Problems · NHTSA complaints

2010 Audi A4 problems

Owners filed 64 complaints about the 2010 Audi A4 with NHTSA between Jan 2010 and Aug 2023. The most-cited component is engine (37).

Complaints
64
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine37
  2. Power train9
  3. Engine and engine cooling9
  4. Fuel/propulsion system4
  5. Steering3
  6. Vehicle speed control3
  7. Electrical system2
  8. Exterior lighting2
  9. Fuel system, gasoline2
  10. Service brakes1
  11. Forward collision avoidance1
  12. Suspension1
  13. Air bags1
  14. Visibility1

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 Nov 11, 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
20109
20113
20120
20135
20148
20152
20165
20176
20188
20196
20205
20212
20222
20233

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

Engine

37 reports
“This audi doesn’t have a dip stick that comes with the car. It burns 1-2 quarts of oil a month and doesn’t indicate when your car is low on oil. It’s a guessing game when the engine says put a quart of oil in and I needed 2 and a half quarts to be full. It’s such a saftey hazard I’m surprised audi hasn’t recalled this engine. I spent over $1000 to have everything resealed and fixed because it just ceased one day due to not having enough oil”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2023EngineODI 11538896

Power train

9 reports
“CAR SUFFERED FROM CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO KNOWN TIMING CHAIN ISSUES WITH THESE VEHICLES. THERE IS CURRENTLY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS ISSUE. HTTPS://TIMINGCHAINLITIGATION.COM/”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2019Power train, EngineODI 11242384

Engine and engine cooling

9 reports
“DRIVING TO WORK ON A COUNTRY ROADWAY, PASSED A VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO PULL BACK INTO MY LANE, RELEASING THE GAS PEDAL, BUT THE AUDI 2010 A4 CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN AFTER BRAKING, SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 85-90 MPH. BRAKES FUNCTIONED, PULLED OVER, STOPPED CAR. LOOKED DOWN, NOTHING INTERFERING WITH THE GAS PEDAL. RESTARTED CAR, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPED TO 7000-8000 RPM, CAR REVVED. NEEDED TO GET THE CAR TO A SAFE LOCATION, PROCEEDED TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, BRAKES BEGAN SMOKING BUT MADE IT TO A MINI MART, PARKED AND STOPPED CAR. CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. CONTACTED AUDI OF AMERICA, THEY REVIEWED THE RECORDS AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO HIGH RATE OF SPEED DESPITE DRIVER'S ATTEMPTS TO REDUCE SPEED. HAVE NOT DRIVEN VEHICLE SINCE THIS INCIDENT ON 7/7/11. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS, BUT SINCE I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND LOOKED DOWN AT THE GAS PEDAL, THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE WAY WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. DEALERSHIP STATES NO CODES WERE THROWN AND NOTHING SHOWS UP. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10413792

Fuel/propulsion system

4 reports
“EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ENGINE PROBLEM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2017Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11003991

Steering

3 reports
“I have current issue with my Audi A4 steering rack where im driving it randomly it pull up one side or the other i have looked up that issues with the Audi A4 and alot of people are having steering rack failed where there’s space in the steering where it causes play and possible clicking noise and uneven drive Alot of people have that issues with the electrical steering and for some reason audi never recalled it even tho it’s happening rn to alot of people including me”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2021SteeringODI 11431904

Vehicle speed control

3 reports
“PROBLEM ONE THE CAR WAS BURNING THROUGH A QUART OF EXPENSIVE OIL EVERY 300 MILES. TOOK IT IN,DROPPED THE ENGINE,CHANGED ALL PISTONS,REMOVED CRANKSHAFT OIL SEAL,FAULTY HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT,PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE ALL REPLACED. CAR WAS ACCELERATING WITH AND WITHOUT HESITATION,BUT DEALER DUPLICATED THE OCCURRENCE AND SAID THEY FIXED. ONE MONTH LATER,CAR SMELLED LIKE GAS AND WAS TAKING OFF ON IT'S OWN BROUGHT BACK DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. VERY BAD SMELL OF GAS AND RAPID ACCELERATION -DEALER REMOVED ENGINE AGAIN REPLACED ALL VALVES,DIAGNOSIS PURGE VALVE STUCK. SUSPECTED INJECTOR SEAL.REPLACED 4 INJECTOR SEALS, SMELL PERSISTED.REPLACED INTAKE VALVE,REMOVE AND REPLACE PURGE VALVE ASSEMBLY. PISTONS HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED,ENGINE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REMOVED TWICE, AND THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL JUMPING AND THE CAR ACCELERATES BY ITSELF.AUDI REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM , I HAVE ONLY 1200 MILES LEFT ON WARRANTY. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR 7 MONTHS AND AM AFRAID TO DRIVE BUT AUDI OFFERS NO OPTIONS-I ASKED FOR EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE AND THEY SAID NO. I HAVE THE CAR IN MY POSSESSION WITH THE ACCELERATION ISSUE AND PERIODICALLY SMELLS OF GAS. I DRIVE 3 CHILDREN TO AND FROM . *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2013Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10510569
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

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