2017 Audi A4 Problems and Recalls (54 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2017 Audi A4 is Engine (33% of 54 owner reports). There are 1 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
What problems show up on the 2017 Audi A4?
18 of 54 filings named Engine (33% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Airbags (8 reports).
There are 1 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2016 has 11 reports on file; this year has 54. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
- Crashes 2
- Fires 0
- Injuries 0
- Deaths 0
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine (ENGINE) | 18 | 33.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 8 | 14.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 5 | 9.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 3 | 5.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) | 2 | 3.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 2 | 3.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 1 | 1.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 1 | 1.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Tires (TIRES) | 1 | 1.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 12 | 22.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 21V874000 was reported 319 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V874000 |
Safety Recalls (1)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags.
-
Recall campaign 21V874000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- 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 remedy.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2017 Audi A4?
Owners named Engine most often — 18 of 54 reports (33%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2017 Audi A4?
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2017 Audi A4?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.