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2005 Audi S4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

34 reports with mileage · 9 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.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Visibility complaints

1 reports
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48,500 miles · Oct 22, 2008
Visibility

2005 AUDI S4 CABRIOLET - REAR WINDOW SEPARATING FROM SOFT CONVERTIBLE TOP. TOP APPEARS TO BE SHRINKING AT THE WINDOW EDGES AS WELL. INDEPENDENT CONVERTIBLE TOP REPAIR FACILITY AS WELL AS LOCAL AUDI DEALER CONFIRM THAT THIS IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE ADHESIVE USED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. AUDI OF AMERICA REFUSES TO REMEDY THIS ISSU…

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2005 AUDI S4 CABRIOLET - REAR WINDOW SEPARATING FROM SOFT CONVERTIBLE TOP. TOP APPEARS TO BE SHRINKING AT THE WINDOW EDGES AS WELL. INDEPENDENT CONVERTIBLE TOP REPAIR FACILITY AS WELL AS LOCAL AUDI DEALER CONFIRM THAT THIS IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE ADHESIVE USED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. AUDI OF AMERICA REFUSES TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE TO DATE. VEHICLE HAS 49,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND HAS BEEN OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY FOR ONLY A FEW WEEKS. REAR WINDOW WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY COME FULLY LOOSE FROM THE TOP SOON, AND COULD EITHER STRIKE A REAR PASSENGER OR SIMPLY DISLODGE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, POTENTIALLY INJURING OR KILLING PERSONS TRAVELING BEHIND THIS VEHICLE. THE POTENTIAL FOR AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT IS PRESENT HERE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT. A RECALL IS NEEDED HERE TO PREVENT POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE. AUDI IS HANDLING THESE TOP PROBLEMS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, AND IS FIGHTING HARD WITH OWNERS NOT TO PAY AT ALL. AUDI DEALERS ARE QUOTING IN EXCESS OF $6400 TO REPLACE THE TOP, COSTLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT MANY OWNERS FROM SAFELY REPAIRING THE TOP. PER INFORMATION SOURCED FROM AUDIWORLD.COM, MANY OWNERS ARE NOT REPLACING THE TOP DUE TO THE EXORBITANT COST BUT RATHER SIMPLY GLUING OR TAPING THE REAR WINDOW IN PLACE AND HOPING FOR THE BEST. THIS IS AN ISSUE WHICH CLEARLY REQUIRES A RECALL IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10246401

Official recalls

2

18V427000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jun 22, 2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.

17V032000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jan 11, 2017

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.

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.