2006 Audi A4 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Exterior Lighting (151) · Air Bags (70) · Vehicle Speed Control (7)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Audi A4 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
194 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (3)
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2018-06-22 · campaign 18V427000 · 237,947 vehicles
Defect: 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 deployme
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2017-01-11 · campaign 17V032000 · 33,421 vehicles
Defect: 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, Volkswag
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2016-06-01 · campaign 16V382000 · 194,453 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 20
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834.
Service bulletins (356)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual 2023-10-04 · A0023742052680_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information on the additional reporting requirements for safety related inquiries.
Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual 2023-04-28 · DC_AudiRingsV12 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
inside the rings | volume 12, spring 2023
Air Bags 2023-03-13 · TRMDMV_MA_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
in conjunction with the massachusetts dmv, audi will be sending takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,907 audi owners in the state of massachusetts on march 13, 2023.
Air Bags 2023-03-13 · TRMDMV_NM_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
in conjunction with the new mexico dmv, audi will be sending takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 389 audi owners in the state of new mexico on march 13, 2023.
Air Bags 2023-02-13 · TRMDMV_CO_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
in conjunction with the colorado dmv, audi will be sending takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,174 audi owners in the state of colorado on february 13, 2023.
Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual 2023-02-10 · DC_Rings_VOL10 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
takata recall and 3g turndown
Showing the 6 most recent of 356 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2022-09-13 · Fuel/Propulsion System“gas gauge displaying incorrect level of fuel. oil level notification improperly displaying level of oil.…”
2021-11-08 · Air Bags · 160,000 mi · 💥 crash“the contact owns a 2006 audi a4. the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the wife crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. during the crash the front driver side air bag did not deploy, however, the passenger side airbag did deploy, and both the front and rear driver side and passenger side headrest restraints activated. the c…”
2020-09-28 · Seats · 165,000 mi“purchased the vehicle a few months ago (july of 2020). before buying it i was told that the warning chime for the seatbelt had stopped working , so i took it to my local german auto shop to see what would needed to fix it. to my surprise, it's a part in the instrument cluster that would need to be replaced, but it's a common issue as these cars age…”
2020-09-15 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 110,000 mi“audi issued a technical service bulletin that i found on your website. this bulletin was regarding the exact parts the dealer (audi) identified as being affected on my car (high pressure fuel pump, cam follower, and corresponding intake camshaft cam lobe). this bulletin (not a recall, but distributed internally to dealerships) clearly states tha…”
2020-08-14 · Air Bags · 90,000 mi · 💥 crash“my personal audi a4 was involved in a front end collision on an inner-city road due to loss of friction on frozen ice. despite there only being a driver present in the car, the driver side airbag from the steering wheel did not activate while the passenger side airbag did. i had already previously checked the takata recall, which affect the exact m…”
2019-10-29 · Exterior Lighting“left head light flickers and shuts itself off after vehicle is driven and the lights have been on for about 5 minutes. the warning display on the dashboard gives a "left headlight level" error code.…”
2019-10-03 · Unknown Or Other“i purchased the car from john and he stated he drove it appx 30-40k miles since he received the car. but in 2016 the miles on the pink slip says 149214 and now the miles are at 150700. i believe he tampered with the odometer, turned it off and drove the car without the odometer on. when i asked him he said in the last 3- 4 years he drove it 30-40k …”
2019-02-09 · Exterior Lighting · 118,000 mi“vehicle is equipped with adaptive headlights. when i turn the passenger side low beam goes out.…”
2018-12-22 · Exterior Lighting · 125,000 mi“the headlights will flicker on and off, and have to be manually turned off and turned back on. repairs and replacements of lights did not solve the problem. complete removal of the xenon ballast and sealing the ballast seemed to correct the problem, and seems to be a defect in the manufacture of the ballast that causes moisture to invade, and short…”
2018-11-06 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“on 7/15/18 i had a mysterious accident in ottawa county, michigan, where i was knocked out for several hours and i have no recollection off anything at least a few minutes before the accident. my 2006 a6 quattro 3.2 avant (station wagon) was totaled by the insurance company. the county police rescued me and sent me to the holland hospital for a ser…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.