Audi S4: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
559 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Audi S4, model years 2000 to 2022. One model year stands out for the engine or transmission: 2010 (transmission 4.2×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2002, 2012, 2011. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 S4FEW REPORTS | 142 | — | 1 | |
| 2001 S4FEW REPORTS | 87 | — | 1 | |
| 2002 S4FEW REPORTS | 22 | quiet: 1 of 10 | 1 | |
| 2003 S4FEW REPORTS | 1 | — | 1 | |
| 2004 S4FEW REPORTS | 29 | quiet: 4 of 10 | 1 | |
| 2005 S4FEW REPORTS | 43 | — | 2 | |
| 2006 S4FEW REPORTS | 30 | — | 2 | |
| 2007 S4FEW REPORTS | 13 | — | 2 | |
| 2008 S4FEW REPORTS | 4 | — | 2 | |
| 2010 S4FEW REPORTS | 60 | transmission 4.2× | 0 | |
| 2011 S4FEW REPORTS | 26 | quiet: 3 of 10 | 1 | |
| 2012 S4FEW REPORTS | 22 | quiet: 2 of 10 | 1 | |
| 2013 S4FEW REPORTS | 33 | — | 1 | |
| 2014 S4FEW REPORTS | 17 | — | 1 | |
| 2015 S4FEW REPORTS | 1 | — | 1 | |
| 2018 S4FEW REPORTS | 7 | — | 2 | |
| 2019 S4FEW REPORTS | 2 | — | 1 | |
| 2020 S4FEW REPORTS | 17 | — | 3 | |
| 2021 S4FEW REPORTS | 2 | — | 4 | |
| 2022 S4FEW REPORTS | 1 | — | 1 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Audi models
Audi A3 · Audi A3 Cabriolet · Audi A4 · Audi A4 Allroad · Audi A5 · Audi A6 · Audi A8 · Audi Q3 · Audi Q5 · Audi Q7 · Audi Q8 · Audi TT · Audi e-tron. All makes and models.
Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: