Audi · A4 · 2011
0
Recalls
43
Complaints
4/5
Safety Rating
The 2011 Audi A4 has no recalls and 43 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: engine (17 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
9.9% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
Engine oil consumption, timing chain. This is a massive problem among Audi vehicles across the board. Engine oil consumption is abnormal and if unnoticed leads to engine dying in the middle of the road which is dangerous and I’ve personally had this happen to me on multiple occasions. The engines timing chain goes bad and causes the entire engine to need to be replaced which consumers have to pay for out of pocket. Damage from timing chain, rough idle, sluggish engine performance, rattling, engine failure. There are large amounts of consumers experiencing the exact same issues. Something needs to be done it’s not safe at all and Audi should be held responsible and liable to fix these issues. The engines are deteriorating at an abnormal and accelerated rate.
As of yesterday 10/18/2023, the drivers seat belt would not connect, I forced it to connect, but the dash light indicator remains on. also, difficult to release. I'm concerned that in an accident the air bags won't deploy and worse I may be trapped in the vehicle. My mechanic told me that there were recalls on these Audi's, however I can't find any and the dealer said there is no recall and that they would charge me $200 dollars just to inspect it.
So there have already been recalls on some audis for oil consumption. I have a 2011 Audi A4 quattro and it goes through oil like crazy. It's ridiculous I believe it's because of faulty piston rings which led to faulty head gasket witch leads to the spark plugs, and coils.
Vehicle has horrible oil consumption due to piston rings being defective upon manufacture. Vehicle will have slew of problems, including stopping in the middle of the street, risking the lives of everyone in the car. Audi Dealer knows of the problem with the model from this year (B8) and they refuse to fix.
ON MY CAR WHEN I'M DRIVING ANYWHERE AFTER I PUT MY CRUISE CONTROL ON IF I PRESS UP OR DOWN ON THE CRUISE CONTROL TO CHANGE THE SPEED THE CAR WILL EITHER BRAKE OR SPEED UP AND IT WON'T STOP UNTIL I HIT MY BRAKES HARD AND TURN THE CRUISE CONTROL COMPLETELY OFF WHICH IS ALSO AN ISSUE BECAUSE MY BRAKES ARE GOING OUT EXTREMELY FAST LIKE I NEED A NEW PAIR EVERY 2-3 MONTHS AND THE CAR ALSO BURNS THROUGH OIL SO QUICKLY THAT I NEED TO ADD MORE WITHIN 2-3 DAYS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE WITH NO LEAKS AND IT'S BURNING MORE OIL THAN GAS WHICH IS CLOGGING UP MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER........ AND CAUSING MY EMISSIONS TO BE BAD.....
APPARENTLY AUDI HAD. ARE ALL FOR THIS CAR BECAUSE OF A BAD CYLINDER STATE FORCED AUDI TO DO A RECALL ON THE CAR I JUST PAYED 7K FOR THIS CAR AND THE CYLINDER IS BAD AUDI DOESN'T WANNA HELP ME UNLESS I PAY BUT IT'S AN ISSUE STRAIGHT FROM AUDI WHICH IS NOT FAIR OF AUDI TO DO THAT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS EVEN IF I DIDN'T BUY THE CAR FROM AUDI IT IS STILL A PROBLEM FROM THEIR END EVEN THE GOVERNMENT FORCED THEM TO DO THE RECALL BUT THE TIME FRAME OF THE RECALL IS OVER NOW AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO DO I JUST LOSE 7K DOWN THE DRAIN
PURCHASED CAR USED FROM AUDI OF NORTH PARK IN SAN ANTONIO, TX WITH APPROX 73K MILES ON IT. I HAVE DRIVEN IT FOR LESS THAN 2K MILES. THE CAR WILL NO LONGER ENGAGE IN REVERSE. I SEARCHED FORUMS AND SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
VEHICLE HAS 73,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS SEVERE JUDDERING. TRANSMISSION JERKS CONTINUALLY WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS, AND MAKES IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM WITH AUDI'S. FIX IS $6000.00, MAKING CAR WORTHLESS.
LEAKING OIL 4 CYLINDERS HAD OIL SITTING ON TOP OF PISTONS AND OIL WAS LEAKING DOWN CYLINDERS WALLS PASSES PISTONS RINGS NO GOOD AND DAMAGE ON CYLINDER WALLS
THE ENGINE BURNS TOO MUCH OIL FROM THE PISTOLS. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY LEAKS OUTSIDE THE ENGINE SO IT THEY TOLD ME IT BURNS THE OIL FROM INSIDE THE ENGINE. AND THEY CANT FIX THE PROBLEM.
CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OUR APARTMENT BUILDING. IT WAS OFF AND HADN'T BEEN DRIVEN IN OVER 20HRS. AT 11AM A FIRE BROKE OUT IN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED PUT OUT THE FIRE, SAID IT WAS NOT ARSON BUT RATHER ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE CAR FRONT DASH WAS PARTIALLY MELTED, REAR SEAT BIG CHAR BLACK SEATING MATERIAL AND SHOWED EXPOSED WIRES.
IT APPEARS THAT DUE TO A MANUFACTURING/ENGINEERING DEFECT, THE TIMING CHAIN ON CERTAIN AUDI AND VOLKSWAGEN MODELS FAILS AFTER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MILES. THIS TIMING CHAIN FAILURE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE, IN MANY CASES REQUIRING A COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. REGRETTABLY, THIS IS WHAT RECENTLY HAPPENED WITH MY 2011 AUDI A4. IN FACT, THERE WAS A FAIRLY HIGH-PROFILE CLASS ACTION FILED AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN (CIVIL ACTION NO. 16-2765 (JLL)(JAD) THAT WAS RECENTLY SETTLED. (SEE HTTPS://TIMINGCHAINLITIGATION.COM/HOME/FAQ#FAQ6). UNFORTUNATELY, THE SETTLEMENT IS EXTREMELY FLAWED AND LEAVES VEHICLE OWNERS INADEQUATELY COMPENSATED IF THEIR VEHICLES ARE ABOVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MILES OR IF THE OWNERS MISSED THE DEADLINE FOR FILING CLAIMS. THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE CONSTITUTES A SIGNIFICANT AND DANGEROUS MANUFACTURING/ENGINEERING FLAW THAT SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL OF ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. THE ENGINE FAILURE THAT CAN OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE CAN EASILY LEAD TO AUTO ACCIDENTS AND POSSIBLE FATALITIES. I URGE THE DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION TO TAKE THIS MATTER VERY SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATE. A FULL RECALL AND COMPENSATION TO AFFECTED VEHICLE OWNERS SHOULD BE ORDERED.
OIL CONSUMPTION REALLY HIGH. BURNING TOO MUCH OIL, CAUSING MY ENGINE TO RUN ON LOW OIL, AND RUINING THE ENGINE.
AS I AM MAKING A TURN ONTO ANOTHER STREET IN TOWN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, WHEN I COMPLETE A TURN IT WON'T WALK IT'S WAY BACK AROUND, YOU HAVE TO FORCE IT AROUND. I HAVE NEVER FELT SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE, IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE.
MY VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL FASTER THAN NORMAL. I HAVE SINCE HAD MY CAR IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE OIL CHANGES WERE DUE TO TOP OFF OIL DO TO SEVERAL LIGHTS COMING ON: "MIN OIL", "OIL PRESSURE TOO LOW". I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS EACH YEAR AS WELL AS PARTS REPLACED: PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE, CRANKSHAFT DAMPER AND SEAL. HAD A 40 POINT INSPECTION IN 2014 AT 44K MILES AND IN 2015 REQUESTED A MULTI INSPECTION AT 55K MILES. I HAD SEVERAL OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS AROUND THESES DATES: 3/714, 5/7/15, 11/12/15. AFTER THEY CHANGED OUT PARTS I HAD TO CHANGE 4 FUEL INJECTORS IN 2016. TO FAST FORWARD I HAD ALL OIL CHANGES ON TIME AND HAD TO ADD OIL SEVERAL TIMES IN-BETWEEN SERVICES. ON JAN 11, 2019 I HAD ANOTHER OIL CHANGE, THEY REPLACED MY OIL SENSORS AND BREAKS. 4 MONTHS LATER MY "LOW OIL LIGHT" KEPT POPPING UP WHEN I WOULD TURN. AFTER CHECKING THE OLD 4 TIMES IT KEPT READING 3/4 FULL OF OIL. AFTER I FELT THE CAR RUNNING STRANGE I PULLED OVER TO BUY OIL AND AT THIS POINT I CHECKED AND IT WAS BONE DRY. I PUT A QUART IN AND AT THIS POINT THE CAR WONT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST AUDI DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME I NEED A NEW ENGINE AND A NEW TIMING SENSOR. THEY SAID THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE THE TIMING BELT HAD DONE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO NEED TOTAL REPLACEMENT. YET NEVER SPOKE ABOUT WHY THE OIL SENSORS KEPT GIVING THE WRONG READING. SINCE I HAVE OWNED MY CAR FROM AUG 2013 IT HAS BURNED MORE OIL THAN I WANT TO BELIEVE WHICH MAKES THIS CAR BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE AIR QUALITY.
MY VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL FASTER THAN NORMAL. I HAVE SINCE HAD MY CAR IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE OIL CHANGES WERE DUE TO TOP OFF OIL DO TO SEVERAL LIGHTS COMING ON: "MIN OIL", "OIL PRESSURE TOO LOW"
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING CAUSING UNSAFE INSTABILITY ON FREEWAYS. INTERMITTENTLY THE POWER STEERING ASSIST IS FAILING INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL BUT SOON AFTER THIS THE POWER STEERING ASSIST COMES BACK ON AND HENCE TURNING THE STEERING MORE THAN REQUIRED AND ENDING UP IN AN UNSAFE POSITION OR SWERVING ON FREEWAYS AND EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE AND CAN HAPPEN AT ANY MILEAGE WITH REPORTS OUT THERE ON CARS WITH LESS THAN 5K MILES. AUDI SHOULD HAVE A TSB AND RECALL FOR THIS.
I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM AN INDEPENDENT DEALER THREE WEEKS AGO. 200 MILES INTO DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR AN INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE. THE VEHICLE PASSED INSPECTION, BUT THE MECHANIC NOTED VERY LITTLE OIL IN THE VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH THE NEXT OIL CHANGE WASN'T FOR 4,000 MILES. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE 600 MORE MILES, THE CAR INDICATED LOW OIL AGAIN. IN 2015, AUDI LOST A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THIS ISSUE. IN THE SERVICE RECORDS, THIS VEHICLE UNDERWENT THE FIRST STAGE OF REPAIRS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE IN JAN 2017, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY EXTENSION GRANTED BY THE LAWSUIT. THE REPAIRS DID NOT WORK. AUDI HAS CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS THE ISSUE MOST LIKELY AFFECTING MY VEHICLE, AND THEY REFUSE TO COVER IT. MY VEHICLE IS BELOW THE MILEAGE SPECIFIED UNDER THE WARRANTY, BUT HAS MISSED THE YEAR SPECIFIED BY LESS THAN 3 MONTHS. THIS MEANS THAT AUDI KNOWINGLY AUCTIONED A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE WITHOUT FULFILLING THEIR WARRANTY OBLIGATIONS AND DECEPTIVELY PASSED THOSE OBLIGATIONS ON TO INDEPENDENT DEALERS, KNOWING THAT THE ISSUE WOULDN'T BE UNCOVERED IN AN INSPECTION. I'VE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT AUDI TO RESOLVE THIS AMICABLY, BUT THEY WONT GRANT AN EXCEPTION. THEY TOLD ME TO JUST KEEP PUTTING OIL IN THE CAR, BUT THE OIL BURNS AT SUCH A RAPID PACE, I WILL HAVE TO ADD NEW OIL EVERY 2 TANKS OF GAS. THIS WILL RESULT IN THOUSANDS OF EXTRA DOLLARS SPENT A YEAR. THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM IS CLAIMING THAT THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE, BUT I SUSPECT THAT BOTH PARTIES WERE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAVE DECIDED TO PASS ON THE BURDEN TO THE CONSUMER. ALL I AM ASKING FOR IS FOR THEM TO CORRECT AN ISSUE THEY WERE ALREADY AWARE OF AND HAD ATTEMPTED TO FIX. THE WARRANTY MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED BY LESS THAN 3 MONTHS, BUT THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED PRIOR TO THAT. OTHERWISE, I WILL NEED TO SPEND $4,000+ TO HAVE THIS REPAIR.
TAKATA RECALL. I NOTICED THAT MY CAR CONSUMES LOTS OF OIL DUE TO THE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. ANYTIME I PERFORM OIL CHANGE, IT WON'T LAST LONGER THAN 7 DAYS.
THIS PAST SUNDAY, MY AUDI SELF-ACCELERATED IN BUSY TRAFFIC. ONLY BECAUSE I DRIVE A MANUAL WAS I ABLE TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED FROM SACRAMENTO CA TO AUDI OAKLAND. THEY DIAGNOSED IT SAYING THE PISTON BLEW THREW THE ENGINE, DEPRESSURIZING THE ENGINE. THEY CLAIM THE DON'T KNOW WHY AND HAVE FAILED TO CONTACT ME SINCE. I HAD TO CONTACT AUDI USA WHICH HASN'T BEEN RESPONSIVE. THIS WAS A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THREE BOYS. NONETHELESS, AUDI OAKLAND--AND I HAD TO CALL THEM!--JUST TOLD ME ITS MY PROBLEM AND I NEED TO PAY $16K FOR A NEW ENGINE. THEY TOLD ME THIS IS AN ODD OCCURRENCE AND SINCE THERE'S NO WARRANTY, ITS NOT THEIR PROBLEM.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2011 Audi A4 has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 43 owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Audi A4.
The 2011 Audi A4 received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2011 Audi A4 are engine (17 reports), power train (3 reports), steering (3 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2011 Audi A4. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.