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.
2008 Audi A4Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 175 owner complaints about the 2008 Audi A4, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 4 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 April 20, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Audi A4 has problems
175 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
116Air bags7 crash/fire/injury
13Engine
12Power train
11Exterior lighting
9Electrical system
8Fuel/propulsion system
6Tires
5Vehicle speed control
4Engine and engine cooling
1710 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 116 | 7 |
| Engine | 13 | 0 |
| Power train | 12 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 11 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 0 |
| Tires | 6 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 4 | 0 |
| 10 other systems | 17 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2008 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.
repaired · 2018 Q1
Air bags
Risk. If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
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 air bags problems start?
77kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 27 air bags complaints. 59% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 41% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
3under 30k miles16under 100k miles11100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2008 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
2008 Audi A4 safety ratings
2008 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 air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2008 Audi A4. The contact received an unknown recall notice related to the air bags. The contact scheduled an appointment at a dealer and had the recall serviced. The contact then stated that while idle in the parking lot of a hospital, a speeding vehicle clipped the front end,…
Audi is wanting me and another driver to drive 2.5 hours to their dealer drop off the car for repairs, then drive back. Then after the repairs are complete make that trip again. They want us to spend 20 man hours driving, plus gas, food, and mileage. None of this is reimbursed. I have called and…
i was in a pretty bad car accident, the car was totaled but the air bags didn’t deploy and i slammed my head on my steering wheel, i got side swiped and the driver door wasn’t able to be opened i had to kick it open and the front of the car hit a concrete pole going roughly 35 mph or more.
Own a 2008 A4?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.