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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system47
  2. Engine and engine cooling11
  3. Tires10
  4. Seats6
  5. Air bags3
  6. Exterior lighting3
  7. Visibility2
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  9. Seat belts1
  10. Suspension1
  11. Back over prevention1
  12. Fuel system, gasoline1
  13. Structure1
  14. 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
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
20003
20016
20023
20030
200419
20055
20066
200731
20083
20097
20100
20111
20120
20130
20140
20151
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20211
20221

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

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2015Electrical systemODI 10722761

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 6, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10198644

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 2, 2011TiresODI 10379917

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 19, 2004SeatsODI 10078460

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?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2022Air bagsODI 11449740

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 8, 2005Exterior lightingCrash reportedODI 10124613
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.