Bought my 2013 Audi a4 used I notice a notchy feel while driving just after I bought it, but thought this was normal. As time went on it became more uncomfortable and felt unsafe driving at highway speeds(or slow speeds) when your steering wheel would move to the left & right while driving. I did some research and there are plenty more people with this problem, seems like a safety problem that…
2013 Audi A4 steering problems
severe 57 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
57
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
2crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 57 steering complaints filed for the 2013 Audi A4, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 10 model years of Audi A4 we track for steering problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 57.
Steering accounts for 52% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 6 categories tracked.
What owners are reporting 8 most recent
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Audi a4. While driving various speeds, the power steering seized without warning intermittently. The contact took the vehicle to Audi indianapolis (4610-b e 96th st, indianapolis, in 46240, (317) 853-4582) where the intermediate steering shaft was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Audi a4. While driving 5 MPH, the front passenger tire struck a curb and the "steering wheel defective don't drive" warning indicator illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to Audi san francisco (1525 howard st, san francisco, ca 94103, (888) 779-0546) where it was diagnosed that…
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Audi a4. While driving 25 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn left. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle on the side of the road for ten minutes. Once she continued driving, the failure recurred. The contact called van horn Volkswagen of sheboygan (located at 5515 racetrack rd, sheboygan, wi 53081, (920) 457-8844)…
There are two issues which occur without warning, usually when the car is cold or while driving on the freeway. The first issue occurs when traveling in a straight line and is a "slip" in the steering wheel when crossing the 12 o'clock position where it feels like it's holding fine and then suddenly "slips" and then grabs again when you turn the wheel off center. This happens with no change in…
2013 Audi A4 with a 2.0 turbo engine approximately 62.5K miles and up to date with all services. I was driving on the highway at highway speeds when the engine suddenly started to misfire with a partial loss of power making the car difficult to steer. At that time the check engine light was not illuminated. I was able to get off the highway and drive home about 2 miles away from when the…
While driving, on or off the highway steering stiffens making it hard or impossible to make turns. It is a scary situation, which forced me to pull over on the highway once- I was not able to switch lanes due to the hardness of the steering wheel. This occurs randomly, at anytime or speed, even at slow speeds while driving in the neighborhood. It occurs to either side, sometimes one side of the…
Had steering trouble with your 2013 Audi A4?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2013 Audi A4?
It's a meaningful issue. 57 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 46 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 13,890 and 70,000 miles, with the median around 53,500. A quarter of owners report trouble before 13,890; a quarter make it past 70,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Audi/A4.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.