Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Audi S4 problems

Owners filed 30 complaints about the 2006 Audi S4 with NHTSA between Apr 2007 and May 2019. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (22).

Complaints
30
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. Exterior lighting22
  2. Air bags7
  3. Electrical system4
  4. Visibility1
  5. Equipment adaptive/mobility1
  6. Steering1
  7. Power train1

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 12, 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
20071
20080
20091
20104
20117
20123
20131
20143
20151
20163
20173
20181
20192

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

Exterior lighting

22 reports
“AS MANY OTHERS HAVE NOTICED ON THE B7 MODELS OF AUDI'S. THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WILL FLICKER AND GO OUT AT RANDOM TIMES, IT IS NOT A BULB PROBLEM IT HAS BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. IT IS CONCERNING WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND RANDOMLY MY HEADLIGHT WILL SHUT OFF. SOMETIMES WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK IN IT WILL RETURN. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THESE HEADLIGHTS AS I HAVE READ IN OTHER PLACES. VERY DANGEROUS AND CONCERNING THEY WANT TO CHARGE 1000+ DOLLARS FOR EVERY CUSTOMER TO PUT IN A NEW HEADLIGHT. IT IS THEIR DUTY TO ENSURE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11170511

Air bags

7 reports2 related recalls
“TAKATA RECALL. I RECEIVED MY FIRST NOTICE OF THIS RECALL ON 1/17/17. IT IS CURRENTLY 10/31/17 WITH THE REPAIR NOT YET AVAILABLE. I'VE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES TO NO AVAIL. I WAS AT DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS. WHEN WILL THIS HIGHLY DANGEROUS RECALL REPAIR BE AVAILABLE? THANK YOU.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 31, 2017Air bagsODI 11041664

Electrical system

4 reports
“HID XENON HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY FLICKER AND SHUT OFF DURING DRIVING. IT'S GETTING WORSE. DEALERS "NEVER FOUND" PROBLEM WHICH RECURS CONTINUALLY SO THEY NEVER FIXED THIS ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY AFTER BEING ASKED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. 100'S OF OTHER STORIES ABOUT THIS ONLINE. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN HEADLIGHTS JUST QUIT AT RANDOM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 14, 2012Electrical system, Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 10451576

Visibility

1 report

Equipment adaptive/mobility

1 report
“I OWN A 2006 AUDI S4 WITH BI=XENON HID LIGHTS. NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF TIMES THE INDICATION COMES UP THAT I HAVE A DIPPED HEADLIGHT. THIS IN TURN IS BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHT IS OFF AND I'M DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS SAFETY VIOLATION WILL END UP COSTING ME EVERY TIME I GO TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET NEW PARTS INSTALLED AND LABOR AND THE HIGH PROBABILITY OF A TICKET FOR HAVING A HEAD LIGHT OUT FROM THE POLICE OR OTHER AGENCIES IN THE AREA. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2010Exterior lighting, Equipment adaptive/mobilityODI 10350845

Steering

1 report
“I LEASED ON BRAND NEW 2006 AUDI S4 ON JULY 29,2006. IN DECEMBER 14,2006 THIS CAR DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING OF CAR. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THIS TOOK FOUR DAYS. TWO WEEKS LATER THIS CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR POWER STEERING PROBLEM. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING RACK WHICH TOTAL A TWENTY-THREE DAY REPAIR. ON MARCH 24,2007 THE CAR WAS ONCE AGAIN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD THE CLUTCH OF VEHICLE WAS NO GOOD. ON APRIL 3, 2007 I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND NOW WAS TOLD ONCE AGAIN THEY ARE REPLACING THE POWER STEERING PUMPED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN NINE MONTHS THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE SAME REPAIR. IM ALSO FILING A COMPLAINT WITH NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE LEMON LAW. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 3, 2007Steering, Power trainODI 10186939
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026

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