2007 Audi A4 Problems

What owners report

Most sampled complaints for this model year involve the passenger front airbag inflator recall, where owners describe long waits for parts and, in some cases, airbags that did not deploy in a crash. Beyond airbags, the largest recurring theme is oil consumption in the turbocharged engine, often described as a quart every several hundred to a few thousand miles. Scattered reports cover stalling or loss of power linked to the high-pressure fuel pump and cam follower, coolant leaks, and headlights that flicker or go out.

1. 1
   Engine

   High oil consumption (excessive oil use)

   • 16 complaints (8%)
   • median 73,650 mi at 6.9 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2018

   Owners report the engine using or losing oil at a high rate, commonly described as a quart every 500 to 2,000 miles, with the low oil warning light coming on between changes. Some describe white or bluish smoke from the exhaust on acceleration or a rough-running engine, and dealers telling them the consumption was within specification or normal for a turbo engine. Appears from very low mileage up through roughly 115,000 miles; several complaints were filed between 30,000 and 90,000 miles.

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for a fuel or burnt smell, ask how much oil the car uses between changes, and request service records for any consumption-related repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I picked up my Audi A4 a few weeks ago left the dealer went about five miles and the car starts miss firing bring it back for a new coil pack, one week later oil light came on low oil not even 700 miles and add one 16 oz of oil so started to park car in garage oil on garage floor lots of oil so far not very happy with the car. Bringing it to Audi repair shop they said they will look for the leak. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10690433, filed 2015-02, 94,450 miles

   “Since I bought my Audi, I have had to put oil in it many times, and have been told this is normal for a turbo. I think that is crazy, and even an Audi service man told me not all of the turbos do that. I have also had an issue with the car seeming to lose power and jerk about twice a month when I am usually around 70 MPH. It's almost as if the ignition is turned off for 1 second, then it acts fine. This is very startling when it happens.”

   NHTSA complaint #10261363, filed 2009-03, 35,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Passenger airbag inflator recall and no parts available

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe receiving a recall notice for the passenger frontal airbag inflator and then being told the replacement part was not available, sometimes for a year or more. Some say they were advised not to use the front passenger seat in the meantime, and a few report that airbags did not deploy in a collision. Others describe the airbag warning light coming on intermittently. Reported across a wide mileage range, from under 6,000 to about 95,000 miles, and mostly between 2016 and 2017.

   Recall 18V427000Recall 17V032000Recall 16V3820003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask the seller for proof that the passenger airbag inflator recall was completed, and check with a dealer by VIN whether any campaign is still open.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “It is 11-06-2016 and there is no attempt to fix my car. This recall has been issued for months and Audi has not provided any solution other than no one can ride in the front passenger seat. This is unacceptable. This is my son's car and we are in one of the more dangerous zones according to the data for these air bags to fail. I would like something done asap.”

   NHTSA complaint #10924551, filed 2016-11, 48,000 miles

   “Takata recall, our passenger airbag recall was documented may 27,2016. We have been calling our local Audi dealer, Audi of raleigh for updates every few months and they have been unable to provide us with any information about the recall. We are going on 14 months unable to use the front passenger seat of our car and most dealers are no unwilling to take the vehicle in trade because they can not sell it. We currently have a car that is difficult to use and can not be sold.”

   NHTSA complaint #11010145, filed 2017-07, 80,000 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Loss of power or stalling tied to fuel pump / cam follower

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the car losing power, surging, or cutting out under acceleration, sometimes with no warning lights and sometimes with the engine light on. Owners who had the car inspected report a worn cam follower and damage to the high-pressure fuel pump and camshaft, requiring replacement of several parts. Some note the dealer would not replace the part until it failed. Mostly reported between about 20,000 and 80,000 miles, but also at higher mileages.

   What to check: Ask whether the cam follower and high-pressure fuel pump have been inspected or replaced, and have a shop check the cam follower on a pre-purchase inspection.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Fuel cut-off/surging when accelerating. Engine is not throwing any engine codes; however, a loss of power is present when accelerating. This occurs every time I try to accelerate. This is a known issue with the cam follower and high pressure fuel pump on all 2.0t fsi motors from Audi and vw. My cam follower has a hole in it (have the part) and the hpfp is worn down because it has made contact with the cam lobe, which has been scarred. Replacement requires a new cam, hpfp and cam follower. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10273921, filed 2009-06, 74,000 miles

   “The car engine stopped working while driving on the highway 280, lane next to the shoulder. I felt the engine stopped and was able to turn the wheel to get it over to the shoulder. I called aaa to tow it to the Audi dealership in san jose, stevens creek. Audi dealership preformed a diagnostic on my Audi, diagnostic reads that the fuel pump, seal and fuel filter needs to be replaced . The dealership said that this is not covered under warranty as the history paperwork has repairs done for the same issues. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10663464, filed 2014-12, 113,367 miles
4. 4
   Exterior lighting

   Headlights flicker or go out ('dipped headlight' warning)

   • 7 complaints (4%)
   • median 72,625 mi at 4.9 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2009–2017

   Owners report one or both headlights flickering and then going out while driving, with a dipped headlight message on the dash display. Some say replacing bulbs or the ballast only helped temporarily, and others report the dealer found no stored errors despite the warning appearing. Reported from roughly 14,000 to 84,000 miles, with several complaints filed between 20,000 and 65,000 miles.

   What to check: Test both headlights at night, look for a dipped headlight message on the dash, and ask whether bulbs or ballasts have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2007 Audi A4 - left main headlight error and left headlight goes out. Problem is intermittent. Dealer has replaced the headlight and still has the problem. Dealer says no errors are in the system, but I took a picture of the dash display with the error. The problem has been happening for almost a year, and frequency is almost every time I drive it. This is a safety issue because I randomly lose my front left headlight. Looking on the internet shows that it can happen to either or both headlights for many people. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10390358, filed 2011-03, 20,000 miles

   “Malfunction in 2007 Audi A4 causes headlights to flicker, then go out completely, resulting in a dipped headlight error message on the dash board. Have to turn headlights off completely and turn back on the correct the problem. Fixing the problem is not covered under warranty and replacing bulbs and other parts doesn't seem to repair the issue for long.”

   NHTSA complaint #10415060, filed 2011-07, 63,751 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Coolant leaks

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe coolant loss and leaks that required diagnosis and repair, sometimes handled under a service bulletin procedure. Owners report needing the leak traced and the affected part resealed or replaced. Reported mainly at lower mileages in the sample, often under about 35,000 miles, but also at higher mileage.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the coolant level and look for dried residue or stains around the engine bay and under the car, and ask whether any coolant leak has been repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving my 2007 Audi A4 three times over the course of the last month my car has died while driving. Once on the highway, once on a local road, and a third time in a parking lot. All three times Audi claims that no error code was recorded yet the check engine light and electronics error light turns on. Because they can't replicate it or see an error they are refusing to do anything to help me other than test drive the car. What evidence do they want? …”

   NHTSA complaint #10343627, filed 2010-07, 29,888 miles

   “Oil warning light came on. This is after a 75,000 mile checkup was performed (even though the car has less than 75,000 miles) the car petered out on me, had it towed to the dealership service where I was told it had a blown engine.”

   NHTSA complaint #10567011, filed 2014-03, 74,500 miles

Buying note. Confirm that the open airbag inflator recalls were completed and ask for records on oil consumption, fuel pump and cam follower work before buying. A pre-purchase inspection that checks oil use, the cam follower and coolant leaks is worthwhile on this model year.

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.