NHTSA has received 157 owner complaints about the 2020 Audi A4, or 23.5 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.56, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 82 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #40 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Audi models its rate is 158% higher; against other Luxury sedans it is 361% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2022-03-11 and 2026-08-12. Median delay from incident to filing: 35 days.
157Complaints
23.5Complaints per year on the road
0.56Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
3Recalls
0.6%Share involving a crash or fire
6Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2019) drew 1.0 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2021) drew 2.1 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2020 model collected 0 complaints, 100% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Electrical (77.7% of complaints), followed by Interior & equipment (19.1%) and Other (1.3%). Electrical complaints are 4.9 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Electrical reports, owners most often mention “mmi”, “reboots”, “camera”, “navigation” and “backup”. 1 reports (0.6%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 64 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (94% of incidents). In the last 12 months 6 new complaints were filed, versus 147 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for this model year. 2% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.56
vs. other Audi models2.58
vs. other 2020 models0.62
vs. other Luxury sedans4.61
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (0)0.0
The contact owns a 2020 Audi A4. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking space, there was big rock next to the bumper on the front passenger's side of the vehicle and there was a scallop area with stones next to the passenger's side of the…
My 2020 Audi A4 has an open safety recall campaign. Audi Corporate and my local dealership are formally refusing to perform the recall remedy unless I pay over $2,000 out-of-pocket to replace a broken J949 SOS Telematics Module.
Electrical · 2026-08-12 · ODI 11756511
The contact owns a 2020 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message SOS module no longer connected was displayed on the instrument panel, and the vehicle failed to shut off.
Electrical · 2026-08-11 · ODI 11756226
The contact owns a 2020 Audi A4. The contact stated that the emergency-call/communication system was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under TSB: 91-20-29; however, the software update was unsuccessful due to the module.
Other · 2026-08-10 · ODI 11755871
A metal bracket on the back left side of the driver seat snapped suddenly while driving straight and at a constant speed. Since this part is broken the seat is no longer connected to the track in that corner.
Other · 2026-04-24 · ODI 11733679
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
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.
Risk: 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 remedy.
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2020 Audi A4?
157 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Audi A4, or about 23.5 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2020 Audi A4?
The most common category is Electrical, accounting for 77.7% of complaints.
Does the 2020 Audi A4 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 safety recall(s) for this model year.
Is the 2020 Audi A4 still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 6 new complaints were filed, versus 147 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.
How does the 2020 Audi A4 compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 157 owner complaints about the 2020 Audi A4, or 23.5 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.56, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 82 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #40 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Audi models its rate is 158% higher; against other Luxury sedans it is 361% higher.