Two years at the same age, so the older one is not punished for having been on the road longer.
1998 vs 1999 Audi A4
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-09-07
Share shifts show how a vehicle's problem mix changed. They do not measure reliability, and complaint counts are not normalized for sales volume.
In plain English
A lifetime total makes the 1998 look busier because it has been on the road longer. This page counts reports in the first 336 months for each year, so both years are the same age.
In that window, the 1999 has 27.0% fewer owner reports than the 1998.
The mix also shifted: Electrical is a smaller share of reports on the 1999 (5.0 points). That is a change in what owners named, not a score.
Open both year-pages. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov. Have a shop inspect Electrical. Do not pick a year from the percentage alone.
First 336 months on market for each model year
Exposure window calculated through Sep 8, 2026
Reports while each year was the same age
▼ 27.0% fewer reports at the same age
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-09-07
What owners named more or less
Bars start at the neutral midpoint. Left means a smaller share; right means a larger share.
View component share data as a table
| Component | 1998 share | 1999 share | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 8.2% | 3.2% | ▼ 5.0 pts smaller share |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 7.0% | 2.7% | ▼ 4.4 pts smaller share |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 4.3% | 7.0% | ▲ 2.7 pts larger share |
| Tires (TIRES) | not reported | 2.1% | ▲ 2.1 pts larger share |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 5.9% | 3.7% | ▼ 2.1 pts smaller share |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 43.0% | 44.9% | ▲ 2.0 pts larger share |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 10.9% | 12.8% | ▲ 1.9 pts larger share |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 2.7% | 4.3% | ▲ 1.6 pts larger share |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 0.4% | 1.6% | ▲ 1.2 pts larger share |
| Parking brake (PARKING BRAKE) | not reported | 1.1% | ▲ 1.1 pts larger share |
| Wheels (WHEELS) | 0.4% | 1.1% | ▲ 0.7 pts larger share |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 2.7% | 2.1% | ▼ 0.6 pts smaller share |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 1.2% | 1.6% | ▲ 0.4 pts larger share |
| Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) | 0.4% | not reported | ▼ 0.4 pts smaller share |
| Steering (STEERING) | 6.6% | 7.0% | ▲ 0.3 pts larger share |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 2.0% | 2.1% | ▲ 0.2 pts larger share |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 83.6% | 84.0% | ▲ 0.4 pts larger share |
NHTSA Safety Recalls recalls · snapshot 2026-09-06
Recall campaigns
Campaign components: Airbags, Engine, Brakes, and Steering
Campaign components: Airbags, Engine, Brakes, and Steering
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety signals
- ◆ Fires
- 2 → 2
- ◆ Injuries
- 11 → 5
Frequently asked questions
Which Audi A4 year had more problems, 1998 or 1999?
In that window, the 1999 has 27.0% fewer owner reports than the 1998. Lifetime totals are not used here because the older year has had more time on the road.
Why not just compare lifetime complaint totals?
The older year has had more time to collect reports. This page holds age constant by counting the first 336 months for each year.
Does a larger share of one system mean that year is worse?
No. It means owners named that system more often in the file. Inspect it. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip.