FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2013 Audi A4
The 2013 Audi A4 has no open NHTSA safety recalls on file, 109 owner complaints, and gets about 26 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2013 Audi A4 at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 2L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 2 L
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (AV-S8)
- Body
- Compact Cars
- Fuel
- Premium
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 12, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
No safety recalls on file with NHTSA for this year and model. That's a good sign.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 12, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
109 filed- 57
STEERING
August of 2021. It was raining out and I drove through a puddle and my electric steering shut down. This has been a known defect for at least 10 years with Audi and NHTSA has done NOTHING about it.
- 14
ENGINE
The contact owned a 2013 Audi A4 Allroad. The contact stated that while parked and occupied in the vehicle, after starting the vehicle, her friend heard a puff noise coming from under the vehicle. No warning light illuminated however, after
- 8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
After run collant pump caught fire and damaged the engine wiring harness. I reported it to progressive insurance and they came and inspected it at a body shop. They concluded it was due to an open recall on the vehicle so insurance refuses
- 8
POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, VEHICLE'S RPM WOULD GO UP, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WITH THE INCREASED ACCELERATION. STRONG SMELL OF BURNT CLUTCH FLUID. AND SOME SMOKE WAS COMING FROM ENGINE BAY. DRIVING VEHICLE HOME, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED
- 4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My Audi A4 failed to start on the coldest day of the year when my daughter was out doing errands and left it for an extended time parked outside. When she returned and tried to start the car, she got an error message: "Steering defective! D
- 3
SUSPENSION
Excessive abnormal corrosion of rear subframe.
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 12, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★★
- Frontal
- ★★★★★
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★★★
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 12, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 26 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 24 / 31
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,950
- CO₂ / mi
- 342 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 12, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Have a mechanic check the steering
Owners report problems with the steering more than anything else on this model. Call it out specifically during a pre-purchase inspection.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
-
Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
Are there any recalls on the 2013 Audi A4? +
No open NHTSA safety recalls are on file for the 2013 Audi A4. Recalls can be issued at any time, so confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
What gas mileage does the 2013 Audi A4 get? +
The EPA rates the 2013 Audi A4 at 26 mpg combined (24 city / 31 highway), about $2,950 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2013 Audi A4? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2013 Audi A4 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2013 Audi A4? +
Owners have filed 109 complaints with NHTSA for the 2013 Audi A4, including 5 involving a crash. The most-reported area is steering.
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