Audi A4 ALLROAD problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
251 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
36,338 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 to 2024 model years. Data snapshot: . 166 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 67 of 251 complaints (26.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 72 | 28.7% |
| Braking behavior | 19 | 7.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 10 | 4.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 3.2% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 1.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 67 |
| Electrical System | 44 |
| Engine | 40 |
| Unknown Or Other | 32 |
| Air Bags | 30 |
| Power Train | 17 |
| Back Over Prevention: Warnings | 11 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 10 |
Steering: 67; Electrical System: 44; Engine: 40; Unknown Or Other: 32; Air Bags: 30; Power Train: 17; Back Over Prevention: Warnings: 11; Fuel/Propulsion System: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 66 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 37 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 38 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 19 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 66; 25,000 to 49,999: 37; 50,000 to 74,999: 38; 75,000 to 99,999: 19; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (66). 85 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 13 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 25 |
| 2018 | 70 |
| 2019 | 52 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 34 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2012: 1; 2013: 16; 2014: 13; 2015: 8; 2016: 12; 2017: 25; 2018: 70; 2019: 52; 2021: 1; 2022: 7; 2023: 5; 2024: 3; 2025: 34; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 72 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10494775 · 2013-01-25 (January 25, 2013)
AFTER 3500 MILES THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A "NOTCHY" SENSATION IN THE STEERING FEEL THAT VARIED IN INTENSITY AND WOULD OCCUR AT RANDOM TIMES. THIS NOTCHY SENSATION WOULD OCCUR ANY SPEED ABOVE 20MPH, AS IF SWITCHED ON. WHEN SYMPTOMS WOULD OCCUR THERE WOULD BE A HEAVY, NOTCHY FEELING ON EITHER SIDE OF STRAIGHT STEER THAT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF FORCE TO OVERCOME AND THEN ONCE FEELING LIKE THE WHEEL IS OVER THE NOTCH, IT WOULD OVER CORRECT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A LANE. THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE PLACED IN THOSE NOTCH POSITIONS, AS IF TR…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10494775 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10495251 · 2013-01-30 (January 30, 2013)
AT ANY SPEED, MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL THROUGH CENTER PRESENTS A "NOTCHY" FEEL, WHERE RESISTANCE IS FELT AND THEN THE WHEEL JUMPS TO ANOTHER POSITION. THESE "NOTCHES" ARE FELT THROUGH ABOUT 10-20 DEGREES OFF CENTER. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE AS THE STEERING FIGHTS THE DRIVER TO REMAIN ON-CENTER. THE DEALER, WHEN CONTACTED, REPLACED THE "STEERING RACK", WHICH MADE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY. I HAVE READ A DOZEN OR MORE REPORTS FROM OTHER 2013 AUDI A4/A5/S4/S5/ALLROAD OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE, AND AT L…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10495251 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10639236 · 2014-09-26 (September 26, 2014)
MY DRIVEWAY IS ON A SLIGHT DOWN-SLOPE. WHEN PARKED THERE WITH MY AUDI A4 2.0T'S FRONT END FACING DOWN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I PUT MY AUDI IN REVERSE, MOVE MY FOOT FROM BRAKE TO THE GAS PEDAL AND ATTEMPT TO BACK UP THE DOWN-SLOPE, BUT MY AUDI AGGRESSIVELY ROLLS FORWARD AS I CONTINUE TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO BACK UP. I CAN ROLL FORWARD 3' TO 6' BEFORE REVERSE GEAR KICKS IN AND WHEN IT DOES THE LAUNCHES BACKWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED OUT DRIVEWAY INTO THE PATH PEDESTRIANS WHO I'VE NEARLY HIT AND GOES ON INTO STREET TRAFFIC WHERE I HAVE ALMO…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10639236 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10663235 · 2014-12-09 (December 9, 2014)
WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN LEFT ACROSS TRAFFIC, LET OFF BRAKE TO ACCELERATE WHILE TURNING WHEN THE ENGINE HESITATED. PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AT THIS MOMENT RESULTED IN MINIMAL CAR MOVEMENT PLACING MY CAR IN THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL MORE AND THE CAR FINALLY OVER ACCELERATED RESULTING IN SOME LOSS OF CONTROL IN THE TURN. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE NOTICED ENGINE HESITATION FROM A STOP. THE SAME HESITATION HAS OCCURRED AT FOUR WAY STOPS AND STOP LIGHTS. THE ENGINE HESITATION OCCURS MORE…
Owner-reported narrative. 17,584 miles reported. Look up ODI 10663235 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10884552 · 2016-07-13 (July 13, 2016)
CAR FAILS TO START VIA THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. YOU HAVE TO WIGGLE THE KEY TO GET THE IGNITION TO START. BATTERY IN KEY FOB IS OK AS IT OPENS AND LOCKS THE CAR WITH NO ISSUE. SEEMS TO BE A SOFTWARE, OR LOOSE CONNECTION ISSUE.
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10884552 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11102653 · 2018-06-19 (June 19, 2018)
KNOWN TSB BY AUDI FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING SHAFT. TURNING BECOMES DIFFICULT AND HAPPENS RANDOMLY. SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. HAPPENS WHEN BOTH STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. I FEAR THAT IF THIS HAPPENS AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED THAT I COULD CRASH.
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11102653 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10915572 · 2016-10-12 (October 12, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A4. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT VIBRATED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT VALVE FRACTURED, WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10915572 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11011564 · 2017-07-30 (July 30, 2017)
MY CAR DEVELOPED A FUEL TANK LEAK SPONTANEOUSLY. I NOTICED THAT AFTER FILLING MY TANK AND ONLY DRIVING 100MILES BACK AND FORTH FROM WORK OVER 2-3 DAYS THE I HAD TO REFUEL. AND THEN I NOTICED A HUGE POOL OF GASOLINE AFTER I LEFT MY PARKED AND SAW FUEL DRIPPING FROM THE BOTTOM. AND THEN MY CAR SMELLED OF GAS WHEN I TURNED ON MY CAR. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THERE WAS FUEL TANK LEAK...I COULD'VE DIED IN AN EXPLOSION OF FIRE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT AUDI HAS HAD 241K RECALLS BUT THE INDICATOR LIGHT IN CAR DOESN'T GO OFF TO NOTIFY YOU OF M…
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11011564 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11140029 · 2018-10-12 (October 12, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUDI VALENCIA (23923 CREEKSIDE RD, VALENCIA, CA 91355, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,029.
Owner-reported narrative. 43,029 miles reported. Look up ODI 11140029 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11193795 · 2019-04-04 (April 4, 2019)
EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ROUGH IDLING, LOSS OF POWER, CAR WILL NOT TURN ON. 2017 IT DID THE SAME THING, FOUND ELECTRICAL FAULT NEAR GAS TANK (COULD HAVE BLOWN UP). AUDI FIX AT GOODWILL. COMPRESSION OF ENGINE WAS NEVER CHECKED. 2019 SAME THINGS HAPPENING, ENGINE LOST COMPRESSION IN 2 CYLINDERS. ALL SERVICES DONE AT AUDI. TOLD NEW ENGINE $10K-13K AND THEY WILL NOT HELP COVER COSTS. ONLY 60'000 MILES DONE ON THE CAR AND NO OVERHEATING ISSUES EVER.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11193795 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
2013: 4; 2014: 4; 2015: 4; 2016: 3; 2017: 5; 2018: 3; 2019: 0; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 0