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2005 Audi S4 problems

The most common problem on the 2005 Audi S4 is lights, typically around 55,000 miles. It has 2.5 times the complaints of a typical S4 model year.

Typical year2.5x the typical complaints
Year score
38/100
Owner complaints
43
Recalls
2
Service bulletins
213
Worst area
Lights
Fuel economy
16mpg

The worst 2005 Audi S4 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Lights
    33
  • Electrical
    5
  • Airbags
    4
  • Engine
    4
  • Visibility
    2
  • Brakes
    1
  • Fuel system
    1
  • Seats
    1
  • Steering
    1
  • Transmission
    1

Specific symptoms reported on the 2005 Audi S4

Headlights 34

Recalls 2

Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator moduleReported June 22, 2018 · 237,947 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.

Recall number 18V427000 · Recall details

Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator moduleReported January 11, 2017 · 33,421 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.

Recall number 17V032000 · Recall details

See all 2 recalls for the 2005 Audi S4

Technical service bulletins for the 2005 Audi S4 213

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 213 bulletins for the 2005 Audi S4

2005 Audi S4 fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
4.2L 8‑cyl4WD13-1420-2116

What 2005 Audi S4 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Apr 26, 2018 · Airbags, Lights · CA

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that the exterior headlamps failed to illuminate without warning. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 16v382000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Audi pacific (20460 hawthorne blvd, torrance, ca) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. Audi pacific was also contacted regarding the exterior lighting failure, but the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Apr 18, 2018 · Airbags · NY

Takata recall. I received two letters from audi in march 2017 and recently a third letter in march 2018 informing me of the passenger frontal airbag inflator problem. The most recent letter states that it is dangerous to drive and the airbag could explode causing serious injury or death. I called audi service in april 2017 and again in april 2018 and they said they do not have a fix for the problem and have no time frame for when it will be available. How can I continue to drive a car that has significant risk to cause injury and they will not fix it for over a year?

Filed Nov 10, 2017 · Lights · 90,256 miles · PA

Takata recall 1. The left headlight flickers. 2. It then turns itself off 3. The message "left dipped headlight" appears 4. This happens while my vehicle is parked and in motion so it is a very serious safety risk. I have had both headlights go out at night while driving with my 2 year old in the car!

Filed Nov 9, 2017 · Engine · NY

The complaint is about the motors losing oil every 1000 miles a 1qt is need each time. The engine is caused and burns oil fast to the motor to lose oil more rapidly. Needs to be replaced. My motor is losing oil! And so do other models havening this problems isnt good.

Filed Sep 14, 2017 · Steering · 95,000 miles · CA

I was on my way to substitute teach at an elementary school in santa cruz, ca and so was in the middle of a lot of early traffic at a left turn signal when I heard a very strange rumble. I thought it was another car as my car had just been in for a 95,000 mile service a few weeks earlier. However, part way through the turn I was almost unable to steer the car. I had to fight the car to keep it from hitting a bicyclist and to get it off to the side of the road where it then stopped steering and died. At that point it was blocking two cars in a driveway, but I could not steer it at all. This was on the street directly in front of the del mar elementary school. I called farmers insurance and monterey peninsula audi where it was towed. I was told the steering column had cracked and the fluid had leaked out. I was also told there was no way to be able to diagnose this in routine services.

Filed Apr 25, 2016 · Lights · 75,000 miles · MD

My driver's side headlight frequently goes out with the message, "left dipped headlight." if I turn the lights off and back on sometimes the light comes back on, sometimes not.

Filed Nov 23, 2015 · Electrical, Seats · 111,300 miles · TX

Heated seat element burned or melted the seat while the car was off overnight. Passenger seat leather is now separated, shriveled (hard as a rock) and would have burned the passenger if they had been in the seat.

Filed Feb 16, 2015 · Lights, Visibility · 95,000 miles · FL

Driver headlight dipped info on dash. Headlight turns off or flickers till it turns off and must turn all lights off on the car while driving and reset lights to activate headlight back on. Sometimes this does not work and forced to drive with one headlight with is extremely dangerous condition, police have citied me twice for faulty headlight equipment. There needs to be a recall on this issue. There will eventually be a fatality crash involving this issue with dipped headlights on audi vehicle's. Also this happens at all speeds from 0 to 70 MPH. This issue has been going on for 6 months and going to cause a serious accident soon on i95 in miami as I drive home from work at 0430 a.m.

Filed Jun 21, 2014 · Electrical, Lights · 65,000 miles · KY

As I was driving on the freeway my headlight went out with and the message, "right dipped headlight" came on. When this happen I stopped to fill up with gas and when I started the car the message was gone and the headlight was back on. This has happened a several more times since then.

Filed May 21, 2014 · Lights · 67,000 miles · MA

Bought this car from dealer, used, low mileage, great car. Headlights were filled with condensation. Dealer said to dry them out and re-seal them. That didn't work. There is still water in both headlights. It hasn't rained and has not been humid outside. Pulled over the first night and told they were a safety concern and needed to get them fixed, luckily just a warning issued, no ticket. I can't see at night with the amount of condensation/water that has accumulated in both headlights. This should be a problem that audi recalls. It's not safe due to decreased visibility, no visibility at times, and the car won't pass the state inspection until this problem is fixed. Obviously there is no warranty and the dealership totally blew off my concerns telling me some bs story about how to fix it myself because their labor rates were so high. This vehicle is not safe to operate with defective headlights and I really hope audi addresses this issue. Bought a car and can't even pass inspection to drive it, worthless vehicle and money sitting in the driveway. Not happy.

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Questions about the 2005 Audi S4

Is the 2005 Audi S4 reliable?

Owners have filed 43 complaints about the 2005 Audi S4, 2.5 times a typical S4 model year.

What is the 2005 Audi S4 year score?

The 2005 Audi S4 scores 38 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Audi S4: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2005 Audi S4?

Lights, with 33 complaints, typically around 55,000 miles. Next is electrical (5).

How many recalls does the 2005 Audi S4 have?

2 recalls, covering air bags.

What year does the Audi S4 have the most lights problems?

The Audi S4 model years with the most lights complaints are 2005 (33 complaints) and 2006 (22 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2005 Audi S4 get?

Official estimates for the 2005 Audi S4 range from 16 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.2L 8-cyl, 4WD) gets 13-14 city and 20-21 highway.

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