Most common 2003 Audi A4 problems
Share of the 210 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 →
2003 Audi A4 recalls (3)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
Remedy: Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on September 28, 20007. Owners May contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or Audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
On certain vehicles produced from September 2002 - March 2003, equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
Remedy: Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2006. Owners May contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or Audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
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.
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.
What 2003 Audi A4 owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 51 →
The coolant light came on after I replaced coil packs and I stopped to look wasn't leaking anywhere. Drove to work and it caught on fire due to overheating I guess not really sure. I was driving a car on fire down a highway and didn't even know it. I stopped to take a left turn into work and smoke stared billowing out and around the entire car. Other drivers couldn't see me or nothing I could have been in an accident. The fire department checked the car out sort of and it's in a mechanics shop now. Trying to figure it out. Oil light was on and that's it. AN then the coolant light would kick on and off. Nothing else after I changed the coil packs. And it was well after I did that.
The contact owns a 2003 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a fuel odor was detected. The contact parked the vehicle and noticed there was fuel leaking on the rear driver's side. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the fuel pump flange and hoses needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that they would cover the part replacement. The failure mileage was 143,839.
Transmission & drivetrain all 43 →
The constantly variable transmission (CVT) of my 2003 Audi A4 cabriolet 1.8t with just 86,000 miles on it is faulty, and has caused my vehicle to stall out on four occasions, twice while attempting to come to a stop at a stop sign and while parking, and twice while operating the vehicle while accelerating at a speed of 35 and 60 MPH, on a city road and once while attempting to merge onto the interstate. The vehicle must be restarted to drive, and has just barely sputtered back to life in my four experiences so far. Audi is aware of the problem, and has settled a class action lawsuit in the past, although the settlement expired more than two years ago leaving owners like myself on the hook for costly repairs, and left with an unsafe vehicle in the mean time. …
I bought an used 2003 Audi A4. I put it in reverse and it would not engage. Then the dash where the gears show what gear you're in started flashing. It showed a p0706 code. This happens so often that one of these times I am going to cause an accident. The car has over 100,000 miles on it, but how can it be my fault that the other owners did not take it in to get this well known module repair fixed. When I am parked flat I can usually get it in reverse after 4-5 times of trying. But...when I am on any slant it takes at least 10 times of trying almost to the point of getting out and pushing it in reverse myself!! One of these days I am going to hit a car behind me trying to get out of my parking spot!! I know there was a recall and I'm just wondering why a current owner of the car that obviously is doing this can't get it fixed as there was a recall.
Electrical system all 32 →
The coolant light came on after I replaced coil packs and I stopped to look wasn't leaking anywhere. Drove to work and it caught on fire due to overheating I guess not really sure. I was driving a car on fire down a highway and didn't even know it. I stopped to take a left turn into work and smoke stared billowing out and around the entire car. Other drivers couldn't see me or nothing I could have been in an accident. The fire department checked the car out sort of and it's in a mechanics shop now. Trying to figure it out. Oil light was on and that's it. AN then the coolant light would kick on and off. Nothing else after I changed the coil packs. And it was well after I did that.
Initially drove car home from grocery store hit a bump and noticed a spark coming from front driver's side of car. Pulled over and checked for spark evident once stopped there was no sign of spark or anything. Got car home and parked about an hour later my car was on fire, after putting the fire out my husband lifted the hood and tried to investigate the issue when he discovered the battery was melted to the hood and is where the fire initially caught. The location of the battery we believe to be the issue and wanted to make sure to report it immediately.
2003 Audi A4 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | CVT | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Audi A4 a good car?
Based on 210 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 A4 rates avoid: 2.1× 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 2003 Audi A4?
The fuel & propulsion system — 51 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › fuel pump. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (43) and electrical system (32).
How many recalls does the 2003 Audi A4 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2003 Audi A4, the most recent from August 28, 2007 (fuel pump). 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 2003 Audi A4 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 34% 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.