2020 Audi S4: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
16 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 16 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 2.67
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My instrument cluster and its replacements have malfunctioned multiple times. The original instrument cluster/virtual cockpit failed to boot and had a black/blank screen on 4/19/2024 at 29,687 miles and was replaced on 5/15/2024 at 29,923 mi. That replacement one worked fine for a while and then did the same thing on 7/15/2024 at 33,655 miles and on 1/10/2025 at 42,532 miles. The instrument cluster was then replaced …
The Audi MMI malfunctions and reboots randomly while driving. Possibly being a software issue. There is a TSB code that the dealer used to reference for me ( TSB 2078437/1), but I cannot find it on the NHTSA website. The reboot issue shuts off all functions associated with it, including, but not limited to: navigation, rearview camera, and parking sensor use. This poses a risk since it can be distracting to pull back…
The MMI reboots continuously throughout my drive - whether it is 1 minute or an hour. It does this without a Bluetooth connection or wired connection. There is no ability to use hands free calling, listen to the radio, use Apple car play, Bluetooth, navigation, back up camera, parking assistance… It is startling to have your camera black out on your as your backing up (may back up camera works for about 45 seconds …
Recalls: 3 campaigns
| 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, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles. |
| 22V034000 | Tires | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8… |
| 21V295000 | Suspension:Rear:Axle:Non-Powered Axle Assembly | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 23 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,300
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System14 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Back Over Prevention9 complaints · typical job: Reversing camera or park-sensor replacement (2.0 h labour + parts)$420–$940
- Unknown Or Other5 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Lane Departure1 complaints · typical job: Camera module replacement and calibration (2.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,700
- Forward Collision Avoidance1 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Visibility/Wiper1 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
Other Audi S4 years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Audi S4?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (14 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Audi S4 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 80/100, computed from 16 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Audi S4's most common problem?
14 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 Audi S4 sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2020 Audi S4 cost to run per year?
About $4,860 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $24,302 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2020 Audi S4 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2020 Audi S4, 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.
Compare with
Other luxury midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2020 Audi S4 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & 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: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 16 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 16 NHTSA complaints on record (2.7/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (1.4/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality