.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an improperly locking seat belt could cause injury to an occupant.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear seat belt assembly.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Degraded braking in wet weather (EA00021) — opened Aug 11, 2000, closed Mar 29, 2002.
- Degraded braking wet weather condition (PE00016) — opened Apr 4, 2000, closed Aug 11, 2000.
- Ignition switch (RQ00009) — opened Mar 21, 2000, closed Nov 30, 2000, led to recall 00V317000.
- Power brake booster vacuum by-pass (RQ99008) — opened Jun 1, 1999, closed Nov 14, 2000, led to recall 99V131001.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I was sitting at a stop light and was struck from behind at speeds between 40 to 60 miles a hour. My airbags did not deploy and my driver seat came lose from the floor and because of this i received injuries to my neck and face. *js
In a snow storm, driver braked at an intersection, automatic brakes kicked in but did not stop the 10 mile per hour slide through the intersection. Car stopped parallel to the curb and was immediately t-boned by an suv. Air bags did not deploy. Driver was wearing aseat belt and suffered a brokev…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 audi a4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph, the brakes failed when engaged. The contact was attempting to stop for a traffic stop but the vehicle did not respond. The failure was recurring. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The…
I was stopped at a red light when a car crashed into the back of my 1997 audi a4. This caused my car to crash into the car in front of me and that car to crash in to the car in front of it. My driver-side air bag did not deploy and my seat belt did not lock up. The air bag on the passenger side did…
The lower front control arms in my '97 audi a4 1.8t quattro were replaced by an authorized audi dealer as part of a voluntary recall campaign in 2004 by audi to replace a noted defective part. A class action lawsuit brought against audi by several owners spurred the voluntary recall. My lower…
Other Audi A4 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 A4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 A4 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 A4 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022 A4 | 6 | 3 |
| 2021 A4 | 11 | 4 |
| 2020 A4 | 128 | 3 |
| 2019 A4 | 10 | 1 |
| 2018 A4 | 45 | 1 |
| 2017 A4 | 55 | 1 |
| 2016 A4 | 11 | 0 |
| 2015 A4 | 19 | 0 |
| 2014 A4 | 32 | 0 |
| 2013 A4 | 24 | 0 |
| 2012 A4 | 19 | 0 |
| 2011 A4 | 11 | 0 |
| 2010 A4 | 64 | 0 |
| 2009 A4 | 120 | 2 |
| 2008 A4 | 175 | 4 |
| 2007 A4 | 196 | 3 |
| 2006 A4 | 295 | 3 |
| 2005 A4 | 219 | 3 |
| 2004 A4 | 189 | 2 |
| 2003 A4 | 210 | 3 |
| 2002 A4 | 181 | 1 |
| 2001 A4 | 131 | 1 |
| 2000 A4 | 96 | 2 |
| 1999 A4 | 190 | 4 |
| 1998 A4 | 258 | 4 |
| 1997 | 98 | 6 |
| 1996 A4 | 89 | 4 |
| 1995 A4 | 1 | 1 |
See all Audi A4 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Audi A4?
Owners most often report electrical system, suspension, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 33 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Audi A4?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Audi A4 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other A4 model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.