2006 Audi S4 problems & reliability
30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Audi S4, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 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 vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting → | 22 | 73% |
| Air Bags | 7 | 23% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 13% |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 3% |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 49,325 miles (middle 50% between 34,813 and 63,975 miles), based on 20 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Passenger headlight starts on. After a few minutes I get a headlight dipped error and the passenger headlight turns off.”
Exterior Lighting · filed May 16, 2019
“As many others have noticed on the b7 models of audi's. The passenger headlight will flicker and go out at random times, it is not a bulb problem it has been replaced multiple times. It is concerning when driving at night and randomly my headlight will shut off. Sometimes when I shut the car off and back in it will…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Jan 17, 2019
“Takata recall recall issued june '18, local dealership says they still don't have parts to complete recall work.”
Air Bags · filed Jul 13, 2018
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
231 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Audi S4. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information on the additional reporting requirements for safety related inquiries.
A0023742052680_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 4, 2023
Inside the Rings | Volume 12, Spring 2023
DC_AudiRingsV12 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2023
In conjunction with the Massachusetts DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,907 Audi owners in the State of Massachusetts on March 13, 2023.
TRMDMV_MA_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 13, 2023
In conjunction with the New Mexico DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 389 Audi owners in the State of New Mexico on March 13, 2023.
TRMDMV_NM_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 13, 2023
In conjunction with the Colorado DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,174 Audi owners in the State of Colorado on February 13, 2023.
TRMDMV_CO_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 13, 2023
Takata recall and 3G turndown
DC_Rings_VOL10 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 10, 2023
In conjunction with the New York DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 5,165 Audi owners in the State of New York on October 17, 2022.
TRMDMV_NY_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 17, 2022
In conjunction with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, Audi is sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 1,121 Audi owners in the state of South Carolina on September 19, 2022.
TRMDPS_SC_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 19, 2022
In conjunction with the Georgia Department of Revenue - Motor Vehicle Division and Department of Driver Services, Audi sent Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 565 Audi owners in the State of Puerto…
TRMDMV_PR_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 25, 2022
In conjunction with the Virginia DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,026 Audi owners in the State of Virginia on July 21, 2022.
TRMDMV_VA_Audi · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2022
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 2006 Audi S4 has 2 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 2006 Audi S4?
- · 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 49,325 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.