2011 Audi S4 problems & reliability
26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Audi S4, 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.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2011 Audi S4 vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 22 | 85% |
| Engine | 5 | 19% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 8% |
| Unknown / Other | 2 | 8% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 24 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 63,500 miles (middle 50% between 47,250 and 79,525 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Car has developed a transmission problem in the mechatronic unit. Car gives a gearbox malfunction display in the car. Reverse will not working and the car will repeatedly go into neutral at any speed. Sometimes then it will jerk back into gear very violently.”
Power Train · filed Apr 9, 2021
“This vehicle is known for the transmission issues that can be extremely dangerous at times due to the vehicle making sudden and unexpected movements.”
Power Train · filed Oct 1, 2019
“Transmission blew up on the highway at cruising speed. Has to get a tow and pay 12000 for a new transmission”
Power Train · filed Feb 21, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
774 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2011 Audi S4. 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 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
This bulletin provides information on the GFF test plan required for AC compressor replacements regardless of the concern.
TSB_20741717_15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is an ABS/ESC speed sensor implausible signal.
TSB_2072304_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026
This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00.
TSB_2082846_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is a film/visible rings on the clear glass cover of the headlight when the dipped beam is switched on.
TSB_2073282_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
This bulleitn provides information when there are running problems/restricted functions, 0B5 gearbox.
TSB_2082048_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 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 2011 Audi S4 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 2011 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.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 63,500 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.