2001 Audi S4

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

65/100

Skip unless cheap

AVOIR's read: running costs are the problem rather than the car itself.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 87 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Audi S4, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Electrical system	46	53%
Engine and engine cooling	11	13%
Tires	10	11%
Seats	6	7%
Exterior lighting	3	3%
Air bags	2	2%
Visibility	1	1%
Service brakes	1	1%
Service brakes	1	1%
Seat belts	1	1%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

I took the vehicle into the dealer (Westwood Audi) for a Safety Recall repair as requested by Audi. It was for a Driver Front Airbag Inflator replacement. The work was done but when the car was returned the airbag warnin
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

Instrument cluster that shows safety information doesn't work so don't know what's issue with car
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

I JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK UP RECALLS AND SAW THE COMPLAINTS ON THE AUDI S4 2001. I NOTICED MY CAR WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHERE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS LOST PIXELS AND ENDS UP UNREADABLE FOR ALL WARNINGS AND MANUFACTURER P
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

YOKOHAMA YK520 335/45R/17 TIRES... DRIVING ALONG WITH MY 2001 AUDI S4 AND STARTED NOTICING A WOBBLE OR SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. KEPT GETTING WORSE. THE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 20K MILES ON THEM SO I THOUGH I NEEDED
NHTSA complaint: Tires

COLD START ON A COLD JANUARY MORNING (5 DEGREES F); UPON STARTING THE CAR THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. RESEARCH (DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALER AND AIR BAG REPAIR BUSINESSES) INDICATE THAT THIS
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

1. ALL THE TIME 2. THE FAILURE MAKES ME UNABLE TO SEE THE WARNING ICONS DUE TO THE DEAD PIXELS IN MY CLUSTER (DASH COMPUTER) 3. NO REPAIR WAS DONE. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

INFORMATION DISPLAY ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS FAILING; PIXELS NO LONGER OPERATE RENDERING THE DISPLAY USELESS. DISPLAY IS USED TO INFORM THE DRIVER OF VITAL SAFETY INFORMATION BUT WITH FAILED DISPLAY THE IMPORTANT SAFETY
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

1) THERE IS NO TRIGGERING EVENT LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. IT JUST APPEARS OVER TIME. 2) THE LCD SCREEN IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS LINES OF PIXELS THAT DO NOT LIGHT UP. THIS IS CONSTANT, WITH MORE LINES OF PIXELS G
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2001 Audi S4. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module 21V470000

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2000-2001 Audi TT Coupe, TT Roadster, 2000-2002 A4, and S4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

Fix: Dealers will replace the driver frontal airbag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer servic

The seven scores

Reliability raw	86	excellent
Longevity est.	75	good
Maintenance	41	below average
Depreciation	67	good
Performance	69	good
Efficiency	32	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 50% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 30% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 2% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 70% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 86: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 75: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2001 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 41: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2001 Audi S4?

Owners have filed 87 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 46 of them (53%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2001 Audi S4 reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 86/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2001 Audi S4 last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2001 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2001 Audi S4?

AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 65/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.