1999 Audi A4 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A4 years
- Far more complaints than other years 6th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 190 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Audi A4. That ranks 6th out of 31 A4 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (81 complaints, 43%), typically at around 84,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
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- 190owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 81 | 43% | 84,000 | “abs brake” (16%) | $2,550 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 28 | 15% | 68,900 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 | 8% | 61,900 | — | — |
| Steering | 15 | 8% | 73,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 6% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 5% | 126,963 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 4% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 8 | 4% | 113,963 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 4% | 84,398 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 6 | 3% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 2% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 2% | 111,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 2% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 2% | 136,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 70,480 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 142,926 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Audi A4 recalls (4)
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. (VW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 TT Roadster, 2000 TT Coupe, 1999 Audi A8, 1998-2000 Audi A6, and 1999-2000 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 inflators may absorb moisture, possibly causing the air bag to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator when the parts become available, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed September 21, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69BT.
Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rods of the steering assembly are protected on each side by a seal to prevent moisture and dust particles from entering the swivel bearing mechanism. It is possible that some tie rod seals may not seal properly.
Risk: If moisture and/or dust particles enter the swivel bearing mechanism, the swivel bearing could wear over time diminishing the steering control of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will replace the tie rods.
Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rods of the steering assembly are protected on each side by a seal to prevent moisture and dust particles from entering the swivel bearing mechanism. It is possible that some tie rod seals may not seal properly.
Risk: If moisture and/or dust particles enter the swivel bearing mechanism, the swivel bearing could wear over time diminishing the steering control of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will replace the tie rods.
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.
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
- Stuck-open throttle (EA04017) — opened Jun 30, 2004, closed Feb 10, 2005, led to recall 04V495000.
- Brake and clutch pedal bracket (PE02008) — opened Jan 23, 2002, closed Jul 12, 2002.
- 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.
- 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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 audi a4. The contact stated that while driving, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but the contact was unaware of the diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was…
As i was opening the hood of the car to fill up the window washer, the hood did not stay up as usual. It started to close and it hit my head on the way down. I am wondering if there have been other reports of the same incident. Luckily, i suffered only minor damage to my head, however i have on…
MY AUDI, ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE HAD THEIR ABS CONTROL UNIT MALFUNCTION BECAUSE OF DESIGN. THIS MALFUNCTION CAUSES THE ABS TO NOT WORK ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLE. VOLKSWAGEN, THE COMPANY THAT PRODUCES AUDIS AND VWS ACTUALLY RECALLED THIS EXACT PART ON THEIR VW VEHICLES, BUT FOR SOME REASON…
The car is experiencing unintended acceleration, usually, but not always, after heavy acceleration. Over 10 occurrences. Cannot remedy by pulling back the accelerator. Car must be turned off and the engine must record 0 rpm to remedy the problem. *tr
Tread separation. I was driving westbound on i-580, approximately 70 mph, when the tread on my right front tire separated and the tire blew. I was lucky to be able to pull over to the side of the road, with the assistance of other aware drivers on the highway who allowed me to change lanes at a…
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 | 44 | 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 | 190 | 4 |
| 1998 A4 | 258 | 4 |
| 1997 A4 | 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 1999 Audi A4?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 81 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Audi A4?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 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 1999 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.