Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 Audi S4 problems
Owners filed 87 complaints about the 2001 Audi S4 with NHTSA between Aug 2000 and Feb 2022. The most-cited component is electrical system (47).
Complaints
87
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system47
- Engine and engine cooling11
- Tires10
- Seats6
- Air bags3
- Exterior lighting3
- Visibility2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Seat belts1
- Suspension1
- Back over prevention1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Structure1
- Equipment1
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 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
6
3
0
19
5
6
31
3
7
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 19 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 31 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
47 reports1 crash
“I JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK UP RECALLS AND SAW THE COMPLAINTS ON THE AUDI S4 2001. I NOTICED MY CAR WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHERE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS LOST PIXELS AND ENDS UP UNREADABLE FOR ALL WARNINGS AND MANUFACTURER PROGRAMMED SAFETY WARNINGS. IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR YEARS AND DID ASK MY DEALER HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX IT AND IT WAS INSANE. IT IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. AUDI SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT. I DIDN'T REALIZE OTHER AUDI'S WERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. MAYBE IF MORE PEOPLE COMPLAIN, AUDI WILL BE FORCED TO FIX IT.”
Engine and engine cooling
11 reports
“VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING RADIATOR COOLANT LEAKAGE INTO ENGINE OIL. THIS IS CAUSING ACCELERATED WEAR OF COMPONENTS LUBRICATED BY THE ENGINE OIL. UNLESS CORRECTED, THIS CONTAMINATION WILL LEAD TO FAILURE OF THE MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND TESTED BY AN AUDI SERVICE CENTER WITH NO CAUSE IDENTIFIED OR SOLUTION PROPOSED. AUDI OF AMERICA IS NOT TAKING ANY ACTION TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. *JB”
Tires
10 reports
“YOKOHAMA YK520 335/45R/17 TIRES... DRIVING ALONG WITH MY 2001 AUDI S4 AND STARTED NOTICING A WOBBLE OR SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. KEPT GETTING WORSE. THE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 20K MILES ON THEM SO I THOUGH I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. (ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS BEEN UPGRADED).. I TOOK THE TIRES OFF TO MAKE SURE I DIDN;T HAVE A BENT RIM AND NOTICED BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE WORN OUT/CUT ON THE OUTER CORNER/LIP OF THE TIRES. I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE CONTROL ARMS. MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT THEM AND TOLD ME THAT THE BELTS HAD SEPARATED ON BOTH TIRES CAUSING THE TIRE TO "DEFORM" AND THEN HIT MY CONTROL ARMS/WISHBONE. HE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER 100 MILES AND BOTH FRONT TIRES WOULD HAVE BLOWN APART. THAT REALLY SOUNDED LIKE FUN ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS...! I ROTATED THE FRONT TIRES WITH THE "GOOD" REAR TIRES, AND HAVE CHECKED THEM EVERY 20 MILES. ABSOLUTELY NO HITTING OR RUBBING ON ANYTHING. SO YES, THE BELTS HAD SEPARATED. *TR”
Seats
6 reports
“DRIVER'S SEAT ROCK BACK AND FORTH WHEN BRAKING OR ACCELERATING. SEAT FRAME HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND IT STARTED ROCKING AGAIN. DRIVER LOOSES CONCENTRATION BY THE SUDDEN JOLT OF THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT WHEN BRAKING OR REARWARD MOVEMENT ON ACCELERATION.*AK”
Air bags
3 reports1 crash1 related recall
“I took the vehicle into the dealer (Westwood Audi) for a Safety Recall repair as requested by Audi. It was for a Driver Front Airbag Inflator replacement. The work was done but when the car was returned the airbag warning light was on. I went back in to the service department and was told that the airbag module had failed and that the part was no longer available from Audi. An aftermarket part could be installed but I would have to pay for part and the repair. No cost estimate has been given. I called Audi of America and they said that the Dealer told them that they didn't break it so they will not cover the cost of repair. I have owned this car for 20 years and it is in exceptional condition. I took it to the Dealer in perfect condition for an airbag repair and got it back with an air bag warning light on and they say they didn't do it? Now I have a car without functioning airbags. Anything that you can do to help resolve this?”
Exterior lighting
3 reports1 crash
“DT: 2001, AUDI S4 WAS DAMAGED UPON DELIVERY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED HEADLAMPS WERE SPRAYED WITH PAINT. UPON DELIVERING THE HEADLAMPS THEY WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, THEY WERE POINTING DOWN, AND CONSUMER COULDN'T SEE TWO FEET IN FRONT OF HIM. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AGAIN, AND THE HEADLAMPS WERE INSTALLED WRONG AGAIN. WHEN CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER, WAS TOLD THE HEADLAMPS WERE DEFECTIVE, AND THEY WOULD NEVER WORK CORRECTLY. CONSUMER DID HAVE A CRASH IN THE WINTER OF 2001, AND THERE WAS STILL POTENTIAL OF A CRASH. CONSUMER STATESDTHAT HE STILL COULDN'T SEE AT NIGHT. CONSUMER HAD NUMEROUS VISITS FOR THIS AND OTHER COMPLAINTS. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.