RecallMyCar

2004 Audi A4 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 2004 Audi A4, and owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
189
owner complaints to NHTSA
8 / 3
complaints citing a crash / fire
19–23
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 2004 Audi A4

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

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 16V382000 Reported 194,453 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan),…

    Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834.

  2. Headlights (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 05V096000 Reported 9,965 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC

    On certain passenger vehicles, there is a possibility of xenon headlamp coating degradation over time. The luminous transmittance of the headlamp may decrease over a period of time.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right xenon headlamp reflectors free of charge. The recall began on april 11, 2005. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.

189 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2004 Audi A4 have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA; 8 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 61,478 miles. Complaints peaked in 2010 with 32 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“This took place about a week ago. The car was parked in our driveway when the fire started. My husband had returned home just 15 minutes prior to the fire starting. I noticed there was smoke coming in”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 16, 2022 · Electrical system

“The contact owns a 2004 Audi A4. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the rear windshield became detached from the soft top. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be inspected. Th”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 29, 2021 · Visibility

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2004 Audi A4 (A4 Avant quattro, A4 Cabriolet, A4 Cabriolet quattro, A4 quattro). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined19–23 mpg
City / Highway16–20 / 23–29
FuelPremium
EPA classCompact Cars, Small Station Wagons, Subcompact Cars
Engine4/6 cyl, 1.8/3 L
TransmissionAutomatic (S5); Automatic (variable gear ratios); Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-spd

Compare Audi A4 model years

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

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1995 Audi A411
1996 Audi A4489
1997 Audi A4698
1998 Audi A44258
1999 Audi A44190
2000 Audi A4296
2001 Audi A41131
2002 Audi A41181
2003 Audi A43210
2004 Audi A42189
2005 Audi A43219
2006 Audi A43295
2007 Audi A43196
2008 Audi A44175
2009 Audi A42120
2010 Audi A4064
2011 Audi A4011
2012 Audi A4019
2013 Audi A4024
2014 Audi A4032
2015 Audi A4019
2016 Audi A4011
2017 Audi A4155
2018 Audi A4144
2019 Audi A4110
2020 Audi A43128
2021 Audi A4411
2022 Audi A436
2023 Audi A4010
2024 Audi A402
2025 Audi A401

Checking a specific 2004 Audi A4

How do I know if my 2004 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. 2 campaigns currently list the 2004 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 05V096000).

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

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.