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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.

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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

Electrical System complaints

76 reports
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19,815 miles · Jan 20, 2003
Electrical System

1ST FAILED COIL PACK 12/24/02 2ND FAILED COIL PACK 01/17/02

NHTSA ODI #10003045

4,000 miles · Jan 16, 2003
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE MISFIRED AND DECELERATED. CONSUMER COULD NOT GET CAR TO TRAVEL OVER 40MPH. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COIL FAILED. INFORMED CONSUMER THAT MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF DEFECT BUT WILL NOT REPLACE COMPONENT UNTIL FAILS. PH *TS

NHTSA ODI #10003988

18,000 miles · Jan 16, 2003
Electrical System

LEFT STRANDED BY IGNITION COIL FAILURE ON 2002 AUDI A4 1.8T - THIS IS THE SECOND TIME STRANDED BY THIS FAILURE

NHTSA ODI #10002775

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2003
Electrical System

THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND HAD TO BE TOWED, PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM *TS

NHTSA ODI #10003984

9,700 miles · Jan 15, 2003
Electrical System

IGNITION COIL FAILURE

NHTSA ODI #10002744

Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 2003
Electrical System

CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION COIL CONSTANTLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING, WHICH RESULTED IN NO ACCELERATION BEYOND 2ND GEAR. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES WITHIN LAST 3 MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI #10003642

7,200 miles · Jan 13, 2003
Electrical System

2002 AUDI A4 1.8 T: EXPERIENCED THREE IGNITION COIL FAILURES WITHIN THE PAST 20 DAYS. WHEN FAILURE OCCURS THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN AND REQUIRES TOWING ON A FLAT BED TRAILER. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND INTERNET RESEARCH, SEE AUDIWORLD.COM A4 (B6) FORUM AND SEARCH "COIL PACK" , INDICATES A VIRTUAL CERTAINTY THAT THE COIL P…

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2002 AUDI A4 1.8 T: EXPERIENCED THREE IGNITION COIL FAILURES WITHIN THE PAST 20 DAYS. WHEN FAILURE OCCURS THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN AND REQUIRES TOWING ON A FLAT BED TRAILER. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND INTERNET RESEARCH, SEE AUDIWORLD.COM A4 (B6) FORUM AND SEARCH "COIL PACK" , INDICATES A VIRTUAL CERTAINTY THAT THE COIL PACK WILL FAIL, YET AUDI WILL NOT REPLACE/RECALL UNTIL FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. THIS WILL LEAVE THE VEHICLE AND MOTORIST STRANDED ON THE ROAD SIDE UNTIL TOWED. PRESENT WINTER CONDITIONS OF 20 DEGREES F WITH SNOW POSES AN UNNECESSARY RISK. AN IMMEDIATE RECALL IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE COIL PACKS BEFORE FAILURE ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI #10002641

Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 2003
Electrical System

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE COIL PACKS FAILED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10002589

12,000 miles · Jan 8, 2003
Electrical System

I AM ONE OF THE MANY AUDI OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM RELATING TO THE IGNITION COILS OF MY 2002 A4 QUATTRO. LIKE OTHER DRIVERS, I WAS OPERATING MY VEHICLE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN MY ENGINE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY THE ENTIRE CARE BEGAN VIBRATING VIGOROUSLY. AFTER ONE FLATBED TRIP TO THE LOCAL…

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I AM ONE OF THE MANY AUDI OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM RELATING TO THE IGNITION COILS OF MY 2002 A4 QUATTRO. LIKE OTHER DRIVERS, I WAS OPERATING MY VEHICLE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN MY ENGINE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY THE ENTIRE CARE BEGAN VIBRATING VIGOROUSLY. AFTER ONE FLATBED TRIP TO THE LOCAL DEALER, AND I WAS INFORMED OF A MALFUNCTION OF ONE OF THE FOUR IGNITION COILS ON MY CAR WITH A TOTAL OF 12,000 MILES OF USE. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT NEARLY AS AGGRIVATING AS THE INFORMATION WHICH I HAVE LEARNED FROM THE SERVICE TECH AT TWO SEPARATE DEALERSHIPS AND 3 AUDI ENTHUSIAST WEBSITES: THIS IS A PROBLEM WELL-KNOWN TO AUDI, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING WITH FREQUENCY FOR ABOUT A YEAR, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT AUDI HAS YET TO SUCESSFULLY SOLVE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY DEALER THAT AFTER REPLACING JUST ONE OF THE FOUR COILS PER WARRANTY AGREEMENT, WITH A COIL IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT HAS FAILED (A REPLACEMENT IS NOT READY/AVAILABLE) THAT I AM LEFT TO OPERATE MY VEHICLE WITH THE FULL PROSPECT OF FUTURE FAILURE FROM THE OTHER THREE COILS THAT AUDI REFUSES TO REPLACE. THIS SOLUTION STRICKES ME AS ILLOGICAL, UNSAFE AND UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMER. AUDI HAS CERTAINLY PRIDED ITSELF AS A MANUFACTURER OF PREMIUM AUTOMOBILES. THE DECISION TO PROVIDE CONSUMERS SUCH AS MYSELF WITH MINIMAL SERVICE SOLUTIONS, AS WELL AS A FUNDAMENTAL LACK OF INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THIS APPARENTLY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM IS CONTRADICTORY TO THIS FIRM'S INTENTIONS OF ACQUIRING, RETAINING AND SATISFYING CUSTOMERS.

NHTSA ODI #10000831

10,600 miles · Jan 6, 2003
Electrical System

ENGINE COIL FAILED ON 2002 A4 1.8T AT 10,600 MILES. PER AUDI, REPLACEMENT PART IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS. INDICATES THAT THIS IS A MORE WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAN AUDI IS ADMITTING. WHEN COIL FAILS, CAR BECOMES UNSAFE AND UNDRIVABLE; ENGINE BARELY HAS ANY POWER. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVER AND OTHER CA…

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ENGINE COIL FAILED ON 2002 A4 1.8T AT 10,600 MILES. PER AUDI, REPLACEMENT PART IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS. INDICATES THAT THIS IS A MORE WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAN AUDI IS ADMITTING. WHEN COIL FAILS, CAR BECOMES UNSAFE AND UNDRIVABLE; ENGINE BARELY HAS ANY POWER. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVER AND OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD SHOULD THE COIL FAIL WHILE CAR IS IN USE. AUDI IS NOT PROACTIVELY REPLACING ALL IGNITION COILS WHEN A VEHICLE PRESENTS WITH ONE FAILED COIL. AUDI WOULD NOT PROVIDE PRICE QUOTE TO ME FOR REPLACING REMAINING COILS IN THE VEHICLE AT MY EXPENSE (ALSO, THEY HAVE NO AVAILABLE PARTS TO DO THIS, ADVISING THAT THEY ONLY HAVE SUPPLY TO REPLACE FAILED COILS). I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL ALL COILS ARE REPLACED. PLEASE DEMAND THAT AUDI RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM AND INITIATE A RECALL TO REPAIR ALL IMPACTED VEHICLES. DEALER ADVISES THAT THEY ARE SEEING INCREASE IN NUMBER OF VEHICLES PRESENTING WITH FAILED COILS.

NHTSA ODI #10000564

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.