2010 AUDI S4 Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

POWER TRAIN

35 complaints

ONCE CAR IS PUT INTO REVERSE IT LAUNCHES BACK ? ALSO IN FIRST ONE PUT IN COST IT WANTS TO MOVE PRACTICALLY FORWARD .

Apr 04, 2020

CAR SLAMMED INTO DIFFERENT GEAR, WASN'T ABLE TO SHIFT INTO 2ND AND THREW GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS ERRORS. THANKFULLY I WAS NEAR HOME AND ABLE TO MAKE IT THERE WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OR BEING STRANDED, BUT MY CAR IS NOW IMMOBILE. I SPOKE WITH AUDI AND THEY SAID IT WILL LIKELY BE A $4K REPAIR (MECHATRONICS UNIT). AFTER RESEARCHING THIS MORE, IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THERE'S ALSO A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TO GET AUDI TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THEM.

Apr 03, 2020

MECHATRONIC ISSUES.

Aug 28, 2019

THE WHOLE CAR JERKED WHEN GOING TO 2ND GEAR AND THEN THETPMS, NO REVERSE, AND GEAR MALFUNCTION LIGHTS COMES ON. 2ND, 4TH, 6TH, AND REVERSE GEAR ARE GONE. RESTARTING THE CAR CLEARED THE WARNING AND DROVE FINE FOR 10 MILES BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. TRY RESTARTING AGAIN TO CLEAR THE WARNING BUT LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON WHEN GOING TO 2ND OR REVERSE.

Jul 16, 2019

GEARBOX FAILURE SEEMS TO BE COMMON ISSUE ON THE 2010 MODEL. SEEMS A REPLACEMENT MECHATRONICS UNIT OR FULL TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE DONE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

Jul 04, 2019

+ 30 more complaints for this component

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

10 complaints

MY COOLANT PUMP BLEW AROUND 10K MILES. I LIVE IN BOSTON. IT WAS COLD THAT MORNING - SINGLE DIGITS. I STARTED THE CAR AND HEARD A FLAPPING NOISE. I IGNORED IT AND DROVE TO GET COFFEE. WHEN THE CAR WARMED UP, THE FLAPPING NOISE WENT AWAY SO I STARTED OUT TO MY DESTINATION. ABOUT 5 MILES DOWN THE ROAD, THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE INSIDE WAS WET. I CALLED AAA AND THEY TOWED THE CAR TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I LEARNED THAT MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. COUNT ME AMONG THOSE THAT ARE UPSET THAT AUDI IS NOT FIXING THIS BEFORE IT HAPPENS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A PUBLIC RECALL BUT A SIMPLE CALL FROM MY DEALERSHIP ASKING ME TO COME IN SO THEY CAN FIX A POTENTIALLY FAULTY PART. *LN

Feb 07, 2011

2010 AUDI S4 IN THE SAN FRAN BAY AREA, AFTER A WEEKEND DRIVE TO THE SNOW, FOUND A POOL OF COOLANT UNDER CAR AND JUST MED IT TO THE DEALER BEFORE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS COMMON. NO RECALL TO BE EXPECTED, ISN'T THIS ILLEGAL? I MAKE PHARMACEUTICALS AND IF I DON'T PERFORM A RECALL THIS IS AN ILLEGAL ACTION. *TR

Jan 13, 2011

2010 AUDI S4. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW IN THE WATER PUMP. *TGW AUDI ISSUED A SERVICE ADVISORY TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP DUE TO A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR WATER PUMP FAILURE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THREE WEEKS LATER BY THE DEALER, THAT AUDI REMOVED THE ADVISORY DUE TO LACK OF SUPPLY AND THAT THE WATER PUMP WOULD ONLY BE REPLACED IF THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN. *JB

Jan 12, 2011

ON DEC 8, MY AUDI S4, MODEL YEAR 2010, BUILT END 2009, 11,000 MILES, STRANDED WITH A LEAKING COOLANT SYSTEM "OUT OF THE BLUE", DURING MODERATE HIGHWAY DRIVING. WARNING SYSTEM INDICATED TO TURN OFF ENGINE AND CHECK COOLANT. NOT NECESSARILY SAFE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ON A 8 LANE HIGHWAY. AUDI SERVICE DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED A DEFECT WATER PUMP WITH AN "UPDATED MODEL" (METAL BODY, REPLACING THE "PLASTIC BODY MODEL"), AND REFERS TO THIS A DESIGN FLAW. THIS ISSUE IS WELL KNOWN TO AUDI FOR THE LATE-2009 BUILT 2010 S4S, BUT ALSO FOR Q5 AND A6 MODELS. YET AUDI DOES NOT INFORM THE OWNERS, WHILE THEY RECEIVE PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS ON A REGULAR BASIS. AUDI SERVICE WAS WELL PREPARED AND REPORTS THAT THEY CAN HARDLY MEET DEMAND OF NEW WATER PUMPS WITH INCOMING CASES. THE WATER PUMP FAILURE SEEMS TO BE PROMOTED BY COLD WEATHER (<-5C). ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE FROM THE TOWING COMPANY CONFIRMS THAT 2010 AUDI'S ARE PRONE TO BEING TOWED THIS EARLY 2010/2011 WINTER. CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL SAFETY AND ENGINE DAMAGE IMPACT OF A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE COOLING, IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO NOT INFORM OWNERS SO THEY CAN WATCH THEIR COOLANT LEVEL AND SEEK REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER PUMP. *TR

Dec 11, 2010

2010 AUDI S4 WITH V-6 3.0T ENGINE. RETURNING HOME AFTER A 7 MINUTE DRIVE, I WAS 300 FT. FROM MY HOUSE WHEN I RECEIVED AN ENGINE MESSAGE COOLANT LOW, TURN OFF ENGINE AND CHECK COOLANT. I STOPPED IN DRIVEWAY TO FIND MY WATER PUMP HAD BURST, AS WITH SEVERAL COMPLAINTS HERE. I KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AS MORE THAN 50 OTHER AUDI S4 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED IT AND IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON AUDI OWNER'S FORUMS. MY CAR IS UNDRIVEABLE, AND WILL BE TOWED TO DEALER TOMORROW UNDER WARRANTY. AUDI OF AMERICA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS A CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE PUMPS SLOWLY, BUT REFUSES TO RECALL DESPITE THE POSSIBILITY OF ENDANGERING DRIVERS. AT THE VERY LEAST, WE SHOULD BE WARNED OF THIS POSSIBILITY. IT IS ONLY THROUGH OUR OWN RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION THAT OWNERS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

Dec 05, 2010

+ 5 more complaints for this component

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

4 complaints

MY CAR FLASHED GEARBOX MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE I-264 IN LOUISVILLE KY. CAR SEAMED FINE FOR ABOUT 2 MILES AND THEN SUDDENLY WENT LIMP AND I HAD NO GEARS. HAD TO HIT FLASHERS AND COAST INTO MEDIAN. WAS ALMOST HIT BY SEMI TRUCK. REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAPPENED AGAIN 1 DAY AFTER GETTING IT BACK FROM SHOP. TAKING IT TO AUDI NOW. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.

Oct 23, 2019

IT HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING UP TO SPEED, AT ABOUT 50 MPH I GOT A "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" ERROR MESSAGE IN THE CLUSTER AND IT WOULD NOT LET ME ACCELERATE ANYMORE, IT WAS LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD JUST REV UP THE ENGINE. THE MECHATRONICS UNIT ON THESE VEHICLES ARE FAULTY, I KNOW 2 OTHER S4 OWNERS WITH THE YEARS OF 2011 AND 2012 WHO ALSO HAD THEIR MECHATRONICS FAIL ON THEIR S4. ALONG WITH THE GEARBOX MALFUNCTION ERROR ALSO COMES "PARKING BRAKE ERROR" WHO KNOWS WHAT IN THE WORLD CAN HAPPEN WHEN THAT MESSAGE COMES UP. IS IT GOING TO SUDDENLY APPLY THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE GOING 50-70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSE A POSSIBILITY OF A VERY BAD ACCIDENT? THE REPAIR IS VERY PRICEY FOR THE MECHATRONIC UNIT THAT GOES BAD, IT IS NO COINCIDENCE MANY OF THESE S4 MODELS HAVE THESE GO BAD.

May 30, 2019

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE MECHATRONICS UNIT ON MY CAR IS FAILING AND JUST MANY MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. THE VEHICLE CAN STOP ENGAGING GEARS AT ANY SPEED AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AT ANY SPEED, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY

May 29, 2019

PULLED OUT OF PARKING LOT AND RECEIVED A GEARBOX MALFUNCTION WARNING ALONG WITH A TPMS MALFUNCTION. WARNING ON DASH INDICATED THAT I COULD CONTINUE DRIVING. I DROVE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER MILE AND WHILE GOING THRU A ROUNDABOUT, THE CAR SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GET THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN. I CONTINUED THE REST OF THE WAY HOME FOR ABOUT 2 MORE MILES. THE MECHATRONIC UNIT WAS DETERMINED TO BE FAULTY AND WAS REPLACED. *TR

Aug 02, 2014

SERVICE BRAKES

2 complaints

AUDI S4 2010, ELECTRONIC PARKING BREAK RANDOMLY DISENGAGED WHILE PARKED IN A SLOPED PARKING LOT. CAR ROLLED BACK INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING 1800 DOLLARS OF DAMAGE.

Aug 11, 2016

Crash: 1

FOLLOW UP ON AUDI S4 2010: ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE DISENGAGED WHILE PARKED IN SLOPED PARKING LOT. CAR ROLLED BACK INTO ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE CAUSING 1800 DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE. CALLED THE AUDI DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEY CLAIM "THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT. " I DID SOME RESEARCH AND APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY APPROXIMATELY 6 OTHER PEOPLE ON AUDI FORUMS SUCH AS AUDIFORUM.COM

Aug 11, 2016

Crash: 1

ENGINE

2 complaints

RECEIVED "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION WARNING, OKAY TO CONTINUE DRIVING" WARNING ON THE DASH WHILE DRIVING 45MPH, THREE MILES AWAY FROM HOME. ARRIVED 20 FEET FROM MY RESIDENCE AND RECEIVED ANOTHER ERROR, "PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION." THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE; WITH PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO GAS PEDAL, NO VEHICLE MOVEMENT. TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN BACK ON. THE CAR CORRECTED ITSELF AND WAS ABLE TO PARK IN GARAGE. TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO AUDI AND THE RUDE AND UNKNOWLEDGEABLE SERVICE ADVISOR TOOK MY VEHICLE AND APPLIED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT ERROR THAT NIGHT. MY WIFE DROVE THE VEHICLE NEXT DAY AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME MALFUNCTION ERRORS BUT THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND ALMOST ENDED UP BEING REAR ENDED. SHE NOW FEARS FOR HER SAFETY AND WILL NO LONGER DRIVE OR BE A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE NOW SITS AT AN AUDI DEALERSHIP. I HAVE ASKED THEM TO PICK UP THE FULL COST OF REPAIR ($5628) BEING THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND I HAVE REPORTED AND HAD AUDI DOCUMENT THE SYMPTOMS BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATES THERE IS A TSB (TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN) THAT DOCUMENTS MY ISSUE BUT THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE VEHICLE ON THEIR DIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN I REPORTED THE ISSUE BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY KNEW OF THE TSB. *JS

Jan 01, 2015

WITHOUT WARNING MY 2010 AUDI S4 OVER HEATED WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE STORE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. LUCKILY MY CHILDREN WERE NOT WITH ME BECAUSE I HAD TO PULL OFF ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY ROAD UNTIL THE ENGINE COOLED DOWN. FROM WHAT I GATHERED ON THE INTERNET SEVERAL HUNDRED AUDI'S HAD THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. ONLY A TSB (TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN) WAS ISSUED. AUDI MAKES THE CUSTOMER PAY THE BILL, EVEN THOUGH THEY REPLACED THE PLASTIC THERMOSTAT WITH AN ALUMINUM ONE AND SOMETIMES THE WATER PUMP. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE IF YOU ASK ME. FIRST AND LAST AUDI I WILL EVER OWN. BAD EXPERIENCE. *TR

Sep 27, 2014

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint

Unknown

Sep 22, 2025

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint

GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD WITHIN THE CITY ABOUT 45MPH I FELT A SLIGHT JERK AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE WARNINGS CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD "TIRE PRESSURE! SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" & "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION: NO REVERSE GEAR (YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING)" THROTTLE RESPONSE WAS OFF AND FORCED ME TO IMMEDIATELY PULLER OVER! WHILE STOPPED I RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE WARNINGS WENT AWAY, I SAT THERE FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN CONTINUED DRIVING. FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND WARNINGS CAME BACK ON, I NEEDED TO GET TO WORK SO I CONTINUED DRIVING; THE CAR WOULD TAKE VERY LONG TO SHIFT GEARS AND IT WOULD JUMP FROM 1ST TO 3RD, FROM 3RD TO 5TH AND 5TH TO 7TH GEAR JERKING KIND OF VIOLENTLY EVERY-TIME AND THROTTLE RESPONSE BETWEEN SHIFTS WAS VERY LETHARGIC TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN SEVERELY AND I FELT UNSAFE DUE TO CARS GETTING REALLY CLOSE TO MY REAR AND THEM HAVING TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY WHILE THE CAR SHIFTED GEARS. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I STRONGLY FEEL THAT AUDI SHOULD BE LIABLE AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL REPAIRS NECESSARY AND ACCIDENTS THAT THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE. IF THIS ISSUE WOULD OF PRESENTED ITSELF WHILE TRAVELING AT 75MPH ON THE HIGHWAY I BELIEVE IT COULD OF BEEN A CASE OF LIFE & DEATH. AUDI IS PUTTING THE PEOPLE DRIVING THEIR VEHICLES AND OTHERS AROUND AT RISK BY NOT RECALLING AN UNIT OR UNITS KNOWN TO CAUSE PROBLEMS.

Aug 09, 2018

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

WHEN DRIVING IN REGULAR DRIVE BOX INDICATOR COMES ON. SAYING GEARBOX MALFUNCTION LIMITED FUNCTION. I ONLY HAVE 63125 MILES AND KEEP MY CAR MAINTENANCE.

Apr 08, 2017

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

1 complaint

MY AUDI S4 2010 IS HAVING A MECHATRONIC ISSUE. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE DOWN THE STREET IT DROPPED A GEAR AND A ERROR MESSAGE POPPED UP STATING GEARBOX MALFUNCTION: NO REVERSE GEAR. MY VEHICLE WAS THEN UNABLE TO REVERSE AND ALSO KEPT DROPPING AND JUMPING TO DIFFERENT GEARS. IT MADE A VERY UNSAFE AND SCARY DRIVE,I HELD UP ALOT OF TRAFFIC TRYING TO DRIVE BACK TO MY HOUSE. TO GET A NEW MECHATRONIC COST BETWENN 3-8 THOUSAND DOLLARS. ALSO THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF AUDI OWNERS ON THE WEB WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I THINK AUDI SHOULD RECALL THIS PART THAT IS CAUSING SO MANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE.

Sep 13, 2016

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 complaint

GEARBOX MALFUNCTION LIGHT, LIMITED FUNCTION, CAR DROPS TO 10 MPH WITH NO WARNING. CAR REMOVES DRIVERS ABILITY TO CONTROL CAR IN SITUATION ON HIGHWAY LIMP MODE IS NOT SAFE AND CAN NOT BE DISABLED. CAR PERFORMS NORMAL EXCEPT FOR LIMP MODE SENSOR KNOWN FAULT

Jun 19, 2016

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

CONDENSATION BUILD-UP IN HEADLIGHT HOUSING ON VARIOUS AUDI VEHICLES THAT DOES NOT DISSIPATE REGARDLESS OF WEATHER OR DURATION OF HID LIGHTS BEING ON. *TR

Aug 09, 2011

STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1 complaint

2010 AUDI S4 WATER PUMP FAILURE -- THIS COMPLAINT IS IDENTICAL TO THE PREVIOUS TWO COMPLAINTS SURROUNDING THIS MODEL'S WATER PUMP FAILURE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT A NEAR FULL LOSS OF STEERING DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT THE SAME TIME. IN MY CASE THE CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED, HOWEVER LIKE OTHERS WHO HAVE DETAILED THEIR EXPERIENCES, AUDI HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THIS IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE FOR THIS MODEL, NOR IS THE REPAIR SATISFACTORY AS THE DISTINCT ODOR OF G-12 (G-30 IN EUROPE) IS PRESENT. THOUGH THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FIRST, IT IS ALSO A CONSUMER PROTECTION MATTER AS THE BOTH THE DEALER AND AUDI OF AMERICA WHO I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH HAS NOT BEEN CLEAR ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR

Oct 02, 2010

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2010 AUDI S4 have?

The 2010 AUDI S4 currently has 60 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 2010 AUDI S4?

The most common problems reported for the 2010 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 2010 AUDI S4 problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2010 AUDI S4 comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.