Your vehicle report
2003 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
- 210
- Received Feb 2003 to Oct 2024
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel pump fails and engine stalls26 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking19 complaints · 9.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Headlights dim or fail at night15 complaints · 7.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #07V375000On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8L turbo, 2.8L V6, or 3.0L engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
- Recall #06V017000On certain vehicles produced from september 2002 - march 2003, equipped with 1.8L turbo, 2.8L V6, or 3.0L engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
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: 10 crashes, 6 fires, 12 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 19 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Fuel pump fails and engine stalls
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline
9 more problems
- CVT transmission fails or loses power
- Transmission fails or loses power while driving
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Transmission will not engage reverse gear
- Check engine light comes on repeatedly
- Manual clutch wears out or fails early
- Engine burns excessive oil between changes
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engine
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 |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2005 | 16 |
| 2006 | 18 |
| 2007 | 23 |
| 2008 | 28 |
| 2009 | 16 |
| 2010 | 26 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 210 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 26 | 12% | – | NHTSA recall #06V017000, #07V375000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 19 | 9.0% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 15 | 7.1% | – | NHTSA recall #05V096000 |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 10 | 4.8% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 9 | 4.3% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 8 | 3.8% | – | |
| CVT transmission fails or loses power | 8 | 3.8% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 6 | 2.9% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 5 | 2.4% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.9% | – | NHTSA recall #06V017000, #07V375000 |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Manual clutch wears out or fails early | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 1.4% | – |
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 #07V375000August 28, 200734,358 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8L turbo, 2.8L V6, or 3.0L engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump Can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on september 28, 20007. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or Audi at 1-800-822-2834. This recall is a supplement to a previous campaign (please see 06V017).
NHTSA recall #06V017000January 23, 200674,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
On certain vehicles produced from september 2002 - march 2003, equipped with 1.8L turbo, 2.8L V6, or 3.0L engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump Can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on april 10, 2006. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or Audi at 1-800-822-2834.
NHTSA recall #05V096000March 15, 20059,965 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
On certain passenger vehicles, there is a possibility of xenon headlamp coating degradation over time. The luminous transmittance of the headlamp may decrease over a period of time.
This condition could affect a driver's field of view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the left and right xenon headlamp reflectors free of charge. The recall began on april 11, 2005. Owners may contact Audi at 1-800-822-2834.
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 2003 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