Carsieve All versions
Show all 15 variants
At a glance
- Years: built 2015-2024. The facelift in 2019 brought a larger update. Saloon, Avant, Allroad, S4 and RS4.
- Most common: 3.0 TDI camshaft and chain problems, oil use on petrol engines, worn suspension and phone link faults in the infotainment.
- Reliability: 3/5, because the 3.0 TDI camshaft and chain repairs cost thousands of euros.
- DIY: 2/5, because engine and chain work needs a workshop, and fault codes need a scanner.
- Prefer: a 2.0 TDI with service records. Two sources say it has no major faults when it is serviced. Avoid: a 3.0 TDI with no proof of camshaft check or chain work.
Engines and gearboxes
- 1.4 TFSI petrol, 150 hp (CVN): oil use after long distances is the main risk. See the Known issues table.
- 2.0 TFSI petrol (EA888): its own 2.0 TFSI guide covers the engine faults. Oil use on this engine is in the table.
- 2.0 TDI diesel (EA288): the 2.0 TDI guide covers AdBlue, EGR and water pump faults. This is the engine to prefer.
- 3.0 TDI V6: the camshaft and timing chain faults in the table apply. Ask for proof of both.
- 7-speed S tronic (DL382): clutch, judder and mechatronic faults. See the S tronic guide.
Known issues
| Issue | Affects | Typical km | Repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 TDI camshaft defect (CRT) | 3.0 TDI V6 CRT engine (272 hp), check by engine number | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| Timing chain stretch (3.0 TDI) | 3.0 TDI V6 chain drive | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| Oil use on petrol engines | 1.4 TFSI (CVN), 2.0 TFSI (EA888 gen 3) | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| Suspension wear | All, front lower arms first | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| Infotainment and phone link faults | Facelift and newer B9 with MMI | Not stated | No confirmed price |
Before you buy
- Check the engine number of any 3.0 TDI CRT with a dealer, and ask for the answer in writing. A metallic rattle or ticking louder than normal diesel noise is a warning sign. The check needs a dealer, not a scanner.
- Ask whether the timing chain drive was replaced. A rattle or knock at cold start, or when the load changes, is a warning sign. A chain check needs a workshop, because the engine must be partly stripped.
- Check the oil level when the engine is cold. Ask for the top-up record with dates and kilometres. A car that needs regular top-ups between services is a warning sign.
- Drive over a rough road and listen for knocks from the front and rear axle. Ask for alignment and suspension work records. Inspectors often flag suspension mounts at the German HU (the statutory inspection).
- Pair a phone over Bluetooth and start Apple CarPlay during the test drive. A failed pairing or CarPlay that will not start is a warning sign. A fault memory read needs a scanner.
Running costs
| Operational | €163 |
|---|---|
| Workshop | €147 |
| Fixed costs (tax, insurance) | €169 |
| Total per month | €479 |
| New-car depreciation (not included) | €93 |
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
- 2,320
- 25th percentile
- €13,000
- Median price
- €15,600
- 75th percentile
- €17,999
- Median mileage
- 159,880 km
- Median first registration
- 2017
- Dealer share
- 50.8%
- Price at 100,000 km
- €18,808
To check a listing's price, open its variant in the table above. Each variant page has a price check.
In detail
3.0 TDI camshaft defect (CRT)
Symptoms: a rattle or ticking from the engine that is louder than normal diesel noise. Dealers often call such noise normal, so ask for a written check.
Cause: the camshaft has a material defect. If it breaks, the engine is damaged. The defect is tied to the engine number, not to the model year.
Which cars: 3.0 TDI V6 with the CRT engine (272 hp). Most reports are on cars built from 2014 to early 2017. Sources give different engine-number ranges, so check the number with a dealer.
Fix: a dealer replaces the camshafts. Audi may pay part of the cost under goodwill.
Cost: no confirmed price.
Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater: 3.0 TDI problems, carwiki: 3.0 TDI camshaft problem, Gebrauchtwagenberater: Audi A4 B9 problems
Timing chain stretch (3.0 TDI)
Symptoms: rattling or knocking at cold start, or when the load changes. Kfz Dietrich lists a rattle at start as a sign of a stretched chain.
Cause: the chain stretches, and the tensioner wears. Both are named as causes.
Which cars: 3.0 TDI V6 engines.
Fix: replace the whole chain drive. Replacing only the tensioner may reduce the cold-start rattle, but the work needs 15 to 20 hours.
Cost: no confirmed price.
Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater: 3.0 TDI problems, Kfz Dietrich: Audi A4 B9 problems
Oil use on petrol engines
Symptoms: the oil level drops between services.
Cause: worn piston rings are named by Kfz Dietrich. auto.ru also names a torn crankcase breather membrane (PCV), or worn rings and valve stem seals.
Which cars: the 1.4 TFSI (CVN) and the 2.0 TFSI of the EA888 gen 3 family.
Sources: auto.ru: what breaks in the Audi A4 B9, Kfz Dietrich: Audi A4 B9 problems
Suspension wear
What inspectors find: worn suspension is the B9's weak point at the German HU. In the 2021 TÜV report, 1.9 percent of cars failed on it. Defect rates were high from the first inspection on. Steering and drive shafts showed no high fail rate.
Cost: no confirmed price.
Sources: t-online: Audi A4 used car check (TÜV report 2021), Gebrauchtwagenberater: Audi A4 B9 problems
Infotainment and phone link faults
Symptoms: Bluetooth pairing with a phone is slow or fails, and Apple CarPlay can fail. Newer B9 cars are named for these faults.
Cost: no confirmed price.
Sources: t-online: Audi A4 used car check (TÜV report 2021), carwiki: Audi S4 problems, Kfz Dietrich: Audi A4 B9 problems
Recalls
| Country | Code | Years | What is done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not given (German press) | Not given | Built until 2018 | Fuel rail leaks. |
| Not given (German press) | Not given | Built until 2018 | Towing hitch locking bolt and swivel head. Workshops check it and replace it if in doubt. A fault can let a trailer detach. |
| Not given (German press) | 42L5 | 2019-2021 | Control arm and wheel carrier cracking, which increases play. Wheel alignment, readjustment and possibly new tyres (two to 3.5 hours). |
Check open campaigns for your car by its VIN on the Audi recall lookup or the KBA site. This list comes from press reports and is not complete.
Maintenance
- S tronic gearbox oil: change every 40,000 to 60,000 km. Ask to see the changes in the service book.
Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater: Audi A4 B9 problems, auto.ru: what breaks in the Audi A4 B9
Sources
English
No English source is used on this page.
German
- Gebrauchtwagenberater: Audi A4 B9 problems
- Gebrauchtwagenberater: Audi 3.0 TDI problems
- carwiki: Audi A4 B9 problems and recalls
- carwiki: Audi S4 problems
- carwiki: 3.0 TDI camshaft problem
- Kfz Dietrich: Audi A4 B9 problems
- t-online: Audi A4 used car check (TÜV report 2021)