2006 Audi A4 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
295 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 194 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 158 of 295 complaints (53.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 14 | 4.7% |
| Braking behavior | 11 | 3.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 3.1% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 2.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 2.0% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 1.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 158 |
| Air Bags | 73 |
| Electrical System | 20 |
| Engine | 15 |
| Power Train | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 6 |
Exterior Lighting: 158; Air Bags: 73; Electrical System: 20; Engine: 15; Power Train: 8; Unknown Or Other: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 54 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 65 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 38 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 20 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 54; 50,000 to 74,999: 65; 75,000 to 99,999: 38; 100,000 to 149,999: 20; 150,000 and above: 4
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (65). 101 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 |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 25 |
| 2010 | 61 |
| 2011 | 26 |
| 2012 | 31 |
| 2013 | 21 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 26 |
| 2017 | 40 |
| 2018 | 17 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2006: 5; 2007: 2; 2008: 6; 2009: 25; 2010: 61; 2011: 26; 2012: 31; 2013: 21; 2014: 16; 2015: 11; 2016: 26; 2017: 40; 2018: 17; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 14 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 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 10262690 · 2009-03-22 (March 22, 2009)
EXTREME VIBRATIONS ARE OCCURRING WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND IN GEAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT NEW. IT NOW HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES. THE VIBRATION LEVELS VARY AND CAN FLUCTUATE. WHEN VIBRATIONS ARE HIGH THE VIBRATION IS NAUSEATING OCCURS EVERY DAY. DEALER STATES AUDI WILL NOT DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM AS IT MAY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10262690 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10285191 · 2009-09-25 (September 25, 2009)
I HAVE A 2006 AUDI A4, AUTOMATIC-TRIPTONIC TRANSMISSION, 2.0 TURBO AND I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE PREVIOUS OWNER PURCHASED THE CAR IN OCT 2005 AND IN LATE 2006, THE TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN AND AUDI HAD REPAIRED IT AT NO CHARGE AT AN AUDI SERVICE CENTER. I BOUGHT THE CAR ON OCT 2007 AND BY MID-2008, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND JOLTED IN A VERY BUSY PARKING LOT WITH MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE BACK. MY HUSBAND DECIDED TO DROP US OFF AND TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME BECAUSE HE KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THE CAR AS IT…
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10285191 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10156411 · 2006-04-28 (April 28, 2006)
2006 AUDI A4 2.0T, PARKED ON A HILL, PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AND CAR WAS IN GEAR. CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER CAR. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 55 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156411 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10187940 · 2007-04-05 (April 5, 2007)
2006 AUDI A4 CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES ARE SQUEAKING VERY LOUD AND CUSTOMER WANTS AUDI TO FIX IT**CC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10187940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10296766 · 2009-12-22 (December 22, 2009)
INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION. THE LEFT HEADLIGHT HAS MALFUNCTIONED (TURNED OFF), WITH NO CONSISTENT CAUSE APPARENT. THE SPECIFIC ERROR MESSAGE THAT APPEARS IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION SCREEN IS "LEFT HEADLIGHT DIPPED". THIS CONDITION IS BOTH UNSAFE, AND ILLEGAL - AS MANY STATES WILL ISSUE A TRAFFIC VIOLATION FOR DRIVING WITH A NON-FUNCTIONING HEADLIGHT. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 12-15 TIMES, THE HEADLIGHT FLICKERS, THEN GOES OUT, BUT WILL COME BACK ON WHEN THE CAR IS RESTARTED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM, AND HAS CLAIMED T…
Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10296766 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10297571 · 2009-12-30 (December 30, 2009)
INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION. OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR AND A HALF OF OWNERSHIP, BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT HEADLIGHTS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED (FLICKERED AND THEN TURNED OFF), WITH NO CONSISTENT CAUSE APPARENT. THE SPECIFIC ERROR MESSAGE THAT APPEARS IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION SCREEN IS "LEFT/RIGHT HEADLIGHT DIPPED". THIS CONDITION IS BOTH UNSAFE, AND ILLEGAL - AS MANY STATES WILL ISSUE A TRAFFIC VIOLATION FOR DRIVING WITH A NON-FUNCTIONING HEADLIGHT. IT HAS HAPPENED OVER 10 TIMES, THE HEADLIGHT FLICKERS, THEN GOES OUT, BUT WILL COME BACK ON WHEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10297571 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10167825 · 2006-09-11 (September 11, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 58 MPH ON ALL ROAD CONDITIONS, THERE WAS AN EXTREME VIBRATION PHYSICALLY FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE STEERING WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ROAD FEEDBACK THROUGH THE STEERING VIBRATIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 10/30/06. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167825 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10168539 · 2006-09-18 (September 18, 2006)
THE PROBLEM IS A STEERING WHEEL SHAKE THAT SETS UP A DISTRACTING VIBRATION AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 50-60 MPH. THE STRENGTH OF THE VIBRATION IS VARIED AS THE VIBRATIONS CAN BE STRONG OR WEAK AND AT TIMES, EVEN FEEL AS IF THEY ARE NOT THERE. THE DANGER IS THAT THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN ANSWER AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. IT'S RELATED TO STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. BECOMES VERY DISCONCERTING CREATING A NERVOUS DRIVER AS THE SENSATION FROM THE VIBRATIONS IS ONE OF "LACK OF CONTROL". TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED, REBALANCED AND TIRE PRESSURES CHECKE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10168539 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10194129 · 2007-06-25 (June 25, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT DROVE OVER A PIECE OF WOOD THAT PUNCTURED HIS PLASTIC GAS TANK. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE GAS TANK NEEDED REPLACING. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 16,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10194129 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10472972 · 2012-08-29 (August 29, 2012)
CAR HESITATED UNDER ACCELERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. CAR CONTINUED TO HAVE ACCELERATION AND IDLING PROBLEMS. ISSUES DUE TO CAM FOLLOWER WEARING PREMATURELY CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMS, DAMAGE TO ENGINE REQUIRING TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 76,269 miles reported. Look up ODI 10472972 at NHTSA ↗