Research · complaint index
Audi S4 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 17 model years of the Audi S4 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2000, 2010, 2001 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 0.2 | 4 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2020 | 17 | 2 | 1.7 | 3 | 0 | Typical |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2018 | 7 | 1 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 | Typical |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2014 | 17 | 1 | 0.9 | 1 | 0 | Typical |
| 2013 | 33 | 2 | 1.6 | 1 | 0 | Typical |
| 2012 | 22 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | Typical |
| 2011 | 26 | 2 | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | Typical |
| 2010 | 60 | 4 | 2.5 | 0 | 2 | Most complaints |
| 2008 | 4 | 0 | 0.1 | 2 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2006 | 30 | 1 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | Typical |
| 2005 | 43 | 2 | 1.4 | 2 | 2 | Typical |
| 2004 | 29 | 1 | 0.9 | 1 | 0 | Typical |
| 2002 | 22 | 1 | 0.6 | 1 | 0 | Typical |
| 2001 | 87 | 3 | 2.3 | 1 | 4 | Most complaints |
| 2000 | 143 | 5 | 3.7 | 1 | 6 | Most complaints |
- 20212 complaints · 4 recallsFewest complaints
- 202017 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 20192 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 20187 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 20151 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 201417 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 201333 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 201222 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 201126 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 201060 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
- 20084 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
- 200630 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 200543 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 200429 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 200222 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 200187 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 2000143 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 30, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2015, 2008, 2019, 2021.
About this comparison
What Audi S4 years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2000, 2010, 2001 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 17 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.