1998 Audi A4 reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 1998 Audi A4 from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 321
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
- 59 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 9 reported crashes · 16 injuries · 2 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#1,652
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Audi median
+170
median 152 across 46 Audi records
Vs 1996-2000
+53
median 268 complaints in 623 records
Top component share
29%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 92 complaints
What owners report fails — 1998 Audi A4
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP 59
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC 18
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 15
- STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY 13
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH 12
1 recall on record for the 1998 Audi A4
- NHTSA 22V471000 · 2021 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO The inflator could explode during air bag deployment, resulting in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupant
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1998 Audi A4
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1998 Audi A4 units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Audi A4 reliable?
NHTSA has 321 consumer complaints on record for the 1998 Audi A4 and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (59 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1998 Audi A4 units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Audi A4?
Owners most often report problems with: service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (59), service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc (18), service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module (15), steering:linkages:tie rod assembly (13). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1998 Audi A4?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 1998 Audi A4. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.