2005 AUDI S4 Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

29 complaints

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!

Nov 10, 2017

MY DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT FREQUENTLY GOES OUT WITH THE MESSAGE, "LEFT DIPPED HEADLIGHT." IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON SOMETIMES THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON, SOMETIMES NOT.

Apr 25, 2016

BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM DEALER, USED, LOW MILEAGE, GREAT CAR. HEADLIGHTS WERE FILLED WITH CONDENSATION. DEALER SAID TO DRY THEM OUT AND RE-SEAL THEM. THAT DIDN'T WORK. THERE IS STILL WATER IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS. IT HASN'T RAINED AND HAS NOT BEEN HUMID OUTSIDE. PULLED OVER THE FIRST NIGHT AND TOLD THEY WERE A SAFETY CONCERN AND NEEDED TO GET THEM FIXED, LUCKILY JUST A WARNING ISSUED, NO TICKET. I CAN'T SEE AT NIGHT WITH THE AMOUNT OF CONDENSATION/WATER THAT HAS ACCUMULATED IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS. THIS SHOULD BE A PROBLEM THAT AUDI RECALLS. IT'S NOT SAFE DUE TO DECREASED VISIBILITY, NO VISIBILITY AT TIMES, AND THE CAR WON'T PASS THE STATE INSPECTION UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO WARRANTY AND THE DEALERSHIP TOTALLY BLEW OFF MY CONCERNS TELLING ME SOME BS STORY ABOUT HOW TO FIX IT MYSELF BECAUSE THEIR LABOR RATES WERE SO HIGH. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE WITH DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHTS AND I REALLY HOPE AUDI ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. BOUGHT A CAR AND CAN'T EVEN PASS INSPECTION TO DRIVE IT, WORTHLESS VEHICLE AND MONEY SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. NOT HAPPY. *TR

May 21, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HID HEADLIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FLICKER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT BOTH HEADLIGHTS WOULD DIP AND AS RESULT, AN ERROR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Jan 17, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME DIM WITH LOW VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIAGNOSED WITH HAVING A REFLECTOR FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS BEEN OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70000.

Sep 09, 2013

+ 24 more complaints for this component

AIR BAGS

2 complaints

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 2017 AND AGAIN IN APRIL 2018 AND THEY SAID THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NO TIME FRAME FOR WHEN IT WILL BE AVAILABLE. HOW CAN I CONTINUE TO DRIVE A CAR THAT HAS SIGNIFICANT RISK TO CAUSE INJURY AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT FOR OVER A YEAR?

Apr 18, 2018

FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DURING A FRONT END COLLISION WHILE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED-NO ONE WAS OCCUPYING THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS CENTER BETWEEN THE TWO HEADLIGHTS. *TR

Jan 16, 2009

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,AIR BAGS

1 complaint

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 EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI PACIFIC (20460 HAWTHORNE BLVD, TORRANCE, CA) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. AUDI PACIFIC WAS ALSO CONTACTED REGARDING THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILURE, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Apr 26, 2018

ENGINE

1 complaint

THE COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE MOTORS LOSING OIL EVERY 1000 MILES A 1QT IS NEED EACH TIME. THE ENGINE IS CAUSED AND BURNS OIL FAST TO THE MOTOR TO LOSE OIL MORE RAPIDLY. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY MOTOR IS LOSING OIL! AND SO DO OTHER MODELS HAVENING THIS PROBLEMS ISNT GOOD.

Nov 09, 2017

STEERING

1 complaint

I WAS ON MY WAY TO SUBSTITUTE TEACH AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SANTA CRUZ, CA AND SO WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A LOT OF EARLY TRAFFIC AT A LEFT TURN SIGNAL WHEN I HEARD A VERY STRANGE RUMBLE. I THOUGHT IT WAS ANOTHER CAR AS MY CAR HAD JUST BEEN IN FOR A 95,000 MILE SERVICE A FEW WEEKS EARLIER. HOWEVER, PART WAY THROUGH THE TURN I WAS ALMOST UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR. I HAD TO FIGHT THE CAR TO KEEP IT FROM HITTING A BICYCLIST AND TO GET IT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT THEN STOPPED STEERING AND DIED. AT THAT POINT IT WAS BLOCKING TWO CARS IN A DRIVEWAY, BUT I COULD NOT STEER IT AT ALL. THIS WAS ON THE STREET DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DEL MAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I CALLED FARMERS INSURANCE AND MONTEREY PENINSULA AUDI WHERE IT WAS TOWED. I WAS TOLD THE STEERING COLUMN HAD CRACKED AND THE FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THERE WAS NO WAY TO BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THIS IN ROUTINE SERVICES.

Sep 14, 2017

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS

1 complaint

HEATED SEAT ELEMENT BURNED OR MELTED THE SEAT WHILE THE CAR WAS OFF OVERNIGHT. PASSENGER SEAT LEATHER IS NOW SEPARATED, SHRIVELED (HARD AS A ROCK) AND WOULD HAVE BURNED THE PASSENGER IF THEY HAD BEEN IN THE SEAT.

Nov 23, 2015

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER

1 complaint

DRIVER HEADLIGHT DIPPED INFO ON DASH. HEADLIGHT TURNS OFF OR FLICKERS TILL IT TURNS OFF AND MUST TURN ALL LIGHTS OFF ON THE CAR WHILE DRIVING AND RESET LIGHTS TO ACTIVATE HEADLIGHT BACK ON. SOMETIMES THIS DOES NOT WORK AND FORCED TO DRIVE WITH ONE HEADLIGHT WITH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION, POLICE HAVE CITIED ME TWICE FOR FAULTY HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. THERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE A FATALITY CRASH INVOLVING THIS ISSUE WITH DIPPED HEADLIGHTS ON AUDI VEHICLE'S. ALSO THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS FROM 0 TO 70 MPH. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 6 MONTHS AND GOING TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT SOON ON I95 IN MIAMI AS I DRIVE HOME FROM WORK AT 0430 A.M. *TR

Feb 16, 2015

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WITH AND THE MESSAGE, "RIGHT DIPPED HEADLIGHT" CAME ON. WHEN THIS HAPPEN I STOPPED TO FILL UP WITH GAS AND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE MESSAGE WAS GONE AND THE HEADLIGHT WAS BACK ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED A SEVERAL MORE TIMES SINCE THEN. *TR

Jun 21, 2014

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1 complaint

2005.5 AUDI S4. 104,000 MILES. CHAIN TENSIONER DAMAGED. CAUSE DAMAGE TO ENGINE. ENGINE SHOULD BE REPLACED. *TR

May 03, 2011

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

CAR STARTED MISFIRING AND WITHIN LESS THAN 5 MILES IN THE HIGHWAY THEN STARTED TO BUILD UP SMOKE INSIDE THE CABIN, CAR THEN STOPPED AND TOWED TO A MECHANICS WHO CONFIRM THE DIAGNOSIS OF MISFIRING OF 3 CYLINDERS AND FOUND OVERHEATING OF THE PASSENGER SIDE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT LEAD TO A MELTING A CONNECTOR OF THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

Jul 28, 2010

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

FRONT HEADLIGHTS (BOTH SIDES) FLICKER(BLINK) BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. WHEN THEY FLICKER I TURN THEM OFF AND THEN TURN ON AGAIN, THEN THEY ARE FINE. BUT I AM WORRIED THAT IT MAY GO BAD DURING DRIVING CAUSING SAFETY ISSUES. ITS NOT THE BULB ISSUES AS ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTICS WOULDN'T DETECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. I TRIED FINDING SOLUTION ONLINE AND FOUND THIS FORUM HTTP://FORUMS.AUDIWORLD.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=23809262. THIS TELLS ME THIS PROBLEM IS PART OF NOTORIOUS DESIGN BY AUDI OF AMERICA. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND AUDI WOULDN'T TAKE CARE OF IT AS THEY HAVE PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE TO SORT OUT OTHER MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH MY CAR WHICH HAS ONLY 50000 MILES. THOSE ISSUES INCLUDE FAILING OF FUEL PUMPS, LEAKING OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AND MELTING OF GASKET COVER CAPS (MAIN) LEADING TO INCONVENIENCE AND FINANCIAL STRESS FOR US AND ON A CAR WHICH IS NOT EVEN 12 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. I REQUEST YOU TO DO YOUR RESEARCH AND HOPE THEY DO A RECALL FOR THESE FAULTY HEADLIGHTS. *TR

Apr 20, 2010

VISIBILITY

1 complaint

2005 AUDI S4 CABRIOLET - REAR WINDOW SEPARATING FROM SOFT CONVERTIBLE TOP. TOP APPEARS TO BE SHRINKING AT THE WINDOW EDGES AS WELL. INDEPENDENT CONVERTIBLE TOP REPAIR FACILITY AS WELL AS LOCAL AUDI DEALER CONFIRM THAT THIS IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE ADHESIVE USED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. AUDI OF AMERICA REFUSES TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE TO DATE. VEHICLE HAS 49,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND HAS BEEN OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY FOR ONLY A FEW WEEKS. REAR WINDOW WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY COME FULLY LOOSE FROM THE TOP SOON, AND COULD EITHER STRIKE A REAR PASSENGER OR SIMPLY DISLODGE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, POTENTIALLY INJURING OR KILLING PERSONS TRAVELING BEHIND THIS VEHICLE. THE POTENTIAL FOR AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT IS PRESENT HERE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT. A RECALL IS NEEDED HERE TO PREVENT POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE. AUDI IS HANDLING THESE TOP PROBLEMS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, AND IS FIGHTING HARD WITH OWNERS NOT TO PAY AT ALL. AUDI DEALERS ARE QUOTING IN EXCESS OF $6400 TO REPLACE THE TOP, COSTLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT MANY OWNERS FROM SAFELY REPAIRING THE TOP. PER INFORMATION SOURCED FROM AUDIWORLD.COM, MANY OWNERS ARE NOT REPLACING THE TOP DUE TO THE EXORBITANT COST BUT RATHER SIMPLY GLUING OR TAPING THE REAR WINDOW IN PLACE AND HOPING FOR THE BEST. THIS IS AN ISSUE WHICH CLEARLY REQUIRES A RECALL IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. *TR

Oct 22, 2008

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 AUDI S4. THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL DOES NOT DISPLAY ANY INFORMATION. THE CLUSTER SYMBOLS ARE BROKEN. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

Oct 01, 2007

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS

1 complaint

IN AUGUST 2006 WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 AUDI S4 CONVERTIBLE ON A BUSY STREET IN BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA AT 45-50 MPH, MY CAR DIED WITHOUT WARNING...I.E. NO POWER STEERING, BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE IT OFF-ROAD AND THEN TOWED TO ROYAL AUDI IN BLOOMINGTON, IN. THEY KEPT THE CAR OVER A MONTH THINKING MAYBE I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. HOWEVER, EVENTUALLY THEY SAID IT WAS A FUSE WHICH WAS REPLACED AND THE CAR DROVE FINE. HOWEVER, DRIVING CROSS-COUNTRY IN JANUARY 2007 WHILE ON I40 IN WEST OKLAHOMA, TRYING TO PASS AN ENORMOUS TRUCK, I FOUND I HAD NO BRAKES AND REAR-ENDED ANOTHER SIMILAR LARGE TRUCK ,TOTALING MY CAR. DESPITE A SEVERE ACCIDENT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EITHER ON THE DRIVERS OR PASSENGER'S SIDE. *TR

May 28, 2007

Crash: 1

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4.9/5.0

84 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2005 AUDI S4 have?

The 2005 AUDI S4 currently has 43 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2005 AUDI S4?

The most common problems reported for the 2005 AUDI S4 are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2005 AUDI S4 problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2005 AUDI S4 comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.