Carsieve All versions
| Variant | Running cost per month | Median price | Listings | Fuel | Engine codes | Gearbox | Production years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0, 130 PS, 5-speed manual Research | €466 | €1,800 | 172 | Petrol | ALT | Manual (5) | 2001–2004 |
| 1.9 TDI, 130 PS, 5-speed manual Research | €421 | €2,300 | 154 | Diesel | Manual (5) | 2000–2003 | |
| 1.9 TDI, 130 PS, 6-speed manual Research | €423 | €2,300 | 154 | Diesel | Manual (6) | 2003–2004 | |
| 1.9 TDI, 130 PS, 6-speed manual, all-wheel drive Research | €466 | €2,300 | 154 | Diesel | Manual (6) | 2001–2004 | |
| 2.0, 130 PS, automatic Research | €465 | €2,350 | 105 | Petrol | ALT | CVT-Getriebe | 2000–2004 |
| 1.6, 102 PS, 5-speed manual Research | €452 | €1,650 | 66 | Petrol | ALZ | Manual (5) | 2001–2004 |
At a glance
- Years: built 2000 to 2005 as saloon and Avant. Cabriolet from 2002. Petrol and diesel engines, with manual, multitronic or tiptronic gearboxes.
- Reliability: 2/5. The multitronic gearbox, the instrument cluster and the 2.5 V6 TDI camshafts cause the most trouble.
- DIY: 3/5. Oil and brake work is a home job. The gearbox needs diagnostic tools that a garage has.
- Prefer: a manual gearbox.
- Avoid: front-drive multitronic cars with judder or a flashing gear lamp.
- Biggest risk: a multitronic gearbox failure. An exchange unit costs from about EUR 4,200.
Engines and gearboxes
- 2.0 (ALT), 130 PS: Oil use often starts after about 100,000 km.
- 1.8 T (BFB for 163 PS): no fault confirmed in the sources read.
- 2.5 V6 TDI (BDG, BFC for 163 PS): the camshafts wear. See Known issues.
- Multitronic (front drive only): judder, a flashing lamp and control unit failures. Avoid unless the service record is good.
- Tiptronic (quattro): the torque converter wears from about 200,000 km.
- Manual: the clutch and flywheel wear from about 200,000 km.
Known issues
| Issue | Affects | Typical km | Repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multitronic judder and control unit | Multitronic 01J, front drive only | About 100,000 km | From about EUR 4,200 for an exchange gearbox (Fairgarage, year not stated) |
| 2.5 V6 TDI camshafts | 2.5 V6 TDI (BDG, BFC for 163 PS; others have no ADAC code) | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| ZF tiptronic torque converter | Quattro with automatic | About 200,000 km | No confirmed price |
| Instrument cluster, immobiliser and display | All cars | Not stated | About EUR 500 for a cluster with immobiliser (AUTO BILD, 2008 article) |
| Flywheel and clutch wear | Manual gearbox | About 200,000 km (Kolesa.ru) | No confirmed price |
| Front suspension arms and joints | All cars | 60,000-150,000 km | No confirmed price |
| Oil use in the atmospheric engine | 2.0 (ALT, 130 PS) | About 100,000 km | No confirmed price |
Before you buy
- Test drive a multitronic from a stop. Judder, a hesitant start or a flashing gear lamp is a bad sign. Ask for fluid change records every 50,000-60,000 km. A scanner reads the gearbox fault memory, so use a garage with diagnostic tools.
- Test drive a quattro from cold. Shift jerks are a bad sign. Ask for automatic fluid change records, at least every 60,000 km. The torque converter is due for replacement from about 200,000 km.
- On a 2.5 V6 TDI, ask a specialist to check the camshafts. The rocker cover has to come off. A loud knock from the top of the engine is a bad sign.
- Watch the instrument needles at start-up. Jittering needles, or dead pixels in the centre display, are a bad sign. A faulty cluster can stop the car. No scanner needed.
- On a manual, ask for proof of clutch and flywheel work. Judder when pulling away, or a rattle from the flywheel, is a bad sign.
- Lift the car and check the front arms and ball joints for play. Steel arms underneath suggest copies, not genuine Audi parts.
- On the 2.0 (ALT), check the oil level before and after the test drive. Ask for oil-change records.
Running costs
| Operational | €260 |
|---|---|
| Workshop | €123 |
| Fixed costs (tax, insurance) | €120 |
| Total per month | €503 |
| New-car depreciation (not included) | €45 |
ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months
Market
Listings on mobile.de priced up to 50,000 EUR, 29 October 2026.
- Listings
- 1,070
- 25th percentile
- €1,600
- Median price
- €2,490
- 75th percentile
- €3,700
- Median mileage
- 229,559 km
- Median first registration
- 2003
- Dealer share
- 18.7%
- Price at 100,000 km
- €3,847
To check a listing's price, open its variant in the table above. Each variant page has a price check.
In detail
Multitronic judder and control unit
The multitronic is a continuously variable gearbox. It uses a belt or chain between two cones, not fixed gears, and it is fitted to front-drive cars only. Early signs are judder when pulling away, speed swings under part load and a hesitant start. The gear display flashes and a warning lamp comes on, and the car can go into emergency mode. In the worst case the reverse gear stops, or the car will not start.
The usual causes are faulty signals from the gear-stage sensor, the speed sensor, the solenoid valve or the multifunction switch. First-generation control units often failed at about 100,000 km. The cheap fix named is replacing the shift valves. Speed swings under part load can often be cured by a gearbox oil change. Otherwise workshops replace the whole unit.
Cost: an exchange gearbox from about EUR 4,200. The price can rise, and it depends on the model (Fairgarage, year not stated).
Sources: Fairgarage: Audi multitronic problems, gebrauchtwagenberater.de: multitronic problems, AUTO BILD: Audi A4 history and test, 2004, Kolesa.ru: buying an A4 B6 for 300,000 rubles, 2019
2.5 V6 TDI camshafts
The camshafts wear in the 2.5 V6 TDI. AUTO BILD reports worn camshafts, with no recall at the time (2008). Kolesa.ru calls the camshafts weak. Owners report a louder knock, and say the lifters may need replacing. The fix is an inspection by a specialist, then new camshafts. The sources give no price or mileage.
Only the BDG and BFC codes are named by ADAC. Other 2.5 TDI versions have no code.
Sources: AUTO BILD: Audi A4 used test, 2008, Kolesa.ru: buying an A4 B6 for 300,000 rubles, 2019, DRIVE2: A4 B6 encyclopedia, part 1, 2015, Audi Sport forum: 2.5 V6 TDI reliability, 2011
ZF tiptronic torque converter
The 5-speed ZF automatic (tiptronic) in quattro cars can fail at the torque converter, the fluid coupling between engine and gearbox. On early units it contaminates the oil and the valve body. Shifts turn jerky, and the box can go into limp mode. Kolesa.ru says the converter should be replaced at about 200,000 km. It says the box can last 300,000 km with a fluid change every 60,000 km. One owner needed a gearbox switch on a 2003 quattro Tiptronic (2019).
No price in EUR or GBP is stated in the sources.
Sources: Kolesa.ru: buying an A4 B6, 2015, PistonHeads: B6 oil change thread, 2019, DRIVE2: A4 B6 encyclopedia, 2014
Instrument cluster, immobiliser and display
The instrument cluster holds the immobiliser, the anti-theft lock. Before it fails the needles jitter. A faulty immobiliser can stop the car starting. The centre display can lose pixels. The usual fix is a replacement cluster with immobiliser, at about EUR 500 (AUTO BILD, 2008 article, price year not stated).
Sources: AUTO BILD: Audi A4 used test, 2008, AUTO BILD: Audi A4 history and test, 2004, Kolesa.ru: buying an A4 B6, 2015
Flywheel and clutch wear
Manual cars can show clutch judder and a rattle from the dual-mass flywheel, a two-part flywheel that damps engine vibration. AUTO BILD reports both (2008). Kolesa.ru says the flywheel may need replacing after about 200,000 km, at a high cost with no figure given. The fix is a new flywheel and clutch.
Sources: AUTO BILD: Audi A4 used test, 2008, Kolesa.ru: buying an A4 B6 for 300,000 rubles, 2019
Front suspension arms and joints
The front suspension arms and joints wear with use. AUTO BILD describes a clattering, creaking front axle (2004). Kolesa.ru puts the first major repair at 100,000-150,000 km (2015). Owners say the original arms last 60,000 to 100,000 km. The fix is replacing the worn arms and joints. The sources give prices in roubles only, so none is shown.
Sources: AUTO BILD: Audi A4 history and test, 2004, Kolesa.ru: buying an A4 B6, 2015, DRIVE2: A4 B6 encyclopedia, 2014
Oil use in the atmospheric engine
The 2.0 atmospheric engine, code ALT, burns oil. Oil use often starts after about 100,000 km, and the car can run for years on oil. The sources name no fix and no price.
Sources: Kolesa.ru: buying an A4 B6 for 300,000 rubles, 2019, DRIVE2: A4 B6 common faults, 2012, DRIVE2: A4 B6 encyclopedia, 2014
Recalls
No official recall list for the B6 was found. Ask a dealer to check open campaigns by VIN.
Maintenance
- Multitronic fluid: change it every 50,000-60,000 km. This lowers the risk of judder and control unit faults.
- Automatic fluid (quattro): change it every 60,000 km.
- Timing belt: change it at 60,000-120,000 km, or by age. On TDI engines the whole front end must come off.
- Oil level: check it between services, especially on the 2.0 (ALT).
Sources
English
German
- AUTO BILD: Audi A4 history and test, 2004
- AUTO BILD: Audi A4 used test, 2008
- gebrauchtwagenberater.de: multitronic problems
- Fairgarage: Audi multitronic problems