Used Audi A4 B8.5 (2013-2016): Buyer's Guide

Of the 109 NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Audi A4, 49 are about steering. Only 14 are about the engine. That ratio is backwards from what you'd expect on a car with a well-documented turbo engine problem, and it's not random. 2013 is the year Audi swapped the A4's hydraulic power steering for an electric rack, the biggest mechanical change in the mid-cycle refresh enthusiasts call the B8.5. The timing chain issues that plague the earlier B8 didn't disappear either. Shopping this generation means checking two systems that fail in very different ways, not just one.

This Generation at a Glance

The Audi A4 B8.5 covers model years 2013 through 2016, the facelifted second half of the B8 generation that ran from 2009 to 2016. Audi restyled the front and rear fascias, reshaped the Singleframe grille, switched to segmented LED taillights, and revised the interior and MMI infotainment controls. The bigger change was underneath: hydraulic power steering was replaced by an electromechanical rack across the board, and the FWD Multitronic CVT model got standard equipment bumps while quattro models moved to an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic in place of the prior 6-speed. Horsepower rose from 211 to 220 starting in 2014. The Avant wagon was dropped from the US lineup, leaving the Allroad Quattro as the only wagon body style. 2015 added standard 60/40 split-folding rear seats, a headlight washer system, and three-zone climate control across the range. 2016 was the final year before the all-new B9 arrived for 2017 (already covered in a separate CarScout guide).

CarScout's own market data currently shows active listings for all four model years (2013-2016), with combined inventory across the generation well past 400 vehicles nationally.

Current pricing and inventory: Audi A4 market data, with per-year pages for 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Powertrain & Trim Breakdown

Every US-market B8.5 A4 uses the same basic engine: Volkswagen Group's EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, badged 2.0 TFSI. What varies is drivetrain and transmission, and that split matters more than it usually does on this car because it determines which failure modes you're actually shopping for.

quattro AWD with 8-speed Tiptronic (the volume choice)

This is how the large majority of US B8.5 A4s were sold. The 8-speed automatic replaced the 6-speed Tiptronic used on pre-facelift B8 quattro models and is generally well regarded by owners, with fewer complaints than the transmission on the FWD car. Forum consensus on Audizine and AudiWorld treats the 8-speed as one of the more trouble-free parts of the car when serviced on schedule (fluid and filter change roughly every 40,000-50,000 miles, more often than Audi's official "lifetime fluid" claim suggests). The real risk with quattro cars isn't the transmission. It's the engine and the steering rack, both covered below since they apply across drivetrains.

Quattro also carries a small ownership-cost tax worth knowing about upfront: all-wheel drive means more driveline hardware (front and rear differentials, a center differential, additional CV joints) that a FWD car simply doesn't have. None of it shows up as a generation-defining failure pattern the way the timing chain or steering does, but tire wear tends to run faster and more even across all four corners, and a driveline fluid service (front and rear differential, not just the transmission) is worth asking about at higher mileage. Owners consistently rate the quattro system's winter and wet-road grip as the main reason to pay the premium over FWD, and resale value on quattro cars tends to hold up better than FWD Multitronic cars in most markets.

FWD with Multitronic CVT (Premium and Premium Plus only)

Audi kept offering a continuously variable Multitronic transmission on FWD Premium and Premium Plus sedans through the B8.5 years, quattro buyers never got this option. The Multitronic has a well-documented failure history on the B8 platform generally: forum threads describe juddering at low speed, jerky takeoff, hesitation pulling away from a stop, and in the worst cases a total loss of drive, typically surfacing between 100,000 and 180,000 kilometers (62,000-112,000 miles). Most of the reported catastrophic failures trace back to pre-2012 B8 cars rather than B8.5-specific units, but the transmission design didn't change at the facelift. Treat any FWD Multitronic car as needing a transmission-specific pre-purchase check regardless of model year, and budget for a fluid service if there's no record of one.

Timing chain and tensioner (across both drivetrains)

The EA888 2.0T's timing chain tensioner is the single most discussed mechanical issue on this platform. The original tensioner design allows the chain to develop slack at cold start; if it maxes out, the chain can skip a tooth, throw the engine's timing off, and bend valves. Audizine's dedicated failure thread runs to dozens of pages of owner reports going back years. Volkswagen Group settled a class-action lawsuit (the Opheim settlement) covering 2012-2015 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles with the affected EA888 engines, extending the timing chain and tensioner warranty to 10 years or 100,000-160,000 miles depending on the specific terms. An updated tensioner arrived in 2013, but the chain itself wasn't always revised alongside it. Owners have reported failures on 2014 cars with as little as 70,000 miles, finding metal shavings in the oil and a tensioner already run out to its last adjustment notch. A cold start rattle lasting more than a second or two, especially one that doesn't fade as the engine warms, is the warning sign. Repair cost runs $2,800 for the chain and tensioner alone, and $5,000 to $10,000 if the chain skipped and bent valves before anyone noticed.

Electromechanical power steering (new for 2013)

This is the B8.5-specific issue that doesn't exist on the earlier B8. Every 2013-and-later A4 dropped hydraulic power steering for an electric rack built around Audi's J500 control module. Owners describe notchy steering, a tugging sensation on straight, smooth pavement, difficulty tracking straight on the highway, and in some cases sporadic loss of power assist tied to a steering warning light. Audi extended the warranty on the electromechanical steering system to 10 years or 100,000 miles in the US, which tells you how widespread the claims were. Software updates and rack or module replacements have fixed the problem for some owners and only partially or temporarily for others, per multiple AudiWorld and Audizine threads. If you test drive a car and the steering feels inconsistent, notchy, or requires constant small corrections on a straight road, don't assume it's your imagination.

PCV valve, carbon buildup, and ignition coils

Like every direct-injection EA888, the 2.0T has no fuel spray hitting the intake valves to keep them clean, so carbon deposits build up over time and can cause rough idle or misfires, typically starting in the 50,000-90,000 mile range. The PCV valve's rubber diaphragm wears and eventually lets oil pass through more freely, which both accelerates carbon buildup and shows up as blue smoke or a burning smell under load. Ignition coils are a separate, more common failure, especially on cylinder 1, which sits closest to the turbocharger's heat. A coil that works fine at idle but misfires under acceleration or load is a classic symptom. None of this is generation-defining the way the timing chain and steering issues are, but budget for a coil pack (all four, plus spark plugs, done together) and don't be surprised if carbon cleaning (walnut blasting the intake valves) comes up around 70,000-90,000 miles.

Owners who stay ahead of both issues report noticeably fewer surprises: shorter oil change intervals (specialists recommend 5,000-7,500 miles over Audi's extended factory schedule) slow the rate of carbon buildup by reducing the amount of oil vapor the PCV system routes back through the intake. A car with full synthetic oil changed on a tight interval and documented spark plug replacement around 60,000 miles is a meaningfully better bet than one running on Audi's longer factory interval with no paperwork to show for it. Ask specifically for receipts, not just a seller's word that "it's been maintained."

Water pump and thermostat

The water pump housing on these cars is partly plastic, and the gasket between the pump and thermostat is a known weak point. Coolant residue or a faint sweet smell near the front of the engine bay is the first sign. Audi enthusiast sites recommend replacing the water pump and thermostat as a pair by 100,000 miles even if there's no visible leak yet, since the parts are in the same housing and labor is shared between them.

Trim Levels

Premium Plus is where most of the used inventory sits, and for good reason: it adds the keyless entry and styling upgrades that make the car feel like a step above base Premium without Prestige's price premium. Starting in 2015, S-line style cues (bumpers, wheels, badging) became standard across the whole lineup, so a 2015-2016 Premium Plus can look nearly identical to an earlier Prestige from the outside. If you want the Bang & Olufsen stereo or built-in navigation, Prestige is the only way to get either; there's no way to add navigation to a Premium Plus after the fact without replacing the entire head unit. The Allroad Quattro wagon variant came standard with quattro AWD and raised ride height, and is worth cross-shopping if you want the same drivetrain and interior in a wagon body, though it's a smaller slice of the used market than the sedan.

Which Model Years to Target Within This Gen

CarScout's collected data shows no NHTSA safety recalls logged against any of these four model years. The timing chain and steering problems described above were addressed through extended warranties and a class-action settlement rather than a formal recall, which is why they won't show up in a standard recall lookup even though they're extremely well documented in owner forums. Run any specific VIN through a recall check anyway before you buy; it costs nothing and covers issues outside this write-up.

2013 and 2014 aren't bad cars, but they carry the highest complaint volume and the least certainty about which timing chain revision a given VIN actually received. 2015 is where the numbers turn a corner: complaints drop by nearly half versus 2014, and every car from this point has the S-line styling standard along with the extra convenience equipment. 2016 posts the lowest complaint count of the four years and is the most fully sorted version of this platform before Audi moved to the B9. If price between a 2015 and 2016 is close, take the 2016.

A separate complaint tracker, CarComplaints.com, shows the same downward trend using its own methodology: 25 complaints logged against the 2013 model year, 12 against 2014, and just 3 each for 2015 and 2016. Two independent counts agreeing on direction, even with different absolute numbers, is a stronger signal than either one alone. It's worth noting these are mature cars at this point, all more than a decade old with plenty of miles and years to have surfaced problems, so the lower 2015-2016 counts look like a genuine reliability improvement rather than an artifact of newer cars simply not having racked up enough mileage yet to reveal issues.

Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

• Start the car cold, before the seller has a chance to warm it up. Listen for a metallic rattle from the front of the engine lasting more than a second or two. If it's there and doesn't fade as the engine warms, that's the timing chain tensioner. Walk away or budget $2,800-$10,000 for repair.
• Drive it on a straight, flat road at highway speed with both hands light on the wheel. Notchy resistance, a tugging sensation, or the need for constant small corrections points to the electromechanical steering issue that's specific to this generation.
• Ask for service records showing an oil change interval of 5,000-7,500 miles rather than Audi's extended factory interval. Shorter intervals meaningfully reduce the PCV and carbon buildup problems on this direct-injection engine.
• If the car is FWD with an automatic, confirm it's the Multitronic CVT (quattro cars never have this transmission) and ask specifically about judder, hesitation on takeoff, or any stalling on hills. Ask for a transmission fluid service record.
• Check underneath for coolant residue or a sweet smell near the front of the engine, the water pump and thermostat housing's usual failure point.
• Pull codes with an OBD scanner even if the check engine light is off; misfire codes on cylinder 1 specifically point toward a heat-soaked ignition coil near the turbo.
• Confirm whether the timing chain and tensioner were ever replaced, and if so, whether it was done as a complete kit (chain, tensioner, and guides) rather than the tensioner alone.
• Run the VIN through a recall check regardless of what this guide found; CarScout's data shows none logged for 2013-2016, but a fresh check costs nothing.

Running Costs

Independent maintenance-cost trackers put average annual upkeep on the A4 around $900-$1,000, with certain service intervals (roughly 40,000 and 60,000 miles) running noticeably more expensive than the years around them because that's when multiple wear items land at once: spark plugs, coil packs, and fluid services can all fall due in the same visit. That average doesn't include a timing chain replacement or a steering rack, which are the two expenses that separate a cheap year of A4 ownership from an expensive one on this generation. Premium fuel is required across the board; real-world owner-logged mileage on fuel tracking sites lands close to the EPA combined figures above for drivers who aren't consistently hard on the throttle.

Current CarScout listings show a wide price spread across the generation, roughly $650 on the low end for high-mileage or damaged examples up to the high $30,000s for pristine, low-mileage Prestige and Allroad models, though the bulk of the market clears well under $20,000 given these cars are now a decade or more old. That spread is exactly why a pre-purchase inspection matters more than the sticker price here: a cheap A4 with a fresh timing chain and a clean steering system is a better buy than a slightly newer one with neither.

FAQ

Is the Audi A4 B8.5 2.0T reliable? It's reliable in the sense that most examples run fine day to day, but it carries two well-documented, expensive failure modes: the timing chain tensioner and, specific to 2013 and later, the electromechanical power steering rack. Budget for both possibilities rather than assuming average ownership costs.

What year Audi A4 B8.5 should I avoid? 2013 and 2014 carry the highest complaint counts of the generation and the most uncertainty about which timing chain and tensioner revision a specific VIN received. Neither is a bad car, but price them to reflect the added risk and inspect closely.

Is the Multitronic CVT in the A4 reliable? The Multitronic has a documented history of judder, hesitation, and failures between roughly 62,000 and 112,000 miles on the B8 platform, mostly reported on pre-2012 cars. It was never offered on quattro models, only FWD Premium and Premium Plus. Ask for service records and drive it thoroughly before buying.

How many miles does an Audi A4 B8.5 last? Well-maintained examples with documented timing chain and steering work regularly pass 150,000 miles. The generation isn't considered as durable long-term as a comparable Honda or Toyota from the same era, mainly because of the cost and frequency of the timing chain and steering repairs specific to this platform.

Does the Audi A4 B8.5 have a timing chain recall? No formal NHTSA recall exists for the timing chain issue on these model years. It was addressed through a class-action settlement (the Opheim settlement, covering 2012-2015 A4, A5, and Q5) that extended the warranty on the timing chain and tensioner, not a recall campaign. Check whether a specific VIN's warranty extension was ever used.

Bottom Line

The 2015-2016 A4 quattro Premium Plus with the 8-speed Tiptronic is the sweet spot in this generation: standard S-line styling, the lowest complaint counts of the four years, and a transmission owners generally trust. Whatever year or trim you're looking at, start the engine cold and listen before you do anything else, then spend five minutes on a straight highway with your hands barely on the wheel. Those two checks catch the two problems that actually define this generation. Run every VIN through a recall check regardless of what this guide found. CarScout members can track price drops on specific A4 trims and years at usecarscout.com.

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint records via CarScout's market data, EPA fuel economy figures, and real owner experiences from Audizine, AudiWorld, and AudiForums enthusiast communities, along with reporting on the Volkswagen Group timing chain class-action settlement. See the full Audi A4 market data on CarScout for pricing and inventory across every model year.