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2006 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

20 reports with mileage · 10 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 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

4 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2019
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

AS MANY OTHERS HAVE NOTICED ON THE B7 MODELS OF AUDI'S. THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WILL FLICKER AND GO OUT AT RANDOM TIMES, IT IS NOT A BULB PROBLEM IT HAS BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. IT IS CONCERNING WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND RANDOMLY MY HEADLIGHT WILL SHUT OFF. SOMETIMES WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK IN IT WILL RETURN. THERE…

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AS MANY OTHERS HAVE NOTICED ON THE B7 MODELS OF AUDI'S. THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WILL FLICKER AND GO OUT AT RANDOM TIMES, IT IS NOT A BULB PROBLEM IT HAS BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. IT IS CONCERNING WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND RANDOMLY MY HEADLIGHT WILL SHUT OFF. SOMETIMES WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK IN IT WILL RETURN. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THESE HEADLIGHTS AS I HAVE READ IN OTHER PLACES. VERY DANGEROUS AND CONCERNING THEY WANT TO CHARGE 1000+ DOLLARS FOR EVERY CUSTOMER TO PUT IN A NEW HEADLIGHT. IT IS THEIR DUTY TO ENSURE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.

NHTSA ODI #11170511

5,000 miles · Mar 14, 2012
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility

HID XENON HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY FLICKER AND SHUT OFF DURING DRIVING. IT'S GETTING WORSE. DEALERS "NEVER FOUND" PROBLEM WHICH RECURS CONTINUALLY SO THEY NEVER FIXED THIS ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY AFTER BEING ASKED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. 100'S OF OTHER STORIES ABOUT THIS ONLINE. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN HEADLIGHTS JUST QU…

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HID XENON HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY FLICKER AND SHUT OFF DURING DRIVING. IT'S GETTING WORSE. DEALERS "NEVER FOUND" PROBLEM WHICH RECURS CONTINUALLY SO THEY NEVER FIXED THIS ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY AFTER BEING ASKED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. 100'S OF OTHER STORIES ABOUT THIS ONLINE. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN HEADLIGHTS JUST QUIT AT RANDOM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10451576

101,000 miles · Dec 27, 2011
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT FLICKERED AND WENT OFF (HID LIGHTS). THE INFORMATION SYSTEM REGISTERED AN ERROR "DIPPED RIGHT HEADLIGHT" HEAD LIGHT COMES ON WHEN EVER THE CAR IS STARTED, AND GOES OUT WITH THE SAME ERROR AGAIN AT A LATER TIME. SO FAR THIS ERROR HAS OCCURRED THE LAST 3 TIMES I HAVE DRIVEN (ALL THREE TIMES SI…

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WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT FLICKERED AND WENT OFF (HID LIGHTS). THE INFORMATION SYSTEM REGISTERED AN ERROR "DIPPED RIGHT HEADLIGHT" HEAD LIGHT COMES ON WHEN EVER THE CAR IS STARTED, AND GOES OUT WITH THE SAME ERROR AGAIN AT A LATER TIME. SO FAR THIS ERROR HAS OCCURRED THE LAST 3 TIMES I HAVE DRIVEN (ALL THREE TIMES SINCE FIRST OCCURRENCE). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE NIGHT ILLUMINATION IS INVOLVED. I HAVE READ ON INTERNET AUDI WEBSITES THAT THIS IS AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM, THAT AUDI OF AMERICA IS NOT TAKING SERIOUSLY AS FAR AS OFFERING A CLEAR SOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10441283

50,000 miles · Jan 29, 2011
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

AUDI 2006 S4, THERE IS A MORE FREQUENT OCCURRENCE OF MY "HEADLIGHTS DIPPING" MY XENON HEADLAMPS WILL STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING, IT WOULD EITHER BE THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT, BUT NOT UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN BOTH WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. I WOULD PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AND TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT WILL RESET ITSELF AND…

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AUDI 2006 S4, THERE IS A MORE FREQUENT OCCURRENCE OF MY "HEADLIGHTS DIPPING" MY XENON HEADLAMPS WILL STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING, IT WOULD EITHER BE THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT, BUT NOT UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN BOTH WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. I WOULD PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AND TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT WILL RESET ITSELF AND LIGHTS WILL THEN WORK, IT SEEMS TO STOP OCCURRING WHEN CAR IS WARMED UP AND IT IS WORSE WITH COLDER WEATHER AND VIBRATION OR BAD ROADS. IT WILL OCCASIONALLY OCCUR WHEN CAR IS EVEN WARM WELL AFTER 30 MINUTES, I AM NOW CONCERNED BECAUSE LAST WEEK BOTH WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, IT WAS ALWAYS ONE OR THE OTHER, IT HAS HAPPENED FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS OR SO. AUDI HAS NO ANSWER, THEY HAVE ERRONEOUSLY REPLACED WORKING XENON LIGHTS, BALLASTS, ETC AND IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR TO MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT I READ UP ON IN AUDI FORUMS. FREQUENCY IS NOW EACH AND EVERY TIME I START CAR AND GET GOING LITERALLY FEET TO LESS THAN A BLOCK. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED, IT WAS ONCE A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEN ONCE A WEEK, TO ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS, TO NOW EACH AND EVERY TIME AT LEAST A COUPLE OF TIMES UNTIL WARM. I AM IN COLDER CLIMATE, DETROIT, MI. *LN

NHTSA ODI #10379536

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.