2004 Audi A4
The Verdict
The 2004 Audi A4 has 189 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (80 complaints) and body (50 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 56/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Audi A4, consider the 2024 model year which has 98% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2024 has 98% fewer complaints
View the 2024 Audi A4 dashboard →
Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution
About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 1
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida...
Risk
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. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer ser...
Reported Jan 6, 2016
Get notified if a recall hits this car.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
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Worst Problems
Compare Against
See how the 2004 Audi A4 stacks up against rivals.
Complaints
******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS REQUESTED BY THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WISH TO HAVE IT REMOVED*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******
This took place about a week ago. The car was parked in our driveway when the fire started. My husband had returned home just 15 minutes prior to the fire starting. I noticed there was smoke coming in our living room window. Then I looked at our security camas. And saw smoke pouring out from underneath the hood of my car. We tried to put the fire out with our two hose system set up and it wouldn't go out. So we knew it was electrical. We couldn't get close enough to open the hood so I couldn't pour baking soda on it. Two fire extinguishers later like 10 minutes the firefighters showed up and we're able to put it out. They confirmed that the arch came from the battery terminals /cables. Two of the fireman said they'd never seen anything like this before. Then the car tried to START ITSELF as my husband and the two fireman were standing right in front of the Audi. They had to cut the remaining battery cable that wasn't completely burned through before it stopped. My neighbor has a recording of the whole incident. The engine compartment is destroyed! The engine might be all right but we don't have the finances to do anything but clean up. Oh and for extra fun one of the fireman took an ax the the hood of the A4 cabriolet I have had for maybe a month. Now we have no car and no real means of being able to fix it.
The contact owns a 2004 Audi A4. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the rear windshield became detached from the soft top. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be inspected. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
PRNDS appeared in red on my dash and then started blinking. Went on line regarding this and read about a TCM switch or a lever switch malfunction.Have an appt with mechanic on 8/26/21. From what I have read we are looking at a cost prohibitive repair of several thousands of dollars. Does Audi have any responsibility? Apparently it is a common complaint with the A4 model. Felt loss of power when decelerating.
I WAS DRIVING TO JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA AND CAR HAD SHUT OFF ON ME ON THE HIGHWAY IN YULEE FLORIDA I WAS STUCK ON THE HIGHWAY FOR 7 HRS MY CAR IS STUCK IN FLORIDA
I ORIGINALLY HAD 3 RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE I CALLED IN TO SEE ABOUT GETTING THEM FIXED FREE OF CHARGE AS EXPLAINED IN THE RECALL TECH BULLETIN .THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDED IN GETTING ALL OF MY INFORMATION THEN AFTER DOING SO TELLS ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO UPDATE MY CARS INFO SHORTLY AFTER I WENT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SITE OF THIS RECALL PUT IN MY CARS INFO AGAIN AND ALL THE RECALLS THAT WAS ONCE AVAILABLE FOR MY VEHICLE WAS MYSTERIOUSLY GONE.I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE AND NEVER GOT IT FIXED. NOW THE RECALL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ARE STARTING TO BE NOTICEABLE ON MY VEHICLE SUCH AS THE DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP, DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHTS AND DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SITUATION WHAT CAN I HAVE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE
WHEN ENGINE IS UNDER LOAD WITH A FAULTY FUEL PUMP, THE ENGINE WILL STALL WHILST MOVING WITHOUT TURNING MOTOR OFF. ONLY REMEDY IS TO TURN ENGINE OFF AND ON, SINCE THE FUEL PUMP WILL NOT START ITSELF BACK ON AFTER THE STALL.
MY VEHICLE STARTED UP FINE AND I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, I WAS IDLING AT THE RED LIGHT AND MY CAR SHUT OFF AND SIGNALED THE BATTERY LIGHT. WE TRIED TO JUMP IT THINKING IT WAS THE BATTERY LIKE IT SIGNALED, AND IT WASNT SO WE HAD TO TOW IT. THE CAR STILL DOESNT START. IT CRANKS BUT WONT START AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE HAND AT ALL.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V427000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI NORTH MIAMI (1995 NE 142ND ST, NORTH MIAMI, FL 33181, (305) 952-5900) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
MY AUDI STOPPED BLOWING OUT HEAT FIRST AND THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TOOK IT TO GET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE TESTED IT READ PRESSURE DEFAULT. NOT LONG AFTER MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. NOW MY CAR IS LEAKING COOLANT.
THE HID XENON HEADLIGHTS HAVE DIMMED TO THE POINT WHERE DRIVING AT NIGHT COULD BECOME DIFFICULT. THERE IS A RECALL (05V096000) FOR 2004 AUDI A4'S WITH HID HEADLIGHTS BUT THIS VIN. IS NOT INCLUDED. POSSIBLY A KNOWN PROBLEM TO AUDI.
ON FEBRUARY 20TH I WAS PUTTING SOME ITEMS IN CAR.. I STARTED MY CAR TO GET IT WARM IT WAS VERY COLD OUTSIDE. FOR TEN TO 15 MINUTES THE CAR SAT AND WAS IDLING. I CAME INSIDE TO GET LAST FEW ITEMS TO LOAD INTO VEHICLE. I OPENED BACK PASSENGER DOOR WHEN A LOUD SOUND AS IF A GUNSHOT WENT OFF. TO MY SURPRISE THE FRONT AIRBAG DEPLOYED SMOKE AND DEBRIS THROUGH OUT ME AND MY CAR.
TAKATA AIRBAG INFLATORS, I GOT IN MY CAR AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON , AND IT IS STILL ON. FOR MORE THAN 3 MONTHS NOW
GAS PEDAL BECAME STUCK WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER BY PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE. NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW THIS OCCURRED, BUT IT APPEARED THAT THE PEDAL ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. I SENT AN EMAIL TO AUDI TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY INCIDENCES SIMILAR TO THIS. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 12, 2016.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V079000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
REAR WINDOW OF CONVERTIBLE SOFT TOP FOR 2004 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET. AN OLD ISSUE OFTEN SUFFERED BY AUDI CABRIOLETS FROM 2003-2009. CLAIMED TO BE CAUSED BY THE ADHESIVE THAT AUDI USES. THIS CAN BE CAUSED BY KEEPING THE CAR OUTSIDE INSTEAD OF IN A GARAGE AS PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT CAUSES THE ADHESIVE TO GIVE AWAY AND FAIL, CAUSING THE REAR WINDOW TO SEPARATE FROM THE OUTER LAYER OF THE TOP AND DROP. WHILE THE WINDOW IS STILL TECHNICALLY ATTACHED TO THE INNER LAYER OF THE TOP, THE WINDOW NO LONGER PROTECTS AGAINST WATER. AS A RESULT RAIN CAN SEEP INTO THE NON WATER RESISTANT INNER LAYER OF THE TOP AND THEN CAUSE WATER DAMAGE TO THE REAR SEATS. THIS IS THE CASE WITH MY OWN CAR AND WITH A LARGE ENOUGH NUMBER OF CABRIOLETS THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SETTLED FRANKLY, A GOOD 10 YEARS AGO WHEN THE FIRST CASES WERE BEING NOTICED. I HAVE AS MANY OTHERS HAVE, ATTEMPTED TO USE A TEMPORARY FIX AND AS A RESULT, THERE IS A CLEAR INDUSTRIAL ADHESIVE AROUND THE TOP AND REAR WINDOW TO ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS, IT FAILS WITH CONTINUED USE.
OIL DIPSTICK & SUPPORT TUBE, MADE OF PLASTIC, CRACKS - BRAKES INTO PIECES , BOTH ON THE DIPSTICK & TUBE THAT CAN EASILY GO DOWN THE TUBE INTO THE OIL BELOW. LOOKS LIKE A POOR ENGINEERING DECISION TO USE PLASTIC THAT AFTER YEARS OF HEATING TO NEAR ENGIND TEMPATURES THEN COOLING HAS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF CRANCKIN AND HAVING PIECES FALL INTO THE ENGINE OIL SUPPLY - POSSIBALLY CAUSING ENGIND DAMAGE OR FALIURE. SHOULD BE REPLACED EVERY 5 YEARS OR WITH A METAL STRUCTURE THAT DOESN'T CRACK/BREAK OFF INTO PIECES. I WOULD THINK FROM THE YOUTUBE COMPLAINTS ON HOW TO REPLACE IT I AM NOT ALONE WITH THIS PROIBLEM. DEALER PART SALES MIGHT CONFIRM THE PROBLEM.
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE AUTOMATIC BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGES THE BRAKES WITH NO WARNING. THIS DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLY DEADLY SITUATION HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER AND MANY AUTHORIZED DEALERS.
PREMATURE REAR WINDOW LEAK DUE TO GLUE PROBLEM WHICH RESULTS IN REPLACING COMPLETE TOP DEALERSHIP SAID WINDOW WAS REPAIRED BEFORE ON PREVIOUS OWNER.
WHEN COLD TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE AND LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE USED. DASH WILL READ OUT WITH (LEFT HEADLIGHT DIPPED) ERROR. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE AMONG THIS CAR MODEL
189 total