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Research · Compact Cars · 2 NHTSA variants

2009 Audi A4Recalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 144 owner complaints for the 2009 Audi A4. Most complaints involve air bags (52) and engine (45). The EPA rates it 20–25 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
20–25mpg
EPA · 5 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
2campaigns
Latest Jan 2017
Owner complaints
144
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$3,200est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

2 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

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.

Air bagsReported Jan 11, 2017NHTSA 17V032000

Air bags

Free remedy

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.

Air bagsReported May 27, 2016NHTSA 16V376000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 27, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

144 complaints filed with NHTSA · May 2009 – Dec 2024
  1. Air bags52
  2. Engine45
  3. Steering15
  4. Fuel/propulsion system9
  5. Structure6
  6. Power train6
  7. Engine and engine cooling6
  8. Visibility6
  9. Suspension5

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

By model year

Complaints for each A4 model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
199692
199799
1998258
1999190
200096
2001130
2002189
2003215
2004189
2005219
2006298
2008191
2009144
201064
201142
201245
2013111
201476
201544
201626
201783
20198
2020158
Crashes reported
6
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
3
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

52 reports3 crashes
“The negligent driver yielded to the flow of traffic without stopping. When he collided with us, the airbags (exploded) deployed so strongly that they damaged the windshield and our bodies: face, neck, etc. Our beloved Audi A4 2009 was totaled and after that we had several operations: 2 eye operations (need 2 more), dental surgeries, 3 neck surgeries ... multiple unpaid medical expenses.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2024Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11606543

Engine

45 reports1 crash1 fire
“The turbo sounds like it's not going in/out of gear, oil going into spark plugs, radiator fluid leaking system getting real hot. Low engine poer picking up speed an issue. Air bag rear brake light malfunction, oil pressure not correct”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2024Air bags, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11579192

Steering

15 reports1 fire
“I bought the car recently and drove it on the freeway, on the way back home I noticed a shaking/Vibration coming from the right side of the vehicle. It made the car very hard to control and staying in one lane was almost impossible. It swerves left to right uncontrollably at random times. I haven't taken it in to any dealership or manufacturer to check it out for me, also there's no warning lights on the dashboard at all. And I believe the owner I bought it from knew of this issue but didn't let me know so I'm really just as in the Blind as well. I don't know what else to do because I can't keep driving the car with uncontrollable force and putting kids in danger or anybody else's.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 23, 2021SteeringODI 11426196
All 2009 A4 problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

5 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl turbo · 3.2L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Manual 6-spd · Automatic (S6)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 27, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
A4
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
233025$3,200355
A4 quattro
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
223025$3,200355
A4 Avant quattro
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
212723$3,450386
A4 quattro
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
212723$3,450386
A4 quattro
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.2 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
172620$4,000444
  • A4
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
    23 city · 30 hwy · $3,200/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
  • A4 quattro
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
    22 city · 30 hwy · $3,200/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
  • A4 Avant quattro
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
    21 city · 27 hwy · $3,450/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • A4 quattro
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
    21 city · 27 hwy · $3,450/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • A4 quattro
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.2 L
    17 city · 26 hwy · $4,000/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 27, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Audi A4 as of Oct 27, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 27, 2026Vehicle 5284Vehicle 5285
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2009 A4 questions

How many recalls does the 2009 Audi A4 have?

2 safety recalls as of Oct 27, 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 2009 Audi A4 problems?

Owners filed 144 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (52), engine (45), steering (15). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2009 Audi A4 get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Audi A4 at 20–25 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (5 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 27, 2026