Total Complaints
73 filings
AUDI S4 · model year
73 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2010AUDIS4 carries 73 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2010 S4 is power train with 42 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system (6) and electrical system (6). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 2010 S4. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
73 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 42 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 6 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 6 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 5 |
| ENGINE | 4 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Unknown
Unknown
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ONCE CAR IS PUT INTO REVERSE IT LAUNCHES BACK ? ALSO IN FIRST ONE PUT IN COST IT WANTS TO MOVE PRACTICALLY FORWARD .
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 IMMOBILE. I SPOKE WITH AUDI AND THEY SAID IT WILL LIKELY BE A $4K REPAIR (MECHATRONICS UNIT). AFTER RESEARCHING THIS MORE, IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THERE'S ALSO A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TO GET AUDI TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THEM.
Mileage: 102,998
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 ALMOST HIT BY SEMI TRUCK. REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAPPENED AGAIN 1 DAY AFTER GETTING IT BACK FROM SHOP. TAKING IT TO AUDI NOW. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.
Mileage: 99,000
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 ALMOST HIT BY SEMI TRUCK. REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAPPENED AGAIN 1 DAY AFTER GETTING IT BACK FROM SHOP. TAKING IT TO AUDI NOW. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.
Mileage: 99,000
MECHATRONIC ISSUES.
Mileage: 79,000
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 MILES BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. TRY RESTARTING AGAIN TO CLEAR THE WARNING BUT LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON WHEN GOING TO 2ND OR REVERSE.
Mileage: 72,000
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.
Mileage: 56,000
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 NEUTRAL AND PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD JUST REV UP THE ENGINE. THE MECHATRONICS UNIT ON THESE VEHICLES ARE FAULTY, I KNOW 2 OTHER S4 OWNERS WITH THE YEARS OF 2011 AND 2012 WHO ALSO HAD THEIR MECHATRONICS FAIL ON THEIR S4. ALONG WITH THE GEARBOX MALFUNCTION ERROR ALSO COMES "PARKING BRAKE ERROR" WHO KNOWS WHAT IN THE WORLD CAN HAPPEN WHEN THAT MESSAGE COMES UP. IS IT GOING TO SUDDENLY APPLY THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE GOING 50-70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSE A POSSIBILITY OF A VERY BAD ACCIDENT? THE REPAIR IS VERY PRICEY FOR THE MECHATRONIC UNIT THAT GOES BAD, IT IS NO COINCIDENCE MANY OF THESE S4 MODELS HAVE THESE GO BAD.
Mileage: 67,455
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 NEUTRAL AND PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD JUST REV UP THE ENGINE. THE MECHATRONICS UNIT ON THESE VEHICLES ARE FAULTY, I KNOW 2 OTHER S4 OWNERS WITH THE YEARS OF 2011 AND 2012 WHO ALSO HAD THEIR MECHATRONICS FAIL ON THEIR S4. ALONG WITH THE GEARBOX MALFUNCTION ERROR ALSO COMES "PARKING BRAKE ERROR" WHO KNOWS WHAT IN THE WORLD CAN HAPPEN WHEN THAT MESSAGE COMES UP. IS IT GOING TO SUDDENLY APPLY THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE GOING 50-70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSE A POSSIBILITY OF A VERY BAD ACCIDENT? THE REPAIR IS VERY PRICEY FOR THE MECHATRONIC UNIT THAT GOES BAD, IT IS NO COINCIDENCE MANY OF THESE S4 MODELS HAVE THESE GO BAD.
Mileage: 67,455
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 SPEED, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY
Mileage: 67,320
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 SPEED, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY
Mileage: 67,320
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. LURCHING FROM A STOP AND LURCHING DURING SHIFT CHANGES.
Mileage: 109,000
VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH BRAKE ENGAGED AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ENGAGED INTO GEAR AND TRIED TO SURGE FORWARD. HAD TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL TO DISENGAGE GEAR. IN OTHER INSTANCES, VEHICLE WILL SLAM INTO GEAR ABRUPTLY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A FULL STOP, AND ALSO LUNGES FORWARD UNPREDICTABLY. THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALL RELATED TO A FAILING AUTOMATIC DSG TRANSMISSION.
Mileage: 125,000
GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD WITHIN THE CITY ABOUT 45MPH I FELT A SLIGHT JERK AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE WARNINGS CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD "TIRE PRESSURE! SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" & "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION: NO REVERSE GEAR (YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING)" THROTTLE RESPONSE WAS OFF AND FORCED ME TO IMMEDIATELY PULLER OVER! WHILE STOPPED I RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE WARNINGS WENT AWAY, I SAT THERE FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN CONTINUED DRIVING. FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND WARNINGS CAME BACK ON, I NEEDED TO GET TO WORK SO I CONTINUED DRIVING; THE CAR WOULD TAKE VERY LONG TO SHIFT GEARS AND IT WOULD JUMP FROM 1ST TO 3RD, FROM 3RD TO 5TH AND 5TH TO 7TH GEAR JERKING KIND OF VIOLENTLY EVERY-TIME AND THROTTLE RESPONSE BETWEEN SHIFTS WAS VERY LETHARGIC TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN SEVERELY AND I FELT UNSAFE DUE TO CARS GETTING REALLY CLOSE TO MY REAR AND THEM HAVING TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY WHILE THE CAR SHIFTED GEAR
Mileage: 101,500
GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD WITHIN THE CITY ABOUT 45MPH I FELT A SLIGHT JERK AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE WARNINGS CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD "TIRE PRESSURE! SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" & "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION: NO REVERSE GEAR (YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING)" THROTTLE RESPONSE WAS OFF AND FORCED ME TO IMMEDIATELY PULLER OVER! WHILE STOPPED I RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE WARNINGS WENT AWAY, I SAT THERE FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN CONTINUED DRIVING. FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND WARNINGS CAME BACK ON, I NEEDED TO GET TO WORK SO I CONTINUED DRIVING; THE CAR WOULD TAKE VERY LONG TO SHIFT GEARS AND IT WOULD JUMP FROM 1ST TO 3RD, FROM 3RD TO 5TH AND 5TH TO 7TH GEAR JERKING KIND OF VIOLENTLY EVERY-TIME AND THROTTLE RESPONSE BETWEEN SHIFTS WAS VERY LETHARGIC TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN SEVERELY AND I FELT UNSAFE DUE TO CARS GETTING REALLY CLOSE TO MY REAR AND THEM HAVING TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY WHILE THE CAR SHIFTED GEAR
Mileage: 101,500
GEARBOX MALFUNCTION AND TPMS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD WITHIN THE CITY ABOUT 45MPH I FELT A SLIGHT JERK AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE WARNINGS CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD "TIRE PRESSURE! SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" & "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION: NO REVERSE GEAR (YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING)" THROTTLE RESPONSE WAS OFF AND FORCED ME TO IMMEDIATELY PULLER OVER! WHILE STOPPED I RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE WARNINGS WENT AWAY, I SAT THERE FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN CONTINUED DRIVING. FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND WARNINGS CAME BACK ON, I NEEDED TO GET TO WORK SO I CONTINUED DRIVING; THE CAR WOULD TAKE VERY LONG TO SHIFT GEARS AND IT WOULD JUMP FROM 1ST TO 3RD, FROM 3RD TO 5TH AND 5TH TO 7TH GEAR JERKING KIND OF VIOLENTLY EVERY-TIME AND THROTTLE RESPONSE BETWEEN SHIFTS WAS VERY LETHARGIC TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN SEVERELY AND I FELT UNSAFE DUE TO CARS GETTING REALLY CLOSE TO MY REAR AND THEM HAVING TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY WHILE THE CAR SHIFTED GEAR
Mileage: 101,500
GEARBOX MALFUNCTION
Mileage: 65,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.