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2008 Audi S4Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 4 owner complaints about the 2008 Audi S4, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-032 the manufacturer reports only 17% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Audi S4
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 17%Owner complaints40 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage33kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 22, 2018. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Audi S4 has problems

4 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags30
Steering10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2008 Audi S4 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.

41%repaired · 2019 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-427 · Jun 22, 2018 · 237,947 vehicles · 98,266 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

17%repaired · 2018 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 17V-032 · Jan 11, 2017 · 33,421 vehicles · 5,640 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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.

Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other S4 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 S4 median. How we score

'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'18'19'20'21'22
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Audi S4 safety ratings

2008 Audi S4 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 4 stars (10.7% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What S4 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TAKATA RECALL. HAVE RECEIVED LATEST NOTICE (NHSTA 17V032) INDICATING THAT MY VEHICLE NEEDS INTERIM REMEDY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HAVE CALLED DEALERSHIP (AUDI BURLINGTON MA) 3-4 TIMES TO HAVE REPAIR SCHEDULED OVER LAST 2 MONTHS. WAS ON THE REPAIR SCHEDULE FOR TODAY AT 10:15 AM BUT THEY CANCELLED…
Complaint 11091495 · May 3, 2018
TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. IT HAS BEEN AN EXCEPTIONALLY LONG TIME SINCE FIRST NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL AND AUDI STILL DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL FIX.
Complaint 11033357 · Oct 14, 2017 · 33,000 miles
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V079000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE…
Complaint 10946737 · Jan 20, 2017

Own a 2008 S4?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.