1996 Audi A4 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 1996 Audi A4, and owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

safety recalls

owner complaints to NHTSA

4 / 1

complaints citing a crash / fire

19–20

MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 1996 Audi A4

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

Switch (electrical system)

NHTSA 06V403000 Reported October 23, 2006 28,594 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC

On certain passenger vehicles, as a result of a problem in the production process of the ignition switch, the anchor point of the spring may crack. This could potentially cause the return spring force to be insufficient for returning the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine.

Remedy: Dealers will install a new ignition switch with an optimized anchor point free of charge. The recall began on november 27, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834. Note: this recall supersedes the remedy…
Switch (electrical system)

NHTSA 00V317000 Reported October 11, 2000 27,900 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The plastic ignition switch housing can fracture at the return spring anchor point. Fracture of the housing could cause the return spring force to be insufficient for returning the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Air bags: frontal

NHTSA 97V175000 Reported October 8, 1997 39,300 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The discharge of static electricity under low humidity conditions can activate the driver side air bag when the driver enters or exits the vehicle and forms an electrical circuit by touching certain areas of the steering wheel.

Remedy: Dealers will install a ground wire on the driver side air bag.
Horn (electrical system)

NHTSA 96V088000 Reported May 23, 1996 3,700 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

The horn can work only intermittently due to insufficient electrical ground contact.

Remedy: Corrective action: dealers will install a ground contact spring which will enhance the electrical ground connection.

89 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1996 Audi A4 have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 77,938 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 16 filed that year.

Most-reported components

Electrical system: switch17
Suspension: control arm9
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip7
Unknown or other6
Electrical system4
Electrical system: ignition4
Steering: tie rod assembly4
Suspension: front4

What owners are reporting

“While driving west on pennsylvania rt. 401 i drove over a small bump in the road, where a drain is buried under the road, and the passenger side front lower a arm snapped in half at a speed of 45 MPH”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 24, 2011 · Suspension

“I have 1996 audi a4 and experiencing the same recall problem as NHTSA campaign id number: 06v403000, which is not able to return the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine. Thi”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 17, 2009 · Electrical system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1996 Audi A4 (A4 quattro). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined	19–20 mpg
City / Highway	16–17 / 24–26
Fuel	Premium
EPA class	Compact Cars
Engine	6 cyl, 2.8 L
Transmission	Automatic 5-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Audi A4 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Audi A4 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model year	Recalls	Complaints
1995 Audi A4	1	1
1996 Audi A4	4	89
1997 Audi A4	6	98
1998 Audi A4	4	258
1999 Audi A4	4	190
2000 Audi A4	2	96
2001 Audi A4	1	131
2002 Audi A4	1	181
2003 Audi A4	3	210
2004 Audi A4	2	189
2005 Audi A4	3	219
2006 Audi A4	3	295
2007 Audi A4	3	196
2008 Audi A4	4	175
2009 Audi A4	2	120
2010 Audi A4	0	64
2011 Audi A4	0	11
2012 Audi A4	0	19
2013 Audi A4	0	24
2014 Audi A4	0	32
2015 Audi A4	0	19
2016 Audi A4	0	11
2017 Audi A4	1	55
2018 Audi A4	1	44
2019 Audi A4	1	10
2020 Audi A4	3	128
2021 Audi A4	4	11
2022 Audi A4	3	6
2023 Audi A4	0	10
2024 Audi A4	0	2
2025 Audi A4	0	1

Checking a specific 1996 Audi A4

How do I know if my 1996 Audi A4 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 1996 Audi A4; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Audi dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V317000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Audi models

A61,658 complaints
Q51,342 complaints
Q71,047 complaints
A3731 complaints
S4588 complaints
A5325 complaints
TT319 complaints
A4 Allroad252 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.