2004 Audi Allroad: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2004 Audi Allroad
On the 2004 Audi Allroad, the failure owners report most often is other speed control problem, with 4 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 40,000 miles. Overall it scores 64 out of 100, high risk for a 2004.
High risk for a 2004 — 240th riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. 21 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2004 Audi Allroad
Owners have reported 11 named failure modes on the 2004 Audi Allroad, and the three most-reported carry 43% of everything filed.
Other speed control problem leads with 4 reports and about 0.4 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other body or interior problem follows with 3 reports, median 100,000 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.
Loss of braking follows with 2 reports, median 40,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into adas (4), body (4) and brakes (2).
The mileage the reports cluster at
18 of the reports on the 2004 Audi Allroad came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 40,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 61% by 50,000 miles, 72% by 100,000 miles and 83% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 30,000 and 40,000 miles, which alone holds 33% of the dated reports.
28% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 5 mention a crash, 4 a fire and 2 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 7.48, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other speed control problem at $250–$2,000, other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000, loss of braking at $400–$3,000 and steering column or shaft failure at $600–$2,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
5% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other speed control problem | adas | 4 | 4 | — | 33k | — | 0.4 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 3 | 3 | — | 102k | — | 0.3 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 39k | — | 0.2 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 162k | — | 0.2 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 2 | 1 | — | 34k | — | 0.2 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 196k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 23k | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 1 | — | 37k | — | 0.1 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 39k | — | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 95k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 1 | 1 | — | 28k | — | 0.1 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2004 Audi Allroad draws about 2.3 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 73rd percentile of complaint rates among 2004 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 9,098 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2004 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other speed control problem
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to put the vehicle into gear with the brake pedal depressed, the engine revved high. The vehicle felt as though it may lurch forward, but did not. The vehicle was taken to the local dealership for inspection. The dealer could not duplicate the problem and no repairs were made. Updated 3/3/2006 - *nm
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 audi quattro 4 (n/a) the contact stated that vehicle gas pedal sticks. The first occurrence was about 3 years ago. The contact was entering highway going about 60 MPH on a dry day , he took his foot off the accelerator and the vehicle just "took off". He managed to get the vehicle stopped. The problem has reoccured on and off since then. The vehicle was taken to dealer and the technician stated that the problem was the floor mats. The mats were re-adjusted and the problem continued. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and was still at the dealer at the time of the complaint. Audi has called in an expert to diagnose the problem. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000. The current mileage is approximately 110,000. The VIN unknown.
Other body or interior problem
Tl * the contact owns a 2004 audi allroad. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a fire erupted in the vehicle due to the heated seats. The vehicle was taken to dealer where the repairs were unknown. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,000 and the current mileage was 108,000.
Tl * the contact owns a 2004 audi allroad. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a fire erupted in the vehicle due to the heated seats. The vehicle was taken to dealer where the repairs were unknown. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,000 and the current mileage was 108,000.
Loss of braking
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 audi allroad. The contact stated that the brakes failed intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, but the failure could not be duplicated. While driving 30 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle did not stop. The failure caused the contact to rear end another vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was waiting on the results of the diagnostic test from the dealer. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 10,848. Updated 09/15/14*lj the consumer stated the failure is unintended acceleration not brake failure. Manufacturer refused assistance. Updated 1/16/15 *js
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 audi allroad. The contact stated that the brakes failed intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, but the failure could not be duplicated. While driving 30 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle did not stop. The failure caused the contact to rear end another vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was waiting on the results of the diagnostic test from the dealer. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 10,848. Updated 09/15/14*lj the consumer stated the failure is unintended acceleration not brake failure. Manufacturer refused assistance. Updated 1/16/15 *js
Recalls on the 2004 model year
NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Audi Allroad, affecting an estimated 22,556 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly and electrical system. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
68,240 vehicles 2008-04-08- Defect
- Volkswagen is recalling 68,240 my 2001-2004 audi a6 quattro vehicles equipped with 2.7l, 2.8l, or 3.0l engines and my 2001-2005 allroad quattro vehicles equipped with 2.7l or 4.2l engines. The aging of the plastic material in the fuel tank rollover valve combined with bending stress from the aluminum ventilation line to the rollover valve nipple may lead to cracking of the nipple. If this happens, a fuel leak may result.
- Consequence
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could lead to a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reinforce the nipple on the rollover valve to prevent leakage or repair the cracking at the nipple. The recall began on june 27, 2008. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
70,512 vehicles 2006-06-05- Defect
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with halogen low beam headlights, certain connector pins in the headlight switch connector come into contact with each other causing a short circuit. Note: vehicles with xenon low beam headlights are not affected because the circuit in these vehicles contains a fuse, which precludes excessive current flow in the case of a short circuit. Audi s6 and s6 avant vehicles are all equipped with xenon low beam headlights and, therefore, are not longer affected by this recall.
- Consequence
- This condition could lead to overheating or fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reroute the wiring harness by installing a jumper wiring harness. The recall began on december 16, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
172,866 vehicles 2004-03-18- Defect
- On certain passenger vehicles, if a driver's knees push against the knee bolster (crash element) located under the dashboard, it can contact the headlight switch wiring harness, and an electrical short could occur.
- Consequence
- A fire could originate in the left dashboard area.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a protective covering on the knee bolster (crash element). In addition, the wiring harness as well as the felt protector on the left side of the dashboard carrier will be checked, and replaced if necessary. The recall began on july 26, 2004. Owners should contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2004 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2004 — 240th riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
Across the 4 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2003 comes out best at 57 and 2004 worst at 64, with 2004 itself at 64.
If the model year is negotiable, 2003 and 2001 score lower than 2004 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2001–2005 generation specifically, 2003 is the strongest year at 57 and 2004 the weakest at 64.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2001-2005 generation, 2003 Audi Allroad scores best at 57 and 2004 Audi Allroad worst at 64.
What this page cannot tell you
21 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 21 reports, 18 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 86% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Audi Allroad?
The most-reported failures are other speed control problem (4 reports, median 35,000 miles), other body or interior problem (3 reports, median 100,000 miles) and loss of braking (2 reports, median 40,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2004 Audi Allroad reliable?
It scores 64 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 240th riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2004 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Audi Allroad is best?
Within the 2001–2005 generation, 2003 scores best at 57 out of 100 and 2004 worst at 64. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed