← New search

2002 Audi A4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most A4 years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Audi A4 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 76.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

114 reports with mileage · 67 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 76 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports6 fire reports4 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

8 reports
Clear category filter
193,897 miles · Aug 26, 2020
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

I SLID OFF A WET CURVY DOWN HILL ROAD AND SLAMMED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. WENT UNCONSCIOUS AND WOKE WITH A LARGE LACERATION TO BACK OF HEAD. SAW THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS EXPLODED BUT NONE FOR DRIVER'S SIDE. SEATBELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE TIGHTEN SO TIGHT COULD STRANGLED ME IF I WAS WEARING IT. HAVE VIDEO OF MALFUNCTIONING SEATBELT AND …

Read full complaint

I SLID OFF A WET CURVY DOWN HILL ROAD AND SLAMMED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. WENT UNCONSCIOUS AND WOKE WITH A LARGE LACERATION TO BACK OF HEAD. SAW THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS EXPLODED BUT NONE FOR DRIVER'S SIDE. SEATBELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE TIGHTEN SO TIGHT COULD STRANGLED ME IF I WAS WEARING IT. HAVE VIDEO OF MALFUNCTIONING SEATBELT AND AIRBAG

NHTSA ODI #11351314

219,000 miles · Jan 17, 2010
Air BagsCrashInjury

INVOLVED IN AN MVA ON 1/11/2010 MY VEHICLE STRUCK IN FRONT BUMPER BACK TO RADIATOR SUPPORT. PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED DRIVERS DID NOT CAUSING ME TO SUSTAIN MANY INJURIES. PERSON TURNED LEFT INTO MY VEHICLE AT INTERSECTION BOTH VEHICLES TRAVELING APPROX.25 TO 30MPH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10300044

80,000 miles · Jan 14, 2010
Air Bags

FAULTY WIRING OF DRIVER SEAT AIRBAG NECESSITATING NEED FOR REWIRING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10299813

56,000 miles · May 2, 2006
Air BagsTiresCrashInjury

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 20-25 MPH, THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT TIRES BLEW OUT FOR NO REASON CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HIT A GUARD RAIL. THE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL TIRES SOLD ON THE VEHICLE. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE TIRES WERE LOSING AIR AND THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMIN…

Read full complaint

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 20-25 MPH, THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT TIRES BLEW OUT FOR NO REASON CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HIT A GUARD RAIL. THE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL TIRES SOLD ON THE VEHICLE. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE TIRES WERE LOSING AIR AND THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED AND PUT AIR IN THE TIRES. THE TIRE INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE. THERE WAS ONE PERSON INJURED AND THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. UPDATED 05/16/2006. *AK *NM

NHTSA ODI #10156625

28,500 miles · Nov 25, 2003
Air BagsCrash

I HIT A DEER IN MY 2002 AUDI A4, BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS ABOUT $10,000 DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. MY CONCERN WAS THAT THE AIRBAGS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. IS THIS NORMAL? *LA

NHTSA ODI #10047552

Mileage unknown · Dec 3, 2002
Air BagsElectrical System

ON OCTOBER 28, 2002 THE 'AIR BAG' LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE SHOP ON OCTOBER 31, 2002. THE MORNING OF THAT DATE AS THE CAR WAS STARTED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH. I PROCEEDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE SHOP. ONCE I ARRIVED AT THE SHOP I INFORMED THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE NEW PROBLEM OF THE ENGINE RUNNING…

Read full complaint

ON OCTOBER 28, 2002 THE 'AIR BAG' LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE SHOP ON OCTOBER 31, 2002. THE MORNING OF THAT DATE AS THE CAR WAS STARTED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH. I PROCEEDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE SHOP. ONCE I ARRIVED AT THE SHOP I INFORMED THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE NEW PROBLEM OF THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH. AT THIS TIME HE INFORMED ME THAT ONE OF THE IGNITION COILS WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE. DT

NHTSA ODI #770385

Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2002
Air BagsElectrical SystemExterior Lighting

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: THE DRIVER SEAT MOTOR IS INOP/LUMBAR MOTOR/ROCKS BACK/FORTH, THE LEFT HEADLIGHT(MOISTURE COLLECTION IN THE INSIDE DUE TO WEATHER/CAR WASH), THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT DEFECTIVE, THE SEAT AIR BAG TORN, THE STRAP ON DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOWER/STUCK, WIRES WERE FOUND DAMAGED U…

Read full complaint

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: THE DRIVER SEAT MOTOR IS INOP/LUMBAR MOTOR/ROCKS BACK/FORTH, THE LEFT HEADLIGHT(MOISTURE COLLECTION IN THE INSIDE DUE TO WEATHER/CAR WASH), THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT DEFECTIVE, THE SEAT AIR BAG TORN, THE STRAP ON DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOWER/STUCK, WIRES WERE FOUND DAMAGED UNDER THE CARPET, AND THE VEHICLE HAS SHIFTING PROBLEMS/NOT SHIFTING EASILY-FAILED. THE CONSUMER ALSO REQUEST FOR THE DEALER TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE AND OR COMPENSATE THE CONSUMER FOR THE TIME WITHOUT THE VEHICLE. SCC

NHTSA ODI #568377

Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2002
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER STATES DURING A FRONTAL COLLISON, NONE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED ON IMPACT.*JB

NHTSA ODI #8013240

Official recalls

1

21V470000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.