2018 AUDI S4 Complaints and Recall Information
The 2018 AUDI S4 has 2 complaints and 4 recalls filed with NHTSA. Owners most frequently report issues related to catastrophic engine failure involving the EA839 engine and water pump defects affecting engine components. Problems often arise without early warning until significant damage occurs.
Common Issues
- Engine failure. Engine knocking caused by loose internal parts such as rocker arm needle bearings results in metal shavings contaminating the motor oil and destroying the engine from within.
- Water pump defect. Failure of the water pump damages vacuum lines and the thermostat, which may eventually cause engine failure. Coolant loss triggers engine codes indicating the problem only after damage has occurred.
Four recalls affect the 2018 AUDI S4 covering safety systems mainly related to the passenger air bag and occupant classification sensor. These recalls address software and hardware faults that may disable the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury in crashes.
Recalls
- Passenger Occupant Detection System cable (19V547000). Approximately 145,337 vehicles were recalled due to oxidation on the connecting cable that can cause the system to falsely detect malfunctions and disable the passenger air bag. Audi dealers install cable ties to secure the harness. No Do Not Drive or Park Outside advisories issued.
- Passenger air bag inflator module (19V547000). Same recall number affecting the same number of vehicles. Oxidation may cause software misdiagnosis and passenger air bag deactivation. Fix involves free installation of cable ties by dealers.
- Seat heater cable (21V874000). About 208,332 vehicles were recalled because of a contact fault in the cable connecting the seat heater to the occupant detection system, causing passenger air bag disablement. Dealers replace the cable and either the heating mat or seat cover at no charge. This recall expands the previous 19V547000 recall and requires previously repaired vehicles to return for new fixes.
- Seats (21V874000). Same number of vehicles are affected by the seat-related fault causing passenger air bag issues. Audi offers free replacement of the cable and seat components as part of the expanded recall remedy.
Owners with repeated engine failures or unresolved recall repairs should be aware they might have rights under their state lemon law. Consulting with a legal professional specializing in consumer protection is advisable for those facing ongoing issues with their 2018 AUDI S4.
2018 AUDI S4 Summary
2018
Model Year
2
Total Complaints
2
Total Recalls
353669
Vehicles Affected
Recalls
2018 AUDI S4
208332 vehicles affected
SEATS
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.
2018 AUDI S4
145337 vehicles affected
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2018 S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, S4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, and 2017-2018 A4 Sedan and A4 Allroad vehicles. Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) connecting cable may cause 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.
Complaints
2018 AUDI S4
ID: 2097857ENGINE
Water pump defect for the 3.0L ea839 turbo engine found across many Porsche and Audi models. 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.
2018 AUDI S4
ID: 2073157ENGINE
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. Hendrick Audi northlake examined the car on February 26, and recommended a new engine be installed at a cost of $32,000. I contacted Audi customer care and they reviewed the case only to offer me no assistance with the new engine expense. My Audi S4 is a 2018 with less than 47k miles, and I am the fifth owner. I have been reading a lot of threads on Audi forums as well as Reddit about this problem, and this is not rare. This should be a class action lawsuit against Audi for making and selling a defective product. The EA839 engine from 2017 to 2020 is a ticking bomb from day one, almost engineered to fail prematurely. And Audi does nothing to remedy the problem. That is why I would like for NHTSA to get involved in this situation. Please look into this and let me know what I can do to assist with this. I can be reached at [XXX] or [XXX] . Thank you!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)