YearToAvoid

2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet ranks 3rd of 4 model years with a complaint index of 33 and earns a Good verdict. Nearly all complaints (94%) involve Takata airbags, tied to 3 recall campaigns, with a median failure mileage of 81,000 for that system.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
33/100
#3 of 4 A4 Cabriolet years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
16
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
—
no alternative with data
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 27 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags15 (94%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain1 (6%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report receiving Takata airbag recall notices (campaigns 16V079000 and 16V382000) but finding no replacement parts available for an extended period.
  • Some owners say Audi advised them not to let passengers sit in the front seat because the passenger airbag inflator posed an injury or death risk.
  • One owner reported the driver's side airbag inflator was flagged as high-risk with no repair parts on hand at around 100,000 miles.
  • Complaints center on delayed recall remedies rather than actual airbag deployments or crashes; no crashes or fires were reported in these cases.
2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet complaints: complaints filed per month2Jul 2016Sep 2016Dec 2016Feb 2017May 2017Apr 2018Mar 2019
16 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2016 to Mar 2019; peak Jul 2016 (2).

2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V427000Jun 22, 2018Airbags237,947 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.

  2. NHTSA 18V082000Jan 30, 2018Airbags162,782 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.

  3. NHTSA 16V079000Feb 10, 2016Airbags151,767 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2006 Volkswagen Passat sedans and wagons, 2005-2013 Audi A3, and 2006-2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other A4 Cabriolet years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002006200720082009
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006No verdict03120.5
2007Caution6723322
2008Good3316322
2009Avoid10022423

All Audi A4 Cabriolet years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet reliable?
Among the 4 model years with data, 2008 ranks 3rd with a complaint index of 33 and a Good verdict, meaning it has fewer reported problems than the 2007 and 2009 model years.
What is the main problem with the 2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet?
Airbags account for 94% of complaints (15 of 16), almost all tied to Takata inflator recalls rather than other mechanical issues.
Does the 2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet have a recall?
Yes, it has 3 recall campaigns, all involving Takata airbag inflators, and none are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2008 model compare to the 2009 A4 Cabriolet?
The 2008 has a complaint index of 33 versus 100 for 2009, which carries an Avoid verdict and one more recall campaign.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.