Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Audi A4
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Audi A4 has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 258 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #22V471000 Inflator May Explode or Underinflate Air Bag NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E060000 FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E049000 FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #99V248000 VW/TIE RODS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #99V131001 VW/BRAKE BOOSTER NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V134000 VW/INTAKE AIR SCREEN NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 111 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 28 complaints
- Suspension 24 complaints
- Electrical System 23 complaints
- Steering 23 complaints
- Air Bags 16 complaints
Of the 258 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 258 complaints, owners report 11 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Audi A4 has several recalls concerning critical areas like airbags and steering. Frequent brake issues and related complaints further weaken its reliability record. Given its age and susceptibility to costly repairs, overall reliability is below-average.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| brake system | 80,000–120,000 miles | $300–$800 | very common |
| steering assembly | 70,000–110,000 miles | $400–$900 | common |
| engine cooling system | 90,000–130,000 miles | $250–$600 | occasional |
| electrical system | 100,000–150,000 miles | $200–$500 | occasional |
| airbag system | 80,000–120,000 miles | $400–$900 | rare |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid change every 2 years
- Coolant replacement every 3 years
- Transmission fluid change every 40,000 miles
- Spark plug replacement every 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Soft or spongy brake pedal
- Whining noise during steering
- Overheating engine
- Dashboard warning lights persist
- Unresponsive acceleration
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Audi A4 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.