2005 Audi S4 problems & reliability
43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Audi S4, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2005 Audi S4 vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting → | 33 | 77% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 12% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 7% |
| Engine | 1 | 2% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% |
| Power Train | 1 | 2% |
| Seats | 1 | 2% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 12 reported components →Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 34 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 56,000 miles (middle 50% between 40,000 and 73,150 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that the exterior headlamps failed to illuminate without warning. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v382000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer…”
Air Bags · filed Apr 26, 2018
“Takata recall. I received two letters from audi in march 2017 and recently a third letter in march 2018 informing me of the passenger frontal airbag inflator problem. The most recent letter states that it is dangerous to drive and the airbag could explode causing serious injury or death. I called audi service in april…”
Air Bags · filed Apr 18, 2018
“Takata recall 1. The left headlight flickers. 2. It then turns itself off 3. The message "left dipped headlight" appears 4. This happens while my vehicle is parked and in motion so it is a very serious safety risk. I have had both headlights go out at night while driving with my 2 year old in the car!”
Exterior Lighting · filed Nov 10, 2017
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
213 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2005 Audi S4. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information on the additional reporting requirements for safety related inquiries.
A0023742052680_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 4, 2023
Inside the Rings | Volume 12, Spring 2023
DC_AudiRingsV12 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2023
In conjunction with the Massachusetts DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,907 Audi owners in the State of Massachusetts on March 13, 2023.
TRMDMV_MA_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 13, 2023
In conjunction with the New Mexico DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 389 Audi owners in the State of New Mexico on March 13, 2023.
TRMDMV_NM_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 13, 2023
In conjunction with the Colorado DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,174 Audi owners in the State of Colorado on February 13, 2023.
TRMDMV_CO_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 13, 2023
Takata recall and 3G turndown
DC_Rings_VOL10 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 10, 2023
In conjunction with the New York DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 5,165 Audi owners in the State of New York on October 17, 2022.
TRMDMV_NY_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 17, 2022
In conjunction with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, Audi is sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 1,121 Audi owners in the state of South Carolina on September 19, 2022.
TRMDPS_SC_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 19, 2022
In conjunction with the Georgia Department of Revenue - Motor Vehicle Division and Department of Driver Services, Audi sent Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 565 Audi owners in the State of Puerto…
TRMDMV_PR_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 25, 2022
In conjunction with the Virginia DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,026 Audi owners in the State of Virginia on July 21, 2022.
TRMDMV_VA_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2022
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2005 Audi S4 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2005 Audi S4?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 56,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.