2001 Audi S4
The Verdict
The 2001 Audi S4 has 87 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (52 complaints) and body (20 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 76/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Audi S4, consider the 2015 model year which has 98% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2015 has 98% fewer complaints
View the 2015 Audi S4 dashboard →
Klunk Score: Solid Pick
Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.
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.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
I took the vehicle into the dealer (Westwood Audi) for a Safety Recall repair as requested by Audi. It was for a Driver Front Airbag Inflator replacement. The work was done but when the car was returned the airbag warning light was on. I went back in to the service department and was told that the airbag module had failed and that the part was no longer available from Audi. An aftermarket part could be installed but I would have to pay for part and the repair. No cost estimate has been given. I called Audi of America and they said that the Dealer told them that they didn't break it so they will not cover the cost of repair. I have owned this car for 20 years and it is in exceptional condition. I took it to the Dealer in perfect condition for an airbag repair and got it back with an air bag warning light on and they say they didn't do it? Now I have a car without functioning airbags. Anything that you can do to help resolve this?
Instrument cluster that shows safety information doesn't work so don't know what's issue with car
I JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK UP RECALLS AND SAW THE COMPLAINTS ON THE AUDI S4 2001. I NOTICED MY CAR WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHERE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS LOST PIXELS AND ENDS UP UNREADABLE FOR ALL WARNINGS AND MANUFACTURER PROGRAMMED SAFETY WARNINGS. IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR YEARS AND DID ASK MY DEALER HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX IT AND IT WAS INSANE. IT IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. AUDI SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT. I DIDN'T REALIZE OTHER AUDI'S WERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. MAYBE IF MORE PEOPLE COMPLAIN, AUDI WILL BE FORCED TO FIX IT.
YOKOHAMA YK520 335/45R/17 TIRES... DRIVING ALONG WITH MY 2001 AUDI S4 AND STARTED NOTICING A WOBBLE OR SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. KEPT GETTING WORSE. THE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 20K MILES ON THEM SO I THOUGH I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. (ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS BEEN UPGRADED).. I TOOK THE TIRES OFF TO MAKE SURE I DIDN;T HAVE A BENT RIM AND NOTICED BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE WORN OUT/CUT ON THE OUTER CORNER/LIP OF THE TIRES. I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE CONTROL ARMS. MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT THEM AND TOLD ME THAT THE BELTS HAD SEPARATED ON BOTH TIRES CAUSING THE TIRE TO "DEFORM" AND THEN HIT MY CONTROL ARMS/WISHBONE. HE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER 100 MILES AND BOTH FRONT TIRES WOULD HAVE BLOWN APART. THAT REALLY SOUNDED LIKE FUN ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS...! I ROTATED THE FRONT TIRES WITH THE "GOOD" REAR TIRES, AND HAVE CHECKED THEM EVERY 20 MILES. ABSOLUTELY NO HITTING OR RUBBING ON ANYTHING. SO YES, THE BELTS HAD SEPARATED. *TR
COLD START ON A COLD JANUARY MORNING (5 DEGREES F); UPON STARTING THE CAR THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. RESEARCH (DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALER AND AIR BAG REPAIR BUSINESSES) INDICATE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON DEFECT FOR AUDI S4, MODEL YEAR 2001 AND THAT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE (COMPUTER) WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT AN EXORBITANT COST. AIRBAG SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE WITH THE WARNING LIGHT IN A LIT STATE. ON LINE AUDI FORUMS INDICATE THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM ON THESE CARS. *TR
1. ALL THE TIME 2. THE FAILURE MAKES ME UNABLE TO SEE THE WARNING ICONS DUE TO THE DEAD PIXELS IN MY CLUSTER (DASH COMPUTER) 3. NO REPAIR WAS DONE. *TR
INFORMATION DISPLAY ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS FAILING; PIXELS NO LONGER OPERATE RENDERING THE DISPLAY USELESS. DISPLAY IS USED TO INFORM THE DRIVER OF VITAL SAFETY INFORMATION BUT WITH FAILED DISPLAY THE IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION CANNOT BE READ! *TR
1) THERE IS NO TRIGGERING EVENT LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. IT JUST APPEARS OVER TIME. 2) THE LCD SCREEN IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS LINES OF PIXELS THAT DO NOT LIGHT UP. THIS IS CONSTANT, WITH MORE LINES OF PIXELS GOING OUT AND PERMANENTLY STAYING OUT OVER TIME. AS A CONSEQUENCE, IMPORTANT WARNING MESSAGES ARE NOT DISPLAYED OR READABLE; SUCH AS WORN OUT BRAKE PADS, FUEL LOW WARNING, WASHER FLUID LOW WARNING, ETC. IF THESE WARNINGS ARE NOT DISPLAYED, THE VEHICLE MAY RUN OUT OF GAS WITHOUT WARNING AND STALL WHILE OPERATING, OR BRAKES MAY WEAR DOWN TO THE POINT OF LOSING EFFECTIVENESS WITHOUT WARNING, OR BE LEFT WITHOUT WASHER FLUID WITHOUT WARNING. *TR
DEAD PIXELS IN INSTRUMENT WARNING DISPLAY. *TR
I OWN A 2001 AUDI S4. THE CENTER DISPLAY ON THE GAUGE CLUSTER IS FAILING DUE TO MISSING PIXELS. THE CENTER DISPLAY NORMALLY DISPLAYS CRITICAL SAFETY INFORMATION REGARDING FAILING ENGINE AND BODY COMPONENTS. IT IS ALWAYS MISSING PIXELS, AND IS NEVER CLEAR ENOUGH TO READ PROPERLY. RECENTLY, I DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK AND THE CENTER DISPLAY WASN'T CLEAR ENOUGH TO SEE THE LOW OIL WARNING LIGHT. AS A RESULT I WAS STRANDED IN SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. I AM CURRENTLY REPAIRING THE ENGINE FAR BEYOND WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY, HAD THE CENTER DISPLAY BEEN WORKING CORRECTLY. I HAVE NOT YET REPAIRED THE DISPLAY, BECAUSE THE DEALER IS ASKING $1000 FOR REPLACEMENT. I KNOW IT A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, AND DUE TO THE AGE, IS REACHING A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF FAILURE. I DON'T THINK THAT FAILING SAFETY EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ITEM FOR ANYONE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS A HIGH DOLLAR ITEM. *TR
INFORMATION DISPLAY ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS FAILING; PIXELS NO LONGER OPERATE RENDERING THE DISPLAY USELESS. DISPLAY IS USED TO INFORM THE DRIVER OF VITAL SAFETY INFORMATION BUT WITH FAILED DISPLAY THE IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION CANNOT BE READ! *TR
1. PURCHASED A 2001 S4 2. THE AUTO CHECK SYSTEM IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DOES NOT WORK ESPECIALLY WHEN WARM. CRITICAL SAFETY INFORMATION IS NO LONGER DISPLAYED. 3. WAS QUOTED OBSCENE AMOUNTS BY AUDI DEALERS TO REPLACE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *TR
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS LOST PIXELS AND ENDS UP UNREADABLE FOR ALL WARNINGS AND MANUFACTURER PROGRAMMED SAFETY WARNINGS. *TR
I BOTH OWN A 2001 AUDI A4 AND 2001 AUDI S4.. ON BOTH THE RED LCD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SCREEN HAS FAILED TO THE POINT WHERE NOTHING ON THAT SCREEN IS LEGIBLE. THE SCREEN IS DESIGNED TO SHOW MILEAGE, SPEED WARNING, RUN TIME AND OTHER FUNCTIONS. THE PIXELS HAVE CEASED TO FUNCTION TO THE POINT BEYOND RECOGNITION. I SHARE THIS PROBLEM WITH A VERY LARGE GROUP OF AUDI OWNERS OF THE SAME AND/OR SIMILAR MODEL. THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE EXPANDS INTERNATIONALLY AND AUDI CLEARLY KNOWS THAT THIS IS A PRONE TO FAILURE PART. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 AUDI S4. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL EVENTUALLY APPEARED IN FULL VIEW. THE FAILURE LATER RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
CLUSTER LED LIGHTING FAILURE.. PIXELS ARE EITHER DIMMED OR NOT WORKING CORRECTLY LEAVING DIFFICULTY TO SEE THE SPEED OF VEHICLE. *TR
THE B5 (2000-2002) AUDI S4, LCDS ON GAUGE CLUSTER WHICH DISPLAY VALUABLE SAFETY INFORMATION, IS FAULTY ON EVERY S4 I'VE EVER SEEN. EVERYONE ON EVERY FORUM I FREQUENT, THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
MY "DRIVER INFORMATION DISPLAY" HASN'T WORKED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2005. IT'S A 2001 AUDI S4. THE DISPLAY IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAYS IMPORTANT VEHICLE INFORMATION VITAL TO THE DRIVERS SAFETY AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LCD SCREEN ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL (DRIVER INFORMATION DISPLAY) CONTINUES TO VANISH, PREVENTING HIM FROM READING THE INFORMATION ON THE DISPLAY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 03/13/08. *LJ
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PIXELS ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL FAILED, WHICH PREVENTS HIM FROM READING THE AUTO CHECK SYSTEM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 7,200.
87 total