Audi A4 Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 102 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the Audi A4 across 19 model years. The 1998 model year has the most (24). The words owners use most often: “control arms” (40% of reports).
- 102suspension complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 32%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.
- Control arms: mentioned in 41 of 102 complaints (40%)
- Front suspension: mentioned in 10 of 102 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 47 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 102 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Audi A4 suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 A4 | 2 | 18% | 1,347 |
| 2020 A4 | 2 | 2% | 12,000 |
| 2018 A4 | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2017 A4 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2016 A4 | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2014 A4 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2011 A4 | 1 | 9% | 100,000 |
| 2010 A4 | 1 | 2% | 81,500 |
| 2009 A4 | 5 | 4% | 17,148 |
| 2005 A4 | 1 | 0% | 4,000 |
| 2004 A4 | 1 | 1% | 2,389 |
| 2003 A4 | 3 | 1% | 85,000 |
| 2002 A4 | 5 | 3% | 16,000 |
| 2001 A4 | 3 | 2% | 53,153 |
| 2000 A4 | 3 | 3% | 32,537 |
| 1999 A4 | 8 | 4% | 113,963 |
| 1998 A4 | 24 | 9% | 88,000 |
| 1997 A4 | 19 | 19% | 57,100 |
| 1996 A4 | 19 | 21% | 70,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Tires; suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly
Model years: 2020, 2021
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
Suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly
Model years: 2020, 2021
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
An Audi dealer installed 245/40R18 93H tires on this 2018 Audi A4, while the vehicle placard/specification requires 245/40R18 97H. The lower load index reduces capacity from 1,609 lb per tire to 1,433 lb per tire, approximately 704 lb total across four tires. This creates a safety risk because…
Since I purchase my vehicle I have had to continuously replace my tires on the front. Going through my carfax acct I came across some recalls that showed up that I had no idea of the car may had which was prior to purchase from the dealers. I would think that these issues were fixed prior to…
Fortunately no catastrophic failure or accident occurred. At about 40,000k miles the rear spring mounts are significantly corroded and need replacing. This appears to be a galvanic reaction that occurs due to a design flaw which shortens the life of the critical mounts. Iâm told one could fail…
The contact owns a 2020 Audi A4. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking space, there was big rock next to the bumper on the front passenger's side of the vehicle and there was a scallop area with stones next to the passenger's side of the vehicle as well. The contact stated that she…
I was driving like normal and the stability light came on and the car started to swing left to right by it self.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Audi A4s have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 102 owner complaints about suspension 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 suspension?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the Audi A4?
The most frequent phrase is “control arms”, in 41 of 102 complaints, followed by “front suspension” (10).
Other Audi A4 problems
- Air Bags problems (516)
- Electrical System problems (469)
- Exterior Lighting problems (366)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (306)
- Engine problems (251)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (229)
- Power Train problems (201)
- Steering problems (130)
See all Audi A4 problems.