There are 15 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2006 Audi A4in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
CVT TRANSMISSION TOTAL FAILURE - TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST ADVISES THAT SEVERAL OF THE FIRST CVT TRANSMISSIONS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC WERE DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN AND PRODUCTION, AND HAVE BEEN UPGRADED OVER THE YEARS TO CORRECT FOR THESE EARLY DEFICIENCIES. THE SPECIALIST FURTHER ADVISES THAT AUDI AND SATURN ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THESE DEFECTS. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE TRAVELING ON A MAJOR ROADWAY. ALL OF THE INDICATOR LIGHTS IN THE GEAR SELECTOR STARTED FLASHING SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT IMMOBILE IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POSITION. AUDI QUOTED MORE THAN $8,000 TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR WAS COMPLETED BY A LOCAL TRANSMISSION EXPERT FOR A LITTLE OVER $5,000. IT IS THIS EXPERT WHO ADVISED OF THE LONG-STANDING AND WELL-ESTABLISHED PROBLEMS IN AUDI'S EARLY CVT TRANSMISSIONS, AND SAID DEFINITIVELY THAT AUDI SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HANDLE THIS AS A SAFETY AND DESIGN/MANUAFACTURING DEFECT RECALL.
TAKATA RECALL, HAVE CONTACTED DEALER TO REMEDY SAFETY ISSUE AND UNDERSTAND THERE IS NO CURRENT SOLUTION OR ANYTHING BEING DONE ABOUT A MAJOR RECALL TO THE SUPPLEMENT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS FITTED IN MY VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS NO FUTURE DATE FOR SAFETY CONCERN BEING RESOLVED. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT HIGH MILEAGE DUE TO TORQUE CONVERTER SEAL FAILURE AND VOLTAGE SPIKE TO SOLENOID 3 CAUSING TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURES TO RISE AND RESULT IN PREMATURE FAILURE OF ZF 6HP19A TRANSMISSION. HAVE CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND ZAHNRADFABRIK FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG TO REPORT PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION, HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED CAUSING SUDDEN SPEED DROP ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, NO INJURIES REPORTED BUT ACCIDENT PRONE.
TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER VALVE BODY DEFECTIVE SEALS LEAKING
TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN,I HAVE WRITTEN 3,292 CHARACTER AND AM DELETING KEY POINTED OF MY STORY MY LAW HAS COPIED ALL DOCUMENTATION AND WILL SEND OUT A VERIFIED FORMAL LETTERAM WRITING IN REGARDS TO A FEW PAST EXPERIENCES AM AN INJURY ATTORNEY IN NEW YORK DUBLIN LAW FIRM FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO ADD ME AND MY CLIENT SUFFERED INJURIES DUE TO YOUR CONCOIUS UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR EARLY AND LATE MODEL VEHICLES I PURCHASED A 2006 AUDI A4 WITH 60K MILES FOR MY ELDERLY FROM A REPUTABLE AUDI DEALER "CHAMPION I HAVE PURCHASED AND SERVICED MANY VEHICLE THEIR IN THE PAST 10 YEARS MY MOTHER IS A VERY PRESERVATIVE LADY SHE DOES NOT ENJOY OR BETTER LIKE DRIVING EXPENSIVE VEHICLE AS SHE SEE IT AS A DEPRESSION TING VALUES WE AGREED ON A 2006 AUDI A4 I WANTED SOMETHING WITH A LOT OF SAFETY FEATURES. I TRAVEL 6 TIMES A MONTH BACK AND FORTH FROM SF TO NEW YORK AND CENTRAL U.S I HAVE PUT ABOUT 4K INTO HER VEHICLE BETWEEN SAFETY ITEM DRYROTTED TIRES BRAKES ETC MORE THEN 60% OF MY EXPENSES HAVE BEEN ENGINE REPAIRS. THE WORSE EXPENSE WAS THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON AND THE TURBO NEED REPLACING $3500 SHE WAS AT THE DEALER AND CONTACTED ME JUST TO GET MY ADVISE I TOLD THE SERVICE WRITER I WANTED TO PAY. THIS HAPPENS EVERYTIME SHE HAS TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE SO I TRY MY BEST TO DO IT FOR HER IT'S NOT A TRUST ISSUE WITH AUDI DEALER OR SERVICES ADVISORS IS THAT SHE WANTS MY OPINION IT AR SHE PUTS LESS THEN 4 THOUSAND MILES, VEHICLE FOR MAINTENANCE BUT I ADVISE MY ASSOCIATES TO ADVISE YOUR SERVICE ADVISORS WORK UNDERUNNING OUT OF CHARACTERS)!!WILL BE EXPECTING A CALL A SETTLEMENT ON WHOM EVER IS IN CONSUMER AFFAIRS FOR AUDI INTERNATIONALHERE'S MY DIRECT NUMBER IN CASE YOU'VE HAD A SIMILAR OR WORSE CITATION AND WANT REPRESENTATION WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP 305-600SEVEN05ONE THANKS SINCERELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE WAITING AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE GEAR BOX MECHATRONICS UNIT NEEDED BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,200.
IN OCTOBER 2006, PURCHASED A NEW 2006 AUDI A4 FROM CAROUSEL AUDI IN GOLDEN VALLEY, MN. THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS LESS THAN 62,000 MILES TODAY. IN LATE SUMMER OF 2013, I BEGAN NOTICING THAT THE CAR JERKED HEAVILY WHEN PUTTING IT INTO REVERSE FROM A PARKED POSITION. THE CAR HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND I THEN BEGAN NOTICING THE CAR NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY AND LABORING WHEN NEARING 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. THE MOTOR WOULD REV UP AND MAKE AN UNUSUAL SOUND AND IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE AUDI DEALER AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND COMPUTER MODULE WERE NOT COMMUNICATING PROPERLY AND THAT IT NEEDS A NEW MODULE AT A COST OF ABOUT $3800. THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY OF THE REPAIRS. WHEN I ASKED BOTH THEM AND AUDI NORTH AMERICA ABOUT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH 61,000 OTHER AUDI OWNERS ACROSS THE U.S., THEY REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE MATTER. I BELIEVE THAT AUDI HAS KNOWINGLY MADE AND SOLD A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE THAT IS DANGEROUS AND POSES GREAT RISK TO ITS OWNER AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. I BELIEVE THAT AUDI SHOULD BE FORCED TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND RECALL VEHICLES WITH THIS WELL DOCUMENTED DEFECT AND PAY FOR MY REPAIR AS WELL AS FOR OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR
PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MARCH 2012. APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS LATER THE "CHECK ENGINE " LIGHT CAME ON . HAD THE CODES CHECKED AND MAIN CODE CAME BACK P0722 WHICH DIRECTED ME TO A "DEALERSHIP ONLY" REPAIR. IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT THE TCM WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACING. I FIND OUT AUDI INITIALLY USED A FAULTY PLASTIC PART THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF WOULD FAIL. I CALLED AUDI USA FOR ASSISTANCE AND THEY WORKED OUT A 15% DISCOUNT WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND NO ASSISTANCE FROM AUDI USA. I INFORMED THEM THAT I STILL FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IF THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH AUDI TRANSMISSIONS THEN THEY SHOULD COVER FULL COST OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
OUR 2006 AUDI A4 HAS A FAILED MECHATRONICS UNIT AT 85,000 MILES. THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY AND EXPERIENCES FLUXUATING RPM WHILE DRIVING. THE COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $5000 ON A $15,000 VEHICLE. *TR
PASSING ON FREEWAY HILL. PRESSED ACCELERATOR TO SHIFT AUTO TRANSMISSION INTO LOWER PASSING GEAR. RESULT WAS AS IF I'D SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. WITH ACCELERATOR PLANTED FIRMLY TO THE FIREWALL THE RPMS WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 4K. TRIED EVERY POSSIBLE COMBO (OVER THE COURSE OF A 50 MILE FREEWAY TRIP) WITH AUTO TRANS SELECTOR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE EXCEPT IN THE "DRIVE" MODE. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE LIT. CLEARLY, WHEN THE "DRIVE" MODE AUTOMATICALLY SELECTED A LOWER GEAR, IT WAS AS IF I'D SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. AFTER THE CAR SAT FOR A BIT, THERE WAS NOT PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT CAR TO BE TRUSTED. ANOTHER CUTE TRICK: NOW AND THEN IT LOCKS ALL THE DOORS AFTER I'VE EXITED THE CAR AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING, WHICH SHOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE ON THIS VEHICLE. I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRUST THIS CAR TO SAFELY PASS ANOTHER. DEALER INDICATES I COULD BRING THE CAR IN, BUT THAT'S 200 MILES EACH WAY...NO CERTAINTY OF DIAGNOSIS. *TR
TRANSMISSION BURN AT 90 000 MILES. AND THE DEALER TELL ME OF ALL AUDI WITH CVT TRANSMISSION BURN BETWEEN 80,000 TO 90,000 MILES. THAT A REPAIR COST OF 7,000$... *TR
I HAVE A 2006 AUDI A4, AUTOMATIC-TRIPTONIC TRANSMISSION, 2.0 TURBO AND I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE PREVIOUS OWNER PURCHASED THE CAR IN OCT 2005 AND IN LATE 2006, THE TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN AND AUDI HAD REPAIRED IT AT NO CHARGE AT AN AUDI SERVICE CENTER. I BOUGHT THE CAR ON OCT 2007 AND BY MID-2008, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND JOLTED IN A VERY BUSY PARKING LOT WITH MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE BACK. MY HUSBAND DECIDED TO DROP US OFF AND TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME BECAUSE HE KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THE CAR AS IT JOLTED AND LOUD POPPING MECHANICAL SOUNDS BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE FRONT. HE WAS NEAR OUR HOUSE WHEN THE CAR GAVE UP AND WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. IMAGINE IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY! ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS THAT AUDI WOULD ONLY RECALL THE NEWER CARS WHEN OBVIOUSLY PREVIOUS MODELS HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF GEARBOX IN QUESTION. I WILL BE GETTING THE CAR FIXED AND DEFINITELY WILL BE TRADING THE CAR IN TO GET A NON VW/AUDI CAR. I HONESTLY WISH I COULD JUST TELL THEM TO TRASH IT BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT ANYONE DRIVING THIS CAR, EVEN AFTER I'VE FIXED IT. IF IT HAPPENED ONCE, IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR
EXTREME VIBRATIONS ARE OCCURRING WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND IN GEAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT NEW. IT NOW HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES. THE VIBRATION LEVELS VARY AND CAN FLUCTUATE. WHEN VIBRATIONS ARE HIGH THE VIBRATION IS NAUSEATING OCCURS EVERY DAY. DEALER STATES AUDI WILL NOT DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM AS IT MAY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 AUDI A4 FROM PITTSBURGH TO VA MONDAY 1/18/09. APPROX 2 HRS INTO THE DRIVE, WHILE DESCENDING A HILL ON INTERSTATE 70 I WENT TO BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INSTEAD. I HAD BEEN DRIVING IN THE 6TH GEAR OF THE TIPTRONIC MODE. SO I THREW IT OVER TO DRIVE MODE INSTEAD THINKING MAYBE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE OTHER MODE. IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE I COULD HEAR THE ACCELERATION CONTINUING AND WHEN REMOVING MY FOOT FROM BRAKE THE CAR TOOK OFF UNTIL I HIT BRAKE AGAIN. PANICKED I TRIED TO GET OVER FROM THE PASSING LANE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN A CAR I ALMOST HIT AND AN 18 WHEELER. ONCE OVER ON SIDE I THREW ON EMERGENCY BRAKE AND COULD STILL HEAR AND FEEL CAR ACCELERATING. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT COMPLETELY. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND SHAKING. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE FLOOR TO SEE IF SOMETHING HAD OBSTRUCTED THE GAS AREA. ALL MATS WERE IN PLACE AND NOTHING APPEARED UNUSUAL. I THEN CHECKED FOR MY CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE NEVER USED IT IN THIS CAR AND ACTUALLY HAD TO FIND THE LEVER. THOUGHT MAYBE I BUMPED IT WHILE USING THE WIPERS. THE CC IS ON THE OTHER SIDE AND NO WHERE NEAR ANYTHING I WOULD HAVE TOUCHED. I CALLED AUDI ROADSIDE AND THEY TOWED IT TO FREDERICK MD. I CALLED AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING TO ALERT THEM. THEY SEEMED RESPONSIVE AND CONCERNED. THE AUDI DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THEY SAID THEY TRIED TO REPLICATE IT. I ASKED IF THAT MEANT THEY DROVE IT AT NIGHT FOR 2 HOURS IN 13 DEGREE WEATHER IN THE 6TH GEAR OF TIPTRONIC MODE? THEY SAID NO THEY CONDUCTED COMPUTER TESTS AND FOUND NOTHING. I HAD TO PICK UP MY CAR THAT I AM NOW TERRIFIED TO DRIVE. I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON WHO NOW SEEMS TO NOT BE RETURNING MY CALLS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME & I NEED TO FIND ANSWERS &/OR GET ANOTHER VEHICLE I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. I READ SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA SITE FOR THIS CAR & YEAR. *TR
I HAVE THE A4 W/ 3.1 LITER V6. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED BUMPY LURCHING START FROM STOP. AUDI DIAGNOSE SAID THAT'S SYMPTOMATIC OF THIS TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE COMBINATION. NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO PREVENT. WITHIN 1ST YEAR, THE CAR WOULD STALL AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, NECESSITATING A RE-START. SOMETIMES UPON START, AND MOST NOTABLY (AND THE EXAMPLE CITED ABOVE) WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED. (I SUSPECT THE STALL PROBLEMS DESCRIBED RELATES TO THE LURCHING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM). ON THIS INCIDENT THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK TO AUDI, THEY COULDN'T IDENTIFY PROBLEM. I TOOK TO AN INDEPENDENT -- THEY DETERMINED PROBLEM AS FUEL PUMP. REPLACED FUEL PUMP. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR STALLED WHEN INITIATING A LEFT TURN FROM A SLOW 10-15 MPH ROLL. AS I SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR, CAR STALLED IN MIDDLE OF LEFT TURN -- HAD TO RE-START MID-TURN TO RESTORE POWER STEERING AND FINISH TURN (TURN WAS DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE SO CAR WAS ABLE TO COAST). THIS HAPPENED AROUND 2/15. I TOOK IT TO AUDI, THE FOLLOWING DAY. THEY SAID BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THEY COULDN'T DIAGNOSE. I CALLED AUDI USA -- THEY OFFERED NO SOLUTION OR DATABASE RESEARCH OF PROBLEM W/ OTHER AUDIES. A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE WAS 8/14 WHEN I EXITED FREEWAY AND AS I ROLLED TO A STOP, @10-15 MPH THE CAR STALLED. HAD TO BE RESTARTED. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I MAY HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER BUT DON'T RECALL. MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY RISK IF THIS OCCURS WITH MY WIFE DRIVING AND AN ONCOMING CAR IS UNABLE TO STOP IF THE VEHICLE STALLS IN SIMILAR MANNER IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT TURN. COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHIFT INTO LIMP MODE. NONE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TRANSMISSION FLUID. WHEN THE DEALER ADDED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO THE VEHICLE THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER REGARDING THE LIMP MODE ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026