Your vehicle report
2002 Audi A4
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 181
- Received Jun 2002 to Nov 2020
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Headlights dim or fail at night16 complaints · 8.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving9 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Coil springs break and puncture tires8 complaints · 4.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #21V470000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2000-2001 Audi TT Coupe, TT Roadster, 2000-2002 A4, and S4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, possibly causing the air bag to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 13 crashes, 6 fires, 4 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 15 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 41 |
| 2003 | 57 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 13 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 16 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 181 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 16 | 8.8% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 9 | 5.0% | – | |
| Coil springs break and puncture tires | 8 | 4.4% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 8 | 4.4% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 7 | 3.9% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 6 | 3.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 2.8% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 4 | 2.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 4 | 2.2% | – | NHTSA recall #21V470000 |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 2.2% | – | |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 3 | 1.7% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 1.7% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 3 | 1.7% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 3 | 1.7% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 3 | 1.7% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #21V470000June 23, 202162,812 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2000-2001 Audi TT Coupe, TT Roadster, 2000-2002 A4, and S4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, possibly causing the air bag to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the driver frontal airbag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CJ.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2002 Audi A4.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN