Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Audi A4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I originally had 3 recalls on my vehicle I called in to see about getting them fixed free of charge as explained in the recall tech bulletin .the customer service representative proceeded in getting all of my information then after doing so tells me there are no recalls on my vehicle and proceeded to update my cars info shortly after I went back to the original site of this recall put in my cars info again and all the recalls that was once available for my vehicle was mysteriously gone.I never received a notice and never got it fixed. Now the recall that was originally posted are starting to be noticeable on my vehicle such as the defective water pump, defective headlights and defective airbag situation what can I have done about this issue
(1) I was waiting at a major intersection at a red light. When it turned green, I proceeded into the intersection. An unlicensed, uninsured driver in an old Chevrolet pick-up truck coming in the opposite direction ran the red left turn light and collided broadside into the driver's side of my 2004 Audi s4 quattro sedan. (2) the side airbag, which is in the driver's seat at the exact location of the impact, failed to deploy. I broke my left hand, injured my right shoulder (rotator cuff impingement), and suffered lacerations to both hands. There was substantial damage to the driver's side of the car, including the b-pillar, which is a structural part of the uni-body frame. I have digital photographs of the damage that I can send to NHTSA if you provide me with your e-mail address. (3) I contacted Audi U.S.A. …
Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was immobile on a private winter resort road, it was rammed by the vehicle coming behind and pushed him forward hitting the vehicle in front. There were no warning lights illuminated prior to the accident. The front driver air bag did not deploy nor did the seat belt restrain the contact. The security personnel of the resort was present but the police and fire department were not contacted. The vehicle remained inoperable. The contact was very concerned because the vehicle was recently serviced at the dealership without any problem. The dealership and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was totaled. Updated 02/13/07.
Tl contact's father owns a 2004 Audi A4. While driving 15 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the driver side rear door of the vehicle. Furthermore, there was a sudden acceleration that caused the vehicle to crash into a pole. The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed and a police report was filed. The driver sustained a cracked knee cap and sternum. As of October 5, 2007, the dealer and manufacturer had not inspected the vehicle. The VIN and engine size were unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 30,000.
Tl contacts owns a 2004 Audi A4. The contact stated that the vehicle was rear ended; however, he was not present at the time of the crash. At the time, the front passenger side air bag deployed, but the driver's side air bag did not. As a result, the driver was injured as well as the passenger in the other vehicle. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The contact was unsure if the vehicle was destroyed. The current and failure mileages were 70,000.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Audi A4. While turning a corner at 45 MPH, the contact had to apply the brakes immediately to avoid striking another vehicle. As a result, he rear ended another vehicle. The passenger side air bag failed to deploy. There were no injuries. Prior to the failure, the contact noticed failure with the vehicle's electrical system. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 56,000.
On February 20th I was putting some items in car.. I started my car to get it warm it was very cold outside. For ten to 15 minutes the car sat and was idling. I came inside to get last few items to load into vehicle. I opened back passenger door when a loud sound as if a gunshot went off. To my surprise the front airbag deployed smoke and debris through out me and my car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Audi A4. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
I purchased a 2004 Audi A4 1.8t all wheel drive in October 2010. Carfax says no accidents, flooding, etc. Airbag light came on so I took it to Audi of schaumburg, il who said the harness under the seat needed to be replaced and charged $507.77. This is the driver's seat. Several months later the air bag light came on again. Took it to Audi exchange in highland park, il and they said it was recommended that the air bag be replaced. However, Audi does not guarantee that this fixes the problem. The cost is $900 to replace the airbag but the service manager was going to try to give me some sort of discount. Picking the car up again today. This is a safety issue and Audi should recall the cars and fix it for free. If airbags aren't going to deploy then why have them? Why pay money for safety features that don't work?
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2004 Audi A4. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 18V427000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Audi north miami (1995 ne 142nd st, north miami, fl 33181, [phone]) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands…
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834.
Airbag complaints in other A4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2004 Audi A4?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the air bags of the 2004 Audi A4, 14% of the model year's 189 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Audi A4 airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 16V-382 (inflator module, Jun 1, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Audi A4 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 1 fire and 5 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.