Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Audi A4 problems

Owners filed 189 complaints about the 2002 Audi A4 with NHTSA between May 2002 and Nov 2020. The most-cited component is electrical system (76).

Complaints
189
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system76
  2. Engine and engine cooling29
  3. Exterior lighting18
  4. Power train17
  5. Visibility12
  6. Equipment11
  7. Tires9
  8. Air bags8
  9. Vehicle speed control6
  10. Engine5
  11. Suspension5
  12. Seats5
  13. Fuel system, gasoline4
  14. Wheels3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200247
200358
20047
20055
200610
200713
200810
20093
201016
20115
20124
20130
20142
20152
20160
20170
20184
20191
20202

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

76 reports4 fires
“TAKATA RECALL; FUEL PUMP WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING CAR TO STOP AND ALMOST LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. (CA ELECTRIC COMPONENTS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK, WINDOW IS A BIG ONE. WHEELS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN SIX MONTHS AND THE AXEL APPEARS TO CAUSE WHEEL DAMAGE. CONSTANT LEAKS SUCH AS COOLENT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 17, 2018Electrical system, Wheels, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11088531

Engine and engine cooling

29 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD CONSTANTLY OVERHEAT WITHOUT PROPER WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE RADIATOR AND THERMOSTAT, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITHIN THE ENGINE, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY THE DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10425539

Exterior lighting

18 reports1 fire
“2002 AUDI A4 WITH 370K BURNED A BIT OF OIL WHICH WAS FINE CLEANED THE ENGINE OUT WITH CLEANERS IT SMOKED A BIT WHICH IS NORMAL.. HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING 'HIDS' SO I PARKED IT. 3 DAYS LATER I GO TO TAKE THE CAR ON A TEST DRIVE AND THE DRIVERS HEADLIGHT LIT ON FIRE ! NOT SURE IF IT WAS A HEADLIGHT ISSUE OR A WIRING ISSUE.. INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 25, 2020Exterior lighting, EngineFire reportedODI 11376377

Power train

17 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH SHE HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND SMOKE CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THEY DEALER ADVISED HER THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL IN THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED TO BUY HER VEHICLE FOR $500. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 27, 2012Power trainFire reportedODI 10445588

Visibility

12 reports1 fire
“WIPERS FAILED AS I WAS TRAVELING ON A CROWDED HIGHWAY DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM. THE PROBLEM WAS A SEIZED WIPER PIVOT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, WHICH WAS CLEANED AND LUBRICATED, AND IS NOW IN WORKING CONDITION. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2009VisibilityODI 10279172

Equipment

11 reports1 fire
“I BOUGHT A 2002 3.0 A4 QUATTRO ABOUT 9 MONTHS AGO. A MONTH AFTER BUYING IT THE LEFT HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. WHEN YOU START THE CAR IT GIVES YOU A "LEFT DIPPED HEADLIGHT" WARNING AND THEN HAS A PICTURE OF A BULB WITH AN X ACROSS IT. I TOOK THE CAR IN AND ENDED UP BUYING A NEW BULB FOR IT. TURNS OUT THE BULB WASN'T OUT AND THE PROBLEM RESOLVED ITSELF IN ABOUT A WEEK. THE LIGHT WORKED FINE AFTER THAT. ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO I INSTALLED AFTERMARKET HEADLIGHTS. THEY WORKED PERFECTLY UP UNTIL TWO WEEKS AGO. NOW I AM GETTING THE SAME "LEFT DIPPED HEADLIGHT" WARNING WHEN I TURN ON THE LIGHTS. THIS ONLY AFFECTS THE LOW BEAMS. THE PARKING LIGHTS AND HIGH BEAMS WORK JUST FINE. I FIGURED THE PROBLEM WOULD RESOLVE ITSELF AS IT DID LAST TIME, BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE. I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY AUDI OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND NOBODY HAS FOUND A FIX FOR IT. REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES THEY TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP OR REPLACE THE BULBS, THE PROBLEM STILL RETURNS. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 5, 2010Exterior lighting, EquipmentODI 10317075
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.