Used Audi A4 Saloon 2015-2024 reliability
Category: Executive car
The Audi A4 is a highly refined executive saloon with an upmarket interior. It's also terrific value used.
What should I look for in a used Audi A4 saloon?
When viewing a used car, always follow our used car buying checklist.
Many A4s will have been company or lease cars and, as a result, you should check the condition of the paintwork carefully. Most unsightly scuffs and dings will have been attended to at the end of the lease period, but these can often be of the ‘Smart’ repair type and the quality of finish can vary. Also, check for swirls in the paintwork from car washes.
The high-quality materials used in the A4 disguise high mileage well, making it an ideal candidate for clocking. Ensure the history is absolutely watertight and there are no mileage discrepancies. Look at the seats, pedals and steering wheel to make sure wear is commensurate with mileage. Despite the A4’s reputation for having a great interior, there have been some issues with rattling parcel shelves and buzzing from interior trims.
There have been some problems with the car’s infotainment system, with phones not connecting properly and flickering screens being the main complaints. The latest software from Audi can cure some of these ills.
There are no specific diesel problems to be aware of, other than diesel particulate filter (DPF) issues that can affect modern diesel engines if they don’t get hot enough for the DPF to regenerate. If the majority of your driving will be short urban trips, then a petrol-engined model is a better bet.
What are the most common problems with a used Audi A4 saloon?
At the time of writing, the Audi A4 has 17 recalls listed, which is unusually high. To check whether a car has been affected, you can contact your local Audi dealer. You will not need to pay for anything involving the recall.
Reason for recall
The back-rests of the front seats may not have been assembled correctly. This may increase risk of injury to occupants during a collision.
How the manufacturer will repair: On affected vehicles, check frames and if necessary replace affected components.
Number of affected vehicles: 201
Date of recall: 26/01/2017
Reason for recall
Due to an error in the manufacturing process, the air bag and/or seat belt pretensioner may not trigger in the event of a collision.
How the manufacturer will repair: On affected vehicles, replace air bag assembly and seat belt pretensioner where necessary.
Number of affected vehicles: 2622
Date of recall: 20/02/2017
Reason for recall
Foreign particles in the engine coolant can lead to a blockage in the additional coolant pump and cause the pump to overheat.
How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the cars that are likely to be affected and update the software, which will deactivate the additional coolant pump in the event of malfunction. If there has been a malfunction of the additional water pump, it will be replaced.
Number of affected vehicles: 2844
Date of recall: 01/05/2017
Reason for recall
The auxiliary heater element in the air conditioner may fail as a result of overheating in the area of the connectors in conjunction with smoulder damage or potential fire.
How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and fit an auxiliary heater element with optimised electrical connectors. The activation of the electric auxiliary heater must be adjusted by updating the software for the air conditioning control console.
Number of affected vehicles: 33,699
Date of recall: 08/01/2018
Reason for recall
The auxiliary heater element in the air conditioner may fail as the result of overheating in the area of the connectors. This can lead to smoulder damage or potentially a fire.
How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and change the auxiliary heater element for one with optimised electrical connectors.
Number of affected vehicles: 114,287
Date of recall: 19/02/2018
Reason for recall
The aluminium trim may become detached from the loud speaker trim in the front or rear doors. Cuts and other injuries from the sharp edges may occur.
How the manufacturer will repair: The affected vehicles will be recalled and all four aluminium strips on the loud speaker trims will be replaced.
Number of affected vehicles: 5092
Date of recall: 30/04/2018
Reason for recall
On affected vehicles, moisture may enter the electronic components and cause overheating and failure of the additional coolant pump. Localised smoulder damage cannot be ruled out and in individual cases may cause the vehicle to catch fire.
How the manufacturer will repair: The additional coolant pump must be replaced and in addition a software update of the engine control unit must be carried out.
Number of affected vehicles: 137
Date of recall: 11/06/2018
Reason for recall
Airbag securing bolts may not be to the correct torque.
How the manufacturer will repair: Check and replace bolts as required.
Number of affected vehicles: 8
Date of recall: 14/12/2018
Reason for recall
Fuel may escape from one or both fuel rails (low-pressure side).
How the manufacturer will repair: The fuel rails for the low-pressure side of both cylinder banks must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
Number of affected vehicles: 2763
Date of recall: 18/03/2019
Reason for recall
An error in the casting process may affect the rigidity of the shock absorber fork.
How the manufacturer will repair: The corresponding shock absorber forks must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
Number of affected vehicles: 85
Date of recall: 09/05/2019
Reason for recall
Hinged towing bracket on which the locking mechanism in the hinge module could be faulty.
How the manufacturer will repair: The hinge module for the towing bracket must be checked and replaced if required.
Number of affected vehicles: 135
Date of recall: 03/06/2019
Reason for recall
It's possible that moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator.
How the manufacturer will repair: The starter-alternator must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
Number of affected vehicles: 34,982
Date of recall: 30/06/2020
Reason for recall
It's possible that moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator.
How the manufacturer will repair: The starter-alternator must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
Number of affected vehicles: 11,936
Date of recall: 02/10/2020
Reason for recall
The seat frame may not have been bolted correctly to the seat rail on the driver and/or front passenger side
How the manufacturer will repair: Check the affected seat frame connection and replace the frame if required.
Number of affected vehicles: 8
Date of recall: 26/10/2020
Reason for recall
Vehicles may have been fitted with a hinged towing bracket on which the locking mechanism in the hinge module could be faulty.
How the manufacturer will repair: The hinge module for the towing bracket must be checked and where necessary replaced on the vehicles affected.
Number of affected vehicles: 263
Date of recall: 07/06/2021
Reason for recall
One or more nuts which do not meet the specifications may have been fitted on the rear axle suspension links.
How the manufacturer will repair: The affected nuts on the rear axle will be replaced on affected vehicles.
Number of affected vehicles: 10,089
Date of recall: 25/06/2021
Reason for recall
Following a previous campaign, the toe and/or camber values on the rear axle may in certain circumstances incorrectly be changed without this being noticed.
How the manufacturer will repair: The wheel alignment must be checked and if necessary the suspension must be serviced on the affected vehicles.
Number of affected vehicles: 5327
Date of recall: 14/02/2022
Is a used Audi A4 saloon reliable?
In our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, the Audi A4 ranked 15th out of 23 cars in the executive car class, with a score of 90.1%. That makes it more reliable than the Skoda Superb petrol, Mercedes C-Class and Volvo S60, but less dependable than the BMW 3 Series, Jaguar XE and Skoda Superb diesel.
As a brand, Audi came 22nd out of 30 manufacturers featured, with an overall score of 89%. It was tied in this position with Mercedes, which is pretty disappointing. While it's above Jaguar and Volkswagen in the rankings, it's below BMW, Lexus, Skoda and Tesla.
Used Audi A4 reliability: the owners' view
In our reliability survey, owners said the Audi A4 (2015-2024) offers a mixed bag regarding dependability. While many owners of both petrol and diesel models report a trouble-free experience, common faults have emerged that can be costly to fix.
Engine-related issues are the most frequent gripe, specifically high oil consumption in the 2.0-litre TFSI petrol units and occasional water pump leaks across the range. Owners also noted electrical glitches, with some reporting expensive failures of the ABS pump and control unit, alongside occasional "lurches" from the S tronic automatic gearbox.
The dealer experience remains a highlight for many; owners often praised the network for its professionalism and ability to source "fixes" for known software or mechanical hesitations. However, some found repair costs at main dealerships to be predictably premium. Overall, while the A4 is a solid executive choice, keeping a close eye on coolant levels and oil usage is highly recommended.
