IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
1996 Audi A4
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Audi A4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 76.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all A4 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20–25K
425–50K
1050–75K
475–100K
4100–150K
2150K+
26 reports with mileage · 63 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
89 reportsIGNITION SWITCH DID NOT RETURN FROM STARTER ENGAGED POSITION, STARTER STAYED ENGAGED WHICH LEAD TO ITS FAILURE AFTER PROBLEM OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND A/C SYSTEM DID NOT WORK. APPARENTLY OTHER MODELS OF AUDIS WERE SUBJECT TO A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY NOT THE A4? REPAIR COST: $…
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IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT RETURN FROM STARTER ENGAGED POSITION, STARTER STAYED ENGAGED WHICH LEAD TO ITS FAILURE AFTER PROBLEM OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND A/C SYSTEM DID NOT WORK. APPARENTLY OTHER MODELS OF AUDIS WERE SUBJECT TO A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY NOT THE A4? REPAIR COST: $800.00.
WHEN SHIFTING INTO FOURTH GEAR,ENGINE FUMBLES CAUSING THE CAR TO VIBRATE....ON COLD STARTS,ANY RELEASE OF THE THROTTLE AND THE FRONT END MAKES LOUD CLICKING,DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE THOUGH HAPPENS EVERY DAY....UNDER ACCELERATION WHEN COLD ,EXHAUST RATTLES,SOUNDS LIKE HEAT SHIELD RAPPING AGAINST SOMETHING.
AUDI APPARENTLY WILL COVER REPLACEMENT, EVEN THOUGH PAST WARRANTEE ($1200 PARTS AND LABOR)
THERE IS A DELAYED SHIFTING PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE WILL SLAM INTO GEAR AND SOMETIMES SURGE FORWARD SUDDENLY CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
EQUIPMENT:BICYCLE CARRIER BROKE. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD ACTIVATED AND VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO ACCELERATE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALTHOUGH PROBLEM WA SSPORADIC, THE SAME SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, AN EFFORT TO ACCELERATE WOULD CAUSE ENGINE TO RACE UP TO 4 RPMS. VEHICLE COASTED ON RESIDUAL MOMENTUM, …
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ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD ACTIVATED AND VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO ACCELERATE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALTHOUGH PROBLEM WA SSPORADIC, THE SAME SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, AN EFFORT TO ACCELERATE WOULD CAUSE ENGINE TO RACE UP TO 4 RPMS. VEHICLE COASTED ON RESIDUAL MOMENTUM, HAVING ONLY BRAKING AND STEERING ABILITY AS ENGINE STRUGGLED TO RECOVER. CONSUMER BROUGH VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO SUGGESTED THAT VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *AK
(1) SUSPENSION: FRONT END GROANS AND CREAKS OVER BUMPS (EVEN SMALL BUMPS), AS WELL AS WHEN PEOPLE ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE, EXTENT OF DANGER UNKNOWN -- AUDI HAS "DIAGNOSED" IT AS A "CONTROL ARM" PROBLEM; (2) SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY OPENS ON ITS OWN WHILE VEHICLE IN OPERATION WITH NO HUMAN INVOLVEMENT, CAUSING MAJOR DISTRACTION A…
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(1) SUSPENSION: FRONT END GROANS AND CREAKS OVER BUMPS (EVEN SMALL BUMPS), AS WELL AS WHEN PEOPLE ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE, EXTENT OF DANGER UNKNOWN -- AUDI HAS "DIAGNOSED" IT AS A "CONTROL ARM" PROBLEM; (2) SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY OPENS ON ITS OWN WHILE VEHICLE IN OPERATION WITH NO HUMAN INVOLVEMENT, CAUSING MAJOR DISTRACTION AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION -- AUDI HAS DIAGNOSEDIT AS AN ELECTRICAL "SWITCH" PROBLEM. AUDI SERVICE REPS HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THESE TWO DEFECTS OCCURRING ON MY CAR ARE REOCCURRING PROBLEMS IN A4S, AND NOT JUST ON THE 1996 MODEL YEAR, BUT ON SUBSEQUENT YEARS (1997, 1998 AND 1999) AS WELL. DESPITE THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE PROBLEMS, AUDI REFUSES TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEMS WHEN THEY ARISE ON VEHICLES THAT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY (LIKE MINE). *AK
SERVICE MANUAL FOR 96 AND 97 AUDI A4 DO NOT INDICATE THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING BELT AT 90,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER ADMITS THE FAILURE BUT REFUSES TO UPDATE MANUALS FOR OWNERS. THIS CAR HAS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE WHICH WILL CAUSE SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE IF THE TIMING BELT FAILS. I FEEL …
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SERVICE MANUAL FOR 96 AND 97 AUDI A4 DO NOT INDICATE THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING BELT AT 90,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER ADMITS THE FAILURE BUT REFUSES TO UPDATE MANUALS FOR OWNERS. THIS CAR HAS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE WHICH WILL CAUSE SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE IF THE TIMING BELT FAILS. I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECALL THE SERVICE MANUALS AND INFORM OWNERS OF THE POTENTIAL COSTLY AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IF THE TIMING BELT FAILS. THE 98 AND NEWER MANUALS INDICATE THE TIMING BELT NEED, BUT THE 96 AND 97 MAKE NO MENTION. I CONTACTED AUDI IN 3/99 BUT THEY REFUSED TO UPDATE THE MANUALS.
WHILE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER OR IF THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN WARMED UP, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE GEARS NOT TO ENGAGE. MAY STAY IN ONE GEAR FOR ABOUT A MILE. THIS MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Official recalls
406V403000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Oct 23, 2006
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAUSES ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES SUCH AS WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
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 PROGRAM UNDER A PREVIOUS RECALL (PLEASE SEE 00V317).
00V317000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Oct 11, 2000
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAUSES ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES SUCH AS WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
97V175000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 8, 1997
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: ACTIVATION OF THE AIR BAG UNDER THESE CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND WIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG.
96V088000 · Electrical System:horn
May 23, 1996
THE HORN CAN WORK ONLY INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL GROUND CONTACT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD PREVENT A DRIVER FROM SOUNDING A WARNING BY USING THE HORN INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: CORRECTIVE ACTION: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND CONTACT SPRING WHICH WILL ENHANCE THE ELECTRICAL GROUND CONNECTION.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3EA00021 · Degraded Braking In Wet Weather
Opened Aug 11, 2000 · Closed Mar 29, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE00016 · Degraded Braking Wet Weather Condition
Opened Apr 4, 2000 · Closed Aug 11, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
RQ00009 · Ignition Switch
Opened Mar 21, 2000 · Closed Nov 30, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
Electrical System
There is no summary currently available