1996 Audi A4: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1996 Audi A4. The newest campaign is 06V403000. NHTSA received the report on 23 Oct 2006. The NHTSA record gives the component Electrical System / Ignition / Switch. NHTSA has 88 complaints on file for this model year. 3 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 06V403000, in the NHTSA record

Dealers will install a new ignition switch with an optimized anchor point free of charge. The recall began on november 27, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834. Note: this recall supersedes the remedy program under a previous recall (please see 00v317).

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 29 Mar 2018. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

4 campaigns, newest first. 99,494 units in total.

06V40300023 Oct 2006Electrical System / Ignition / Switch
00V31700011 Oct 2000Electrical System / Ignition / Switch
97V1750008 Oct 1997Air Bags / Frontal
96V08800023 May 1996Electrical System / Horn

06V403000Received 23 Oct 2006. 28,594 units.
Electrical System / Ignition / Switch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain passenger vehicles, as a result of a problem in the production process of the ignition switch, the anchor point of the spring may crack. This could potentially cause the return spring force to be insufficient for returning the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This condition causes electrical accessories such as windshield wipers and headlights to become inoperative increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a new ignition switch with an optimized anchor point free of charge. The recall began on november 27, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834. Note: this recall supersedes the remedy program under a previous recall (please see 00v317).
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. Manufacturer campaign number JS. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 27 Nov 2006.
00V317000Received 11 Oct 2000. 27,900 units.
Electrical System / Ignition / Switch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The plastic ignition switch housing can fracture at the return spring anchor point. Fracture of the housing could cause the return spring force to be insufficient for returning the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This condition causes electrical accessories such as windshield wipers and headlights to become inoperative.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 6 Jul 2001.
97V175000Received 8 Oct 1997. 39,300 units.
Air Bags / Frontal
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The discharge of static electricity under low humidity conditions can activate the driver side air bag when the driver enters or exits the vehicle and forms an electrical circuit by touching certain areas of the steering wheel.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Activation of the air bag under these conditions can cause personal injury.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a ground wire on the driver side air bag.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Oct 1997.
96V088000Received 23 May 1996. 3,700 units.
Electrical System / Horn
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The horn can work only intermittently due to insufficient electrical ground contact.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This condition could prevent a driver from sounding a warning by using the horn increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Corrective action: dealers will install a ground contact spring which will enhance the electrical ground connection.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 31 May 1996.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

88 complaints, 132 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1996 Audi A4
All 1996 vehicles

1996 Audi A4: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1996 A4	All 1996 vehicles	A4, all years	Mentions
Electrical System	242.4	82.2	142.9	32
Suspension	166.7	54	50.8	22
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	98.5	125.1	184.9	13
Steering	83.3	48.5	46.4	11
Equipment	68.2	22.5	17.7	9
Exterior Lighting	53	22.9	86.6	7
Air Bags	45.5	66.3	41.4	6
Visibility	45.5	61	44.2	6
Unknown or Other	45.5	21.6	14.9	6
Power Train	45.5	100.3	57.9	6

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 17.

Complaints that report a crash: 4
Complaints that report a fire: 1
Injuries in the complaints: 1
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 17 Sep 2009

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1996 Audi A4, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2003, with 16 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1996 Audi A4
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA00021	Engineering analysis	DEGRADED BRAKING IN WET WEATHER	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	11 Aug 2000	29 Mar 2002
PE00016	Preliminary evaluation	DEGRADED BRAKING WET WEATHER CONDITION	Electrical System	4 Apr 2000	11 Aug 2000
RQ00009	Recall query	IGNITION SWITCH	Electrical System	21 Mar 2000	30 Nov 2000	00V317000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1996 Audi A4The recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1996 Audi A4: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/audi/a4/1996/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 29 Mar 2018
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1996 Audi A4?: 99,494 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Audi A4 have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 27 recall campaigns for the Audi A4, model years 1995 to 2022. 4 of them name the 1996 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1996 Audi A4 name most often?: Electrical System: 32 of 132 component mentions, or 242.4 per 1,000. For all 1996 vehicles the figure is 82.2 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1996 Audi A4 open?: No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.