Problems · NHTSA complaints
2006 Audi A4 problems
Owners filed 298 complaints about the 2006 Audi A4 with NHTSA between Apr 2006 and Sep 2022. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (160).
Complaints
298
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Exterior lighting160
- Air bags74
- Electrical system22
- Engine16
- Power train15
- Vehicle speed control7
- Engine and engine cooling6
- Fuel/propulsion system5
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Steering5
- Electronic stability control (esc)4
- Visibility4
- Service brakes3
- 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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
2
6
25
61
26
31
21
16
11
26
43
17
3
3
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 25 |
| 2010 | 61 |
| 2011 | 26 |
| 2012 | 31 |
| 2013 | 21 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 26 |
| 2017 | 43 |
| 2018 | 17 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Exterior lighting
160 reports1 crash
“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.”
Air bags
74 reports6 crashes3 related recalls
“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 contact indicated that no passengers were present in the vehicle during the crash. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not contacted. The local dealer was notified. The failure mileage was 160,000.”
Electrical system
22 reports1 crash1 fire
“THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT KEEPS FLICKERING. IT WILL TURN OFF SOMETIMES WHEN USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THE HEADLIGHT WORKS PERFECTLY FINE. WHEN IT FLICKERS, AN INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATES ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIRING PROBLEM. BOTH HEADLIGHTS WERE CHANGED AND BRAND NEW WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. TWO YEARS LATER, THIS FLICKERING BEGAN. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE FLICKERING OF THE HEADLIGHT IS TO COMPLETELY TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHTS FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN TURN THEM BACK ON. EVERYTHING IS FINE AFTER THAT. PLEASE RECALL THIS ISSUE. I HAVE READ MANY POSTS ONLINE WITH OTHER AUDI A4 OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES.”
Engine
16 reports1 crash1 fire
“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 THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE THAT AFFECTED ALL VIN RANGES OF SPECIFIED AUDI MODELS FROM 2005-2007 THAT INCLUDED MINE. AUDI EXTENDED DRIVETRAIN COVERAGE ON THESE VEHICLES TO 10YR/120K MI. THIS ISSUE CAUSES A WORSENING LOSS OF POWER UPON ACCELERATING (MAKING DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS DANGEROUS) AND EVENTUAL ENGINE FAILURE IF LEFT ALONE. I AM THE 3RD OWNER OF THIS CAR, SO I DID NOT RECEIVE THE INTENDED LETTER FROM AUDI STATING THE SPECIFICS OF THIS COVERAGE EXTENSION. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT ~110K MILES AT THE TIME OF THIS SERVICE (~4-5 DAYS AGO). UPON BRINGING THIS BULLETIN TO THE ATTENTION OF AUDI SERVICE MANAGER, HE DID NOT ASK ME FOR THE BULLETIN NUMBER OR REVISION, HE JUST DENIED COVERING IT VERBALLY SAYING THE COVERAGE WAS "10YR/120K MI, WHICHEVER CAME FIRST" BUT WOULD NOT SEND ME A COPY OF THE EXTENSION LETTER PROVING…”
Power train
15 reports1 crash
“CVT TRANSMISSION TOTAL FAILURE - TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST ADVISES THAT SEVERAL OF THE FIRST CVT TRANSMISSIONS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC WERE DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN AND PRODUCTION, AND HAVE BEEN UPGRADED OVER THE YEARS TO CORRECT FOR THESE EARLY DEFICIENCIES. THE SPECIALIST FURTHER ADVISES THAT AUDI AND SATURN ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THESE DEFECTS. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE TRAVELING ON A MAJOR ROADWAY. ALL OF THE INDICATOR LIGHTS IN THE GEAR SELECTOR STARTED FLASHING SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT IMMOBILE IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POSITION. AUDI QUOTED MORE THAN $8,000 TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR WAS COMPLETED BY A LOCAL TRANSMISSION EXPERT FOR A LITTLE OVER $5,000. IT IS THIS EXPERT WHO ADVISED OF THE LONG-STANDING AND WELL-ESTABLISHED PROBLEMS IN AUDI'S EARLY CVT TRANSMISSIONS, AND SAID DEFINITIVELY THAT AUDI SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HANDLE THIS AS A SAFETY AND DESIGN/MANUAFACTURING DEFECT RECALL.”
Vehicle speed control
7 reports
“I EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF MY CAR WHEN I STARTED ACCELERATING AFTER THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. I HAD NO INDICATION AS TO WHAT WAS CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE. AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, SLAMMING ON THE BREAKS AND USING THE EMERGENCY BREAK THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED AFTER GOING ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE. ONCE I GOT THE CAR TO STOP, I KEPT THE CAR TURNED ON AND CALLED 911 WHO DISPATCHED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I GOT OUT OF MY CAR BECAUSE I WAS SCARED AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.. I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS OK TO TURN THE CAR OFF. BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR WAS FLOORED BY THE CAR MAT THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. THE FIREMAN HAD TO BREAK THE WINDOW TO GET INTO THE CAR AND THE FIREMAN FOUND THE CAR MAT LODGED UNDER THE ACCELERATOR AND HAD TO RIP IT OUT FROM UNDER THE PEDAL. I HAD NEVER HAD ANY INDICATION PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THAT MY CAR MAT COULD MOVE AND GET LODGED. PER THE FIREMAN, THIS HAPPENS A LOT WITH THESE TYPES OF CAR MATS. I DIDN'T GET FURTHER EXPLANATION FROM HIM, BUT AFTER TALKING TO MANY PEOPLE AND SCOURING THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE ACCELERATOR GET STUCK BECAUSE OF THE CAR MAT IN THEIR AUDI'S. IN SOME…”
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.