Does the 2018 Audi S4 have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Audi S4, the most recent reported on November 10, 2021 (Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger, Seats). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi S4?

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is engine (4 complaints), followed by power train (1).

How many 2018 Audi S4 complaints mention a crash or fire?

0 of 7 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 0 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2018 Audi S4 recalls and problems

2 recalls and 7 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Audi S4.

recalls

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2018 Audi S4 recalls

Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger · Seats

NHTSA campaign 21V874000 · reported November 10, 2021 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · 208,332 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: 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.

Air bags: frontal, passenger side, inflator module · Air bags: sensor, occupant classification

NHTSA campaign 19V547000 · reported July 24, 2019 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · 145,337 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Engine4
Power train1
Service brakes1
Structure1
Suspension1
Vehicle speed control1

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Jun 6, 2025 · Engine
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…

Mar 13, 2025 · Engine
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…

Apr 7, 2024 · Engine
PCV housing and lines failed. Caused pressure to build up thus shooting off the oil cap shooting oil everywhere! in addition to that it is a huge fire hazard considering the turbo is right next to it.

Dec 20, 2022 · Suspension
Audi Dealer inspection revealed Rear spring is broken and mounts are deteriorating. Dealer states not common and would result in accident if not repaired. Research indicates broken springs common with certain Audi vehicles (A4/S4, Q5 & Q7), especially 2018 model year. See Audi World forum website. It would appear…

Apr 9, 2018 · Service brakes · 4,000 miles
THE VEHICLE'S PRE SENSE AUTO-BRAKING AND BRAKING ALERT JOLT HAS BEEN ACTIVATING ERRONEOUSLY AND HAVE ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS AT SPEED. THE SYSTEM CANNOT BE PERMANENTLY DISABLED, IT DEACTIVATES UPON IGNITION RESTART. THE SYSTEM HAS ERRONEOUSLY AND AGGRESSIVELY JOLTED THE BREAKS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ON CURVES…

S4 model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2015	1	1
2018	2	7
2019	1	2
2020	3	17
2021	4	2

Across all years, the 2000 S4 has the most complaints (143). All Audi S4 years →

Questions

Does the 2018 Audi S4 have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Audi S4, the most recent reported on November 10, 2021 (Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger, Seats). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi S4?: Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is engine (4 complaints), followed by power train (1).
How many 2018 Audi S4 complaints mention a crash or fire?: 0 of 7 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 0 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received June 6, 2025.