- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2005 Audi S4 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 43 complaints about the 2005 Audi S4 with NHTSA, most often about the lights (33) and the electrical system (5). Those complaints describe 2 crashes and 1 injury. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in June 2018 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2004 has 29 and the 2006 has 30.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical S4 year, for its age
#151 most complained-about 2005 vehicle
- Complaints
- 43
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 2
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2005 Audi S4 problems
Share of all 43 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2005 Audi S4 recalls 2
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
- 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.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- 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 say
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43 complaints about the 2005 Audi S4
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 2.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that the exterior headlamps failed to illuminate without warning. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v382000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Audi pacific (20460 hawthorne blvd, torrance, ca) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. Audi...
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pacific was also contacted regarding the exterior lighting failure, but the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Takata recall. I received two letters from audi in march 2017 and recently a third letter in march 2018 informing me of the passenger frontal airbag inflator problem. The most recent letter states that it is dangerous to drive and the airbag could explode causing serious injury or death. I called audi service in april 2017 and again in april 2018 and they said they do not have a fix for the problem and have no time frame for when it will be available. How can I continue to drive a car that has significant risk to cause injury and they will not fix it for over a year?
Takata recall 1. The left headlight flickers. 2. It then turns itself off 3. The message "left dipped headlight" appears 4. This happens while my vehicle is parked and in motion so it is a very serious safety risk. I have had both headlights go out at night while driving with my 2 year old in the car!
The complaint is about the motors losing oil every 1000 miles a 1qt is need each time. The engine is caused and burns oil fast to the motor to lose oil more rapidly. Needs to be replaced. My motor is losing oil! And so do other models havening this problems isnt good.
I was on my way to substitute teach at an elementary school in santa cruz, ca and so was in the middle of a lot of early traffic at a left turn signal when I heard a very strange rumble. I thought it was another car as my car had just been in for a 95,000 mile service a few weeks earlier. However, part way through the turn I was almost unable to steer the car. I had to fight the car to keep it from hitting a bicyclist and to get it off to the side of the road where it then stopped steering and died. At that point...
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it was blocking two cars in a driveway, but I could not steer it at all. This was on the street directly in front of the del mar elementary school. I called farmers insurance and monterey peninsula audi where it was towed. I was told the steering column had cracked and the fluid had leaked out. I was also told there was no way to be able to diagnose this in routine services.
My driver's side headlight frequently goes out with the message, "left dipped headlight." If I turn the lights off and back on sometimes the light comes back on, sometimes not.
Heated seat element burned or melted the seat while the car was off overnight. Passenger seat leather is now separated, shriveled (hard as a rock) and would have burned the passenger if they had been in the seat.
Driver headlight dipped info on dash. Headlight turns off or flickers till it turns off and must turn all lights off on the car while driving and reset lights to activate headlight back on. Sometimes this does not work and forced to drive with one headlight with is extremely dangerous condition, police have citied me twice for faulty headlight equipment. There needs to be a recall on this issue. There will eventually be a fatality crash involving this issue with dipped headlights on audi vehicle's. Also this...
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happens at all speeds from 0 to 70 mph. This issue has been going on for 6 months and going to cause a serious accident soon on i95 in miami as I drive home from work at 0430 a.M. *Tr
As I was driving on the freeway my headlight went out with and the message, "right dipped headlight" came on. When this happen I stopped to fill up with gas and when I started the car the message was gone and the headlight was back on. This has happened a several more times since then. *Tr
Bought this car from dealer, used, low mileage, great car. Headlights were filled with condensation. Dealer said to dry them out and re-seal them. That didn't work. There is still water in both headlights. It hasn't rained and has not been humid outside. Pulled over the first night and told they were a safety concern and needed to get them fixed, luckily just a warning issued, no ticket. I can't see at night with the amount of condensation/water that has accumulated in both headlights. This should be a problem that...
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audi recalls. It's not safe due to decreased visibility, no visibility at times, and the car won't pass the state inspection until this problem is fixed. Obviously there is no warranty and the dealership totally blew off my concerns telling me some bs story about how to fix it myself because their labor rates were so high. This vehicle is not safe to operate with defective headlights and I really hope audi addresses this issue. Bought a car and can't even pass inspection to drive it, worthless vehicle and money sitting in the driveway. Not happy. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that the hid headlights would intermittently flicker. The contact also stated that both headlights would dip and as result, an error light was illuminated. The failure recurred at various speeds. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000. The vin was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the headlights became dim with low visibility. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the headlights were diagnosed with having a reflector failure. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was been of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 70000.
Happens all the time "right dipped headlight" "left dipped headlight" dealers refuse to fix it even though it keeps happening to all their cars. It's a safety issue not wear and tear. Headlights keep failing regardless if you replace them or not. I have replaced the entire assembly and this issue still keeps happening. *Tr
The xenon headlights in my s4 go out as the car is in motion. The light may flicker. The headlight may "dip." The light shuts off and I have to stop the car and shut off the lights and then turn them back on for the light to reignite. The bulb and control unit was replaced under warranty. Now two years later the same thing is happening. It seems to be a very common problem with audi's (based on forum discussion). *Tr
My car is a 2005.5 Audi s4 with bi-xenon hid headlights. I almost always get a dipped headlight error whenever I turn on the headlights. It occurs more often on the driver's side headlight. This will randomly happen but I have noticed that it occurs more frequently right after the headlights are switched on. It will also happen when the road is either on an incline or decline, or really when the road is not flat. The dipped headlight error is characterized by a flickering, then a dimming, then ultimately, the light...
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turns off. The only way to re-ignite the light is to completely turn off the light switch then turn it back on again. Although the affected headlight will come on, it will eventually dip again. I feel this is a serious safety concern both to me as a motorist, to other motorists, and more importantly, to pedestrians. This will happen at any speed - both on the highway or on residential streets. Aside from the obvious safety issue with the headlight/s completely shutting down, the preceding flickering can also pose a serious public safety hazard as it may confuse oncoming vehicle and pedestrian traffic. I have tried unsuccessfully to have this repaired under warranty from audi many times. And I was always told that they could not replicate the problem even as it occurs as soon as I drive away. I searched the internet and found many similar problems with other audi a4/s4 owners. I feel this is cause for audi to rectify this problem at their expense with the obvious safety reasons foremost in mind and with the prevalent problem which could suggest a manufacturer problem. *Tr
While driving at night with the low beams illuminated the left headlight will turn off and the car will warn of a inoperative "dipped headlight". The headlight will flicker on and off at times and this causes disconcerting driving conditions for both the driver and other cars in the vicinity. Every time the light flickers, the warning system chimes and alerts to the malfunctioning headlight. Other drivers are confused because they see your headlights flashing at them for no apparent reason. If the headlight...
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switch is cycled to "off" and back to "on", the headlamp is restored until the next occurrence. It is dangerous to drive at night with one headlamp flickering or completely inoperative. It is dangerous to have to cycle the headlamp switch while driving in traffic in an attempt to restore proper illumination. I have also had the problem briefly occur in the right headlamp. I drive in fear that both headlamps will go out at the same time and there is nothing I can do to predict when this might happen. Besides the legal ramifications of being ticketed for malfunctioning lighting, there is a very real safety issue that has not been addressed by this manufacturer. This complaint is widespread by hundreds of owners on many owner interest web boards. There has not been a clearly defined solution and owners continue to spend money chasing a problem whose ownership should rest entirely with audi of north america. I urge the nhtsa to pursue a resolution with the manufacturer for this serious safety defect. *Tr
Headlights dip and go completely dark. Turned off and after a short time period headlight comes back on. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph, the headlights began to flicker and suddenly shut off. The vehicle was stopped and shut off. After restarting, the headlights functioned properly. The failure occurred intermittently and occurred while parked or while driving at different speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Hello - I have an audi 2005.5 Audi s4 avant that the headlights continue to dip and go out while driving. Good thing both it hasn't happened to both at the same time. I'm able to turn off and turn on an generally they will come back on, other times not. *Kb
2005.5 Audi s4. 104,000 Miles. Chain tensioner damaged. Cause damage to engine. Engine should be replaced. *Tr
I own a 2005.5 Audi s4 b7. The headlights go out. While driving the car, one of the headlights begins to flicker on and off. Then all of a sudden, it just shuts off completely. I have to turn the lights completely off and then turn them back on to make the light that just shut off go back on again. Sometimes I have to do this three or four times before the light continues to stay on. There have been a couple times that both lights failed. Major driving problem at night. Once I cycle through this the light...
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does stay on for the rest of my driving time. I have looked on line and it seems to be a problem with many other audi owners. Audi said they are not responsible for this. Well, it seems if it is happening to many other audi drivers, audi should be recalling these lights. *Tr
Headlights flicker and shut down. This occurs mostly under deceleration but can frequently occur during acceleration and turning. Headlights run normally under steady state speed or at rest. Dealership claims no issue. Independent audi specialist has confirmed the problem and swapped bulbs (left-right) without effect. This has been occurring for over four years and getting progressively worse, to the point that each time the car is driven the lights need to be re-ignited a minimum of 5 times during a 30 minute drive. Safety issue as lights turn off at nearly all braking situations and driver must divert attention to controls to re-illuminate. *Tr
Headlamp or headlight dip problem on audi s4 with hid lights. Cannot be fixed by audi. This is a safety issue. *Tr
Audi: headlight vibration, 2005.5 S4. Under certain operating conditions, such as at idle, vibrations or resonances in the front of the vehicle can cause the headlights to vibrate and turn off. Happens most frequently when car is starting up or cold. Can spontaneously flicker or turn off while driving at night. Occurs about 1 out of 3 times while driving at night. Asked dealer to look at it, said there was no issue. *Tr
2005 Audi s4 - experiencing "dipped headlight" error where the headlights flicker then shut off while driving. The headlight can be turned back on only if the headlight switch is turned off then turned back on. This corrects the problem temporarily, with the headlight flickering again then shutting off. The problem is persistent and is a safety issue. Took my car to audi dealer but they could not replicate the problem and therefore would not fix it. I've read thousands of other complaints of his issue online.
Audi S4: every year compared
All S4 years2005 Audi S4 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Audi S4 | 43 | 2 | F | |
| 2005 Audi A4/S4 Cabriolet | 262 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2005 Audi A4 | 219 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2005 Audi A6 Sedan | 91 | 0 | D | Compare |
| 2005 Audi TT | 11 | 1 | D | Compare |
| 2005 Audi A8 | 6 | 1 | B | Compare |
| 2005 Audi Allroad | 3 | 2 | C | 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 2005 Audi S4
Does the 2005 Audi S4 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2005 Audi S4: inflator module (June 2018); inflator module (January 2017). 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 2005 Audi S4?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the lights (33), electrical system (5), airbags (4).
How many complaints has the 2005 Audi S4 had?
43 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on October 15, 2006 and the latest on April 26, 2018. Of these, 2 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 1 injury and 0 deaths.
Is the 2005 Audi S4 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 4 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Audi S4 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 S4 years have the most complaints?
2000 (143), 2001 (87), 2005 (43). See every Audi S4 year compared.
What should I do if my 2005 Audi S4 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