IllustrationESPECIALLY DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING THE BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT INITIALLY APPLY ANY MEANINGFUL STOPPING POWER WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTS IN A 1-2 SECOND DELAY IN ACTUAL SLOWING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN THE WET.
2001 Audi A4
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 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
120–25K
2025–50K
2250–75K
1875–100K
11100–150K
3150K+
86 reports with mileage · 45 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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports9 fire reports1 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
28 reportsCUSTOMER STATES THAT IN WET WEATHER CONDITIONS WHILE BRAKING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A BRAKE LOSS. MECHANIC MODIFIED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THE ROTORS TO BE GLAZED, DEALER ALSO INSTALLED WATER SHIELDS AS PER RECALL, HOWEVER BRAKE LOSS STILL OCCURS, CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE ABS DOES NOT WORK WELL. *JG
IN WET CONDITIONS, THE BRAKING ABILITY OF THIS CAR IS REDUCED. WHEN FIRST APPLYING THE BRAKES, THERE IS A DELAY BEFORE FULL BRAKING POWER IS AVAILABLE. THE THEORY IS THAT WATER IS BEING SPLASHED ONTO THE ROTORS AND MUST BE CLEARED BEFORE THE PADS CAN ACHIEVE FULL CONTACT. *AK
BRAKES FAILED WHILE GOING DOWNHILL ON A WET BUT CLEAN ROAD. 58 DEGREES OUTSIDE. PEDAL FELT FIRM AND NORMAL BUT BRAKES DIDN'T SLOW CAR. 2 SECONDS OF DIRECT PRESSURE YIELDED NOTHING. I THEN LIFTED MY FOOT AND REPPLIED THE BRAKE WITH INCREDIBLE FORCE. 1 SECOND PASSED WITH NO RESPONSE AND SUDDENLY THE BRAKES GRABBED AND STOPPED …
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BRAKES FAILED WHILE GOING DOWNHILL ON A WET BUT CLEAN ROAD. 58 DEGREES OUTSIDE. PEDAL FELT FIRM AND NORMAL BUT BRAKES DIDN'T SLOW CAR. 2 SECONDS OF DIRECT PRESSURE YIELDED NOTHING. I THEN LIFTED MY FOOT AND REPPLIED THE BRAKE WITH INCREDIBLE FORCE. 1 SECOND PASSED WITH NO RESPONSE AND SUDDENLY THE BRAKES GRABBED AND STOPPED THE CAR. SCARY. *AK
AFTER SITTING FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS THE BRAKES DO NOT KICK IN RIGHT AWAY IF YOU IMMEDIATELY START THE CAR AND BACK UP. YOU NEED TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD AND TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE CAR WILL STOP. LIKE THERE IS AN AIR BUBBLE IN THE HYDRAULICS. MANY WHO HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR HAVE NEARLY BACKED INTO OTHER CARS IN PARKING LOTS. FO…
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AFTER SITTING FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS THE BRAKES DO NOT KICK IN RIGHT AWAY IF YOU IMMEDIATELY START THE CAR AND BACK UP. YOU NEED TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD AND TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE CAR WILL STOP. LIKE THERE IS AN AIR BUBBLE IN THE HYDRAULICS. MANY WHO HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR HAVE NEARLY BACKED INTO OTHER CARS IN PARKING LOTS. FORTUNATELY THERE HAVENT BEEN PEDESTRIANS BEHIND THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. 2 DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR I CONTACTED PRESTIGE ABOUT THE PROBLEM THEY SAID THERE WAS NO SOL THE CAR STILL HAS THIS PROBLEM EVERY DAY. YOU CANT TELL IF THE CAR IS GOING TO STOP OR WHETHER IT IS GOING TO ROLL INTO SOMETHING. ONCE THE CAR RUNS FOR A BIT THE PROBLEM IS GONE. ON 3/15/01 I BROUGHT THE CAR IN & EXPLAINED THE BRAKE PROBLEM. THE SVC AGENT SAID THIS WAS NOT NORMAL & THEY WOULD FIX IT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. ON 8/2/01 I BROUGHT THE CAR TO PRESTIGE AGAIN. THIS TIME I INSISTED THEY FIX THE PROBLEM AS THERE HAD BEEN TOO MANY CLOSE CALLS. ON 8/3/01 PRESTIGE SAID AGAIN IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM & THERE WAS NO FIX. I INSISTED THEY KEEP THE CAR LONGER TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM.. ON 8/2/01 I CALLED AUDI CLIENT RELATIONS & REPORTED THE PROBLEM. AUDI SAID THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. SHE ASSIGNED CASE #10530656. ON 8/7/01 THE SVC MANAGER FROM PRESTIGE CALLED & SAID THEY HAD RECREATED THE PROBLEM & NEEDED TO GET AUDI INVOLVED TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. ON FRIDAY, 8/10/01, PRESTIGE SAID THEY WERE STILL WORKING WITH AUDI TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. ON TUESDAY 8/14/01, PRESTIGE LEFT ME THE FOLLOWING VOICE MAIL "I JUST HAD A SHORT DISCUSSION WITH MY SUPERVISOR (DENNIS). HE IS IN CONTACT WITH AUDI & WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DOWHAT WERE TRYING TO DO IS SEE IF AUDI WILL MAKE ANY ADAPTATIONS TO THAT OR IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLEHOPEFULLY WE SHOULD HAVE IT RESOLVED IT BY FRIDAY." ON 8/17/01 PRESTIGE CALLED & SAID THERE IS NO FIX. I NEED TO LET THE CAR WARM UP FOR 20 SECONDS BEFORE I DRIVE IT IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK PROPERLY.
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXMIMATELY 20 MPH ATTEMPTED TO STOP VEHICLE AND BRAKES FAILED TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING NO INJURIES. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE. *AK *JB
REAR BRAKES MAKE WHINING/GRINDING SOUND ONLY WHEN IN REVERSE. DEALER HAS TRIED DEGLAZING AND POWER WASHING BRAKE DISCS AND ROUTERS TO NO AVAIL. *AK
BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT INITIALLY APPLY ANY MEANINGFUL STOPPING POWER WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTS IN A 1-2 SECOND DELAY IN ACTUAL SLOWING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN THE WET. THIS SITUATION HAS OCCURRED WITH BOTH STOCK AND AFTERMARKET WHEELS AND BRAKE PADS AND LIGHT AS WELL AS HEAVY WET CONDITIONS, AND AT ALL SPEEDS…
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BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT INITIALLY APPLY ANY MEANINGFUL STOPPING POWER WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTS IN A 1-2 SECOND DELAY IN ACTUAL SLOWING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN THE WET. THIS SITUATION HAS OCCURRED WITH BOTH STOCK AND AFTERMARKET WHEELS AND BRAKE PADS AND LIGHT AS WELL AS HEAVY WET CONDITIONS, AND AT ALL SPEEDS. *AK
Official recalls
121V470000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Jun 23, 2021
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2000-2001 Audi TT Coupe, TT Roadster, 2000-2002 A4, and S4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, possibly causing the air bag to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver frontal airbag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CJ.
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
1PE02008 · Brake And Clutch Pedal Bracket
Opened Jan 23, 2002 · Closed Jul 12, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
No summary supplied.