- Safety
- 0
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 24
- combined
Open recalls on record
2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2018 Audi S4
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 7
- Complaints citing a crash
- 0
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 19V547000high
Airbag system issue
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.
Consequence
A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 21V874000high
Safety restraint issue
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.
Consequence
A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2018 Audi S4.
Frontal crash
Side crash
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 9.9%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA published rollover resistance for this vehicle but not frontal crash, side crash and side pole. An untested area is not a poor result — it means no published data exists, and the overall star rating is calculated without it.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 9.9% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2018 Audi S4, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
21
City
30
Hwy
24
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $3,150
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 374 g/mi
How this compares
At 24 MPG combined, the 2018 Audi S4 ranks 15th of 18 compact cars EPA rated for 2018 — 4.5 MPG short of the 28.5 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the lower third of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $3,150, $900 more than the $2,250 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $15,750, a $4,500 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 374 grams per mile — about 5.6 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
7 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 7
- Total
- 0
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE4
- SUSPENSION1
- BRAKES1
- STRUCTURE1
Normal Range
7 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2018 Audi S4, newest first.
- Recall
A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Recall
A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Compact Cars
- Drive type
- All-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 3L 6-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (AM-S8)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
21
City
30
Hwy
24
Comb
- Annual cost
- $3,150
- Fuel
- Premium Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Recall
A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.