Audi A4
EA888 Gen3B with 150 kW and 48V mild hybrid. Belt starter-generator assists during launch and enables coasting. Technology is mature.
150 hp in a mid-size – practicality over pleasure
The 1.4 TFSI with 150 hp is the economy engine in the A4 B9 for committed daily drivers: 8.7 seconds to 100 km/h, front-wheel drive and a somewhat coarse refinement level signal clearly that efficiency comes before driving fun.
Engine Weaknesses 6
Recall 27H2 (2020): BSG absorbs moisture, causing short circuits and fire risk. Affects A4, A5, A6, A7, Q5 with 48V mild hybrid, production years 2017–2020. Have replacement generator installed by dealer.
Symptoms: Electrical fault messages, vehicle breakdown, in extreme cases fire
Integrated water pump/thermostat housing made of plastic cracks from ageing. Coolant loss and overtemperature possible from ~60,000–100,000 km. Standard issue on all Gen3B engines.
Symptoms: Coolant loss, overtemperature warning, coolant smell, poor heater performance
Timing chain stretches from ~100,000 km. Gen3B with revised tensioner. Less thermal load on the 150 hp variant, but fundamentally the same chain system weakness.
Symptoms: Rattling on cold start, P0016/P0017 fault codes
Variable oil pump delivers insufficient oil pressure at idle. At 150 hp less critical than at 252 hp, but fundamentally the same Gen3B design weakness.
Symptoms: Ticking after cold start, camshaft phaser fault codes, oil pressure warning
Direct injection without port injection deposits carbon on intake valves. Especially rapid on vehicles with predominantly short-trip profiles. Walnut blasting every 50,000–60,000 km recommended.
Symptoms: Power loss, rough cold start, P2015 tumble flap code
PCV membrane valve tears. Intake air leak under boost pressure — typical wear item on all EA888 Gen3 engines.
Symptoms: Whistling noise, P2279, rough idle
Vehicle Weaknesses 7
Defective coolant valves cause coolant loss that can silently lead to overheating. Temperature sensors and thermostat housing are a weak point from 60,000–100,000 km.
The rubber bushings in the upper control arms wear prematurely, in some cases from as early as 60,000–80,000 km. The issue is said to have been fixed only with the 2019 facelift.
Certain 19-inch tyre combinations on the B9 lead to premature wear on the inner flanks. The cause is a suspension setup not optimally tuned for larger wheels. Regular wheel alignment recommended.
The S tronic dual-clutch gearbox judders when pulling away and at low speeds. The mechatronics unit can become defective.
Water pump and thermostat housing typically fail between 60,000 and 170,000 km. A well-known weak point on the 2.0 TFSI and 2.0 TDI.
The S tronic dual-clutch gearbox exhibits a known juddering in D and R at idle that Audi classes as within the state of the art. Diesel variants may additionally creep.
The MMI infotainment system frequently exhibits Bluetooth connectivity problems in facelift models: choppy music playback, missed ringtones. Software updates do not always provide a permanent fix.