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Audi A4Model year report

1997 Audi A4 Problems

Complaints
98filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
92,457miles, 41 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
20 mpgcombined, 2.8L 6-cyl FWD · 17 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1997 Audi A4 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe ignition switch problems, front suspension control arm noise and wear, and reduced brake response in wet or cold weather. Many complaints are filed at higher mileages on a vehicle that is now quite old, and several describe the same repair being done more than once.

  1. Electrical system

    Ignition switch will not return from start position

    • 29 complaints (30%)
    • median 118,500 mi at 8.9 yrs old (20 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2008

    Owners describe turning the key and having it stay in the start position instead of springing back, sometimes with a crack from the switch housing. With the key stuck forward, accessories such as wipers, headlights, turn signals, power windows and the blower stop working, and in some cases the starter keeps running and is damaged. Complaints describe the switch being replaced under a recall and later failing again; dealers reportedly told some owners the vehicle was not covered by the campaign or that the repeat failure was not the recalled part. Reported from roughly 60,000 to 180,000 miles, often years after a prior switch replacement.

    Recall 06V403000Recall 00V317000

    What to check: Ask whether the ignition switch campaign was completed and when, and get the paperwork. Check that the key springs back from start and that all electrical accessories work with the engine running.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I received safety recall js for the Audi A4 ignition switch in november 2006 and complied with the instructions by bringing the car to the dealer for a replacement switch in january 2007. The dealer did not do the repair because they said my car already had the correct switch. In june 2008, this ignition switch malfunctioned in the exact manner described in the recall. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10233056, filed 2008-07, 92,457 miles

    “The failure I am having is with my ignition switch. When turning on the car, the ignition key does not return to the proper position after the engine has been started. This causes electrical accessories, such as windshield wipers, headlights, power windows, and heating/air conditioning to be inoperative after starting the car. Also, when turning off the car the key does not turn all the way to the off position. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10135562, filed 2005-09, 165,000 miles
  2. Suspension

    Front control arm noise and wear

    • 18 complaints (18%)
    • median 57,100 mi at 7.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2000–2009

    Complaints describe clunking, cracking or crunching noises from the front end at low speed and over bumps, and in some cases loose front wheels or loss of steering control. Owners report the upper and lower control arms being replaced, sometimes more than once and within a short mileage span, with repair estimates in the thousands of dollars. Dealers are described as treating the wear as normal or as outside warranty coverage, and one owner reports a partial cost offer. Reported from around 24,000 to 165,000 miles, with several owners describing repeat failures at 30,000-40,000 mile intervals.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Have the front end inspected on a lift and listen for clunks over bumps on a test drive. Ask for records of any control arm replacement, including the 2004 service action, and how recently it was done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Control arm failure, front passenger side. Resulted in loss of steering control and veering into a curb, damaging the vehicle ($2000+), insurance would not cover the failed part (esurance). It was extremely fortunate that I was going only 35 MPH, that no one was standing or driving where I hit that curb.”

    NHTSA complaint #10091173, filed 2004-09, 103,000 miles

    “Audi (97 A4 quattro) has issued a safety recall related to control arms - offering free replacement. They further state that if the control arms have already been replaced, they will reimburse all costs. I have my car maintained faithfully, usually by a dealer, but I did not have the formal 90k mile check done. Since I did not follow their formal process, they are refusing to pay for the repair. (this is not a maintainable part , so the only fix, if indicated at 90k miles, would have been replacement). …”

    NHTSA complaint #10125149, filed 2005-06, 112,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    Weak braking in wet or cold weather

    • 14 complaints (14%)
    • median 100,000 mi at 14.2 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2014

    Owners describe a delay of a second or more before the brakes take hold in rain, snow or after cold, wet driving, with some reporting very long stopping distances at low speed. Several attribute it to water on the front rotors and note the car stops normally in dry conditions. Others describe a front brake hose bursting at the caliper end, and one report describes a hydraulic line failure with loss of braking. Mostly described after wet or cold-weather driving, at a range of mileages from moderate to over 130,000.

    Recall 99V1310011 related service bulletin

    What to check: Test the brakes after driving through water or on a damp morning and note any delay. Have the front brake hoses inspected for cracking at the caliper end and ask about the vacuum hose campaign for automatic cars.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My 1997 Audi A4 has experienced almost non braking in cold/wet conditions. When brakes are initially applied during these conditions there is almost zero braking for 50 feet at 35 MPH or less. I have come very close to rear ending a few cars that cut in front of you. I have contacted Audi of america and there response was that no known poor braking condition exists when brakes are cold/wet. Yet there is a news bulletin on Audi's own european web site indicating that there is a problem with brakes when wet. …”

    NHTSA complaint #704472, filed 1999-03

    “Disc brakes are not adequately shielded from water while driving in the rain or snow, resulting in no braking effort for approximately the first two seconds of brake application. The brakes are fine in dry weather, but always catch me by surprise in the wet, when you step on the pedal nothing happens until the water is shed from the brake discs. Nlm”

    NHTSA complaint #715307, filed 1999-11
  4. Engine cooling

    Timing belt and tensioner failure

    • 7 complaints (7%)
    • median 64,000 mi at 6.4 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
    • filed 2000–2003

    Complaints describe the engine stopping while driving after a broken timing belt, with bent valves and cylinder head damage found afterwards, and one owner reports a failed tensioner caught by a rattling noise at idle. Repair costs of several thousand dollars are mentioned. Audi documents related to timing belt and oil sludge coverage appear in the bulletin list for this model year. Reported around 60,000 to 90,000 miles on the original belt in most complaints.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for the date and mileage of the last timing belt and tensioner replacement with receipts. If there is no record, budget for the job before relying on the car.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have contacted Audi of america several times because I do not feel I should be responsible for the charges incurred of approximately $4000. Due to the fact the new tensionser purchased from the dealer is totally different then the original and due to the failed tensioner / timing belt damaged my cylinder head and valves.”

    NHTSA complaint #756903, filed 2002-01

    “Timing belt tensioner failed at 64k. Mechanic said that the timing belt was virtually under no tension and would have failed immediately if not caught by a vibrating sound from idle to 2200rpm.”

    NHTSA complaint #10007751, filed 2003-02, 64,000 miles

Buying note. On a car this old, paperwork matters more than mileage: ask for records of the ignition switch campaign, control arm work and timing belt replacement, and have the front suspension and brakes checked before purchase. Expect that some of these repairs may have been done more than once.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 98 consumer complaints for the 1997 Audi A4. 41 of the complaints include a mileage, and 15% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 92,457 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 5 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 50 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (3), Other or unknown (2), Equipment (1), Fuel system (1), Seat belts (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “I have a 1997 Audi A4 q that has a common defect with the ignition switch. This is a very well known problem with these cars and because of the defect there has been a recall already done for this car (NHTSA campaign id number 00v317000) as of oct 06,2000. I called the a local dealer and the manufacturer and gave them my VIN # and they claim my car was not part of the recall. However, I went to the NHTSA website and looked at the make, model and year of my car and it does show that the year of my car was included. …”

NHTSA complaint #10136417, filed 2005-09, 97,922 miles

Suspension: “Every 30,000 miles to 40,000 miles the lower control arms failed. When this occurred, the front end made a clanking noise, and the front wheels loosened. Consumer contacted the dealer and the manufacturer, and was offered 50% of total repair cost by the manufacturer.”

NHTSA complaint #10103514, filed 2004-12, 30,000 miles

Brakes: “1) failure of front left (driver side) hydraulic brake hose at caliper end at inboard side of hose strain relief. The damage location appears to be where hose is subject to maximum stress and flexing when front wheels turn. Further inspection revealed concealed damage to right (passenger) front brake hose at the same location. 2) consequence was loss of all hydraulic braking when hose burst, resulting in minor accident. Damage to vehicles was minor because of good fortune to have failure at low speed--no injuries resulted. …”

NHTSA complaint #10213141, filed 2007-12, 130,000 miles

Engine cooling: “We have experienced an oil sludge related failure on our 1997 Audi A4. Ingrid evert, from the office of Audi of america's mark trahan, has told me that my car will not be covered by their extended warranty, despite the fact that my car is within the VIN range affected by what is, in her words, a manufacturing defect . Her reason for refusal is the fact that I change my own oil and thus lack receipts. …”

NHTSA complaint #10100490, filed 2004-11, 89,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

15% of the 41 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 70,000 and 130,000 miles.

0%0–105%10–2510%25–5015%50–7527%75–10022%100–15022%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (41 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 92,457 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’99’0116’03’05’07’09’14
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1997 Audi A4. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
A4 · sedan not rated4 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1997 Audi A4 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
A4 FWD1.8L 4-cyl5-speed automatic182721$3,900
A4 FWD2.8L 6-cyl5-speed manual172520$4,100
A4 FWD2.8L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162619$4,350
A4 quattro 4WD/AWD1.8L 4-cyl5-speed automatic182721$3,900
A4 quattro 4WD/AWD2.8L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162519$4,350
A4 quattro 4WD/AWD2.8L 6-cyl5-speed manual172419$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1997 Audi A4 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 50 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 50 bulletins →

Other model years of the Audi A4

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20231030,0000—28—Too new
2022632,4003—29—Not enough data
2021112,6744528—Not enough data
202012826,000353084 · MoreRising
20191050,0001530—Not enough data
20184512,000153144 · TypicalRising
20175628,00015310 · FewerFalling
20161145,0000527—Not enough data
20151944,0000526—Falling
20143280,00005260 · FewerFalling
201324101,0000526—Falling
201219109,0000425—Falling
201111105,5000425—Not enough data
20106483,7500—2650 · TypicalFalling
200912065,0002—25100 · MoreStable
200817562,0004—24100 · MoreFalling
200719674,0003—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200629560,0003—24Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200521958,4003—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200418959,5602—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200321060,0003—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200218130,0001—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200113161,0281—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20009662,9002—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199919075,0004—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199825880,6504—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19979892,4576—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19968966,8214—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Audi A4 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1997 Audi A4?

Owners of this model year most often describe ignition switch problems, front suspension control arm noise and wear, and reduced brake response in wet or cold weather. The issues reported most often: Ignition switch will not return from start position; Front control arm noise and wear; Weak braking in wet or cold weather.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1997 Audi A4 have?

NHTSA recorded 98 consumer complaints for the 1997 Audi A4 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1997 Audi A4 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 33 complaints (34% of the total), followed by suspension with 19.

Has the 1997 Audi A4 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1997 Audi A4 get?

The EPA rates the 1997 Audi A4 (A4, 2.8L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 17 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1997 Audi A4 reported?

Among the 41 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 92,457 miles and the middle half falls between 70,000 and 130,000 miles; 15% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.