2010 Audi S4

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2010 Audi S4 has 73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (58% of all complaints), specifically: the transmission begins to jerk and slam causing the vehicle to accelerate just prior to stopping in stop/go traffic. noticed that this happens only after driving in stop/go situations and usually around 5mph. also clanks/jerks while in reverse. dealer keeps saying they cannot reproduce. *.

2 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

42 complaints

58%

• THE TRANSMISSION BEGINS TO JERK AND SLAM CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING IN STOP/GO TRAFFIC. NOTICED THAT THIS HAPPENS ONLY AFTER DRIVING IN STOP/GO SITUATIONS AND USUALLY AROUND 5MPH. ALSO CLANKS/JERKS WHILE IN REVERSE. DEALER KEEPS SAYING THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE. *
• MECHATRONICS UNIT FAILED IN THE VEHICLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION FAILURE MESSAGE LISTED ON CAR DASHBOARD. CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR AND THERE WAS NO REVERSE GEAR. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. MULTIPLE WEB FORUM POSTS STATED THE AUDI B8 MODELS SUFFERED
• MECHATRONICS UNIT FAILURE IN DSG TRANSMISSION. HARD SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 1ST WHILE STOPPING. (VEHICLE MAKES LOUD DRIVETRAIN BANG NOISE, SHAKES AND STOPS ABRUPTLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND TRYING TO COME TO A STOP, ALMOST AS IF YOU SLOWED DOWN TO 5-10MPH AND THEN SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES.) *

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE TRANSMISSION BEGINS TO JERK AND SLAM CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING IN STOP/GO TRAFFIC. NOTICED THAT THIS HAPPENS ONLY AFTER DRIVING IN STOP/GO SITUATIONS AND USUALLY AROUND 5MPH. ALSO CLANKS/JERKS WHILE IN REVERSE. DEALER KEEPS SAYING THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE. *”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

15 complaints

21%

• I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A DESIGN FLAW THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE WATERPUMP USED IN THE 2010 AUDI S4 3.0T. SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED A WATERPUMP FAILURE WHICH RESULTS IN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND PARTIAL OR FULL LOSS OF POWER STEERING. OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURE HAVE HA
• THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE TO MANY 2010 AUDI S4 OWNERS. MANY OF THEM REPORTED A WATERPUMP FAILURE BASICALLY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, I.E., HIGHWAY DRIVING, CORNERING, AND LOW SPEED DRIVING. 2010 AUDI S4 PRODUCED IN 2009 CLEARLY HAVE A DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP, WHICH TEND TO MOSTLY FAIL PRIOR TO 10K MIL
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A DESIGN FLAW THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE WATERPUMP USED IN THE 2010 AUDI S4 3.0T. SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED A WATERPUMP FAILURE WHICH RESULTS IN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND PARTIAL OR FULL LOSS OF POWER STEERING. OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURE HAVE HA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

6 complaints

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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“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 ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

2 complaints

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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

2 complaints

• 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
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 73 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: THE TRANSMISSION BEGINS TO JERK AND SLAM CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING IN STOP/GO TRAFFIC. NOTICED THAT THIS HAPPENS ONLY AFTER DRIVING IN STOP/GO SITUATIONS AND USUALLY AROUND 5MPH. ALSO CLANKS/JERKS WHILE IN REVERSE. DEALER KEEPS SAYING THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE. *
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A DESIGN FLAW THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE WATERPUMP USED IN THE 2010 AUDI S4 3.0T. SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED A WATERPUMP FAILURE WHICH RESULTS IN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND PARTIAL OR FULL LOSS OF POWER STEERING. OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURE HAVE HA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: 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
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
LIGHTING: 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
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)