Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 50% | 31,000 miles |
| 2020 | 14 | 88% | — |
| 2014 | 1 | 6% | 100,000 miles |
| 2013 | 2 | 6% | 1,000 miles |
| 2012 | 3 | 14% | 71,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 8% | 62,000 miles |
| 2010 | 6 | 10% | 67,000 miles |
| 2007 | 2 | 15% | 138,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 13% | 50,000 miles |
| 2005 | 5 | 12% | 65,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 7% | 79,000 miles |
| 2002 | 10 | 45% | 57,000 miles |
| 2001 | 47 | 54% | 70,000 miles |
| 2000 | 49 | 34% | 65,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The MMI spontaneously reboots numerous times while driving. When the reboots happen, the screen goes black, and key systems such as the backup camera, rear obstacle detection, and navigation become unavailable until the reboot completes and the systems reload. Restoring functionality requires user input to get through the loading screens. The issue started in February 2025. I have attempted a factory reset (which did not solve the issue), and I have performed an OBD scan, which returned no fault codes. This appears to be a widespread issue based on the numerous reports found on user forums online, affecting the same model year vehicles (for multiple examples, refer to [redacted] ). It is also interesting that most of the users experiencing this issue also report it starting around the same time (Jan/Feb 2025), and they all have similar software versions, and likely production dates. …
The MMI (multimedia interface) screen goes dead and reboots frequently (every 2-5 minutes) while driving. It is extremely frustrating and distracting. In addition, when the screen blacks out while driving in reverse, the backup camera, back up sensors and cross traffic warning systems do not operate until the system reboots, which can take several minutes. This problem occurs constantly while driving and requires me to re-enter navigation destination while driving. Using CarPlay for navigation is also affected, as the system reboots whether or not I am using a secondary media source like CarPlay, and I have to re-enter the destination whenever the MMI reboots. Also the MMI needs me to re-enter user information on the screen with every failure in order to get the system running again, which is very distracting while driving. …
Vehicle flashes a gearbox malfunction warning and most electronics went dead. Vehicle would not accelerate causing me to nearly be rear ended. After turning off car and restarting the vehicle continues to lose power randomly every mile or so. This created very unsafe conditions on a busy freeway. The problem turned out to be a faulty sensor in the transmission. Audi has issued a technical service bulletin on this issue but will not acknowledge the huge safety issue with this defective transmission.
While driving in traffic, my car dropped into lower gears and stopped moving, and two error codes popped up "gearbox malfunction" and "TPMS malfunction". Looking this up online and discussing with my mechanic, this is something happening in a lot of the cars that are this make & model and have the same transmission.
Gearbox malfunction and TPMS malfunction while driving on the road within the city about 45mph I felt a slight jerk and immediately following the warnings came on in the dashboard "tire pressure! System malfunction" & "gearbox malfunction: no reverse gear (you can continue driving)" throttle response was off and forced me to immediately puller over! While stopped I re-started the vehicle and the warnings went away, I sat there for a couple minutes and then continued driving. Few miles down the road the vehicle jerked again and warnings came back on, I needed to get to work so I continued driving; the car would take very long to shift gears and it would jump from 1st to 3rd, from 3rd to 5th and 5th to 7th gear jerking kind of violently every-time and throttle response between shifts was very lethargic to the point that the vehicle would slow down severely and I felt unsafe due to cars …
It happened again today driving down the highway going up to speed, at about 50 MPH I got a "gearbox malfunction" error message in the cluster and it would not let me accelerate anymore, it was like the car was in neutral and pressing the accelerator pedal would just rev up the engine. The mechatronics unit on these vehicles are faulty, I know 2 other S4 owners with the years of 2011 and 2012 who also had their mechatronics fail on their S4. Along with the gearbox malfunction error also comes "parking brake error" who knows what in the world can happen when that message comes up. Is it going to suddenly apply the electronic parking brake going 50-70 MPH down the highway and cause a possibility of a very bad accident? The repair is very pricey for the mechatronic unit that goes bad, it is no coincidence many of these S4 models have these go bad.
Audi 2006 S4, there is a more frequent occurrence of my "headlights dipping" my xenon headlamps will stop working while driving, it would either be the left or the right, but not until last week when both went out at the same time. I would put car in neutral while driving and turn car off and back on and it will reset itself and lights will then work, it seems to stop occurring when car is warmed up and it is worse with colder weather and vibration or bad roads. It will occasionally occur when car is even warm well after 30 minutes, I am now concerned because last week both went out at the same time, that had never happened before, it was always one or the other, it has happened for the past 18 months or so. Audi has no answer, they have erroneously replaced working xenon lights, ballasts, etc and it continues to occur to many individuals that I read up on in Audi forums. …
While driving, the right headlight flickered and went off (HID lights). The information system registered an error "dipped right headlight" head light comes on when ever the car is started, and goes out with the same error again at a later time. So far this error has occurred the last 3 times I have driven (all three times since first occurrence). This is a safety issue since night illumination is involved. I have read on internet Audi websites that this is an all too common problem, that Audi of America is not taking seriously as far as offering a clear solution.
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Defective ignition switches were improperly manufactured and can cause some electrical accessories to malfunction.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Frequently asked questions
Which Audi S4 years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (49), 2001 (47), 2020 (14), 2002 (10) and 2010 (6) model years. Electrical complaints make up 34% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Audi S4 electrical problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 96V-017 (switch, Jan 29, 1996). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Audi S4 electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles; 24% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the instrument cluster/panel (64 mentions), followed by the ignition › anti-theft › control module (16).
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.