Audi A4 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Audi A4 across 21 model years. The 1998 model year has the most (23). The words owners use most often: “tie rods” (15% of reports).
- 130steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Tie rods: mentioned in 19 of 130 complaints (15%)
- Steering rack: mentioned in 10 of 130 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 79 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 130 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 2 an injury.
Audi A4 steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 A4 | 1 | 100% | — |
| 2018 A4 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2017 A4 | 3 | 5% | — |
| 2016 A4 | 3 | 27% | — |
| 2014 A4 | 9 | 28% | 79,499 |
| 2013 A4 | 10 | 42% | 72,500 |
| 2012 A4 | 1 | 5% | 138,000 |
| 2010 A4 | 3 | 5% | 61,500 |
| 2009 A4 | 15 | 13% | 27,500 |
| 2007 A4 | 5 | 3% | 51,194 |
| 2006 A4 | 5 | 2% | 27,100 |
| 2005 A4 | 6 | 3% | 56,000 |
| 2004 A4 | 3 | 2% | 47,000 |
| 2003 A4 | 7 | 3% | 59,313 |
| 2002 A4 | 2 | 1% | 33,930 |
| 2001 A4 | 3 | 2% | 69,210 |
| 2000 A4 | 1 | 1% | 40,121 |
| 1999 A4 | 15 | 8% | 73,500 |
| 1998 A4 | 23 | 9% | 66,500 |
| 1997 A4 | 4 | 4% | 64,000 |
| 1996 A4 | 10 | 11% | 68,821 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Model years: 1999
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
Model years: 1998, 1999
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I was going from one section of the parking lot to another section. I was slowly making a right turn into that area as there were a lot of empty parking spaces. As I turned, suddenly I felt that I could not control the car. I tried to steer and tried to stop the car. I was alarmed, thinking why the…
I was rear-ended at a slow speed. I was stopped at the time. The driver who hit me was decelerating hard. Damaged to rear bumper. When I got back in the car, I realized that telescoping steering column had been pulled toward me. This would have been bad had I been shoved into the car in front of me…
2017 A4 Audi Allroad- while making turns at low speeds with the steering wheel, the vehicle makes cracking, popping and vibration noises. The noise was inspected and reproduced, confirmed on 1/4/2023 by Audi Fletcher Jones, Costa Mesa, California and advised to replace engine mounts, and both front…
They have a design defect which allows water to get into the cabin via the moon roof. They also have an electrical motherboard under the drivers feet (comfort control module) that shorts out when it gets wet (which is easy when the rain comes in from the faulty moon roof). Now I cannot un/lock my…
We live in Montana where it gets very cold on a regular basis while driving our Audi the steering wheel ceased to function and would not allow us to control the vehicle this occurred three times. A warning on the dash came up that said steering malfunction stopped vehicle but it was very scary and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Audi A4s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 130 owner complaints about steering for the Audi A4. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Audi A4 steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Audi A4?
The most frequent phrase is “tie rods”, in 19 of 130 complaints, followed by “steering rack” (10).
Other Audi A4 problems
See all Audi A4 problems.