Audi S4 Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2000 draws 9.08 complaints per run and the 2005 1.32, a 6.9-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 69.9% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 116 complaints, typically at 5.7 years.

Audi S4 years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Audi S4 — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2020	1.6	16	10	yes
2018	1.17	7	6	yes
2014	1.2	12	10	yes
2013	1.33	28	21	yes
2012	1.38	18	13	yes
2011	1.79	25	14	yes
2010	1.89	51	27	yes
2008	1	4	4	yes
2006	1.35	27	20	yes
2005	1.32	33	25	yes
2004	1.5	21	14	yes
2002	2.63	21	8	yes
2001	4.25	68	16	yes
2000	9.08	109	12	yes
1994	1	5	5	yes
1993	1.27	14	11	yes
1992	1	4	4	yes

ROWS 17·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 9 Audi S4 years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2000, 2001, 2010; the three worth hunting are 2005, 2013, 2006.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Audi S4 — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	62	14.2%	covered
1 year	25	19.9%	covered
2 years	15	23.3%	covered
3 years	30	30.1%	covered
4 years	57	43.2%	you pay
5 years	73	59.8%	you pay
6 years	66	74.9%	you pay
7 years	44	84.9%	you pay
8 years	20	89.5%	you pay
9 years	15	92.9%	you pay
10 years	11	95.4%	you pay
11 years	7	97%	you pay
12 years	6	98.4%	you pay
13 years	6	99.8%	you pay
14 years	1	100%	you pay

ROWS 15·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 30.1% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 69.9% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 26% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Audi S4, the early trouble is Tires and Engine And Engine Cooling — reported at around 0.6 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 5.7 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Audi S4 — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	116	5.7 yrs	1	1
Power Train	87	5.6 yrs	—	—
Service Brakes	51	4.1 yrs	6	—
Exterior Lighting	49	5 yrs	1	1
Tires	40	0.6 yrs	—	—
Hydraulic	35	4.1 yrs	4	—
Engine And Engine Cooling	33	3.5 yrs	—	—
Steering	29	2.6 yrs	2	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the S4's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Corolla draws 5.16, the Lexus IS 1.31 and the BMW M3 1.49, against 2.1 for the S4.

FIG.05·Audi S4 — rivals in the same class
Same class as the S4	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Corolla	12,389	219	1981–2026
Lexus IS	47	118	2001–2026
BMW M3	565	78	1988–2026
Acura TLX	893	41	2015–2026
Ford Focus	22,576	138	2000–2026
Subaru WRX	290	17	2015–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Audi S4

Recalls42 campaigns Fuel economy24 mpg best Common problems577 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build Cargo space31 cu ft Used prices406 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1992–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Audi S4 reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.1 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which S4 years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2000, 2001, 2010. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2005, 2013, 2006. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do S4 problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 5.7 years, followed by Power Train.

Will the warranty cover S4 problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 30.1% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 26% of the complaints here.

Is the S4 more reliable than the Toyota Corolla?

Yes: 2.1 complaints per production run for the S4 against 5.16 for the Toyota Corolla.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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