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Audi A4 stalling problems

130 of the 2,899 owner complaints about the Audi A4 describe engine stalls while driving, most of them for the 2004 model year.

owner complaints
130
worst model year
2004
typical repair cost reported
$1,600
typical mileage
61,000
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

What owners say

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Driver assistance · WA

Below are a few of the circumstances where my 2023 Audi A4 pre-sense, indiscriminately slammed on the brakes. Sometimes the warning message appeared, but not always: 1) Getting ready to get on highway from a high, descending ramp, no cars in front of me. The closest car in front of me was on the opposite side of the ramp, quite a distance from me. As soon as I attempted to move forward, my car slammed on the brakes. The vehicle behind me had to slam on their brakes to avoid rear-ending me. 2) In rush hour traffic, cars bumper to bumper. I left half a vehicle space in front of me, but my car still randomly braked hard. 3) Backing out of a parking space, vehicles parked to the side of me, no vehicles in front of me and no vehicles passing on the road behind me. In the middle of backing out, the car brakes so hard, it shook everyone in the vehicle and stalled. 4) I was in the center turn lane at the bottom of a slight hill. There were cars to the right side of me at the top of the hill. I had more than enough time to cross but, while crossing the lane, my car did a hard brake and stalled. The cars coming from the top of the hill were headed toward me and I had to quickly restart the car. This seems to be a known issue according to Audi users: From an Audi Group Site: "Audi Pre Sense can sometimes misinterpret driving situations, leading to unexpected braking or safety interventions, which may cause accidents rather than prevent them. Issues can arise from sensor misalignments or software glitches, and persistent problems may require professional diagnosis."

Filed Jul 1, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · CA

The vehicle displayed a low coolant warning and the coolant reservoir was low. Audi dealer service records dated on or about 02/14/2025 document the concern as: “client states low coolant warning was on, coolant reservoir is low, diagnose and advise.” The dealer performed coolant-related work involving the thermostat gasket / coolant hoses or connections to the coolant reservoir, ran the vehicle to operating temperature, and rechecked. The concern is being reported because the coolant loss/refill issue continued or remained unresolved afterward. The exact source of coolant loss is unknown, but it may involve the water pump, thermostat, coolant reservoir, coolant hoses/pipes, pressure loss, internal coolant leak, or coolant loss that evaporates before leaving visible residue. This is a safety concern because coolant loss can lead to overheating, warning messages, limp mode, loss of propulsion, engine damage, steam/smoke, or stall risk while driving. No crash, fire, injury, or fatality occurred. The vehicle/component is available for inspection, and Audi service records, coolant-system communications, photos, and water-pump/coolant-related documents are available.

Filed Jul 1, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · CA

The engine oil level has been gradually dropping and has required monitoring and/or adding oil between normal service intervals. The exact source is unknown. It may involve abnormal oil consumption, an external oil leak, internal engine oil consumption, PCV/oil separator issue, turbo-related oil consumption, gasket/seal issue, or oil loss that is not leaving an obvious visible puddle. This is being reported as a safety concern because low engine oil or abnormal oil loss can lead to low oil pressure, warning messages, engine overheating or damage, smoke, oil contacting hot engine/exhaust components, limp mode, stalling, or loss of propulsion while driving. The issue should be inspected rather than treated as normal maintenance unless a proper diagnosis confirms normal operation. No crash, fire, injury, or fatality occurred. The vehicle/component is available for inspection, and oil-level/refill records, repair records, photos, receipts, and service communications are available if requested.

Filed Mar 17, 2026 · Engine · 51,155 miles · CT

The contact owns a 2022 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the roadway and failed to restart. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the used car dealer where it was purchased. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure and stated that there was a hole in the engine block. The contact was referred to an Audi dealer for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact inquired about the cause of the engine failure, and the contact was informed that a thorough diagnostic test had not been completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer submitted a claim for Goodwill Assistance to the manufacturer; however, the claim was denied. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V753000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, neither the VIN nor the model vehicle was included. The failure mileage was approximately 51,155.

Filed Nov 19, 2025 · Engine · CA

The timing chain and tensioner in my 2014 Audi A4 Quattro (VIN: [XXX] ) failed without warning, causing the engine to suddenly stall and become inoperable while in motion. This presented a serious safety hazard. Although my vehicle is slightly outside the settlement mileage and time limit, timing chains are considered a lifetime component and are not a maintenance item, meaning they are not expected to fail and are not listed as requiring inspection or replacement under any Audi maintenance schedule. This failure was sudden, catastrophic, and safety-related. Audi and Volkswagen have already acknowledged this timing chain defect in federal class-action litigation (Opheim et al. v. Volkswagen Group of America), and my VIN is included in the affected vehicle list. Audi’s own dealership technician confirmed that the timing chain is stretched, the tensioner is fully extended, and the intake camshaft timing is off by a tooth—clearly matching the known defect. The vehicle stalled suddenly while arriving at a repair facility, and it would not restart. Had this occurred on a highway, a collision could have easily resulted. This is a known safety defect, affecting engine timing, power loss, and stall risk. The manufacturer denies responsibility despite known defects, safety implications, and VIN eligibility. I am requesting the federal safety agency to investigate Audi’s refusal to address a known and documented safety-related defect involving a critical non-maintenance engine component that is expected to last the life of the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 29, 2025 · Driver assistance, Electrical · MN

The MMI screen ( infotainment system on dash) frequently turns off while driving. The system requires several minutes to reboot each time. During the reboot process, the backup camera and safety sensors do not work. Additionally, many other features do not work during the reboot Apple Car Play, Phone, Navigation, Radio and Garage Door Opener. The issue started in February 2025 and has persisted during each use of the car thereafter. The reboot will typically occur every few minutes while the car is on.

Filed May 3, 2025 · Electrical · FL

MMI shuts off while driving every day. My car started doing an annoying thing where while driving the MMI randomly shuts off and reboots. I’ve tried everything I can think of to both replicate it and stop it but nothing has worked. I typically have my iPhone plugged in and Apple CarPlay on with Google maps running. It does it when I have it that way, it does it when I don’t have my phone connected either. I also can’t predict when it’ll do it. When it reboots I sometimes get “The selected user has not been used in this vehicle for an extended period of time. Please enter the myAudi user information again. This requires you to switch to the guest user.” When I switch to guest it does the same thing.

Filed Aug 9, 2024 · Fuel system · 98,000 miles · WA

The contact owns a 2014 Audi A4. The contact stated while at a stop sign and attempting to proceed, the vehicle stalled and failed to return to normal operation. The contact and her boyfriend shifted into neutral and pushed the vehicle to the side of the road for a while until the vehicle eventually restarted. The Electronic power control (EPC) warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven back to the residence where the boyfriend used a diagnostic scanner to diagnose the vehicle. The contact was informed that the fuel pump sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was scanned a second time and it was determined that the fuel pump module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The diagnostic scan tool was used again to diagnose the vehicle and it was determined that the fuel pressure regulator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

Filed Jul 11, 2023 · Engine · NY

1) Turbo, not because I'm looking to replace it 2) the car could stall when merging into highway or passing on the left lane 3) Yes 4) No 5) Yes, Check Engine Light came on afterward Check engine light came on after I tried to merge into a lane, while I was stepping on the gas peddle hard there was no acceleration. While the car did not stall, but it was not moving fast enough to provide the distance I need to be safe from the car behind me.

Filed May 12, 2023 · Engine · CO

Start Stop system failures. Upon engine restarting, it stalls instead. This has happened on multiple occasions and the dealer response is to just turn it off every time you start the car. Causes dangerous situations due to inability to move car until full power cycle happens.

Related recalls

Engine and engine cooling: engine: engine control module (ecu/ECM)Reported May 23, 2022 · 72 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022 Audi A6 Sedan, A4 Sedan, Q5, and Q5 Sportback vehicles. The semiconductor inside the engine control unit may short-circuit and cause an engine stall.
Risk
An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the engine control unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Audi's number for this recall is 24iH.

Recall number 22V368000 · Recall details

Engine and engine cooling: cooling systemReported June 22, 1998 · 19,800 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the engine backfires during a cold-start, an air screen which is loosely seated in the air flow meter can become damaged.
Risk
Screen pieces could enter the intake air flow system and prevent the throttle plate from returning to its full idle position.
Remedy
Dealers will install a retaining ring to hold the air screen in place.

Recall number 98V134000 · Recall details

Questions about the Audi A4 stalling

Which Audi A4 years have engine stalls while driving problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2004 (28 complaints), 2003 (23 complaints) and 2002 (13 complaints).

How much does it cost to fix engine stalls while driving on the Audi A4?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,600 (median of 11 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

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