Most common 2009 Audi A4 problems
Share of the 120 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 →
2009 Audi A4 recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey,…
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Air bags
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began October 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
What 2009 Audi A4 owners say
Engine & cooling all 49 →
The turbo sounds like it's not going in/out of gear, oil going into spark plugs, radiator fluid leaking system getting real hot. Low engine poer picking up speed an issue. Air bag rear brake light malfunction, oil pressure not correct
Oil consumption I had this car since 2012 and found out recently about oil consumption class action lawsuit through the internet, when my car started consuming copious amounts of oil. The owner manual says a quart per ~1,200 miles, but I'm getting oil light at about 400 miles after service at the dealership. I spoke with multiple dealerships including the dealership I'm currently doing every 10K maintenance with and none have actually helped me out since I'm out of warranty of 80K. I spoke with Audi corporate and they say they will review when they get to my case which is pretty much never. They keep telling me to take my car in to do phase 2 oil consumption which is going to be a several grand repair. …
Air bags all 33 →
The negligent driver yielded to the flow of traffic without stopping. When he collided with us, the airbags (exploded) deployed so strongly that they damaged the windshield and our bodies: face, neck, etc. Our beloved Audi A4 2009 was totaled and after that we had several operations: 2 eye operations (need 2 more), dental surgeries, 3 neck surgeries ... multiple unpaid medical expenses.
The turbo sounds like it's not going in/out of gear, oil going into spark plugs, radiator fluid leaking system getting real hot. Low engine poer picking up speed an issue. Air bag rear brake light malfunction, oil pressure not correct
Steering
I bought the car recently and drove it on the freeway, on the way back home I noticed a shaking/Vibration coming from the right side of the vehicle. It made the car very hard to control and staying in one lane was almost impossible. It swerves left to right uncontrollably at random times. I haven't taken it in to any dealership or manufacturer to check it out for me, also there's no warning lights on the dashboard at all. And I believe the owner I bought it from knew of this issue but didn't let me know so I'm really just as in the Blind as well. I don't know what else to do because I can't keep driving the car with uncontrollable force and putting kids in danger or anybody else's.
My car has a leaking high pressure fuel leak from the high pressure hose right at the top of the engine block at the rear of the engine. The steel line connects directly to the filter and is leaking from the stainless steal line. The power steering metal hose lines are incorrect from the factory and do not supply enough pressure in the line to keep the steering wheel from a very harsh low speed shudder when turning. The lower control arm bushings fail at very low mileage. None of these issues have been acknowledged on this year car. This model Audi is an absolute lemon having multiple issues and extreme repairs and huge costs when trying to fix them. I have the paper work for these fixes and what it takes to repair them correctly. …
2009 Audi A4 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | CVT | FWD | 23 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
| 3.1L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Audi A4 a good car?
Based on 120 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 A4 rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the A4 at the same age. 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 2009 Audi A4?
The engine & cooling — 49 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (33) and steering (15).
How many recalls does the 2009 Audi A4 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2009 Audi A4, the most recent from January 11, 2017 (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 2009 Audi A4 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 65,000 miles; 38% 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.