Audi A4 2002–2005
2nd generation (B6, Typ 8E)
NHTSA data through 13 August 2026992 complaints, 776 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 776
- Median of reported failures
- 57,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Exterior lighting (15.6%)
- Recalls
- 4
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 32,000 and 86,500 miles.
Figure 1 · Audi A4 2002–2005 · 776 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 99 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 5 complaints (0.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 8,000
- 25%
- 32,000
- Median
- 57,000
- 75%
- 86,500
- 90%
- 114,650
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 93 | 12.0% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 44 | 5.7% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 41 | 5.3% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 48 | 6.2% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 82 | 10.6% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 99 | 12.8% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 77 | 9.9% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 64 | 8.2% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 45 | 5.8% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 48 | 6.2% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 38 | 4.9% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 30 | 3.9% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 8 | 1.0% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 14 | 1.8% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 13 | 1.7% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 16 | 2.1% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 2 | 0.3% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 4 | 0.5% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 4 | 0.5% |
| 200,000+ | 5 | 0.6% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 992 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002–2005 Audi A4, and 776 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 32,000 and 86,500 miles. The median is 57,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the exterior lighting (15.6% of complaints, typically around 65,000 miles), the electrical system (15.2% of complaints, typically around 30,000 miles), the fuel system (10.6% of complaints, typically around 59,000 miles).
4 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2002–2005 Audi A4 last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2002–2005 Audi A4 were filed by 57,000 miles and 90% by 115,000 miles — figures drawn from 776 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
5 reports (0.6%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a A4 reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2002–2005 A4: the 3-minute check
Generated from 776 mileage-tagged complaints, 4 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check transmission — multitronic CVT on 2002–2005 (FWD multitronic–equipped cars) cars. Failure of the multitronic continuously variable transmission: jerky acceleration, slipping under load, unusual noises and eventual loss of drive, typically emerging at roughly 60,000-95,000 miles. Failures involve both…
- Check engine — 1.8t oil sludge on 2002–2005 (1.8T only) cars. The 1.8T oil sludge/oil starvation problem carries into the B6; Audi's extended engine coverage for sludge spans 1.8T engines through roughly 2005.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 32,000 and 86,000 miles, with a median of 57,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the exterior lighting and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 30,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Audi A4 2002–2005
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Electrical system151 reports30,0009,500–68,000Electrical system: 151 reports, median 30,000 miles, middle half 9,500 to 68,000 miles.
- Visibility equipment50 reports49,00020,000–66,000Visibility equipment: 50 reports, median 49,000 miles, middle half 20,000 to 66,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system76 reports53,00032,000–72,000Engine and its cooling system: 76 reports, median 53,000 miles, middle half 32,000 to 72,000 miles.
- Fuel system105 reports59,00043,000–70,000Fuel system: 105 reports, median 59,000 miles, middle half 43,000 to 70,000 miles.
- Exterior lighting155 reports65,00050,000–92,000Exterior lighting: 155 reports, median 65,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 92,000 miles.
- Airbag system101 reports70,00048,000–111,000Airbag system: 101 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 111,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline88 reports71,00040,000–97,000Transmission and driveline: 88 reports, median 71,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 97,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 155 | 15.6% | 65,000 | 50,000–92,000 |
| Electrical system | 151 | 15.2% | 30,000 | 9,500–68,000 |
| Fuel system | 105 | 10.6% | 59,000 | 43,000–70,000 |
| Airbag system | 101 | 10.2% | 70,000 | 48,000–111,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 88 | 8.9% | 71,000 | 40,000–97,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 76 | 7.7% | 53,000 | 32,000–72,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 50 | 5.0% | 49,000 | 20,000–66,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 50 | 5.0% | 62,000 | 35,000–95,000 |
| Tyres | 33 | 3.3% | 27,000 | 3,000–60,000 |
| Engine | 29 | 2.9% | 118,000 | 106,000–150,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Audi A4 2002–2005 · 776 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 52% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 76% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 91% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.6% of reports (5) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
52% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Exterior lighting — middle half 50,000–92,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 9,500–68,000 mi
- Fuel system — middle half 43,000–70,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 48,000–111,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 40,000–97,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — middle half 32,000–72,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — middle half 20,000–66,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
76% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Electrical system — median 30,000 mi
- Fuel system — median 59,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — median 53,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 49,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Exterior lighting — middle half 50,000–92,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 48,000–111,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 40,000–97,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
91% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Exterior lighting — median 65,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 30,000 mi
- Fuel system — median 59,000 mi
- Airbag system — median 70,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 71,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — median 53,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 49,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 57,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The exterior lighting accounts for 15.6% of complaints (155 reports, 135 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 92,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 15.2% of complaints (151 reports, 101 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 30,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,500 and 68,000 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 10.6% of complaints (105 reports, 101 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 59,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 43,000 and 70,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 10.2% of complaints (101 reports, 53 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 111,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.9% of complaints (88 reports, 73 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 97,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 7.7% of complaints (76 reports, 65 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 53,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,000 and 72,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2003 model year drew the most — 282 complaints — while 2002 drew the fewest at 218. The median year sits at 246.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 4 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (4). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 992 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 49 (4.9%)
- Fires
- 38
- Injury reports
- 28
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Transmission — Multitronic CVT 2002–2005 (FWD multitronic–equipped cars)
Failure of the multitronic continuously variable transmission: jerky acceleration, slipping under load, unusual noises and eventual loss of drive, typically emerging at roughly 60,000-95,000 miles. Failures involve both the clutch pack/chain assembly and the transmission control unit. Widely regarded as the defining B6 defect.
Engine — 1.8t Oil Sludge 2002–2005 (1.8T only)
The 1.8T oil sludge/oil starvation problem carries into the B6; Audi's extended engine coverage for sludge spans 1.8T engines through roughly 2005.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 218 | 142 |
| 2003 | 282 | 234 |
| 2004 | 225 | 197 |
| 2005 | 267 | 203 |
Recalls (4) — is your car included?
Nov 2021 · 2002 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag may not properly protect the occupant…
The defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2000-2001 Audi TT Coupe, TT Roadster, 2000-2002 A4, and S4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, possibly causing the air bag to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the driver frontal airbag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CJ.
Jun 2018 · 2005 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…
The defect. 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 occur
What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free 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.
Mar 2018 · 2005 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. 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,
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free 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.
Apr 2017 · 2004–2005 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. 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, Distri
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free 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.
What owners reported
Right side mirror automatically adjusts when car is in reverse, however when you go back in first the mirror does not return to the original spot. Audi has said that this is a software problem. It has been several months now and they have not fixed the issue. It is a dangerous issue because everytime you need that…
2002 · Visibility equipment
Numberous of failures; windshield washer system, driver's seat motor burned out 3 times, all replaced. *Bf the first day the consumer went to pick up the vehicle from the lot, the battery was dead, however 2 months later the battery was dead again, and 2 months after that the battery died again. The consumer was told…
2002 · 885 miles · Visibility equipment
Built from 776 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page