Problems · by component

2010 Audi S4 power train problems

42 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2010 Audi S4 cite power train, 70% of all 60 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
42
70% 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 power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“CAR SLAMMED INTO DIFFERENT GEAR, WASN'T ABLE TO SHIFT INTO 2ND AND THREW GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS ERRORS. THANKFULLY I WAS NEAR HOME AND ABLE TO MAKE IT THERE WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OR BEING STRANDED, BUT MY CAR IS NOW IMMOBILE. I SPOKE WITH AUDI AND THEY SAID IT WILL LIKELY BE A $4K REPAIR (MECHATRONICS UNIT). AFTER RESEARCHING THIS MORE, IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THERE'S ALSO A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TO GET AUDI TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 3, 2020Power trainODI 11320125
“MY CAR FLASHED GEARBOX MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE I-264 IN LOUISVILLE KY. CAR SEAMED FINE FOR ABOUT 2 MILES AND THEN SUDDENLY WENT LIMP AND I HAD NO GEARS. HAD TO HIT FLASHERS AND COAST INTO MEDIAN. WAS ALMOST HIT BY SEMI TRUCK. REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAPPENED AGAIN 1 DAY AFTER GETTING IT BACK FROM SHOP. TAKING IT TO AUDI NOW. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 23, 2019Power train, Electrical systemODI 11270568
“THE WHOLE CAR JERKED WHEN GOING TO 2ND GEAR AND THEN THETPMS, NO REVERSE, AND GEAR MALFUNCTION LIGHTS COMES ON. 2ND, 4TH, 6TH, AND REVERSE GEAR ARE GONE. RESTARTING THE CAR CLEARED THE WARNING AND DROVE FINE FOR 10 MILES BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. TRY RESTARTING AGAIN TO CLEAR THE WARNING BUT LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON WHEN GOING TO 2ND OR REVERSE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 16, 2019Power trainODI 11232383
“GEARBOX FAILURE SEEMS TO BE COMMON ISSUE ON THE 2010 MODEL. SEEMS A REPLACEMENT MECHATRONICS UNIT OR FULL TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE DONE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2019Power trainODI 11229466
“IT HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING UP TO SPEED, AT ABOUT 50 MPH I GOT A "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" ERROR MESSAGE IN THE CLUSTER AND IT WOULD NOT LET ME ACCELERATE ANYMORE, IT WAS LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD JUST REV UP THE ENGINE. THE MECHATRONICS UNIT ON THESE VEHICLES ARE FAULTY, I KNOW 2 OTHER S4 OWNERS WITH THE YEARS OF 2011 AND 2012 WHO ALSO HAD THEIR MECHATRONICS FAIL ON THEIR S4. ALONG WITH THE GEARBOX MALFUNCTION ERROR ALSO COMES "PARKING BRAKE ERROR" WHO KNOWS WHAT IN THE WORLD CAN HAPPEN WHEN THAT MESSAGE COMES UP. IS IT GOING TO SUDDENLY APPLY THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE GOING 50-70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSE A POSSIBILITY OF A VERY BAD ACCIDENT? THE REPAIR IS VERY PRICEY FOR THE MECHATRONIC UNIT THAT GOES BAD, IT IS NO COINCIDENCE MANY OF THESE S4 MODELS HAVE THESE GO BAD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 30, 2019Power train, Electrical systemODI 11217005
“VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE MECHATRONICS UNIT ON MY CAR IS FAILING AND JUST MANY MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. THE VEHICLE CAN STOP ENGAGING GEARS AT ANY SPEED AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AT ANY SPEED, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 29, 2019Power train, Electrical systemODI 11210713

Showing 6 of 42 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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