2006 Audi A4 recalls and problems

The 2006 Audi A4 has 3 safety recalls and 295 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Audi dealer.

Recalls
3
Complaints
295
Crashes / fires
8 / 4
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2006 Audi A4 vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2006 Audi A4 recalls

Recall 18V-427: Air Bags

Reported Jun 22, 2018 · 237,947 vehicles affected · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.

Recall 17V-032: Air Bags

Reported Jan 11, 2017 · 33,421 vehicles affected · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Problem: 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, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.

Recall 16V-382: Air Bags

Reported Jun 1, 2016 · 194,453 vehicles affected · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Problem: 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 (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling model year 2004 Audi A4 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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.

2006 Audi A4 problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Exterior Lighting161
Air Bags73
Electrical System21
Engine15
Power Train14
Vehicle Speed Control7
Unknown or Other7
Engine and Engine Cooling6
Steering5
Fuel System, Gasoline5
Fuel/Propulsion System5
Visibility4

Most reported parts

  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 6
  • Exterior Lighting › Headlights — 3
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine — 2
  • Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly — 1
  • Electrical System › Ignition — 1
  • Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Pump — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 60,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2006 Audi A4 complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Air Bags · at 160,000 miles · reported Nov 8, 2021
The contact owns a 2006 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the wife crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. During the crash the front driver side air bag did not deploy, however, the passenger side airbag did deploy, and both the front and rear driver side and passenger side headrest restraints activated. The contact indicated that no passengers were present in the vehicle during the crash. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was…
Air Bags · at 165,000 miles · reported Sep 28, 2020
Purchased the vehicle a few months ago (July of 2020). Before buying it I was told that the warning chime for the seatbelt had stopped working , so I took it to my local german auto shop to see what would needed to fix it. To my surprise, it's a part in the instrument cluster that would need to be replaced, but it's a common issue as these cars age for the warning chime to fail therefore not notifying or warning if the driver or passenger belt is buckled. Warning chime does not work whether stationary, or moving for any seat in the vehicle.
Engine · at 110,000 miles · reported Sep 15, 2020
Audi issued a technical service bulletin that I found on your website. This bulletin was regarding the exact parts the dealer (Audi) identified as being affected on my car (High pressure fuel pump, cam follower, and corresponding intake camshaft cam lobe). This bulletin (Not a recall, but distributed internally to dealerships) clearly states that this is a widespread issue that affected all VIN ranges of specified audi models from 2005-2007 that included mine. Audi extended drivetrain coverage on these vehicles to 10yr/120k mi. This issue causes a worsening loss of power upon accelerating…
Air Bags · at 90,000 miles · reported Aug 14, 2020
My personal audi a4 was involved in a front end collision on an inner-city road due to loss of friction on frozen ice. Despite there only being a driver present in the car, the driver side airbag from the steering wheel did not activate while the passenger side airbag did. I had already previously checked the takata recall, which affect the exact model of my vehicle, yet when I entered the VIN, it displayed that no recalls were present. The collision happened at a speed of less than 25 MPH, and the unneeded damage costs pf the passenger side airbags alongside the health risks of not having an…
Exterior Lighting · reported Oct 29, 2019
Left head light flickers and shuts itself off after vehicle is driven and the lights have been on for about 5 minutes. The warning display on the dashboard gives a "left headlight level" error code.

Other Audi A4 years

Compare all Audi A4 years · All Audi models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Audi A4 have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2006 Audi A4: 18V-427 (air bags), 17V-032 (air bags), 16V-382 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2006 Audi A4?

Owners report exterior lighting problems most often (161 reports), followed by air bags (73). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 60,000 miles.

Are Audi recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Audi dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.