- The problem
- The Gates Corporation (Gates) is recalling certain aftermarket Tru-Flow Water Pumps, part number TFW 41127, sold at certain NAPA Auto Parts and/or installed by automotive service technicians after November 1, 2013 (and manufactured August 2013 through October 2013) that have a black-colored pulley/sprocket or do not have 'US9377' stamped on the water pump housing. These service replacement parts were sold for use in model year 1999-2005 Audi A4, 2000-2006 Audi TT, 1998-2005 Volkswagen Beetle, 1999-2006 Golf, 1999-2008 and 2011-2013 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2000-2005 Volkswagen Passat. In the affected water pumps, the pulley or sprocket that turns the timing belt may develop microfractures causing the timing belt to fail.
- The risk
- A failure of the timing belt may cause the engine to shut down, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Gates will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump, free of charge. The recall began during May 2014. Owners may contact The Gates Corporation at 1-303-744-1911.
Vehicle safety record
2003 Audi A4 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 215 complaints about the 2003 Audi A4 with NHTSA, most often about the fuel system (51) and the transmission & drivetrain (44). Those complaints describe 10 crashes, 6 fires and 12 injuries. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in March 2014 for the engine. For comparison, the 2002 has 189 and the 2004 has 189.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical A4 year, for its age
#61 most complained-about 2003 vehicle
- Complaints
- 215
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 10
- Fires
- 6
- Injuries
- 12
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2003 Audi A4 problems
Share of all 215 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2003 Audi A4 recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8L turbo, 2.8L v6, or 3.0L engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
- The risk
- If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on september 28, 20007. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or audi at 1-800-822-2834. This recall is a supplement to a previous campaign (please see 06v017).
- The problem
- On certain vehicles produced from september 2002 - march 2003, equipped with 1.8L turbo, 2.8L v6, or 3.0L engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
- The risk
- If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on april 10, 2006. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or audi at 1-800-822-2834.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- This condition could affect a driver's field of view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- 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.
What owners say
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215 complaints about the 2003 Audi A4
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 9.
Crank case ventilation hose breaks and engine runs poorly part#06C103235B
Water pump failed inside lights sometimes work and signal lights aren't accurate
Radio intermediate goes out hitting bumps speedometer stopped working the number ninth digit is not pulling up when I search vehicle information Replaced engine vehicle only had 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Audi A4. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated, lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart and there was steam coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence where an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the vehicle had experienced a similar failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14E007000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was...
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contacted and notified of the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was necessary to check for recalls. The failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
Left turn signal works fine. Right turn signal alternates between flashing left and right.
The contact owns a 2003 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a fuel odor was detected. The contact parked the vehicle and noticed there was fuel leaking on the rear driver's side. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the fuel pump flange and hoses needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that they would cover the part replacement. The failure mileage was 143,839.
The coolant light came on after I replaced coil packs and I stopped to look wasn't leaking anywhere. Drove to work and it caught on fire due to overheating I guess not really sure. I was driving a car on fire down a highway and didn't even know it. I stopped to take a left turn into work and smoke stared billowing out and around the entire car. Other drivers couldn't see me or nothing I could have been in an accident. The fire department checked the car out sort of and it's in a mechanics shop now. Trying to figure it out. Oil light was on and that's it. AN then the coolant light would kick on and off. Nothing else after I changed the coil packs. And it was well after I did that.
2003 Audi a4 3.0 Cabriolet convertible started shifting rough and hesitant and shut off, cranked back up went into limp mode and all the shifting gear lights came on r n d 2 , barely made it back home, put code reader on car had a lot of codes on it I reset codes but rnd2 lights still on , possible bad tcm?
Initially drove car home from grocery store hit a bump and noticed a spark coming from front driver's side of car. Pulled over and checked for spark evident once stopped there was no sign of spark or anything. Got car home and parked about an hour later my car was on fire, after putting the fire out my husband lifted the hood and tried to investigate the issue when he discovered the battery was melted to the hood and is where the fire initially caught. The location of the battery we believe to be the issue and wanted to make sure to report it immediately. *Tr
Transmission control module transmission slips out of drive while driving into like neutral and when I accelerate the car does not move and comes to a full stop and I have to stop and turn the car on and off till it works again
On january 28, 2019 I was driving to my medical appointment at 35 miles per hour when my car froze up then bucked and now no longer the transmission will no longer engage. Upon research audi has known of this transmission having serious faults and that it will break down without warning. Audi has refused to do any recall on these transmissions, even after a class action that was settled, audi will not do any recall.
There seems to be a fuel pump or other issue along the fuel line. Recently, the gas cap indicator has gone off, and won't turn off. I even tried replacing the gas cap with a new one. I checked for loose parts on top of the gas tank (through the trunk). No visible issues, but I do smell gasoline on humid days, there is clearly an issue along the fuel line. I noticed there were recalls by audi for different vins (not mine), that highlight issues with the fuel system and fuel pump - recall number 06v017000...
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(01/23/2006), and 07v375000 (08/28/2007) (others?). I've tried calling audi to see if they'd be willing to investigate whether a broader number of vins need to be included in the recall (including mine), and they refused to cover costs to look into it.
The constantly variable transmission (cvt) of my 2003 audi a4 cabriolet 1.8T with just 86,000 miles on it is faulty, and has caused my vehicle to stall out on four occasions, twice while attempting to come to a stop at a stop sign and while parking, and twice while operating the vehicle while accelerating at a speed of 35 and 60 mph, on a city road and once while attempting to merge onto the interstate. The vehicle must be restarted to drive, and has just barely sputtered back to life in my four experiences so...
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far. Audi is aware of the problem, and has settled a class action lawsuit in the past, although the settlement expired more than two years ago leaving owners like myself on the hook for costly repairs, and left with an unsafe vehicle in the mean time. Audi should recall all audi a4 1.8T cvt transmissions from 2003 to 2006 and permentantly solve the problem before someone is seriously injured.
Tamara recall my car wouldnt start keep getting steer wheel hard to drive shifts to gear get stuck
Loss of power or late response to throttle. Tcs and abs light limininted after replacing sensor. Vibertion in passenger side around 50 mph or braking. Replaced ignition coil twice.
After returning home from a drive through fast food place last night my daughter was parking in our driveway, she was in reverse. The car (a 2003 audi a4 cv convertible) bounced and made a sound then she stopped. I said take the keys out of the ignition to her black smoke started to rise out of the top of the hood crack in front of the front windshield. I told her to get the dog in our back seat and herself out I assumed it was on fire because the dark smoke. I grabbed my purse piped the hood and my daughter...
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called 911 as the neighbors ran inside there home for a fire extinguisher. Two men from across the street attempted to put it out as I spoke to the 911 operator. The fire department arrived and got the fire out. My car is now junk. My daughter was emotionally strained, hysterical throughout the incident. It was traumatic for us both. The firefighters said it was possibly caused by electrical malfunctions.
I bought an used 2003 audi a4. I put it in reverse and it would not engage. Then the dash where the gears show what gear you're in started flashing. It showed a p0706 code. This happens so often that one of these times I am going to cause an accident. The car has over 100,000 miles on it, but how can it be my fault that the other owners did not take it in to get this well known module repair fixed. When I am parked flat I can usually get it in reverse after 4-5 times of trying. But...When I am on any slant it...
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takes at least 10 times of trying almost to the point of getting out and pushing it in reverse myself!! One of these days I am going to hit a car behind me trying to get out of my parking spot!! I know there was a recall and I'm just wondering why a current owner of the car that obviously is doing this can't get it fixed as there was a recall.
My 2003 audi a4 cabriolet has the infamous p0706 code, which is a error code indicating the failure of the transmission control module. In my case, my audi slips while reversing and causes a hazard when I am reversing, especially while in a tight or cluttered spot. It also has the prnd blinking due to the defective transmission control module. Many other audi a4s with cvt transmissions have had this failure, which has led to a lawsuit. I received a recall letter that stated I would be able to get a free repair, but I was refused because my car had over 100000 miles on it, but the problem occurred long before that. I need to get this problem fixed. Thank you for your time.
Car stuck in limp mode and car will jump at certain speeds
I bought the vehicle last year when it had 78,000 miles on it. Only 4 months after having purchased the car, I got a message on the trouble light warning system that I had a "dipped light". I had to google other audi owners to find out what a dipped light was, as I never heard of a burned out headlight termed as a "dipped light" before. I can only drive it during the day now, as I have heard in car forums that fixing it can be quite a long and expensive process. I am afraid that it may affect my driving safety...
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even when driving during the day, because in florida we have a lot of stormy weather during the rainy season and the sky gets very dark right before the storms come in. I am also concerned that other motorists cannot see me coming in bad weather and I had a near accident today, when another motorist came flying out of a parking lot in front of me as I was driving down the road, and I had to slam on my brakes to avoid a collision with their vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 audi a4. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds and switching lanes, another vehicle driving at high speeds crashed into the rear of the vehicle. The other vehicle then spun around and crashed into the front of the vehicle impacting the drivers side and the front passengers side. The air bags did not deploy. The rear passengers seat belt restrained a child passenger tightly who then received ash marks and light abrasions from the impact. The drivers head hit the steering...
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wheel that cause extensive head aches that required medical attention. The child passenger and the driver were taken for medical testing. The vehicle was towed by the insurance company and then towed to the contacts residence. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Takata recall I have a 2003 audi a4 I was sideswiped recently causing significant amount of driver side damage which one of the airbags deployed I'm suffering from the injury
Gasket leakage, in two separate areas in upper gasket, per mechanic. Car is now in repairs. Based upon reading the online recalls on the official nhtsa page, this is part of the recall for audi a4 2000-2006. United states
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 audi a4. While driving at 40 mph, the accelerator pedal became stuck to the floorboard of the vehicle. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal had to be lifted with her foot for it to go back to normal position. The failure recurred on three occasions. While at a complete stop and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle would jerk. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 audi a4. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, various electrical functions of the vehicle shut off and the steering wheel seized. The engine warning light illuminated. The failure occurred once. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,003.
Audi A4: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 0 | 3 | A |
| 2006 | 298 | 3 | F |
| 2005 | 219 | 4 | F |
| 2004 | 189 | 3 | D |
| 2003 | 215 | 4 | F |
| 2002 | 189 | 2 | F |
| 2001 | 130 | 3 | D |
| 2000 | 96 | 5 | C |
| 1999 | 190 | 7 | F |
2003 Audi A4 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Audi A4 | 215 | 4 | F | |
| 2003 BMW 3 Series | 489 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 466 | 0 | D | Compare |
| 2003 Volvo S60 | 123 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 106 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2003 Audi A6 | 71 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 2003 Lexus IS | 0 | 1 | B | Compare |
| 2003 BMW 330I | 0 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 2003 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 2 | B | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2003 Audi A4
Does the 2003 Audi A4 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2003 Audi A4: engine (March 2014); fuel pump (August 2007); fuel pump (January 2006); headlights (March 2005). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Audi A4?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the fuel system (51), transmission & drivetrain (44), electrical system (32).
How many complaints has the 2003 Audi A4 had?
215 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on February 4, 2003 and the latest on October 11, 2024. Of these, 10 describe a crash and 6 a fire, and together they report 12 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2003 Audi A4 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 20 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Audi A4 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Audi A4 years have the most complaints?
2006 (298), 1998 (258), 2005 (219). See every Audi A4 year compared.
What should I do if my 2003 Audi A4 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data