2018 Audi A4 Safety Report
2018 Audi A4 Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2018 Audi A4
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2018 Audi A4. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | Moderate (1) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (26) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 1 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Unknown Or Other | Compare unknown or other issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2019 | Compare against the 2019 Audi A4 with 5 complaints and 1 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2020 | Check the 2020 Audi A4 before buying across this generation. |
Audi A4 Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Audi A4 years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Audi A4 | 5 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2017 Audi A4 | 81 | 1 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2020 Audi A4 | 122 | 3 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2016 Audi A4 | 24 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2021 Audi A4 | 11 | 4 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2015 Audi A4 | 43 | 0 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
2018 Audi A4 Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2018 Audi A4, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Unknown Or Other
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Audi onlyAir Bags
3 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Air Bags issues Audi onlyPower Train
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Audi onlyService Brakes
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Audi onlyEngine And Engine Cooling
1 owner complaint mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine And Engine Cooling issues Audi onlyElectrical System,Unknown Or Other,Back Over Prevention
1 owner complaint mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Back Over Prevention issues Audi onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2018 Audi A4
Reliability Score
The 2018 Audi A4 receives a reliability score of 5 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates below-average reliability. Significant issues have been reported by owners and should be carefully evaluated before purchase.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2018 Audi A4
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2018 Audi A4
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2018 Audi A4:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags Air bag malfunctions have been reported, though they are sporadic and often resolve themselves. |
Medium | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Power Train Power train issues have been reported, with drive system malfunctions occurring at random. |
Medium | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Electrical System Inconsistent operation of the backup camera and spontaneous restarts of the MMI system are minor issues. |
Low | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Suspension Corrosion of rear spring mounts has been reported at around 40,000 miles. |
Low | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2018 Audi A4:
Air bag malfunctions are reported.
Drive system malfunctions are reported.
Inconsistent operation of the backup camera and spontaneous restarts of the MMI system are reported.
Corrosion of rear spring mounts is reported.
Recall Details for the 2018 Audi A4
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2018 Audi A4 by NHTSA:
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles. The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) may have a contact fault, causing the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Recall 19V-547 (74D9). Vehicles previously repaired under 19V-547 will need to return for the new reme...
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2018 Audi A4
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2018 Audi A4 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 1 complaint involved crashes.
The contact owned a 2018 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was fluid leaking from the front of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact also stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was a puddle of fluid leaking from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and it was de...
This problem is extremely sporadic, and often remedies itself after car shut down, and sometimes require that the car sit for a period of time. I estimate the following issue happens ~1 time a month, or estimated 5% of the time. Weather (temperature specifically) does not appear to impact occurance. When reversing, at times the back up camera does not function properly. During these times, the...
My screen turns on and off consistently not allowing me to use my backup camera. Causing a small collision while backing up when the camera turned off unexpectedly. Additionally when it’s off it will auto break when I’m not close enough to hitting and it’s loud and yanked me. This has been an issue for some time and I’m seeing a significant amount of my models have this issue and it’s not safe.
Drive system malfunction message appeared after starting ignition at 6am before heading to work. Turned car off immediately and took another vehicle to work.
My car's MMI keeps restarting while driving which affects the rear view camera and while backing up it can restart and go completely blank. I feel this puts my safety at risk while backing up. It also shuts down my bluetooth to my phone which can be a hazard while driving. I have called the dealership but they will not do anything without a large diagnosis fee which i cannot afford. They ha...
The Audi MMI system began to spontaneously restart while driving after owning the car for a couple of years. It would power off and reboot at random intervals. It became more frequent and is both distracting and dangerous as you lose all navigation, and camera function while it reboots not to mention any telephone connection. This happens every couple of minutes and multiple times per drive. T...
Fortunately no catastrophic failure or accident occurred. At about 40,000k miles the rear spring mounts are significantly corroded and need replacing. This appears to be a galvanic reaction that occurs due to a design flaw which shortens the life of the critical mounts. I’m told one could fail imminently and the other is headed that way. Had this failed in use the damage would be significant a...
See attached document for complaint
I was rear-ended at a slow speed. I was stopped at the time. The driver who hit me was decelerating hard. Damaged to rear bumper. When I got back in the car, I realized that telescoping steering column had been pulled toward me. This would have been bad had I been shoved into the car in front of me and the airbags deployed too close to me. Luckily, this did not happen.
The all-wheel-drive clutch in the vehicle had to be replaced. The symptoms were heavy vibrations or thumping when starting to drive forward from a stop with the wheels turned in either direction. A dealership - New Country Audi of Greenwich - did the repair at a cost of $4,308.85 (including tax). This drivetrain failure occurred at less than 48,000 miles. The vehicle came with a 50,000 mile or 4...
UNKNOWN
While driving there was an internal failure of the front differential which caused debris to fly out and the debris then punctured the transmission according to the diagnosis on an Audi dealership. The car jerked to a stop and would not move. If this happens at high speed it represents a sever safety risk to the occupants. The vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer and insurance representa...
I first received notice of this recall in 1/22. My Audi dealer has continuously stated that Audi does not send them enough kits to remedy this recall
The rear view camera does not activate when using the parking assist or when reversing. The sensors are still functioning as intended. This can cause unintentional accidents or injuries to pedestrians. This issue was brought up with the dealer back in January of 2023. They mentioned the wiring for the rear camera was pinched by the trunk mechanism and because loose. There are no warning lamps disp...
Without cause a passenger airbag malfunction light has come up, dealership says this is not covered under recall or vehicle warranty.
After dealership did the second repair to the airbag recall, the airbag light came on and has been on solid . When taking the car back to The dealership to have it fixed ,We were clear about the whole thing over the phone .the dealership proceeded to charge me for a diagnostic test as well as claiming to not have seen any recalls on the car .dealership claimed the whole airbag needed to be rep...
On December 29, 2022 as I was driving my engine light came on, the fuel gauge registered empty (I had over a quarter tank of fuel at the time), and my miles till empty display in the upper left of the instrument cluster went blank. I took my Audi to my Audi dealer and their recommended repair was as follows: Fuel Tank: After removing fuel pump and level sensor we found that the secondary fuel lev...
Water Pump prematurely failed. Upon self inspection, I noticed the coolant reservoir was below the minimum requirements. I asked the dealer to inspect, and they determined the cause was a faulty water pump. At around 50,000 miles, this water pump should not have failed under normal use. I am fortunate I self inspected, as continued use may cause premature engine failure due to overheating. Overhea...
The Audi Pre-sense engaged on 3 occasions going 50+ mph bringing the car to a complete stop when there was nothing in front if it and a car right behind me. I was lucky the car behind me did not collide. If it had been a semi truck and just as close as the car trailing me, they would not have been able to stop in time causing damage or death. The problem could not be confirmed by the Audi dealer w...
Due to the AT&T 3G turndown, Audi of America is removing a critical safety feature from certain MY 2018 vehicles, with no solution offered to the vehicle owner except to pay an additional $650-$1000 out of pocket to install a retrofit device to restore some of these safety features. As sold, MY2017-2018 and certain MY 2019 Audi A4/A5/Q5/Q7 vehicles came with an emergency call feature, both automa...
Showing 20 of 26 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2018 Audi A4
Has the 2018 AUDI A4 been recalled?
Yes, the 2018 AUDI A4 has 1 recall on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2018 AUDI A4 have?
The 2018 AUDI A4 has 26 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 1 involved crashes. No injuries or deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 AUDI A4?
The 2018 AUDI A4 received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 5/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 AUDI A4?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2018 AUDI A4 involve unknown or other (6 complaints), air bags (3 complaints), power train (2 complaints). Other affected components include service brakes, engine and engine cooling, electrical system,unknown or other,back over prevention.
How many crash reports does the 2018 AUDI A4 have?
There are 1 crash reports associated with the 2018 AUDI A4 out of 26 total complaints (3.8% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2018 AUDI A4 have?
There are no fire reports for the 2018 AUDI A4 in the NHTSA database.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2018 AUDI A4?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 AUDI A4.
How many injuries are reported for the 2018 AUDI A4?
No injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 AUDI A4.
Should I buy a 2018 AUDI A4?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 AUDI A4 is generally recommended. It has 26 complaints, 1 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2018 AUDI A4?
The components with the most failures on the 2018 AUDI A4 are: 1. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (6 complaints), 2. AIR BAGS (3 complaints), 3. POWER TRAIN (2 complaints), 4. SERVICE BRAKES (2 complaints), 5. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (1 complaints). UNKNOWN OR OTHER is the single most-reported problem area with 6 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2018 AUDI A4?
Be aware of potential air bag and power train issues, and check for recalls related to these components. The 2018 AUDI A4 has 26 NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2018 AUDI A4?
The 2018 AUDI A4 receives a reliability score of 5/100, indicating below-average reliability. This is based on 26 owner complaints, 1 recalls, and 1 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Air bags and Power train.
What are the known issues with the 2018 AUDI A4?
Known issues with the 2018 AUDI A4 include: Air bags, Power train, Electrical system, Suspension. These are based on patterns found across 26 NHTSA complaints. 1 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
Are there any recalls for the 2018 Audi A4?
Yes, there are recalls related to air bags and power train issues.
What are the common electrical system issues?
The backup camera may turn on and off inconsistently, and the MMI system can spontaneously restart.
Are there any suspension issues with the 2018 Audi A4?
Corrosion of rear spring mounts has been reported at around 40,000 miles.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be aware of potential air bag and power train issues, and check for recalls related to these components.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2018 Audi A4
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2018 Audi A4. The data includes 26 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 1 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 1 reported crashes, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2018 Audi A4 an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 5 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-13