Audi S4: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Audi S4: 14 model years scored from 126 NHTSA owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns. Worst year 2013, best year 2021.
Audi S4: which years to avoid
Across 10 scored model years the Audi S4 ranges from 77/100 in 2013 to 93/100 in 2019 — a 16-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Steering (19 of them).
Safest years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
How the S4 changed, run by run
The federal record falls into 2 stretches of years that behave alike. A redesign shows up here as a step in the complaint rate that then holds.
2011–2015
Mean score 85/100, about 1 complaints per year on the road. Owners of these years complain about Power Train more than anything else (48 complaints). 5 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
2018–2022
Mean score 88/100, about 1 complaints per year on the road. Owners of these years complain about Electrical System more than anything else (15 complaints). 3 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2021 (score 87). Worst: 2013 (score 77, BUY).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,680 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,820 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,960 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 90 | BUY | $4,100 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | 87 | BUY | $4,397 | 2 | 4 |
| 2020 | 80 | BUY | $4,580 | 16 | 3 |
| 2019 | 93 | BUY | $4,525 | 2 | 1 |
| 2018 | 89 | BUY | $4,676 | 7 | 2 |
| 2016 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,390 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 91 | BUY | $5,532 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | 88 | BUY | $5,696 | 17 | 1 |
| 2013 | 77 | BUY | $5,858 | 33 | 1 |
| 2012 | 86 | BUY | $5,979 | 22 | 1 |
| 2011 | 85 | BUY | $6,122 | 26 | 1 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the S4, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Audi S4
Across every S4 model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Power Train49 complaints across all S4 years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Steering25 complaints across all S4 years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System23 complaints across all S4 years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Engine18 complaints across all S4 years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other14 complaints across all S4 years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Back Over Prevention9 complaints across all S4 years · typical job: Reversing camera or park-sensor replacement$420–$940
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Audi S4 years to buy?
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020… all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2019 at 93/100, on 2 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
Which Audi S4 years should I avoid?
The 2013 is the weakest year we score, at 77/100 (BUY), on 33 complaints and 1 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Audi S4 problem?
49 of the complaints filed against the S4 across all its model years sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04