2003 Audi A4 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A4 years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 210 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Audi A4. That ranks 4th out of 31 A4 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (43 complaints, 20%), typically at around 75,000 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 6 fires, 12 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 210owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 43 | 20% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 41 | 20% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 32 | 15% | 56,600 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 23 | 11% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 10% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 19 | 9% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 17 | 8% | 55,400 | — | — |
| Structure | 14 | 7% | 54,611 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 12 | 6% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 7 | 3% | 129,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 3% | 116,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 3% | 59,313 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 3% | 27,742 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 2% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 | 2% | 46,769 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 141,379 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 1% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 36,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 1% | 27,900 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 40,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Audi A4 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
Risk: If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
Fix: Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on september 28, 20007. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or audi at 1-800-822-2834. This recall is a supplement to a previous campaign (please see 06v017).
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: On certain vehicles produced from september 2002 - march 2003, equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
Risk: If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
Fix: Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on april 10, 2006. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, there is a possibility of xenon headlamp coating degradation over time. The luminous transmittance of the headlamp may decrease over a period of time.
Risk: This condition could affect a driver's field of view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right xenon headlamp reflectors free of charge. The recall began on april 11, 2005. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Crank case ventilation hose breaks and engine runs poorly part#06C103235B
Water pump failed inside lights sometimes work and signal lights arenât accurate
Radio intermediate goes out hitting bumps speedometer stopped working the number ninth digit is not pulling up when I search vehicle information Replaced engine vehicle only had 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Audi A4. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated, lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart and there was steam coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence where an…
Left turn signal works fine. Right turn signal alternates between flashing left and right.
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 | 210 | 3 |
| 2002 A4 | 181 | 1 |
| 2001 A4 | 131 | 1 |
| 2000 A4 | 96 | 2 |
| 1999 A4 | 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.
Similar Audi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Audi A4?
Owners most often report power train, fuel system, gasoline, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 43 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Audi A4?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.