YearToAvoid

2009 Audi A4 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

89/100

#3 most-complained of 20 A4 years

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

The 2009 Audi A4 has 120 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 89 out of 100 — #3 highest of 20 A4 model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is engine (51 complaints, 43% of the total). Complaints report 6 crashes, 3 fires, and 3 injuries.

Complaints
120
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
6 / 3
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
24
21.5 city / 28.5 hwy

Top 2009 Audi A4 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine51 (43%)
  2. Airbags33 (28%)
  3. Steering15 (13%)
  4. Fuel System8 (7%)
  5. Other7 (6%)
  6. Structure & Body7 (6%)
  7. Electrical System6 (5%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain6 (5%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers6 (5%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (4%)
2009 Audi A4 complaints: complaints filed per quarter112009 Q22011 Q22013 Q32015 Q12016 Q32018 Q12019 Q32024 Q4
147 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q2 to 2024 Q4; peak 2015 Q3 (11).

2009 Audi A4 recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 17V032000Jan 11, 2017Airbags33,421 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. 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 front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.

  2. NHTSA 16V376000May 27, 2016Airbags8,381 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.

    Risk: If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

    Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began October 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69O1.

2009 Audi A4 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21.5 MPG
Highway
28.5 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,325
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.

2009 compared with other A4 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Caution74196322
2008Avoid84175422
2009Avoid89120224
2010Caution6864025
2011Best511025

All Audi A4 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Audi A4 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Audi A4 ranks #3 of 20 among A4 model years (Complaint Index 89/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 120 complaints and 2 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Audi A4?
The most reported problem areas are engine (51 complaints), airbags (33 complaints), and steering (15 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 65,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Audi A4 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2009 Audi A4, most recently reported 2017, covering airbags.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Audi A4?
EPA rates the 2009 Audi A4 at 24 MPG combined (21.5 city / 28.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,325. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.