2017 Audi A4 problems & reliability
55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Audi A4, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2017 Audi A4 vehicles were involved in 17 fatal crashes with 9 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine → | 22 | 40% |
| Air Bags → | 13 | 24% |
| Unknown / Other | 9 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 11% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 11% |
| Power Train | 4 | 7% |
| Seats | 3 | 5% |
| Steering | 3 | 5% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 16 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“my initial water pump from Audi was replaced via recall. then I recently changed the thermostat hose and my water pump started leaking again. can you please look into these faulty water pumps?”
Engine · filed Sep 11, 2026
“I have been trying to register my vehicle in California for several months, however, in order to do so, I need the car to pass SMOG. Initially I was told that the issue was related to an emissions sensor and that I had to drive the vehicle a few more miles to get the sensor to register properly. This turned out not to…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Dec 5, 2025
“The headlights on my 2017 Audi A4 have developed stress cracks in the headlamp housing. According to the inspection performed by an authorized Audi dealer, these cracks will obscure headlight projection and lower the visibility range at night. The dealer specifically noted there were no signs of outside influence or…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Aug 25, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
745 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2017 Audi A4. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.
TSB_2074436_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2026
This bulletin provides information for all models regarding brake sounds.
TSB_2069904_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This bulletin provides information on the zirconium insercts in the brake piston (ceramic brakes only).
TSB_2069078_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases.
TSB_2068999_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is corrosion on the friction survace of steel brake discs.
TSB_2067132_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This bulletin provides service infomraiton regardin gthe identifaction of noises with dynamic steering.
TSB_2063546_5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This bulletin provides service information when thre are engine noises in the vehicle interior.
TSB_2063528_5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This bulletin provides information about leather care and seat repair.
TSB_2076945_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels.
TSB_2079732_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026
This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns.
TSB_2075120_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2017 Audi A4 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2017 Audi A4?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.