2010 Audi S4

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

64/100

Skip unless cheap

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

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 60 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Audi S4, 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
Power train	35	58%
Engine and engine cooling	10	17%
Power train	4	7%
Service brakes	2	3%
Engine	2	3%
Power train	1	2%
Power train	1	2%
Power train	1	2%
Vehicle speed control	1	2%
Unknown or other	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

ONCE CAR IS PUT INTO REVERSE IT LAUNCHES BACK ? ALSO IN FIRST ONE PUT IN COST IT WANTS TO MOVE PRACTICALLY FORWARD .
NHTSA complaint: Power train

CAR SLAMMED INTO DIFFERENT GEAR, WASN'T ABLE TO SHIFT INTO 2ND AND THREW GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS ERRORS. THANKFULLY I WAS NEAR HOME AND ABLE TO MAKE IT THERE WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OR BEING STRANDED, BUT MY CAR IS NOW
NHTSA complaint: Power train

MY CAR FLASHED GEARBOX MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE I-264 IN LOUISVILLE KY. CAR SEAMED FINE FOR ABOUT 2 MILES AND THEN SUDDENLY WENT LIMP AND I HAD NO GEARS. HAD TO HIT FLASHERS AND COAST INTO MEDIAN. WAS
NHTSA complaint: Power train

THE WHOLE CAR JERKED WHEN GOING TO 2ND GEAR AND THEN THETPMS, NO REVERSE, AND GEAR MALFUNCTION LIGHTS COMES ON. 2ND, 4TH, 6TH, AND REVERSE GEAR ARE GONE. RESTARTING THE CAR CLEARED THE WARNING AND DROVE FINE FOR 10 MILE
NHTSA complaint: Power train

GEARBOX FAILURE SEEMS TO BE COMMON ISSUE ON THE 2010 MODEL. SEEMS A REPLACEMENT MECHATRONICS UNIT OR FULL TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE DONE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint: Power train

IT HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING UP TO SPEED, AT ABOUT 50 MPH I GOT A "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" ERROR MESSAGE IN THE CLUSTER AND IT WOULD NOT LET ME ACCELERATE ANYMORE, IT WAS LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRA
NHTSA complaint: Power train

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE MECHATRONICS UNIT ON MY CAR IS FAILING AND JUST MANY MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. THE VEHICLE CAN STOP ENGAGING GEARS AT ANY SPEED AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AT ANY SPE
NHTSA complaint: Power train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. LURCHING FROM A STOP AND LURCHING DURING SHIFT CHANGES.
NHTSA complaint: Power train

The seven scores

Reliability raw	82	excellent
Longevity est.	77	good
Maintenance	41	below average
Depreciation	67	good
Performance	64	average
Efficiency	37	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 38% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 41% 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 82: 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 77: 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 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 2010 Audi S4?

Owners have filed 60 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 35 of them (58%). No recalls are on record for it.

Is the 2010 Audi S4 reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (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 2010 Audi S4 last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, 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 S4?

AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 64/100. 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.