2020 AUDI S4

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
โ„น๏ธAverage Safety Profile

This 2020 model shows average reliability, primarily driven by 3 recalls affecting the tires system.

Key Factor:tires recalls

๐Ÿ“‹Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Focus Area:general reliability
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Expert Analysis

The 2020 S4 analysis highlights key safety metrics.

Safety & Reliability Score

70/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-24
Complaint Impact-0.8
Investigation Impact-5

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2020 AUDI S4

Model Year2020
MakeAUDI
ModelS4
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more โ†’
Jan20
NEWProduction
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Oct21
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Apr24
ISSUEFirst Report

Consumer Complaint Analysis

โš ๏ธ

Most Reported Issue

3 complaints (19% of total)
โžก๏ธ

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
โœ…

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 16 consumer complaints by severity level.

๐ŸŸกMedium
3(19%)
๐ŸŸขLow
13(81%)
โœ…Good News: No critical or high-severity complaints reported for this vehicle.

Mileage Failure Analysis

โš™๏ธEngineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 20k-40k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 29,687 miles.

๐Ÿ“Š Mileage data extracted from 1 of 16 complaints (6% coverage)
0-20k
0 reports (0%)
20k-40k
1 reports (100%)
40k-60k
0 reports (0%)
60k-80k
0 reports (0%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

TIRESSUSPENSIONSEATS

Official Safety Recalls (3)

Campaign: 22V034000

TIRES

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.

Consequence

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Campaign: 21V295000

SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY

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.

Consequence

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Campaign: 21V874000

SEATS

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.

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

NHTSA Investigations

1 investigation

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2020 S4.

INV-2020-1000๐ŸŸข Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding S4 performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 45,427

Consumer Complaints

16 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2020 S4.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning19%
Blank6%
Stuck6%
Dead Battery/Car6%
Accident6%
Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My instrument cluster and its replacements have malfunctioned multiple times. The original instrument cluster/virtual cockpit failed to boot and had a black/blank screen on 4/19/2024 at 29,687 miles and was replaced on 5/15/2024 at 29,923 mi. That replacement one worked fine for a while and then did the same thing on 7/15/2024 at 33,655 miles and on 1/10/2025 at 42,532 miles. The instrument cluster was then replaced again on 2/10/2025 at 43,841 miles. That replacement unit took only a couple of days to act up again with the blank screen on startup on 2/13/2025 at 43,965 miles and once more on 8/1/2025 at 52,673 miles. I'm currently waiting to hear back from the dealer to get the instrument cluster replaced once again.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The Audi MMI malfunctions and reboots randomly while driving. Possibly being a software issue. There is a TSB code that the dealer used to reference for me ( TSB 2078437/1), but I cannot find it on the NHTSA website. The reboot issue shuts off all functions associated with it, including, but not limited to: navigation, rearview camera, and parking sensor use. This poses a risk since it can be distracting to pull back your navigation while driving or having your rearview camera cutoff mid mid-use. The issue does not appear as a warning lamp or any type of notification, and there are multiple reports of similar issues on online forums that have not been addressed.

Other๐Ÿ”ต Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The MMI reboots continuously throughout my drive - whether it is 1 minute or an hour. It does this without a Bluetooth connection or wired connection. There is no ability to use hands free calling, listen to the radio, use Apple car play, Bluetooth, navigation, back up camera, parking assistanceโ€ฆ It is startling to have your camera black out on your as your backing up (may back up camera works for about 45 seconds before stopping) I have done a hard reset. This is a problem that I am reading over and over and over again on forums I live nearly 2 hours from a dealer who takes weeks to get into and looking at a huge bill Hoping there is a fix soon

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION

I am submitting a formal complaint regarding a persistent and dangerous issue with the MMI (Multi Media Interface) system in my 2020 Audi S4. Since February 2025, the system has been spontaneously rebooting both while the vehicle is idling and in motion. When this occurs, the screen goes black and critical safety systems such as the rearview camera, parking sensors, and navigation become unavailable. The system requires driver interaction to restore functionality once it restarts, creating a major distraction. These reboots now occur every few minutes, severely affecting both usability and safe operation of the vehicle. Initially, this issue happened infrequently (about once every two weeks), but over time it has become constant. Based on extensive online reports from other ownersโ€”including threads such as this one on AudiWorld: [XXX] appears to be a widespread defect affecting other Audi A4/S4 vehicles of the same year. This malfunction compromises several driver assistance and safety features, and I believe it presents a serious hazard, especially if it occurs during parking, reversing, or navigating unfamiliar areas. I urge NHTSA to investigate this matter and determine whether a recall or safety bulletin is appropriate. Thank you for your attention. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION

The main infotainment system is stuck restarting every 1-2 minutes. When the car is put into reverse, the rear back up camera will turn off while the vehicle is in motion and not resume.

Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION

The vehicle software (known as Audi MMI) has been continuously rebooting every 30 seconds after the vehicle is started. This causes the entire dashboard (and entertainment screen) to repeatedly reboot which is very distracting while driving. While backing out of a parking spot, the MMI system rebooted which then disconnected my backup camera, blind spot warning, and rear collision warning systems which resulted in me almost hitting a car crossing behind me. There are zero messages anywhere in the car that an issue is present.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION

The MMI (multimedia interface) screen goes dead and reboots frequently (every 2-5 minutes) while driving. It is extremely frustrating and distracting. In addition, when the screen blacks out while driving in reverse, the backup camera, back up sensors and cross traffic warning systems do not operate until the system reboots, which can take several minutes. This problem occurs constantly while driving and requires me to re-enter navigation destination while driving. Using CarPlay for navigation is also affected, as the system reboots whether or not I am using a secondary media source like CarPlay, and I have to re-enter the destination whenever the MMI reboots. Also the MMI needs me to re-enter user information on the screen with every failure in order to get the system running again, which is very distracting while driving. I am not even able to turn off the screen to avoid the distraction, as it will automatically fail and reboot while turned off. This will turn the screen back on in the start-up mode and cause the radio to turn on randomly. When this happens, the stereo volume will sometimes come back on, and other times it appears to be playing music and radio stations, but the volume control will not work. Then it will randomly come back on very loud. The distractions are unavoidable, as I would be happy to just leave the MMI system off, but it is not possible! Please require Audi to fix this problem!!! The dealer/manufacturer does not seem to be interested in fixing the issue, as is evidenced by the many complaints I have found on the NHTSA website.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

The Multimedia Interface (MMI) Touchscreen Radio will constantly reboot while driving regardless of variables. Diagnosisโ€™ have proven problem to be undeterminable, this is a serious safety concern as I have lost back up camera and other safety features while driving, while I await the system to reboot. This reboot has been occurring non-stop since January. My research online and in other forums has led to a substantial group of vehicle owners suffering from the same issues across their vehicles. Audi has made no effort to rectify with the dealership simply stating they can charge to diagnose or replace. If it was an isolated incident I would be understanding as Maintenance problems will arise, but to have a substantial population discussing this issue ad nauseum seems to be more widespread with no solutions.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION

My Audi has been having an ongoing issue with the MMI rebooting while i am driving. It takes away my ability to see the maps and or hear the map telling me which direction to go. It has not been inspected yet however it is a common issue with the 2020 Audi cars that can be replicated however it is not predictable.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The main screen of the vehicle, which is called the MMI from what I understand, repeatedly shuts down and restarts while driving, up to 5 times or more per hour while driving. Sometimes this process can take 3 or more minutes. There appear to be hundreds of Audi customers that this affects according to my research. The dealership (Audi of Nashua) charged for a possible software update repair that did not work, and do not seem to be familiar with a fix other than a $5,000+ repair to replace expensive hardware components. This is a major safety issue because it is what controls the phone and GPS system, causing serious issues when trying to navigate in unfamiliar areas or when taking important phone calls from family members. It is a major distraction while driving and greatly increases the risk of accident.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2020 AUDI S4?

Yes, the 2020 AUDI S4 has 3 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including TIRES, SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY, SEATS.

Is the 2020 AUDI S4 safe to drive?

The 2020 AUDI S4 has 3 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2020 AUDI S4 has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local AUDI dealer.

๐ŸŽฏRisk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Tires

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm tires recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all tires recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:22V034000
2

Suspension

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm suspension recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all suspension recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:21V295000
3

Seats

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm seats recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all seats recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:21V874000
๐Ÿ’กVisit NHTSA.gov or contact your AUDI dealer to verify recall completion status.

๐ŸงญWhat This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

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If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 3 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your AUDI dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyโ€”recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used

  • Request documentation proving all recalls were addressed before finalizing purchase.
  • Factor potential recall-related service time into your ownership cost estimates.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.