Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2004 Audi A4. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling model year 2004 Audi A4 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- Consequence
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834.
XENON HEADLAMPS
- Summary
- ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF XENON HEADLAMP COATING DEGRADATION OVER TIME. THE LUMINOUS TRANSMITTANCE OF THE HEADLAMP MAY DECREASE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
- Consequence
- THIS CONDITION COULD AFFECT A DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT XENON HEADLAMP REFLECTORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 11, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (189)
189 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The fuel system is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 189 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 51 | 27% |
| Air bags | 26 | 13.8% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 18 | 9.5% |
| Tires | 16 | 8.5% |
| Vehicle speed control | 16 | 8.5% |
| Visibility | 16 | 8.5% |
| Electrical system | 15 | 7.9% |
| Exterior lighting | 14 | 7.4% |
| Power train | 12 | 6.3% |
| Engine | 7 | 3.7% |
How 2004 compares with other A4 years
Best and worst A4 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 96 | 2 |
| 2001 | 131 | 1 |
| 2002 | 181 | 1 |
| 2003 | 210 | 3 |
| 2004 | 189 | 2 |
| 2005 | 219 | 3 |
| 2006 | 298 | 4 |
| 2007 | 219 | 5 |
| 2008 | 191 | 6 |
| 2009 | 144 | 6 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 23 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,550
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 386 g/mi
- EPA class
- Subcompact Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 23 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 28 / 23 | $3,550 | 386 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 27 / 23 | $3,550 | 386 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 29 / 23 | $3,550 | 386 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 19 / 27 / 22 | $3,750 | 404 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 19 / 28 / 22 | $3,750 | 404 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 / 25 / 21 | $3,900 | 423 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 / 26 / 21 | $3,900 | 423 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · 5-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 18 / 26 / 21 | $3,900 | 423 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · 5-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 18 / 26 / 21 | $3,900 | 423 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 5-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 23 / 19 | $4,350 | 468 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 24 / 19 | $4,350 | 468 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 5-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 23 / 19 | $4,350 | 468 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 24 / 19 | $4,350 | 468 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 5-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 23 / 19 | $4,350 | 468 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2004 A4 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2004 Audi A4 FAQ
How many recalls does the 2004 Audi A4 have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 16V382000 (air bag), 05V096000 (lighting). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2004 Audi A4 problems?
Owners filed 189 complaints with NHTSA. Fuel system (51), Air bags (26), Engine and engine cooling (18) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2004 Audi A4 get?
EPA rates the 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT version at 20 city, 28 highway and 23 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
How does the 2004 A4 compare with other years?
Among the 2000–2009 Audi A4 model years at least five years old, the 2000 drew the fewest complaints (96) and the 2006 the most (298). The 2004 drew 189. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.