Audi A4 Recalls (2013-2023)
The Audi A4 has been the subject of 18 recall campaigns on record with NHTSA across the 2013 to 2023 model years. They cluster mostly around the air bags, back over prevention, and engine and engine cooling.
The Audi A4 scores 87 out of 100 (grade A), one of the cleaner recall records among the vehicles we track. That score reflects how serious the recalls are rather than how many. 67% involve a critical safety system, none carried a do-not-drive warning, and 6% were issued in the last three years. How the score works.
Those 18 campaigns span 11 model years of the Audi A4. The single largest affected 342,867 vehicles, over engine and engine cooling. A recall repair is free at a franchised dealer and most never expire, so an older open recall is still worth fixing. Beyond recalls, you can also see the most common A4 problems owners report and its crash-test safety ratings.
The full record is below, grouped first by model year and then listed in detail. Each entry gives the defect NHTSA describes, the safety risk it creates, the manufacturer's remedy, the number of vehicles in that campaign, and the dates. A recall covers a whole production run, so a campaign listed for the Audi A4 may not apply to your exact vehicle, and one you have already had repaired will still appear in the history. To see what is actually open and unfixed on a specific car, check its 17-digit VIN.
Audi A4 recalls by model year
Recall activity by model year. Select a year to jump to its recalls below. Older years often carry more recalls simply because defects surface over time.
Audi A4 recalls by affected system
Which vehicle systems the recalls touch, using NHTSA's component groups. Select a system to see how it is recalled across every make and model.
Recalls by model year
2022 Audi A4 Recalls
3 recalls affect the 2022 Audi A4, involving the back over prevention, equipment, and engine and engine cooling.
2021 Audi A4 Recalls
4 recalls affect the 2021 Audi A4, involving the suspension, back over prevention, and tires.
2020 Audi A4 Recalls
3 recalls affect the 2020 Audi A4, involving the suspension, tires, and air bags.
2018 Audi A4 Recalls
4 recalls affect the 2018 Audi A4, involving the air bags, seats, and structure.
2017 Audi A4 Recalls
6 recalls affect the 2017 Audi A4, involving the air bags, seats, and structure.
2016 Audi A4 Recalls
3 recalls affect the 2016 Audi A4, involving the engine and engine cooling and electrical system.
2015 Audi A4 Recalls
4 recalls affect the 2015 Audi A4, involving the engine and engine cooling, electrical system, and air bags.
2014 Audi A4 Recalls
4 recalls affect the 2014 Audi A4, involving the engine and engine cooling, electrical system, and air bags.
2013 Audi A4 Recalls
4 recalls affect the 2013 Audi A4, involving the engine and engine cooling, electrical system, and air bags.
Every Audi A4 recall in detail
Select any recall to read the full defect, risk, and remedy text. Do Not Drive and Park Outside warnings stay visible without opening anything.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2023 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 91
- Reported
- Apr 3, 2024
- Owners notified
- May 8, 2024
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Audi S5 Cabriolet, A4 Allroad, Q5 Sportback, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, SQ7, TT Coupe, TT Roadster, RS5 Sportback, 2024 A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q8, RSQ8, 2023-2024 Q3, Q5, and Q7 vehicles. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the occupant detection system (ODS) control module may loosen and deactivate the front passenger air bag.
Risk: A deactivated front passenger air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant detection system control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 8, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69GU.
NHTSA campaign number 24V251000.
Back Over Prevention
- Affected years
- 2022 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 6,076
- Reported
- Oct 26, 2022
- Owners notified
- Jun 6, 2023
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 AUDI A8, A6 Allroad, E-TRON Quattro, 2022 S3, RSQ8, RS7, RS6 Avant, Q8, Q7, Q3, E-TRON Sportback Quattro, S5 Cabriolet, E-TRON GT, S5 Sportback, A7, A6, A5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, A4, A4 Allroad, A3, S8, SQ7, SQ8, S6, and S4 vehicles. The infotainment main unit may become damaged internally when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display the next time the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the infotainment main unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91Ei.
NHTSA campaign number 22V806000.
Back Over Prevention
- Affected years
- 2021 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 170,296
- Reported
- Oct 5, 2022
- Owners notified
- Oct 25, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A blank rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.
NHTSA campaign number 22V742000.
Engine And Engine Cooling
- Affected years
- 2022 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 72
- Reported
- May 23, 2022
- Owners notified
- Jul 18, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022 Audi A6 Sedan, A4 Sedan, Q5, and Q5 Sportback vehicles. The semiconductor inside the engine control unit may short-circuit and cause an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine control unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 24iH.
NHTSA campaign number 22V368000.
Suspension
- Affected years
- 2020-2021 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 31,058
- Reported
- Jan 26, 2022
- Owners notified
- Mar 3, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
NHTSA campaign number 22V034000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2017-2020 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 208,332
- Reported
- Nov 10, 2021
- Owners notified
- Jan 7, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles. The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) may have a contact fault, causing the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
Risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Recall 19V-547 (74D9). Vehicles previously repaired under 19V-547 will need to return for the new remedy.
NHTSA campaign number 21V874000.
Back Over Prevention
- Affected years
- 2022 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 2,857
- Reported
- Oct 20, 2021
- Owners notified
- Nov 9, 2021
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8 and S8, 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, A4 Sedan, E-Tron GT, Q3, Q5, RS6 Avant, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RSQ8, SQ7, SQ8, and S3 Sedan vehicles. A software error may prevent the rear-view image from initially displaying when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rear-view camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment unit parameters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 9, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91CR.
NHTSA campaign number 21V825000.
Seat Belts
- Affected years
- 2021 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 45,496
- Reported
- Aug 5, 2021
- Owners notified
- Aug 27, 2021
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).
NHTSA campaign number 21V606000.
Suspension
- Affected years
- 2020-2021 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 40,993
- Reported
- Apr 26, 2021
- Owners notified
- Jun 4, 2021
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
NHTSA campaign number 21V295000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2017-2018 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 145,337
- Reported
- Jul 24, 2019
- Owners notified
- Sep 9, 2019
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2018 S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, S4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, and 2017-2018 A4 Sedan and A4 Allroad vehicles. Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) connecting cable may cause the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
Risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.
NHTSA campaign number 19V547000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2017-2018 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 12
- Reported
- Nov 27, 2018
- Owners notified
- Dec 19, 2018
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback and 2017-2018 Audi A4 Allroad vehicles. A passenger air bag module mounting screw may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly affecting the deployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the air bag does not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of an injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag mounting screw, tightening or replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y4.
NHTSA campaign number 18V836000.
Engine And Engine Cooling
- Affected years
- 2013-2016 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 342,867
- Reported
- Apr 11, 2018
- Owners notified
- Sep 14, 2018
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump.
Risk: A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.
NHTSA campaign number 18V229000.
Structure
- Affected years
- 2017-2018 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 31,323
- Reported
- Oct 25, 2017
- Owners notified
- Mar 13, 2018
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad, and 2018 A5 Sportback vehicles. The aluminum trim on the front and rear doors can come loose from around the door speakers, leaving sharp edges exposed.
Risk: The sharp edges of the speaker trim increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the speaker cover aluminum trim, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 70G6.
NHTSA campaign number 17V675000.
Electrical System
- Affected years
- 2013-2016 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 216,913
- Reported
- Oct 5, 2017
- Owners notified
- Nov 27, 2017
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.
Risk: The melted wires can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 80C5 and 80C6.
NHTSA campaign number 17V622000.
Engine And Engine Cooling
- Affected years
- 2013-2016 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 342,867
- Reported
- Jan 3, 2017
- Owners notified
- Mar 3, 2017
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating.
Risk: If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.
NHTSA campaign number 17V002000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2017 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 5,947
- Reported
- Dec 29, 2016
- Owners notified
- Feb 28, 2017
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the air bags and/or the seat belt pretensioners do not inflate or function properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags and seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
NHTSA campaign number 16V955000.
Electrical System
- Affected years
- 2017 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 79,895
- Reported
- Sep 6, 2016
- Owners notified
- Nov 1, 2016
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 TT roadster, A3 cabriolet, A3 sedan and A3 e-tron, 2016-2017 TT coupe, 2017 A4 sedan and Q7 and 2015-2017 Q3 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97CB.
NHTSA campaign number 16V642000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2013-2015 Audi A4
- Vehicles in this recall
- 101,938
- Reported
- Oct 24, 2014
- Owners notified
- Nov 11, 2014
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Audi A4 and S4 vehicles manufactured February 16, 2012, to October 21, 2014, and 2013-2015 Audi Allroad vehicles manufactured March 12, 2012, to October 21, 2014. Due to an improper algorithm in the air bag control module, if a crash necessitates deployment of the side air bags, a second impact to the front of the vehicle may not command the front air bags to also deploy.
Risk: If the front air bags do not deploy in the event of a secondary impact to the front of the vehicle, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will update the air bag control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on November 14, 2014. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69K5.
NHTSA campaign number 14V667000.
Common questions about Audi A4 recalls
- Does the Audi A4 have any recalls?
- Yes. NHTSA has 18 recall campaigns on record for the Audi A4 across the 2013 to 2023 model years. The most common areas are the air bags, back over prevention, and engine and engine cooling.
- How many times has the Audi A4 been recalled?
- The Audi A4 has 18 recall campaigns from the 2013 to 2023 model years. A single campaign often covers several model years at once, so the number of recalls is not the same as the number of years affected.
- What is the most serious Audi A4 recall?
- The most serious recall on record involves the engine and engine cooling, affecting 342,867 vehicles. A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
- Which Audi A4 model year has the most recalls?
- The 2017 Audi A4 has the most, with 6 recall campaigns on record. Older model years often pick up more recalls over time, since defects can surface years after a car is built.
- How do I check if my Audi A4 has an open recall?
- Enter your 17-digit VIN on the recall check page. It returns the recalls tied to your exact vehicle straight from NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer, with no expiration on most safety recalls.
Recall data comes from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. For how it is sourced and how the safety score is built, see the methodology and data sources. This page is a reference, not legal or safety advice.