Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Audi A4 problems

Owners filed 219 complaints about the 2005 Audi A4 with NHTSA between Dec 2004 and Jun 2026. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (101).

Complaints
219
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Exterior lighting101
  2. Air bags54
  3. Electrical system24
  4. Power train16
  5. Engine10
  6. Fuel system, gasoline9
  7. Vehicle speed control8
  8. Engine and engine cooling8
  9. Steering6
  10. Tires4
  11. Fuel/propulsion system3
  12. Electronic stability control (esc)3
  13. Latches/locks/linkages3
  14. Structure3

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
20041
20054
20064
20075
20088
200915
201056
201119
201221
201316
20147
201511
20168
201730
20184
20190
20204
20211
20221
20232
20240
20251
20261

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

Exterior lighting

101 reports
“Headlights flickering. Must turn off the headlights and turn them back on for this issue to go away. All headlight components were replaced including the bulb and this issue still is there. The Audi dealerships seem to not know how to fix this issue. This issue is only on the left side/driver side. The dealer could not duplicate this issue on the right side/passenger side. All new parts were installed.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 10, 2022Exterior lightingODI 11478628

Air bags

54 reports6 crashes3 related recalls
“The contact's husband owned a 2005 Audi A4. The contact received several recall letters and cards from the NHTSA and Audi manufacturer for a Takata Air Bag recall. The contact stated that the last notification received stated that the owner could die if the recall was not completed. The contact was adamant and would like the mailing address to be removed from the recall distribution list because the vehicle was no longer owned. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 18, 2026Air bagsODI 11744972

Electrical system

24 reports3 fires
“The car is completely defective,total engine, gasket,water pump,intake manifold,airbag, transmission,torque,drive shaft, universal joints,all rear axles,wheel bearing,bought at auction Aug 19,2024, $4000, the as is was so small and on the back of a sheet we did not see it,we are senior,”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2025Electrical system, Air bags, EngineODI 11634360

Power train

16 reports
“WE ARE THE 2ND OWNER OF AN AUDI A4 CONVERTIBLE, PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 WITH 25K MILES. WITHIN TWO YEARS, WE BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSION AND HAD TO HAVE THE TCM REPLACED, WHICH WAS LATER REIMBURSED BY AUDI AS A RESULT OF A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT. IN JANUARY OF 2014, AT 38K MILES, AUDI DIAGNOSED THE TRANSMISSION AS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDING REPLACEMENT, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING WHEN COLD, VEHICLE SHUDDERING. ON COMPLAINT TO AUDI, THEY AGREED TO COVER 50% OF THE COSTS, WHICH WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $7,000 WHICH RESULTED IN MY WIFE BEING AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN COLD WEATHER. REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT HALF COST. AT 47K MILES, AGAIN COLD WEATHER, THE PROBLEM HAS WORSENED, VEHICLE OFTEN WON'T REVERSE AND TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP UNEXPECTEDLY. AS THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY, MY WIFE WILL NOT DRIVE IT UNTIL IT IS SAFE AGAIN. AS THERE IS DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF KNOWN ISSUES WITH THIS TRANSMISSION (US DISTRICT COURT # CV11-00665 BRO AGRX), AUDI SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR 100% OF THE COSTS TO REPAIR AND CVT TRANSMISSION WHICH RESULTS IN A VEHICLE BEING UNSAFE TO OPERATE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2017Power trainODI 10948846

Engine

10 reports1 crash1 fire
“NOTICED AIR BAG LIGHTS ON DIDNT THINK QUICK , ALSO I NOTUCED ELECTRICAL ISSUE HERE & THERE. ENGINE RUNS & SOUNDS LOUDER WHEN USING A/C. WHEN YOU GO TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE THERES A LOUD THUMP THUMP NOISE AT THE END FIR ABOUT 3 MINS OR SO , PROBLEMS STARTING THE ENGINE , BACK WINDSHIELD WIPER TURNS ON BY ITS SELF , A WEEK AGO THE LIGHT IN THE BAVK TURNS ON BY IT SELF. OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS NOT SURE IF ALL TIED IN TOGETHER I JUST STARTED MY PURCHASE ON 7/21/2020 FROM A CAR DEALER. HAD IT CHECKED BY 2 PEOPLE & ONE SAID AIR LEAK SHOWING FROM DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE . MY DEALER PUT ON MACHINE & SAID DIDNT SEE NOTHING WRONG. POWER STEERING GOES OUT HAVE TO FILL ALMOST EVERY 2-3 DAYS. MY DEALER SAID DONT PUT MORE CAUSE IT COULD MESS UP ENGINE. SO I DIDNT & 2 DAYS LATER DRIVING 15 -20 MPH ON RESIDENTIAL STREET IT STARTS SOUNDING LIKE ITS GOING TO STOP SO I PRESUMED TO SHUT OFF ENGINE . CHEVK UNDER THE HOOD & THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS BONE DEY SMOKING SLIGHTLY , & BELT WAS PULLED OUT A& SHREDDED & IT WOULDNT EVEN TURM ON ENOUGH TO GET A FULL START & DEALER CAME & TOWED IT BACK. NOW HE SAYING I NEED A NEW ENGINE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 10, 2020Steering, Air bags, EngineODI 11348420

Fuel system, gasoline

9 reports
“WELL MY ALL OF A SUDDEN DIDN'T WANT TO START IT WAS RUNNING FINE,I MEAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I WAS REVIEWING SOME INFO ON THE INTERNET AND SEEN SOME RECALLS ON CERTAIN YEARS OF AUDI MALFUNCTIONS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 6, 2014Fuel system, gasolineODI 10586900
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.