Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Audi A4 problems

Owners filed 144 complaints about the 2009 Audi A4 with NHTSA between May 2009 and Dec 2024. The most-cited component is air bags (52).

Complaints
144
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  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
  10. Exterior lighting4
  11. Electrical system3
  12. Vehicle speed control3
  13. Fuel system, gasoline2
  14. Seat belts2

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
20093
201015
20113
20128
20135
20149
201514
201627
201723
201817
201912
20201
20213
20220
20231
20243

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

Air bags

52 reports3 crashes2 related recalls
“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

Fuel/propulsion system

9 reports1 fire
“ENGINE COOLANT AND ENGINE LIGHT ETC CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE A SMALL CHILD. BASED ON THE AUDI MESSAGE MY VEHICLE COULD CATCH ON FIRE.PLEASE SEND ME INFO TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2019Unknown or other, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11253045

Structure

6 reports1 crash
“I PURCHASED FROM A DEALERSHIP WITH WARRANTY AND WITH IN THE WEEK THE CAR NEEDED A QUART OF OIL, I COME TO FIND OUT THE CAR HAS BEEN TO AUDI DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS ADVISED THE VACUUM PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE ENGINE IS CONSUMING OIL, THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD THIS CAR IN AUCTION TO THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM WAS FULLY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE SINCE AUDI DIAGNOSED IT FOR THEM AND NO WORK HAD BEEN DONE. AUDI HAD A CALL BACK FOR THIS ISSUE AND HAD REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE WHEN THE DEALERSHIP BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH A CAR LOAN ON A CAR THAT NEED OVER $6K IN REPAIRS TO THE ENGINE IT SELF.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 2, 2019Structure, EngineODI 11183701

Power train

6 reports1 crash
“CAME INTO THE GARAGE IN THE MORNING AND REALIZED THERE WAS OIL ON THE GROUND. THE NEXT DAY TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP TO HAVE THEM LOOKED AT TO SEE WHERE THE OIL LEAK IS COMING FROM. AFTER DIAGNOSIS THE RESULT WAS THAT REAR MAIN SEAL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH THE PCV VALVE. TOTAL PRICE IS ABOUT $1500. I DID NOT HAVE ANY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THIS SEEMS LIKE IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH AUDI VEHICLES WHERE THE PCV VALVE IS OVER PRESSURING THE ENGINE AND CAUSING GASKETS/SEALS THE BLOW. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AUDI TO FIX THIS PROBLEMS SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND HAS BEEN REPORTED A LOT OF 2.0T ENGINES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2017Power train, EngineODI 11004364
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.