repaired · 2019 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2006 Audi A4Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 295 owner complaints about the 2006 Audi A4, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-032 the manufacturer reports only 17% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 13, 2022. Updated daily. Photo: Kieran White from Manchester, England, CC BY 2.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 Audi A4 has problems
295 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
159Exterior lighting1 crash/fire/injury
73Air bags6 crash/fire/injury
21Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
15Engine
14Power train
7Vehicle speed control
6Engine and engine cooling
5Fuel system, gasoline
5Fuel/propulsion system
2913 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 159 | 1 |
| Air bags | 73 | 6 |
| Electrical system | 21 | 1 |
| Engine | 15 | 1 |
| Power train | 14 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 6 | 2 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 5 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 |
| 13 other systems | 29 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2006 Audi A4 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2018 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2018 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Audi.
Mileage at failure
When do exterior lighting problems start?
55kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 130 exterior lighting complaints. 92% were reported before 100,000 miles.
12under 30k miles120under 100k miles10100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Exterior lighting
15 owners mentioned a cost$515median
Middle half: $450 – $800
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2006 vs. every other A4 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the A4 median. How we score
'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2006 Audi A4 safety ratings
2006 Audi A4 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (10.7% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What A4 owners report
Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
LEFT HEAD LIGHT FLICKERS AND SHUTS ITSELF OFF AFTER VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AND THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. THE WARNING DISPLAY ON THE DASHBOARD GIVES A "LEFT HEADLIGHT LEVEL" ERROR CODE.
THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF, AND HAVE TO BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS OF LIGHTS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THE XENON BALLAST AND SEALING THE BALLAST SEEMED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AND SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF…
THE LEFT HEADLIGHT FLICKERS AND TURNS OFF. CHANGING THE BULB DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND NEITHER DID CHANGING THE BALLAST. I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SETTLED CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HOWEVER THEY SAID THAT THE LAWSUIT EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR HEADLIGHTS TO 5 YEARS. THE LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED IN 2013 AND MY…
Own a 2006 A4?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.