AI Damage2018 Audi S4: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Audi S4 filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and structure. The maker issued 728 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 728
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 57% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 14% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
- Engine: 4 complaints (57% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 36.
- Structure: 1 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 68.
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 43.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 37.
- Suspension: 1 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 37.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- dual-clutch (DCT), 8-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 36 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 68 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 43 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 37 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 37 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 195 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 165 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 41 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Wheels | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 10 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Defect causes damage to vacuum lines, thermostat, and can eventually lead to engine failure if not resolved. No way of knowing this is happening until you start to lose coolant (which will throw an engine code), but by that point the damage is done. There was a recall for the previous generation vehicle water pumps.
My 2018 Audi S4 has a catastrophic engine failure issue and this is common with the EA839 engine. There is a knocking in the motor that is caused by internal engine parts (rocker arms needle bearings) becoming loose and dislodged. The metal shavings travel in the motor oil and destroy the engine from the inside.
in addition to that it is a huge fire hazard considering the turbo is right next to it.
Audi Dealer inspection revealed Rear spring is broken and mounts are deteriorating. Dealer states not common and would result in accident if not repaired. Research indicates broken springs common with certain Audi vehicles (A4/S4, Q5 & Q7), especially 2018 model year. See Audi World forum website.
The vehicle's pre sense auto-braking and braking alert jolt has been activating erroneously and have almost caused accidents at speed. The system cannot be permanently disabled, it deactivates upon ignition restart.
There are two large "underride guard" panels on the underside of the vehicle that are fastened by small, loose-fitting plastic clips. There is also felt sound-deadening material on the exterior side of this panel.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,591 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 24% least complained about).
On average one model year of the S4 has 3 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has…
This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
- This bulletin provides information when there is an abnormal knocking noise from the engine compartment;…
- This bulletin provides information regarding fault finding and repair information for electric tailgate
- This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel
- This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations
- This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases
- This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer
- This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the…
This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.
- This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped
- This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning
- This bulletin provides informaiton when the airbag warning lamp is active, event memory "B200000 - Faulty…
This bulletin provides informaiton when the airbag warning lamp is active, event memory "B200000 - Faulty control module, symptom 305".
- This bulletin provides information when there is an abnormal engine knocking noise from the engine…
This bulletin provides information when there is an abnormal engine knocking noise from the engine compartment; V6 3.0L TFSI.
NHTSA lists 728 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi S4?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, structure, service brakes. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (29%), knocking, grinding or other noise (14%), smoke, burning smell, fire (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Audi S4?
NHTSA lists 728 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2018 Audi S4 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2018 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.