2008 Audi S4

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags3
000
Steering1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module18V427000
Filed Jun 22, 2018237,947 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.

Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module17V032000
Filed Jan 11, 201733,421 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

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. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air Bags
Filed May 3, 2018MA

TAKATA RECALL. HAVE RECEIVED LATEST NOTICE (NHSTA 17V032) INDICATING THAT MY VEHICLE NEEDS INTERIM REMEDY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HAVE CALLED DEALERSHIP (AUDI BURLINGTON MA) 3-4 TIMES TO HAVE REPAIR SCHEDULED OVER LAST 2 MONTHS. WAS ON THE REPAIR SCHEDULE FOR TODAY AT 10:15 AM BUT THEY CANCELLED SAYING PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE (HAVE EMAIL). ACCORDING TO NOTICE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. DEALER REFUSES TO GIVE ME A ORDER NUMBER FOR THE PART FOR MY VEHICLE (CLAIMING THEY ARE ORDERED IN BULK NOT BY VIN), REFUSES TO GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE TO WHEN PART WILL BE IN. MY VEHICLE IS APPROACHING 10 YEARS OLD, I BELIEVE DUE TO BEING IN MA IN GROUP 5. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY WILL CALL ME WHEN PART IS AVAILABLE BUT WILL GIVE NO TIME ESTIMATE, CLAIMS I AM ON A "SHORT LIST" FOR THE REPAIR. I AM LEFT IN A SITUATION WHERE I CAN'T USE MY PASSENGER SEAT DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS FOR THE LAST YEAR AND NOW HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS WILL BE ADDRESSED.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 14, 201733,000 milesWA

TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. IT HAS BEEN AN EXCEPTIONALLY LONG TIME SINCE FIRST NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL AND AUDI STILL DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL FIX.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 20, 2017FL

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V079000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Steering
Filed Nov 11, 201131,000 milesMI

MY VEHICLE HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE STEERING WHEEL GOES FROM PRACTICALLY FROZEN TO BEING LOOSE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAN CAUSE DRIVING OFF THE ROAD, INTO TRAFFIC, CRASH, ETC. DEALERSHIP, DELTA AUDI, GRAND RAPIDS, MI, CANNOT REPLICATE AND REFUSE TO DRIVE SIMILAR TO THE CONDITIONS IT FAILS, FOR LACK OF STAFF AND RESOURCES. AUDI OF AMERICA AND "STATE REPRESENTATIVE" AND "END OF THE LINE" DECISION MAKER RYAN CONLIN (248) 754-3426, STATES HE WILL OFFER NO FURTHER RESOLVE. HE REFUSES TO PUT IN WRITING EFFORTS MADE TO RESOLVE, TO DATE. HE STATES THAT I MAY NOT SPEAK WITH, NOR HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR HIS SUPERVISOR KELLY ROLAND. I AM TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE IS OPERATIONAL. UNPREDICATABLE ABILITY TO STEER A VEHICLE IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE. AUDI REFUSES TO APPROPRIATELY ADDRESS. *TR

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20221100Routine
20212400Routine
202016300Routine
20192100Routine
20187200Routine
20151100Routine
201417100Routine
201333100Routine
201222120Routine
201126100Routine
201060000Routine
20090200Routine
2008 — this page4200Routine
200713210Routine
200630200Routine
200543200Routine
200429110Routine
20031100Routine
200222100Routine
200187100Routine
2000143100Routine
19960100Routine
19951200Routine
19947200Routine
199316200Routine
19925200Routine
19910100Routine
19900100Routine

Compare every S4 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jun 22, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.