NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 191 owner complaints for the 2008 Audi A4. Most complaints involve air bags (131) and engine (13). The EPA rates it 19–24 mpg combined.
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.
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.
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 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, 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."
Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling model year 2004 Audi A4 vehicles originally sold, or 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, and 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.
Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component
Air bags
131 reports7 crashes
“The contact owns a 2008 Audi A4. The contact received an unknown recall notice related to the air bags. The contact scheduled an appointment at a dealer and had the recall serviced. The contact then stated that while idle in the parking lot of a hospital, a speeding vehicle clipped the front end, driver's side of her vehicle, which caused the entire front bumper to detach from the vehicle. The driver also hit a gate, guardrail, and utility box in the parking lot. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact was then treated at the hospital for an injury to her neck and left shoulder. The contact sustains severe headaches weeks after the accident. The contact received an X-ray and had been assigned to physical therapy for the next few months. The other driver was not injured as a result of the accident. A police report was filed. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent mechanic and was later towed to a storage unit. The contact family member, who is mechanically inclined, stated that the vehicle's air bag sensors were defective. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired by dealer. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the…”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Apr 20, 2026·Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11732410
Engine
13 reports
“Bought this car from a guy add said car runs great has smog, reg ,ac works great (not )my boyfriend before I could say anything gave guy money and I signed the bill of sale I said should test drive it so drove to my mechanic in vista ca and he said a German car oh boy and I said ouch so he said to bring it back by after checking it out so he could look in to it further so got in car that had spiderwebs on the motor my guy don't know much about cars so we went back and car stopped steering locked up ignition locked up car shut down in middle of busy traffic and would not turn over nothing so called my apt manager thought out of gas so he got some gas put it in and it started after 1 and a 1/2 hours got to gas station filled it up and started up and got back was scared because of this car people don't care almost got hit a few times so went back to seller gone so tried to find a number none text on face bk market place said this car has problems almost killed us just stopped and nothing worked went to Walmart to get some break fluid and coolent car hot and ac didn't work and something leaking it was brake fluid then check engine light on friend came and checked…”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Jun 20, 2024·Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11595625
Power train
13 reports
“2021 I brought an Audi A4 Quattro 2.0 2008 after having a test drive and haven't looked over the mechanic just said it was the fuel pressure high pressure sensor that was not a big deal after an hour buying it it took it to see my mom and it quit on me I had to have it towed home it would not start I took it to the mechanic and the mechanic said the same thing that it was a high pressure fuel pressure sensor so I purchased one and put on it couple months later it did the same thing the check engine light came on and it was told it was fuel pressure high pressure sensor again so I changed a fuel sensor two fuel pumps in the engine to electrical fuel pumps in the back four sensors camshaft sensor the cam follower PPC valves body throttle can follower engine light still comes on the car does not want to seem like it wants to accelerate when it gets to the normal temperature save your driving for 10 or 15 minutes still normal temperature not the radio the temperature it will start to cut off the RPM drops very fast I also have put in a fuel pressure regulator and a fuel pressure filter just the other day it came out again saying the same thing p0089 Dakota's always…”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Oct 23, 2022·Power train, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11490502
4 safety recalls as of Nov 11, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
What are the most common 2008 Audi A4 problems?
Owners filed 191 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (131), engine (13), power train (13). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
What MPG does the 2008 Audi A4 get?
The EPA rates the 2008 Audi A4 at 19–24 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (11 versions rated).