Problems · by component
2009 Audi A4 engine problems
45 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Audi A4 cite engine, 31% of all 144 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
45
31% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
“PURCHASED VEHICLE 8/15/19 AT SELECT MOTORS INC, SMYRNA TN. CLEAN CAR FAX REPORT. ONGOING OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES. INTAKE CAMSHAFT LOCKED UP FOLLOWING OIL CONSUMPTION TEST AT AUDI OF NASHVILLE. NOT DRIVEABLE NOW. AUDI OF NASHVILLE QUOTED CYLINDER HEAD AND ASSOCIATED PARTS, TIMING CHAIN, TENSIONER, CAM ADJUSTER AND PISTONS. TSB-2027731-8 BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION. ENGINEERING DEFECT WITH PISTONS A KNOWN ISSUE. CONTACTED AUDI OF NORTH AMERICA. UNWILLING TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. CAR BEYOND THE 8YEAR/80,000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY THEY OFFERED FOLLOWING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. PAID CASH AT PURCHASE, PUT ROUGHLY 2,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND AND BEING TOLD WILL NEED TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL $10,000-$13,000 TO GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN FOR A KNOWN ENGINEERING DEFECT WITH THE PISTONS AUDI IS UNWILLING TO CLASSIFY AS A RECALL.”
“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.”
“DRIVING VEHICLE AND IT STARTED SHAKING. GOT THE CAR HOME AND WHEN I SHUT IT OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON IT RATTLED AND SOUNDED LIKE METAL. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD IT CHECKED BY MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER WERE THE PROBLEM AND I WAS JUST TWO MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE NEXT DAY THE DEALERSHIP CALLED TO TELL ME I NEEDED NEW CYLINDERS BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. QUOTED ME $7,500 TO REPAIR. I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE CLASS ACTION SUIT BECAUSE MY CAR DID NOT BREAK UNTIL AFTER THE WINDOW CLOSED. AUDI KNEW ABOUT THE FAILURE AND DID NOTHING TO WARN OWNERS.”
“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.”
“OIL CONSUMPTION IS HORRIBLE I'M REFILLING A QUART OF OIL EVERY FEW HUNDRED MILES. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND I DID RECEIVE NOTICE OF A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE.”
Showing 6 of 45 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.