2017 Audi A4: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
81 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
81 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Complaints per year on the road: 9.0
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The Audi "Drive Select" transmission function switches to "Sports Mode" in rain and snow. This makes the vehicle dangerously jumpy in slippery conditions. This has happened to me (I think) three times in the last couple of years, always in rain or snow. My knowledge of the car allowed me to slowly delve into the screen functions to reprogram the transmission while driving in these dangerous conditions, but I don't …
Turbo needs to be replaced after only 58,000 miles. This has been an issue causing recalls on Audi models in different years.
Start Stop system failures. Upon engine restarting, it stalls instead. This has happened on multiple occasions and the dealer response is to just turn it off every time you start the car. Causes dangerous situations due to inability to move car until full power cycle happens.
What the community is saying right now.
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V874000 | Seats | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-… |
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,700
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (26 complaints in our indexed sample).
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 84/100, computed from 81 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Audi A4, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 10/11/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorComplaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-08-20.