2020 Audi A4 problems & reliability
127 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Audi A4, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 22, 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): 2020 Audi A4 vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 91 | 72% |
| Unknown / Other | 58 | 46% |
| Back Over Prevention → | 43 | 34% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 9 | 7% |
| Lane Departure | 6 | 5% |
| Communication | 2 | 2% |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% |
| Seats | 1 | 1% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 12 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My 2020 Audi A4 has an open safety recall campaign. Audi Corporate and my local dealership are formally refusing to perform the recall remedy unless I pay over $2,000 out-of-pocket to replace a broken J949 SOS Telematics Module. The manufacturer claims the module is separate from the recall, but its total failure…”
Electrical System · filed Aug 12, 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message SOS module no longer connected was displayed on the instrument panel, and the vehicle failed to shut off. The contact believed that the failure was a safety issue due to the loss of communication, including the…”
Communication · filed Aug 11, 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Audi A4. The contact stated that the emergency-call/communication system was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under TSB: 91-20-29; however, the software update was unsuccessful due to the module. The dealer informed the contact that the module needed to be…”
Communication · filed Aug 10, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
1,060 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Audi A4. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides general information about the current tpp issues for Audi connect.
TSB_2082976_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 27, 2026
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 informaitn when there is a warning messsage; "Instrument cluster: fault. Limited warning messages. Please contact workshop"; DTC B200096.
TSB_2069331_8 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2026
A particularly noticeable factor is the vibration of the air column in a tire. When a tire starts to vibrate because of the road contact, this can lead to cavity resonances inside the tire that are transmitted via the…
TSB_2079696_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is a wheel/tire imbalance.
TSB_2074843_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 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 information when there is an issue with wireless charging/wireless charging is not working.
TSB_2064681_6 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 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 2020 Audi A4 has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — 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 2020 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.