Problems · by component

2000 Audi S4 electrical system problems

49 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Audi S4 cite electrical system, 34% of all 143 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
49
34% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON ALL THE AUDI S4S AND ALSO ON VW LOOSE PIXELS ON THE DASH AND IT GOES OUT, IT IS A HAZARD BECAUSE THIS IS A GAUGE THAT DOES A SYSTEM CHECK EVERY TIME YOU START THE VEHICLE, THE CAR TELLS THE DRIVER IF THERE ARE BRAKE PROBLEMS, ENGINE PROBLEMS, ALSO IF LIGHTS ARE OUT I.E. BRAKE LIGHTS TURN SIGNALS, AND ALSO FLUID STATUS OF THE CAR. WHEN THIS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES OUT OR AS AUDI CALLS IT LOSES PIXELS, THE DRIVER DOES NOT KNOW THE STATUS OF THE CAR WHICH COULD CAUSE SAFETY AND HARM TO THE OPERATOR. IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED MANY TIMES AND HAS BEEN REPLACED ON MY CAR OVER 4 TIMES AND IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH OTHER AUDI OWNERS. ALSO THE WINDOW REGULATOR CLIP THAT HOLDS THE WINDOW BREAKS AS WELL, AUDI AND VW DID A RECALL VIN SPECIFIC MODELS OF THE BEETLE JETTA AND A4 BUT NOT THE S4, THE CLIP IS THE SAME DESIGN THAT IS USED IN MY VEHICLE. IT ALSO HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED MANY TIMES OF FAILING AND CAUSES ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE, IF THE CLIP BREAKS THE WINDOW WILL ROLL DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY, I.E. CAUSING THE WINDOW TO BREAK WHICH THROWS GLASS ALL OVER THE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR AND ALSO EXPOSES LIMBS TO OBJECTS OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE. MANY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2012Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10471969
“ABS SENSOR FAILURE ON 2000 AUDI S4 QUATTRO. LIGHT CAME ON AT 114,213. LEADING TO THE BRAKE LIGHT TO FLASH ALONG SIDE OF IT AND BEEP EVERY OTHER MINUTE WHEN YOUR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. HAVEN'T CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT COST 1,700. SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM ON VW'S AS WELL AS THE AUDI IN YEARS FROM 1996-2001. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 16, 2010Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical systemODI 10320252
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENTAL CLUSTER DOES NOT WORK IN HIS VEHICLE. OCCASIONALLY, HE IS UNABLE TO READ THE DISPLAY PANEL. THE DEALER QUOTED HIM A COST FOR THE REPAIR, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2009Electrical systemODI 10279486
“I OWN A 2000 AUDI S4. MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS AN LCD DISPLAY THAT DISPLAYS INFORMATION LIKE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE, POSSIBILITY OF ICY CONDITIONS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS LOW ENOUGH TO WARRANT THESE CONDITIONS, AVERAGE MPG AND OTHER INFORMATION OF THIS NATURE. THIS SCREEN ALSO GIVE SAFETY WARNINGS LIKE BAD HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, WORN BREAK PADS, LOW WASHER FLUID, LOW ENGINE OIL AS WELL AS OTHERS. THIS SCREEN, AS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, DOES INDEED PROVIDE CRITICAL SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTOMOBILE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 29, 2009Electrical system, EquipmentODI 10267213
“CENTER INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY DOES NOT FUNCTION. PIXELS WHICH DISPLAY CRITICAL VEHICLE WARNING INFORMATION ARE OUT AND ILLEGIBLE. PROBLEM IS PERMANENT AND ENTIRE CLUSTER HAS TO BE REPLACED TO FIX PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 28, 2009Electrical systemODI 10267158
“THE 2000-2002 AUDI S4S HAVE A VERY LARGE PROBLEM WITH THE INFORMATIONAL GAUGE CLUSTER SCREEN FAILING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM. IT FAILS TO ALERT YOU OF THINGS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE LIKE BRAKE PAD WEAR, TAILLIGHT MALFUNCTIONS, ENGINE ISSUES, VEHICLE SPEED, TEMPERATE (ISSUE WHEN ITS GETS FREEZING). THIS IS MOSTLY DUE TO RELYING ON THIS SCREEN FOR SO MANY YEARS. MANUAL CHECKS CAN BE DONE OBVIOUSLY BUT IT FAILS WITHOUT WARNING AND THAT CAN BE TO LATE IN MANY CASES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 24, 2009Electrical systemODI 10266593

Showing 6 of 49 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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

Other 2000 S4 problem areas