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2005 Audi S4: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

43 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

56,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 34 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 43 complaints (67.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting24.7%
Braking behavior24.7%
Steering behavior24.7%
Electrical and battery issues12.3%

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.

Exterior Lighting
29
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
5
Electrical System
3
Air Bags
2
Air Bags:Frontal
2
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
1
Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Exterior Lighting29
Exterior Lighting:Headlights5
Electrical System3
Air Bags2
Air Bags:Frontal2
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine2
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel1
Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers1

Exterior Lighting: 29; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 5; Electrical System: 3; Air Bags: 2; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 1; Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
2
25,000 to 49,999
12
50,000 to 74,999
12
75,000 to 99,999
4
100,000 to 149,999
4
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0002
25,000 to 49,99912
50,000 to 74,99912
75,000 to 99,9994
100,000 to 149,9994
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 0

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 9 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.

2006
1
2007
3
2008
1
2009
3
2010
11
2011
7
2012
4
2013
2
2014
3
2015
2
2016
1
2017
3
2018
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20061
20073
20081
20093
201011
20117
20124
20132
20143
20152
20161
20173
20182

2006: 1; 2007: 3; 2008: 1; 2009: 3; 2010: 11; 2011: 7; 2012: 4; 2013: 2; 2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 2

Pattern summary

Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10170864 · 2006-10-15 (October 15, 2006)

CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH ITS HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH CONDENSATION INSIDE, THEREFORE CUTTING ON THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT FROM HEADLIGHTS. AUDI REFUSED TO OFFER ANY HELP TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM, THEREFORE MAKING DRIVING IN THE DARK VERY DANGEROUS.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10170864 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10182302 · 2007-02-12 (February 12, 2007)

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2005 VOLKSWAGEN AUDI WITH 1000 FAILURE MILEAGE ONLY IN THE RAIN OR FOG, CONDENSATION BUILDS UP IN HIS HEAD LIGHTS AND EFFECTS THE ABILITY TO SEE AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO REFUSED TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE CONDENSATION WAS A NATURAL OCCURRENCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55800.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10182302 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10191844 · 2007-05-28 (May 28, 2007)

IN AUGUST 2006 WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 AUDI S4 CONVERTIBLE ON A BUSY STREET IN BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA AT 45-50 MPH, MY CAR DIED WITHOUT WARNING...I.E. NO POWER STEERING, BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE IT OFF-ROAD AND THEN TOWED TO ROYAL AUDI IN BLOOMINGTON, IN. THEY KEPT THE CAR OVER A MONTH THINKING MAYBE I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. HOWEVER, EVENTUALLY THEY SAID IT WAS A FUSE WHICH WAS REPLACED AND THE CAR DROVE FINE. HOWEVER, DRIVING CROSS-COUNTRY IN JANUARY 2007 WHILE ON I40 IN WEST OKLAHOMA, TRYING TO PASS AN ENORMOUS TRUCK, I FOUND I HAD NO BRAK…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191844 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10204600 · 2007-10-01 (October 1, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 AUDI S4. THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL DOES NOT DISPLAY ANY INFORMATION. THE CLUSTER SYMBOLS ARE BROKEN. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204600 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10246401 · 2008-10-22 (October 22, 2008)

2005 AUDI S4 CABRIOLET - REAR WINDOW SEPARATING FROM SOFT CONVERTIBLE TOP. TOP APPEARS TO BE SHRINKING AT THE WINDOW EDGES AS WELL. INDEPENDENT CONVERTIBLE TOP REPAIR FACILITY AS WELL AS LOCAL AUDI DEALER CONFIRM THAT THIS IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE ADHESIVE USED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. AUDI OF AMERICA REFUSES TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE TO DATE. VEHICLE HAS 49,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND HAS BEEN OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY FOR ONLY A FEW WEEKS. REAR WINDOW WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY COME FULLY LOOSE FROM THE TOP SOON, AND COULD EITHER STRIKE A REAR PASSENGE…

Owner-reported narrative. 48,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10246401 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10255287 · 2009-01-16 (January 16, 2009)

FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DURING A FRONT END COLLISION WHILE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED-NO ONE WAS OCCUPYING THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS CENTER BETWEEN THE TWO HEADLIGHTS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255287 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10255547 · 2009-01-19 (January 19, 2009)

THE HEADLAMPS FILL WITH CONDENSATION AFTER ANY SMALL FORM OF PRECIPITATION. THE CONDENSATION DOES NOT SUBSIDE AND THEREFORE MAKES THE HEADLIGHTS INEFFECTIVE AT NIGHT OR IN TIMES OF INCLEMENT WEATHER. THIS MAKES DRIVING DANGEROUS UNDER THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED CONDITIONS. AUDI REFUSES TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE SAYING IT IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE BECAUSE OF VENTS IN THE HID HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. THE ILLINOIS VEHICLE CODE STATES THAT A VEHICLE SHALL, "..BE EQUIPPED WITH AT LEAST 2 LAMPS ON THE POWER OR TOWING UNIT, DISPLAYING A WHITE LIGHT VISIBLE FROM A…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255547 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10295757 · 2009-12-15 (December 15, 2009)

I JUST PURCHASED A 2005 AUDI S4 WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES. THE CAR IS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION AND I AM VERY PLEASED. HOWEVER, BOTH HEADLIGHT UNITS CONTAINED CONSIDERABLE CONDENSATION. IT SERIOUSLY REDUCES MY ABILITY TO CLEARLY SEE AT NIGHT. LAST NIGHT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO USE MY LIGHTS AND I HAD TO KEEP CHECKING TO SEE IF THEY WERE ON. AFTER DISCUSSING THE ISSUE WITH MY LOCAL AUDI SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I WAS TOLD THAT IS NORMAL. THEY SAID TO TAKE IT HOME AND LET IT RUN FOR AN HOUR WITH THE LIGHTS ON. ALSO IF I HAD A HAIR DRYER, THAT …

Owner-reported narrative. 30,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10295757 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

17V032000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

Reported: 2017-01-11 (January 11, 2017)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
18V427000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

Reported: 2018-06-22 (June 22, 2018)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.

NHTSA campaign record ↗