Most common 2002 Audi A4 problems
Share of the 181 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Audi A4 complaints by model year
Best A4 years: 2011, 2016, 2012. Years to avoid: 2020, 2008, 1998, 2006, 1999. Compare all years →
2002 Audi A4 recalls (1)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2000-2001 Audi TT Coupe, TT Roadster, 2000-2002 A4, and S4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver frontal airbag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
What 2002 Audi A4 owners say
Electrical system all 76 →
On December 3rd, 2010, I was driving south on I-405s heading from long beach, ca to san diego, ca. I was driving approximately 45 MPH when my check engine light came on and I lost all acceleration in my car. I still had electrical power (ie, indicators still worked, my manual transmission worked and interior dome lights worked). I pulled straight over to the side of the highway at which point I noticed that the hood of my car appeared to be melting and that smoke was rising out of the engine. I jumped out of the car and ran to the side of the road to call 911. Two gracious strangers attempted with two separate fire extinguishers to put out the fire but were unable to. The entire engine compartment was entirely consumed by flames within 2-3 minutes. By the time the fire department and emts arrived, the entire car was aflame and was no longer salvageable. …
Ignition coil failed on highway. Car "shook" violently until stopped in parking lot. Once car was off the road, the coil housing caught fire. The fire ultimately burned itself out, and the car was towed to the local dealership for repair. The dealership notified Audi USA of the defect and recommended vehicle replacement. Audi USA elected to repair car under warranty. Multiple failures have occurred since (see list). Ts
Engine & cooling all 33 →
2002 Audi A4 with 370K burned a bit of oil which was fine cleaned the engine out with cleaners it smoked a bit which is normal.. Headlights started flickering 'hids' so I parked it. 3 days later I go to take the car on a test drive and the drivers headlight lit on fire ! Not sure if it was a headlight issue or a wiring issue.. Insurance will not cover it.
I have an 2002 Audi A4. In December 2006 the car suddenly stalled while traveling on an extremely busy interstate. This occurred with no warning at all. After having the car towed ($200 plus) we found that the timing belt had failed which in turn completely destroyed the engine. The car only has 45,000 miles on it and we followed all recommended service. This belt should not have failed and by doing so put my family and everyone else on that highway in a horrendously dangerous situation.
Lights
2002 Audi A4 with 370K burned a bit of oil which was fine cleaned the engine out with cleaners it smoked a bit which is normal.. Headlights started flickering 'hids' so I parked it. 3 days later I go to take the car on a test drive and the drivers headlight lit on fire ! Not sure if it was a headlight issue or a wiring issue.. Insurance will not cover it.
I bought a 2002 3.0 A4 quattro about 9 months ago. A month after buying it the left headlight went out. When you start the car it gives you a "left dipped headlight" warning and then has a picture of a bulb with an x across it. I took the car in and ended up buying a new bulb for it. Turns out the bulb wasn't out and the problem resolved itself in about a week. The light worked fine after that. About 5 months ago I installed aftermarket headlights. They worked perfectly up until two weeks ago. Now I am getting the same "left dipped headlight" warning when I turn on the lights. This only affects the low beams. The parking lights and high beams work just fine. I figured the problem would resolve itself as it did last time, but that has not been the case. I've done a lot of research and found that many Audi owners have had this problem and nobody has found a fix for it. …
2002 Audi A4 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | CVT | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 17 / 25 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Audi A4 a good car?
Based on 181 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 A4 rates avoid: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the A4 at the same age. It is one of the A4 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Audi A4?
The electrical system — 76 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition. Next are the engine & cooling (33) and lights (17).
How many recalls does the 2002 Audi A4 have?
There is 1 recall for the 2002 Audi A4, the most recent from June 23, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Audi A4?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2016 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2020, 2008, 1998, 2006 and 1999. See the full Audi A4 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Audi A4 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 30,000 miles; 58% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.