2020 Audi S4 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Aug 8, 2025 · 16 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other S4 years
About as many complaints as other years 12th of 23 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Audi S4. That ranks 12th out of 23 S4 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (14 complaints, 88%). There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.

Audi S4
Audi_S4_(B9)_FL in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2020 Audi S4 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System14
Back Over Prevention9
Unknown or Other5
Forward Collision Avoidance1
Lane Departure1
Visibility/wiper1
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System1488%———
Back Over Prevention956%———
Unknown or Other531%———
Forward Collision Avoidance16%———
Lane Departure16%———
Visibility/wiper16%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2025, with 15 complaints
2024: 1202412025: 15202515

n = 16 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2020 Audi S4 recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Tires; suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assemblyJan 26, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V034000 · 31,058 vehicles

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.

Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger; seatsNov 10, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V874000 · 208,332 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles. The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) may have a contact fault, causing the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.

Risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Recall 19V-547 (74D9). Vehicles previously repaired under 19V-547 will need to return for the new remedy.

Suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assemblyApr 26, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V295000 · 40,993 vehicles

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.

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.

My instrument cluster and its replacements have malfunctioned multiple times. The original instrument cluster/virtual cockpit failed to boot and had a black/blank screen on 4/19/2024 at 29,687 miles and was replaced on 5/15/2024 at 29,923 mi. That replacement one worked fine for a while and then…

Electrical System · received Aug 8, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11679321

The Audi MMI malfunctions and reboots randomly while driving. Possibly being a software issue. There is a TSB code that the dealer used to reference for me ( TSB 2078437/1), but I cannot find it on the NHTSA website. The reboot issue shuts off all functions associated with it, including, but not…

Electrical System · received Jul 29, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11676957

The MMI reboots continuously throughout my drive - whether it is 1 minute or an hour. It does this without a Bluetooth connection or wired connection. There is no ability to use hands free calling, listen to the radio, use Apple car play, Bluetooth, navigation, back up camera, parking assistance……

Unknown or Other · received Jul 21, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11675209

I am submitting a formal complaint regarding a persistent and dangerous issue with the MMI (Multi Media Interface) system in my 2020 Audi S4. Since February 2025, the system has been spontaneously rebooting both while the vehicle is idling and in motion. When this occurs, the screen goes black and…

Unknown or Other · received Jul 20, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11674842

The main infotainment system is stuck restarting every 1-2 minutes. When the car is put into reverse, the rear back up camera will turn off while the vehicle is in motion and not resume.

Electrical System · received Jul 17, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11674214

Other Audi S4 years

← 2019 S4 · 2021 S4 →

See all Audi S4 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 2020 Audi S4?

Owners most often report electrical system, back over prevention, unknown or other problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 14 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2020 Audi S4?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2020 Audi S4 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other S4 model years, the 2020 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.