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2003 Audi A4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most A4 years

Owner complaints for the 2003 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

177 reports with mileage · 33 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports6 fire reports8 injury reports

Equipment complaints

5 reports
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35,000 miles · Sep 1, 2012
Equipment

THE CAR JACK BROKE DOWN WHILE REPLACING A FLAT TIRE, AND THE CAR FELL ON THE GROUND AFTER BEING SUSPENDED IN AIR. FORTUNATELY WHILE ALL THE BOLTS HAVE BEEN REMOVED, THE WHEEL WAS STUCK TO THE HUB OR OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I THINK THE JACK HAS A VERY FLAWED DESIGN. WHERE THE TWO PARALLEL FRAMES CAN BE …

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THE CAR JACK BROKE DOWN WHILE REPLACING A FLAT TIRE, AND THE CAR FELL ON THE GROUND AFTER BEING SUSPENDED IN AIR. FORTUNATELY WHILE ALL THE BOLTS HAVE BEEN REMOVED, THE WHEEL WAS STUCK TO THE HUB OR OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I THINK THE JACK HAS A VERY FLAWED DESIGN. WHERE THE TWO PARALLEL FRAMES CAN BE EASILY BENT OUTWARD BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT AND THEN THE SUPPORT CAN SLIDE OUT OF ITS DESIGNATED CHANNEL I HAVE PICTURES OF THE FAILED JACK. I AM REALLY CONCERNED OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MY HANDS IF NOT THE MIRACLE OF THE STUCK WHEEL WAS THERE TO PREVENT INJURY OF MY HANDS.. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO INVESTIGATE THIS FAULTY DESIGN BUT THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY RECORDED THE INFORMATION FOR THE FUTURE AND THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ENOUGH INCIDENTS YET TO JUSTIFY DESIGN REVIEW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10473284

40,000 miles · Nov 19, 2011
Equipment

IN REPLACING A FLAT TIRE AFTER JACKING THE CAR UP, THE ORIGINAL CAR JACK BROKE DOWN AND THE CAR FELL BACK DOWN. LUCKILY I HAVEN'T BEEN INJURED, BUT WAS REALLY A CLOSE CALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10436458

75,636 miles · Jan 13, 2011
EquipmentFuel System, Gasoline

CAR LOSES POWER AS IT TRAVELS . HAS BEEN TO DEALER FOR ANALYSIS AND FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT RECOMMENDED. CHECKED AND FOUND RECALL CAMPAIGN 07V375000 IS ACTIVE. DEALER REFUSES SAYING OUR CAR IS NOT ELIGIBLE EVEN THOUGH SYMPTOMS ARE IDENTICAL AND MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR ARE SAME. THEY CLAIM VIN IS NOT IN RECALL BASE. WHO DETERMINES THE…

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CAR LOSES POWER AS IT TRAVELS . HAS BEEN TO DEALER FOR ANALYSIS AND FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT RECOMMENDED. CHECKED AND FOUND RECALL CAMPAIGN 07V375000 IS ACTIVE. DEALER REFUSES SAYING OUR CAR IS NOT ELIGIBLE EVEN THOUGH SYMPTOMS ARE IDENTICAL AND MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR ARE SAME. THEY CLAIM VIN IS NOT IN RECALL BASE. WHO DETERMINES THE ACCURACY OF THE VIN NUMBERS ELIGIBLE? WE HAVE SPENT SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM OVER THE PAST YEAR AND AFTER SEVERAL DIAGNOSIS WE ARE TOLD IT IS THE FUEL PUMP. WE JUST RECENTLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10376521

50,000 miles · May 22, 2010
Equipment

MY 2003 AUDI A4 3.0 V6 DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOW BEGAN TO FAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IN 2008. ONE DAY IT JUST STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY: STILL COULD ROLL DOWN, BUT ONCE DOWN, IT COULDN'T ROLL UP ANY MORE. I HAD TO USE MY HANDS TO HOLD IT FROM BOTH SIDES TO PULL IT UP. IT CAUSED SO MANY PROBLEMS, SOMETIMES RE…

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MY 2003 AUDI A4 3.0 V6 DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOW BEGAN TO FAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IN 2008. ONE DAY IT JUST STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY: STILL COULD ROLL DOWN, BUT ONCE DOWN, IT COULDN'T ROLL UP ANY MORE. I HAD TO USE MY HANDS TO HOLD IT FROM BOTH SIDES TO PULL IT UP. IT CAUSED SO MANY PROBLEMS, SOMETIMES REAL DANGERS, DURING THE OPERATION, UNTIL I PAID A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX IT A FEW WEEKS LATER. ESPECIALLY IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH TOLL BOOTHS OR SOME NARROW LANES WHEN I CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR EASILY WHILE NOT ABLE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW, OR IN CASES I HAD THE WINDOWS DOWN FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT BECAME DANGEROUSLY DIFFICULT TO GET IT BACK UP WHEN NEEDED DUE TO RAIN OR SNOW CONDITIONS. I CAN HARDLY DESCRIBE ALL THE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS THAT MADE ME FEEL HELPLESS. BUT TWO YEARS LATER (2010), THE SAME WINDOW FAILED AGAIN WITH EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE, NOT ABLE TO ROLL UP. I DELAYED REPAIR UNTIL NOW. WHAT'S WORSE NOW IS AT THE SAME TIME, ANOTHER WINDOW -- THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW BEGAN TO FAIL TOO! THAT'S A WINDOW I BARELY USE DURING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS OF OWING THE CAR. ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS THIS BIG LOUD SOUND LIKE AN EXPLOSION COMING FROM THAT WINDOW, AND I HAD TO STOP DANGEROUSLY ON THE HIGHWAY TO INSPECT WHAT HAPPENED UNTIL CONFIRMING IT'S THE WINDOW FAILURE. IT'S BEYOND ANY REASON TO EXPLAIN WHY IT WOULD FAIL WITH NO USAGE. THIS REAR WINDOW PRESENTED MORE SECURITY ISSUES TO ME TOO, BECAUSE EVEN IF I PUSH IT ALL THE WAY UP WITH MY HANDS, IT ALWAYS SLOWLY SLIDE DOWN TO LEAVE A BIG OPENING ABOUT 5 TO 10 INCHES WIDE. SINCE I PARK THE CAR ON THE STREET ALMOST DAILY, IT'S A REAL ISSUE TO WORRY ABOUT BURGLARS OR BREAK-INS. FOR THIS SERIOUS CONCERN, I HAD TO SEND IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, WHO QUOTED ME $460 TO FIX IT INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR. CONSIDERING THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TOTAL THREE TIMES, INCLUDING ONE THAT'S HAPPENED TO A WINDOW I RARELY USE, THIS SEEMS TO ME STRONGLY AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10331766

30,000 miles · Nov 26, 2006
Electrical SystemEquipmentFuel System, Gasoline

AUDI A4 2003, THE CLUTCH FAILED AT 30,000 MILES, BUT AUDI REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT WAS COMPLETELY UNDRIVABLE. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE IT WAS CATEGORIZED AS WEAR AND TEAR, THUS NOT COVERED BY AUDI'S LEAST. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE JACK BROKE WHILE …

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AUDI A4 2003, THE CLUTCH FAILED AT 30,000 MILES, BUT AUDI REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT WAS COMPLETELY UNDRIVABLE. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE IT WAS CATEGORIZED AS WEAR AND TEAR, THUS NOT COVERED BY AUDI'S LEAST. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE JACK BROKE WHILE CHANGING A FLAT TIRE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO OTHER AUDI OWNERS, BUT STILL HAD TO PAY THE DAMAGE TO THE PLASTIC SIDING OUT OF POCKET. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10174279

Official recalls

3

07V375000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Aug 28, 2007

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.8L TURBO, 2.8L V6, OR 3.0L ENGINES, A CHANGE IN THE ELECTRICAL MOTOR COMPONENTS IN THE FUEL PUMP CAN LEAD TO AN INOPERATIVE FUEL PUMP AND, ULTIMATELY, STOPPAGE OF FUEL SUPPLY TO THE ENGINE CAUSING IT TO STALL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE IS INTERRUPTED, THE VEHICLE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING AND THUS PRESENT A POTENTIAL RISK OF CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 28, 20007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-222-8987 OR AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834. THIS RECALL IS A SUPPLEMENT TO A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN (PLEASE SEE 06V017).

06V017000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Jan 23, 2006

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM SEPTEMBER 2002 - MARCH 2003, EQUIPPED WITH 1.8L TURBO, 2.8L V6, OR 3.0L ENGINES, A CHANGE IN THE ELECTRICAL MOTOR COMPONENTS IN THE FUEL PUMP CAN LEAD TO AN INOPERATIVE FUEL PUMP AND, ULTIMATELY, STOPPAGE OF FUEL SUPPLY TO THE ENGINE CAUSING IT TO STALL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE IS INTERRUPTED, THE VEHICLE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING AND THUS PRESENT A POTENTIAL RISK OF CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-222-8987 OR AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.

05V096000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Mar 15, 2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF XENON HEADLAMP COATING DEGRADATION OVER TIME. THE LUMINOUS TRANSMITTANCE OF THE HEADLAMP MAY DECREASE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD AFFECT A DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT XENON HEADLAMP REFLECTORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 11, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.

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.