RoadVitals

2002 Audi S4 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Apr 24, 2009
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
45%
of 22 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Audi S4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Apr 24, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWN A 2002 AUDI S4. THE CENTER INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED HALF OF THE DISPLAY WAS WELL LIT WHILE THE OTHER HALF WAS NOT. OCCASIONALLY THERE WAS ALSO AN ODOR SIMILAR TO ELECTRICAL SMOKE. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE SINCE THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DO NOT REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER STATED THAT A CABLE MAY BE DISCONNECTED WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHICH MAY BE A COMMON PROBLEM. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ONE YEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ID
10266651
Incident
Apr 22, 2008
Mileage
85,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 30, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LCD SCREEN ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS LINES RUNNING THROUGH THE SCREEN, WHICH PREVENT HIM FROM VIEWING THE INFORMATION. HE HAS NOT YET TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 5/5/09 *CN UPDATED 05/07/09.*JB

NHTSA ID
10263585
Incident
May 17, 2008
Mileage
57,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 20, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 AUDI S4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED MISSING AND FADED PIXELS, AS WELL AS INCOMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID
10255752
Incident
Sep 7, 2006
Mileage
60,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 25, 2008

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON MY 2002 AUDI S4 HAS FAILED. WITHOUT THIS DISPLAY, THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS SITUATION INCREASES DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO READ THE ERRORS WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE DISPLAYED. I AM AWARE OF THIS BEING A VERY COMMON FAULTY PART AND WOULD RECOMMEND LOOKING INTO A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10252773
Incident
Dec 23, 2008
Mileage
59,600 mi
ElectricalOther / unspecified
Filed Oct 8, 2008

I BOUGHT MY CAR WITH 36,XXX MILES ON IT. THE CENTER LCD SCREEN DOES NOT WORK. THE CAR IS PRACTICALLY BRAND NEW AND THE CENTER CLUSTER INFORMATION CENTER IS BUSTED. ITS BARELY READABLE, BUT DISPLAY IMPORTANT USER DIAGNOSTIC/INFO ABOUT THE CAR (SERVICE LIGHTS, ETC). THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND I WOULD LIKE TO PROMPT A RECALL. IT'S A 2002 AUDI S4, 2.7T THE PREVIOUS OWNER COMPLAINED TO ME WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THAT IT NEVER WORKED FOR HIM EITHER. (HE OWNED CAR FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS+). *TR

NHTSA ID
10244903
Incident
Sep 17, 2008
Mileage
36,254 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 8, 2007

1. PURCHASED A 2002 AUDI S4 2.7T. 2. THE AUTO CHECK SYSTEM IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DOES NOT WORK ESPECIALLY WHEN WARM. THE LCD RIBBON CABLE LOOSES CONTACT AND DOESN'T DISPLAY THE INFORMATION IT SHOULD. CRITICAL SAFETY INFORMATION IS NO LONGER DISPLAYED. 3. WAS QUOTED OBSCENE AMOUNTS BY AUDI DEALERS TO REPLACE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. $250 FOR A USED CLUSTER THAT WOULD NEED THE ODOMETER ADJUSTED FOR AN ADDITIONAL FEE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10208421
Incident
Aug 15, 2007
Mileage
89,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 7, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LED DISPLAY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND IMPAIRS VISIBILITY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DISPLAY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,500.

NHTSA ID
10208206
Incident
Nov 2, 2007
Mileage
47,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 1, 2007

DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LED DISPLAY IS BURNING OUT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10204632
Incident
Feb 1, 2006
Mileage
35,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 10, 2004

HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON WHEN DIAGONAL, FOUND FAULT 16985 AESIS ADVISED TO REPLACE ECM. ECM WAS REPLACED, SINCE THEN HAVE BEEN LOSING POWER DURING ACCELERATION TO THE POINT WHERE THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE ANY POWER THEN KICKS BACK IN. TAKING TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *LA

NHTSA ID
10072355
Incident
Jan 1, 2004
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Dec 10, 2003

THE DRIVER'S SEAT EXPERIENCED A ROCKING MOTION WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED POSSIBLE SEAT FRAME DAMAGE. *AK THE SEAT WOULD ROCK FORWARD AND BACKWARD UPON ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. THE DEALER REFUSED TO DO ANY FURTHER REPAIRS. THE PROBLEM GRADUALLY BECAME WORSE. THERE WAS A COOLANT LEAK AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHERE THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH WAS LOCATED.*SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10044655
Incident
Feb 18, 2003
Mileage
11,493 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .