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2010 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

54 reports with mileage · 6 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 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 6 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 reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

60 reports
125,000 miles · Sep 11, 2018
Power Train

VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH BRAKE ENGAGED AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ENGAGED INTO GEAR AND TRIED TO SURGE FORWARD. HAD TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL TO DISENGAGE GEAR. IN OTHER INSTANCES, VEHICLE WILL SLAM INTO GEAR ABRUPTLY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A FULL STOP, AND ALSO LUNGES FORWARD UNPREDICTABLY. THESE INCI…

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VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH BRAKE ENGAGED AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ENGAGED INTO GEAR AND TRIED TO SURGE FORWARD. HAD TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL TO DISENGAGE GEAR. IN OTHER INSTANCES, VEHICLE WILL SLAM INTO GEAR ABRUPTLY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A FULL STOP, AND ALSO LUNGES FORWARD UNPREDICTABLY. THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALL RELATED TO A FAILING AUTOMATIC DSG TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11128756

101,500 miles · Aug 9, 2018
Electrical SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed Control

GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD WITHIN THE CITY ABOUT 45MPH I FELT A SLIGHT JERK AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE WARNINGS CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD "TIRE PRESSURE! SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" & "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION: NO REVERSE GEAR (YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING)" THROTTLE RESPONSE WAS OFF AND FORCED ME TO …

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GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD WITHIN THE CITY ABOUT 45MPH I FELT A SLIGHT JERK AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE WARNINGS CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD "TIRE PRESSURE! SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" & "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION: NO REVERSE GEAR (YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING)" THROTTLE RESPONSE WAS OFF AND FORCED ME TO IMMEDIATELY PULLER OVER! WHILE STOPPED I RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE WARNINGS WENT AWAY, I SAT THERE FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN CONTINUED DRIVING. FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND WARNINGS CAME BACK ON, I NEEDED TO GET TO WORK SO I CONTINUED DRIVING; THE CAR WOULD TAKE VERY LONG TO SHIFT GEARS AND IT WOULD JUMP FROM 1ST TO 3RD, FROM 3RD TO 5TH AND 5TH TO 7TH GEAR JERKING KIND OF VIOLENTLY EVERY-TIME AND THROTTLE RESPONSE BETWEEN SHIFTS WAS VERY LETHARGIC TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN SEVERELY AND I FELT UNSAFE DUE TO CARS GETTING REALLY CLOSE TO MY REAR AND THEM HAVING TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY WHILE THE CAR SHIFTED GEARS. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I STRONGLY FEEL THAT AUDI SHOULD BE LIABLE AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL REPAIRS NECESSARY AND ACCIDENTS THAT THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE. IF THIS ISSUE WOULD OF PRESENTED ITSELF WHILE TRAVELING AT 75MPH ON THE HIGHWAY I BELIEVE IT COULD OF BEEN A CASE OF LIFE & DEATH. AUDI IS PUTTING THE PEOPLE DRIVING THEIR VEHICLES AND OTHERS AROUND AT RISK BY NOT RECALLING AN UNIT OR UNITS KNOWN TO CAUSE PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #11118724

65,000 miles · Dec 2, 2017
Power Train

GEARBOX MALFUNCTION

NHTSA ODI #11051893

98,000 miles · Oct 24, 2017
Power Train

AUDI 7SP DL501 'S-TRONIC' TRANSMISSION FOR: 2010-2015 AUDI S4 AND S5, 2013-2015 AUDI RS5, S6 AND S7. VEHICLES EXPERIENCE MECHATRONIC UNIT FAILURE AND CLUTCH FAULTS. RESULTING IN: SUDDEN SHAKING AND VIOLENT 'JUDDERING,' HESITATION FROM THE CAR WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, A 'SURGE' FORWARD THAT FEELS LIKE THE CAR HAS BEEN REAR-EN…

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AUDI 7SP DL501 'S-TRONIC' TRANSMISSION FOR: 2010-2015 AUDI S4 AND S5, 2013-2015 AUDI RS5, S6 AND S7. VEHICLES EXPERIENCE MECHATRONIC UNIT FAILURE AND CLUTCH FAULTS. RESULTING IN: SUDDEN SHAKING AND VIOLENT 'JUDDERING,' HESITATION FROM THE CAR WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, A 'SURGE' FORWARD THAT FEELS LIKE THE CAR HAS BEEN REAR-ENDED, AND HARD DOWNSHIFTING OR CLUNKING WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. ALSO CLUNKING AND TROUBLE SHIFTING GEARS, DIFFICULTY ENGAGING INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. VEHICLE SHOWING "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION, YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING" "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION, DO NOT CONTINUE DRIVING" VEHICLE GOING INTO "LIMP MODE" IN ANY DRIVING SITUATION. CLUTCHES NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY, SLIPPING BETWEEN GEARS. ISSUES CAN OCCUR WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE, MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, DRIVING UP A HILL, SHIFTING GEARS AT A LOW SPEED. MY EXPERIENCE: WHILE SWITCHING VEHICLES IN DRIVEWAY, VEHICLE WHEN INTO REVERSE AND I BACKED UP, THEN STOPPED, PUT TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AND AFTER A JOLT FORWARD, VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT STALLED, HOWEVER ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT NO FORWARD GEAR, (EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED) VEHICLE THEN ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO PARKED VEHICLE, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC HAD IT JUMPED BACK INTO DRIVE AS 3RD CAR, FATHER, AND GARAGE WERE IN FRONT PATH. 2ND TIME: VEHICLE COULD NOT REVERSE,(EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED) RAN INTO PARKING CURB WHILE EXPECTING TO GO BACKWARDS. 3RD TIME: AFTER FINALLY GETTING OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT (RESTARTING CAR FOR THE 4TH TIME AND EPC LIGHTS) PUT INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, THEN TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED,(EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED) LEAVING ME AND VEHICLE VULNERABLE FOR REAR COLLISION,WITH LEG OUT OF THE DOOR I WAS ABLE TO PUSH AND COAST MY VEHICLE OUT OF THE WAY, JUST TO MISS BEING REAR ENDED, AS CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN DRIVE AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS OF CYCLING IGNITION.

NHTSA ODI #11039221

62,148 miles · Sep 11, 2017
Power Train

VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION BECAME NON-OPERATIONAL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS DUE TO MULTIPLE FAILED SENSORS IN THE "S TRONIC TRANSMISSION INTEGRATED SENSORS" MODULE. EARLY SENSOR FAILURE HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE AS AUDI ISSUED TSB 35 12 08 2032211/1 ON DECEMBER 21, 2012 (ONLY 3 YEARS AFTER ORIGINAL MODEL PRODUCTION BEGAN…

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VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION BECAME NON-OPERATIONAL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS DUE TO MULTIPLE FAILED SENSORS IN THE "S TRONIC TRANSMISSION INTEGRATED SENSORS" MODULE. EARLY SENSOR FAILURE HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE AS AUDI ISSUED TSB 35 12 08 2032211/1 ON DECEMBER 21, 2012 (ONLY 3 YEARS AFTER ORIGINAL MODEL PRODUCTION BEGAN) OUTLINING THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE CAUSES AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED.

NHTSA ODI #11022732

83,380 miles · May 13, 2017
Power Train

MY S4 THREW THE "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION, REVERSE DISABLED" AS WELL AS A TPMS ERROR CODE WHILE IN TRAFFIC, AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE. VERY DANGEROUS, AND INCONVENIENT. LIMPED HOME AT VERY SLOW SPEED WHILE TRANSMISSION CLUNKED AND STRUGGLED TO CHANGE GEARS. THE CODE HAS GONE AWAY SINCE I RESTARTED T…

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MY S4 THREW THE "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION, REVERSE DISABLED" AS WELL AS A TPMS ERROR CODE WHILE IN TRAFFIC, AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE. VERY DANGEROUS, AND INCONVENIENT. LIMPED HOME AT VERY SLOW SPEED WHILE TRANSMISSION CLUNKED AND STRUGGLED TO CHANGE GEARS. THE CODE HAS GONE AWAY SINCE I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND NOW IT LUNGES FORWARD WHEN YOU'RE COMING TO A STOP, WHICH MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. TAKING OFF FROM A STOP IS BOUNCY AND SUPER JERKY. IF I HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, IT WILL SOMETIMES GO SMOOTHLY. THE ENGINE RPM'S SURGE WHILE COASTING TO A STOP, OR GOING DOWN, HILL ESPECIALLY WITH FOOT OFF THE PEDAL.

NHTSA ODI #10985522

63,102 miles · Apr 8, 2017
Electrical SystemExterior LightingPower Train

WHEN DRIVING IN REGULAR DRIVE BOX INDICATOR COMES ON. SAYING GEARBOX MALFUNCTION LIMITED FUNCTION. I ONLY HAVE 63125 MILES AND KEEP MY CAR MAINTENANCE.

NHTSA ODI #10971272

42,000 miles · Mar 9, 2017
Power Train

ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASING CAR, CAR EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF MECHATRONICS UNIT FAILURE (BANG/JERK WHEN STOPPING, RPM JUMPY IN 1/2ND GEAR, REVERSE IS JUMPY).

NHTSA ODI #10959707

46,000 miles · Jan 4, 2017
Power Train

TPMS & GEARBOX MALFUNCTION CAR WILL NOT DRIVE IN REVERSE AND JERK IN FORWARD GEARS WHILE ALSO INCREASING REVS ALL BY ITSELF. MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AS THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A MAJOR BUSY ROAD!

NHTSA ODI #10939780

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2016
Power Train

MY S4 LUNGES AT STOPS, OR IT FEELS LIKE I'VE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. TAKEOFF FROM A STOP IS BOUNCY, BOUNCY REVERSING, ESPECIALLY UPHILL. IF I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BREAKS AND HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATING, SOMETIMES IT'S SMOOTH. THE TAC BOUNCES WHILE COASTING TO A STOP, OR GOING DOWN HILL WITH FOOT OFF THE PEDAL. THESE ISSUES HAVE…

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MY S4 LUNGES AT STOPS, OR IT FEELS LIKE I'VE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. TAKEOFF FROM A STOP IS BOUNCY, BOUNCY REVERSING, ESPECIALLY UPHILL. IF I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BREAKS AND HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATING, SOMETIMES IT'S SMOOTH. THE TAC BOUNCES WHILE COASTING TO A STOP, OR GOING DOWN HILL WITH FOOT OFF THE PEDAL. THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT ARE NOW MORE PROFOUND. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. VERY FRUSTRATING TO PAY 50K FOR A CAR THAT DRIVES LIKE THIS, WHILE AUDI PRETENDS IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. LOTS OF THESE ISSUES IN VARIOUS FORUMS.

NHTSA ODI #10928737

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.