Audi A4 years to avoid
More than twice the A4's typical complaint count for a model year.
Best Audi A4 years
Fewest owner complaints among the last 20 model years, counting only those with at least four years on the road.
Audi A4 complaints by model year
Owner complaints by model year. Newer years have had less time on the road, so expect them to grow.
Most common Audi A4 problems
All model years combined.
- Airbags516
- Engine481
- Electrical470
- Lights367
- Brakes365
- Fuel system210
- Transmission201
- Steering130
- Acceleration121
- Visibility102
- Suspension102
- Driver assistance84
Most reported problems on the Audi A4
Audi A4 problems year by year
Tap a year to see its problems, recalls and what owners say.
| Year | Score | Complaints | Top problem | Typical mileage | Recalls | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | - | 1 | Brakes | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2024 | - | 2 | Airbags | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | - | 11 | Driver assistance | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2022 | 94 | 6 | Engine | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2021 | 81 | 11 | Electrical | 4 | 3 | ||
| 2020 | 45 | 128 | Electrical | 3 | 1 | Avoid | |
| 2019 | 83 | 10 | Electrical | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2018 | 80 | 45 | Electrical | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2017 | 75 | 57 | Engine | 36,500 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 92 | 11 | Engine | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2015 | 85 | 19 | Engine | 46,000 | 0 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2014 | 85 | 32 | Engine | 80,000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 82 | 24 | Steering | 101,000 | 0 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2012 | 90 | 19 | Engine | 109,000 | 0 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2011 | 93 | 11 | Engine | 111,000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 71 | 64 | Engine | 86,000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 47 | 120 | Engine | 65,000 | 2 | 6 | Avoid |
| 2008 | 33 | 175 | Airbags | 62,000 | 4 | 8 | Avoid |
| 2007 | 29 | 196 | Airbags | 74,000 | 3 | 4 | Avoid |
| 2006 | 15 | 295 | Lights | 60,000 | 3 | 8 | Avoid |
| 2005 | 25 | 219 | Lights | 58,400 | 3 | 7 | Avoid |
| 2004 | 31 | 189 | Fuel system | 60,000 | 2 | 8 | Avoid |
| 2003 | 24 | 210 | Fuel system | 60,000 | 3 | 10 | Avoid |
| 2002 | 30 | 181 | Electrical | 31,800 | 1 | 13 | Avoid |
| 2001 | 43 | 131 | Electrical | 62,041 | 1 | 5 | Avoid |
| 2000 | - | 96 | Brakes | 62,900 | 2 | 5 | |
| 1999 | - | 190 | Brakes | 75,000 | 4 | 9 | |
| 1998 | - | 258 | Brakes | 82,000 | 4 | 6 | |
| 1997 | - | 98 | Electrical | 92,457 | 6 | 7 | |
| 1996 | - | 89 | Electrical | 67,000 | 4 | 4 | |
| 1995 | - | 1 | Acceleration | 1 | 0 |
Recalls 27
Audi A4 warranty extensions
Repairs the manufacturer covers beyond the normal warranty. Check whether your car and mileage qualify before paying for one of these.
Compare the A4
A4 vs Mercedes-Benz C300A4 vs BMW 328IA4 vs Cadillac CTSA4 vs Lincoln MKZA4 vs Lexus ES350A4 vs Acura TLX
Questions about the Audi A4
What years of the Audi A4 should you avoid?
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Each has more than twice the Audi A4's typical number of owner complaints for a model year; 2006 alone has 295, mostly about lights and airbags.
What is the best year for a used Audi A4?
2012, 2015 and 2013 have the fewest owner complaints among model years that have been on the road for at least four years (19, 19 and 24).
What is the most common problem with the Audi A4?
Airbags, with 516 complaints across all years, followed by engine (481) and electrical (470).
How many recalls does the Audi A4 have?
27 recalls between 1995 and 2025. The 1997 model year has the most, with 6.
VIN decoder
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Buying a used Audi A4?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
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