2010 Audi A4

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

67/100

Be careful

AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Audi A4, and it carries no recalls. 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
Engine	32	50%
Power train	6	9%
Engine and engine cooling	6	9%
Steering	2	3%
Power train	2	3%
Engine	2	3%
Electrical system	1	2%
Suspension	1	2%
Air bags	1	2%
Electrical system	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

This audi doesn’t have a dip stick that comes with the car. It burns 1-2 quarts of oil a month and doesn’t indicate when your car is low on oil. It’s a guessing game when the engine says put a quart of oil in and I neede
NHTSA complaint: Engine

No oil dip stick. The engine sucks a qt of oil every 2 weeks without leaks and due to the lack oem dip stick not in if you overfill your oil you’ll get bad spark plugs.
NHTSA complaint: Engine

My parking brake keeps setting itself and then locking in place and it will not unlock now my gear shift will not shift I have no idea what's going on and it keeps happening and then it'll stop and it'll happen again it'
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

Drains so much oil for only A car that takes 4.9L of oil. It’s unreal which causes so many other issues
NHTSA complaint: Engine

Engine Excessive oil consumption burning oil then suddenly found out there is no oil in the engine that causes for blow the engine while driving if you don't add oil it's common problem for this car ; asking for solve t
NHTSA complaint: Engine

The contact owns a 2010 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who determined that the timing chain tensione
NHTSA complaint: Engine

I have current issue with my Audi A4 steering rack where im driving it randomly it pull up one side or the other i have looked up that issues with the Audi A4 and alot of people are having steering rack failed where ther
NHTSA complaint: Steering

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH A GOOD PRICE. THE CAR ITSELF RUNS PRETTY GOOD BUT HAVE FOUND OUT THAT IT BURNS OIL AND IT IS FACTORY PROBLEM. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND IT AUDI HAS THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. HIGH OIL CONSUMPTIO
NHTSA complaint: Engine

The seven scores

Reliability raw	76	good
Longevity est.	71	good
Maintenance	69	good
Depreciation	71	good
Performance	52	average
Efficiency	44	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 24% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 16% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 31% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 76% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 76: 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 71: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2010 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 69: 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 2010 Audi A4?

Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 32 of them (50%). No recalls are on record for it.

Is the 2010 Audi A4 reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 76/100 (good) 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 2010 Audi A4 last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 71/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2010 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2010 Audi A4?

AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 67/100. 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.