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2013 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

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

29 reports with mileage · 4 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.

  • Steering. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. 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

Power Train complaints

9 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 26, 2026
Power Train

Transmission fail while driving and stationary at traffic light. Main DTC: P179F00 - Drive sensor position: malfunction Additional DTC: P179E00 - Drive sensor position: electrical malfunction ABS: 00473 Parking brake: U111300 TCM: 01315 This situation occurred 3 times in the past 3 weeks while driving or being stationary at a…

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Transmission fail while driving and stationary at traffic light. Main DTC: P179F00 - Drive sensor position: malfunction Additional DTC: P179E00 - Drive sensor position: electrical malfunction ABS: 00473 Parking brake: U111300 TCM: 01315 This situation occurred 3 times in the past 3 weeks while driving or being stationary at a traffic light. Event triggers loud warning sounds, red flashing lights/icons in dashboard, total loss of power while engine still running. At this time, this problem creates highly dangerous driving conditions with random total loss of power. The situation is temporarily remedied if engine is shut off and restarted.

NHTSA ODI #11759753

Mileage unknown · Nov 25, 2024
Power Train

At times Vehicle suddenly loses power and displays “transmission malfunction:you may continue driving” but then fails to accelerate to or maintain highway speeds. Other times when vehicle is stopped in traffic the transmission delays engaging when pressing in the accelerator and thus causes an unexpected delay to movement or if…

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At times Vehicle suddenly loses power and displays “transmission malfunction:you may continue driving” but then fails to accelerate to or maintain highway speeds. Other times when vehicle is stopped in traffic the transmission delays engaging when pressing in the accelerator and thus causes an unexpected delay to movement or if on an incline will roll backwards.

NHTSA ODI #11627233

36,000 miles · Oct 11, 2020
Power Train

DSG ISSUES. CLUNKING WHEN DOWNSHIFTING INTO 1ST / 2ND WHEN STOPPING. SHIFT HESITATION ON UPSHIFT AS WELL .

NHTSA ODI #11363839

33,000 miles · Nov 15, 2019
Power Train

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS STRANGE WHEN COLD. ACTS LIKE IT LOOSED POWER EVERY SHIFT. STRANGE CLUNKING AS WELL ON SLOW SPEEDS OR NUMBER TO NUMBER TRAFFIC. SOMETIMES IT SCARED ME THAT IT WILL JUMP FORWARD AND HIT THE CAR ON FRONT OF ME.

NHTSA ODI #11280436

38,000 miles · Oct 9, 2017
Power Train

TRANSMISSION ERROR, AT FIRST SAYS YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING IN LIMP MODE BUT SHORTLY AFTER SAYS PUT CAR INTO PARK. GOT STUCK ON THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES IN A SINGLE 10 MILE TRIP.

NHTSA ODI #11032341

58,000 miles · Sep 14, 2017
EnginePower Train

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARSHLY AND MAKES NOISE DURING SHIFTS. WAS TOLD THE MECHATRONICS NEED REPLACEMENT. SOMETIMES WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR WILL JOLT AS IF IT IT LOSES POWER MOMENTARILY. WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC IN COULD BE DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI #11023449

85,032 miles · Sep 1, 2017
Power Train

TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ON, SHIFT HARD

NHTSA ODI #11021011

38,500 miles · Nov 8, 2016
Power Train

THE PROBLEMS STARTED BY A WARNING ON MY DISPLAY SAYING TO PULL OVER GEAR BOX OR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. YOU HAVE SECONDS TO PULL OVER BEFORE THE CAR NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE IN GEAR ALL THAT HAPPENS IS THE ENGINE REVS AND YOU GO NO WHERE. MY CAR HAS ONLY 38,500 MILES ON IT AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY A COUPLE OF MONT…

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THE PROBLEMS STARTED BY A WARNING ON MY DISPLAY SAYING TO PULL OVER GEAR BOX OR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. YOU HAVE SECONDS TO PULL OVER BEFORE THE CAR NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE IN GEAR ALL THAT HAPPENS IS THE ENGINE REVS AND YOU GO NO WHERE. MY CAR HAS ONLY 38,500 MILES ON IT AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I HAD THE CAR TUNED ADDING SOMEWHERE AROUND 100 HP 6,000 MILES BEFORE THIS HAPPENED AND AUDI SAYS THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE ISSUE. TO FIX THE SENSOR ERROR CODE P179E00 WAS AROUND $5,000. 00 EVEN THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. AFTER LOOKING AROUND DECIDED TO HAVE AUDI DO THE REPAIR BUT WITHIN AN HOUR OF LETTING THEM KNOW TO GO AHEAD WITH REPAIRS THEY CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD ME THAT IT COULD BE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION WHEN THEY TESTED THE FLUID IT CAME BACK WITH SOME METAL SHAVING IN IT. THIS WOULD BE A $12,000.00 REPAIR. THE SAFETY OF THIS TRANSMISSION IS IN QUESTION FOR THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT FOR THIS TRANSMISSION EVEN THOUGH AUDI OF AMERICA DENIES THAT MY VIN IS PART OF THE SERVICE RECALL. IT IS PRETTY SCARY WHEN YOU DRIVING AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST SHUTS DOWN AND YOU AND YOU CAR ARE JUST STUCK IN TRAFFIC AS CARS DODGE YOU AND FLY BY YOU AND YOU DEAD CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10924986

25,000 miles · Aug 4, 2014
Power Train

THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR HAVING A FAULTY MECHATRONICS UNIT. THE MECHATRONICS UNIT DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY, AND CAUSES JERKING AND INSTABILITY TO THE DSG TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ALMOST REAR ENDED OTHER VEHICLES AT RED LIGHTS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WILL JERK FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY AND LUNGE ME FORWARD TOWARD THE VEHICLE AHEAD. TH…

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THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR HAVING A FAULTY MECHATRONICS UNIT. THE MECHATRONICS UNIT DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY, AND CAUSES JERKING AND INSTABILITY TO THE DSG TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ALMOST REAR ENDED OTHER VEHICLES AT RED LIGHTS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WILL JERK FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY AND LUNGE ME FORWARD TOWARD THE VEHICLE AHEAD. THIS IS NOT ONLY AN ISSUE THAT A PRESTIGIOUS NAME LIKE AUDI SHOULD NOT HAVE, BUT IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. AUDI OF AMERICA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT CHOOSES TO IGNORE IT FOR THE SAKE OF NOT HAVING TO COVER REPAIRS FOR ALL THE VEHICLES REPORTING THIS ISSUE. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH WILL YIELD RESULTS OF JUST HOW COMMON AND WIDESPREAD THIS ISSUE IS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10618528

Official recalls

1

14V667000 · Air Bags

Oct 24, 2014

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Audi A4 and S4 vehicles manufactured February 16, 2012, to October 21, 2014, and 2013-2015 Audi Allroad vehicles manufactured March 12, 2012, to October 21, 2014. Due to an improper algorithm in the air bag control module, if a crash necessitates deployment of the side air bags, a second impact to the front of the vehicle may not command the front air bags to also deploy.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the front air bags do not deploy in the event of a secondary impact to the front of the vehicle, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will update the air bag control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on November 14, 2014. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69K5.

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.