AUDI A4 Allroad Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used AUDI A4 Allroad options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
AUDI A4 ALLROAD (2017-2026) has 172 NHTSA complaints, with 113 related to the electrical system. The 2020 model year accounts for 154 complaints. Buyers should inspect electrical components and verify recall repairs. Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recall records.
- Make
- AUDI
- Model
- A4 Allroad
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 172
- Safety recall campaigns
- 12
- Crash-related complaints
- 4
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2020 (154 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2017 (0 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Below Average
By model year
AUDI A4 Allroad: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
Below AverageBased on NHTSA complaint data, the Audi A4 Allroad from 2017 to 2026 has 172 total complaints, with the electrical system accounting for 113 complaints. The 2020 model year alone has 154 complaints, suggesting a significant issue. Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recall records.
- The electrical system has 113 complaints, the highest of any component.
- The 2020 model year accounts for 154 of the 172 total complaints.
- Back over prevention has 55 complaints, indicating potential sensor or camera issues.
- Electrical system failures reported in 113 complaints.
- Back over prevention system malfunctions in 55 complaints.
- Forward collision avoidance issues in 12 complaints.
The 2020 model year has 154 complaints, driven primarily by electrical system issues (113 complaints) and back over prevention problems (55 complaints).
Years 2017, 2022, and 2025 have zero complaints, indicating potentially better reliability for those model years.
- Inspect the electrical system for any warning lights or intermittent failures.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for electrical system and back over prevention repairs.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
12 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
TIRES
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:VIDEO (TOUCH)SCREEN/MONITOR/UNIT
TIRES
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 172 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
172 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Car Play function of the MMI randomly (both wired and wireless) becomes unavailable in the system. When this happens, MMI does not connect to the previously connected phone, hands-free calls through MMI Bluetooth are not working as well. The local dealer (Audi of Lubbock) was not able to fix the problem.
Sudden Unintended Acceleration occurred when turning vehicle onto a roadway from a standing stop at an intersection. It occurred at night, [XXX] at the [XXX] . The vehicle was headed west on [XXX] turning from the far left lane while stopped at the intersection of [XXX] and [XXX] when the vehicle suddenly accelerated at a high rate of speed. The car eventually came to a stop when applying firm steady braking. There was no adaptive cruise control turned on when the event occurred. There was driver assistance activated for lane control. The car reached a speed of 60mph in a very short amount of time while heading west on [XXX] There were other vehicles on the roadway at this time, [XXX].. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
While reversing out of a parking space, the steering wheel on my 2024 Audi A4 Allroad wagon suddenly locked completely and could not be turned in either direction. A warning message appeared stating “Steering malfunction. Safe to drive.” However, the vehicle was not safe to drive due to complete loss of steering functionality. Restarting the vehicle multiple times did not resolve the issue. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Audi service center. At the dealership, the steering was functional again and no active faults were present. However, the diagnostic scan showed a stored trouble code: U103100 – FlexRay data bus No synchronization, logged at the exact time the failure occurred. The dealership confirmed no visible wiring damage or hardware fault but could not replicate the issue. The battery was tested and not deemed low enough to replace. No software updates or service bulletins were applied. The service center declined to escalate the issue to Audi Corporate, stating that escalation is only permitted if the issue occurs a second time. This incident involved total loss of steering, which poses a serious safety risk. There were no prior warning signs before the failure. The issue has not recurred yet, but the root cause remains unresolved and could endanger the driver and others if it happens while the vehicle is in motion.
The sidewall of the Continental ProContact TX 245/45 18 100H XL BSW MW developed a bubble over the course of driving the car 3,670 miles from date of vehicle purchase new in [XXX]. I drove the vehicle to the nearest Continental Tire dealer, America's Tire at 1327 S. Glendale Ave. Glendale, CA 91205 to have the tire inspected. The tire was confirmed and inspected at this Tire dealer December 30, 2024 at 9:51 AM. The defect was reported to the manufacturer on site by telephone and I was offered a 50% credit toward the purchase of a new tire. There was no warning given by the car's onboard Tire Monitoring system in the MMI. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6
My MMI continually refreshes so that i need to look away from the road to reset the MMI / access to maps/ access to sirius XM radio. it is a distraction that takes eyes off the road to do resets.
The contact owned a 2018 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH a second vehicle crashed into the passenger side front end of the vehicle. During the crash, the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged but no air bags were deployed. The driver sustained a fractured left wrist, concussion, lumbar injury and left arm injury. No other injuries to the second driver were reported. The vehicle was towed away and later deemed a total loss. A police report was taken at the scene. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the incident. The failure mileage was 21,000.
Read 14 more owner reports
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V874000 (Seats, Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue however, no further assistance was provided. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts are not available.
REAR VIEW CAMERA IS INTERMITTANT WHEN IN REVERSE AND BACKING UP THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES THERE IS NO REAR VIEW CAMERA WHILE BACKING UP. MULTIPLE TRIPS TO AUDI DEALER - NOT FIXED. LOANER CAR FROM DEALER, 2018 AUDI A5 HAD EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. NO REAR CAMERA - RADIO SCREEN INSTEAD. BUG IN AUDI SOFTWARE - THIS MODEL NEEDS TO BE RECALLED TO FORCE AUDI TO FIX THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. TWO PICTURES PROVIDED - ONE IS MY A4 AND THE OTHER IS THE AUDI A5 LOANER : BOTH SHOW THE CARS IN REVERSE AND THE RADIO SCREEN DISPLAYED - NOT THE REAR VIEW CAMERA LATEST OCCURANCE WAS 10/19 NO PICTURE TAKEN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V547000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI OF STEVENS CREEK (3350 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95117, (408) 215-9341) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ALL INTERIOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN. CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE WAS DISABLED FOR SEVERAL HOURS. WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, AUDI PRE SENSE WAS ENGAGED AND SEATBELTS TIGHTENED UNNECESSARILY. PARKING SENSORS CAUSE CAR TO QUICKLY STOP UNNECESSARILY WHILE REVERSING OUT OF DRIVEWAY OR PARALLEL PARKING. NOISE COMING FROM THE TRUNK AT LEFT REAR WHEEL AREA WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS IN ROAD, RIVET WAS REPLACED. CAR WAS TAKEN TO HENDRICKS AUDI SOUTH AUSTIN FOR REPAIRS MULTIPLE TIMES.
MY SON JUST CRASHED MY 2018 AUDI A4 WITH PRE SENSE BASIC AND CITY. $20K DAMAGE IN THE FRONT! NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED. IT HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY DURING MORNING RUSH HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. HE WAS DRIVING AROUND 40MPH, TRAFFIC SLOW DOWN AND HE DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. HE BRAKED HARD, BUT THE AUTO BRAKE NEVER KICKED IN.
I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE JAN 3RD 2019 IN AZ. IT WAS TRANSPORTED TO NJ VIA PRIVATE CARRIER AND DELIVERED ON FEB 12TH. ON APRIL 10TH AN APPROX. 8 INCH LONG ARCHING CRACK APPEARED IN MY WINDSHIELD. I WAS NOT HIT WITH A ROCK OR ANY OTHER DEBRIS. IN THE AM THE CAR WAS FINE AND SEVERAL HOURS LATER THIS HUGE CRACK APPEARED. THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN MOVING AND WAS IN AN AREA WHERE NOTHING COULD HAVE HIT THE CAR.
INVOLVED IN A THREE CAR REAR-END ACCIDENT. I WAS THE VERY FRONT CAR (CAR 1, WHITE 2018 AUDI A4) WHICH WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED THAT TOOK THE LEAST FORCE OF THE IMPACT. CAR 2 (TESLA MEDEL S) WAS ALSO STOPPED BUT TOOK BRUNT OF FORCE FROM AT FAULT CAR 3 (DODGE SUV) WHO CAME BARRELING IN. MY CAR TOOK MINOR DAMAGE TO THE REAR YET MY 2018 AUDI A4'S COLLISION PROTOCOLS DISABLED MY CAR AND LEFT IT COMPLETELY UNDRIVEABLE. THE SEAT BELTS ALSO PULLED BACK AND LOCKED UP LEAVING ME UNABLE TO REBUCKLE MY SEAT BELT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THIS MEANT I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY UNABLE TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER WITH NO PROTECTION BESIDES THE SHELL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED 15 MINUTES LATER, THEY HAD TO SPEND CONSIDERABLE TIME READING THROUGH THE MANUAL TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANUALLY DISABLE MY BRAKES AND TOOK 4 FIREFIGHTERS (1 STEERING AND 3 PUSHING) TO PUSH MY CAR TO THE SHOULDER. MEANWHILE, THE AT FAULT DRIVER (CAR 3) WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY FROM THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT AFTER COMPLETING POLICE ACTIVITIES. THE COLLISION PROTOCOL OF AUTOMATICALLY TIGHTENING SEAT BELTS, PUTTING ON HAZARD LIGHTS, DIALING ROAD-SIDE SERVICE, ROLLING DOWN WINDOWS PARTIALLY, AND BRAKING ITSELF WAS GREAT. HOWEVER, DISABLING THE CAR AND LEAVING THE SEAT BELTS UNUSABLE AFTERWARDS LEFT ME IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN A WORSE SECOND ACCIDENT. A FLATBED TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED IN BY AUDI ROADSIDE SERVICE AND OF COURSE THEY RECOMMENDED AN AUDI CERTIFIED COLLISION CENTER.
MY NEW AUDI A4 2018 HORN HAS A DEAD SPOT ON THE WHOLE LOWER RIGHT HAND SIDE. AUDI HAS REPLACED THE AIR BAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH HAS THE HORN CONTACTS AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK! I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS THE CASE ON ALL 2018 AUDI A4'S. I DRIVE IN NYC AND NOT HAVING A FUNCTIONING HORN IS A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA SHOULD SERIOUSLY LOOK INTO THIS. MY COMPLAINT CASE # WITH AUDI IS 180482431
The contact owns a 2019 Audi A4. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was notified of an electrical failure within the vehicle. The electrical gauge, the surge charger, and the shift sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer also determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,096.
The contact owns a 2019 Audi A4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V874000 (Seats, Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
ON APRIL 25, 2019 I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND THE AUDI PRE SENSE UNEXPECTEDLY ACTIVATED QUITE VIOLENTLY FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS AND THEN TURNED OFF. WHILE IT DID NOT STOP THE CAR COMPLETELY IT DID REDUCE MY SPEED SIGNIFICANTLY. AT THE TIME I WAS THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD; THAT IS, THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS WITHIN SIGHT OF MINE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE THAT I CAN SEE TO THE CAR BUT I TRUST YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH WORSE SITUATION IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSELY BEHIND ME. I ALSO TRUST YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS UNEXPECTED BRAKING IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE AUDI SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME HE HAS SEEN THIS PHENOMENON BEFORE BUT AUDI HAS NO EXPLANATION OR SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.
On several occasions while vehicle was stationary at a stoplight or moving very slowly the emergency braking system deployed, with seat belt tensioner activated and brakes applied with characteristic thunk sound. I could discern no threat at the time, but other cars were nearby. Recently, though, while in the middle of a left turn across three lanes of oncoming traffic (the nearest car was a block away) the car suddenly braked to a full stop. Nothing was behind or alongside me. It took about two seconds for the brake to release and I could accelerate forward. If there had been more traffic there could have been a front or rear collision. I took the car to the dealer who kept it all day and did nothing to it. Review of internet sites indicates that this is a not uncommon problem and that Audi has no solution. My son has 2 Audis, (SQ5s), and says this has happened to him in both of his vehicles.
A metal bracket on the back left side of the driver seat snapped suddenly while driving straight and at a constant speed. Since this part is broken the seat is no longer connected to the track in that corner. The car is drivable for me because I am tall and sit with the seat at its lowest height setting. When turning or breaking quickly the seat moves, and it would obviously be a safety issue if I get into an accident. If the seat is adjusted higher it is not supported in that corner and it leans back. Yesterday I dropped it off at the dealer service center and they said it is the seat frame. I have not heard back from them yet. I am the first owner of this car, and it has not been in any serious accidents (I hit a deer once roughly 2 years ago). I am not unusually heavy.
Since I purchase my vehicle I have had to continuously replace my tires on the front. Going through my carfax acct I came across some recalls that showed up that I had no idea of the car may had which was prior to purchase from the dealers. I would think that these issues were fixed prior to reselling. I recently had to pull over on the freeway due to the tire making noises then realized that the tire wear was uneven again but this time shredded apart. I could feel metal poking out which the tires hadn’t been on for long. The loss pressure warning light went off. I later found the missing tire that has came off wrapped around the rotor which the tire shop near me hadn’t seen while replacing with new tires again. The wear on the brake pads were off as well as the rotors which I also ended up having to replace just recently. I’ve made an appointment with a dealer which is out of my way to hopefully have this resolved but needed to make a report of this safety issue.
Showing 20 of 172 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact AUDI A4 Allroad
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used AUDI A4 Allroad, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The AUDI A4 Allroad has 172 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The AUDI A4 Allroad has 12 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 4 of the AUDI A4 Allroad's 172 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Below Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all AUDI A4 Allroad vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two AUDI A4 Allroad vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The AUDI A4 Allroad has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used AUDI A4 Allroad.
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AUDI A4 Allroad reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the AUDI A4 Allroad reliable?
Below Average. The AUDI A4 Allroad has 172 NHTSA owner complaints and 12 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which AUDI A4 Allroad years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2020 (154 complaints), 2018 (9 complaints), 2024 (4 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common AUDI A4 Allroad problems?
Top reported issues: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (113 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (71 complaints); BACK OVER PREVENTION (55 complaints).
Does the AUDI A4 Allroad have recalls?
Yes — 12 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the AUDI A4 Allroad. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.