Use cautionVehicle recall · NHTSA · Published April 26, 2021
Audi A4 (2020) Recall: Broken Lock Nut Risk of Crash
Audi is recalling 2020 A4 vehicles with a potential broken lock nut that could misalign the rear axle, increasing crash risk. Dealers will replace lock nuts and bolts free of charge.
“Audi A4 (2020) Recall: Broken Lock Nut Risk of Crash.” GovInfoNow, updated August 18, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/79200-audi-a4-2020-recall-broken-lock-nut-risk-of-crash. Based on NHTSA recall #21V295000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=21V295000).
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is recalling certain Audi vehicles due to a broken lock nut that may misalign the rear axle and cause a loss of control, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The recall was announced on April 26, 2021. Dealers will replace the lock nuts and associated bolts free of charge.
How to tell if you have it
Audi A4, 2020-2021
Audi A5, 2019-2021
Audi A6, 2020-2021
Audi A7, 2020-2021
Audi A8, 2020-2021
Audi Q5, 2020-2021
Audi Q7, 2021
Audi Q8, 2021
Audi RS Q8, 2021
Audi RS5, 2019-2021
Audi RS6, 2021
Audi RS7, 2021
Audi S4, 2020-2021
Audi S5 Cabriolet, 2020-2021
Audi S5, 2019-2021
Audi S6, 2020-2021
Audi S7, 2020-2021
Audi S8, 2020-2021
Audi SQ5, 2020-2021
What to do
Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
The hazard
A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Context
GovInfoNow's records show Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. has 276 other recalls on record since 2014-10-20. Other recent recalls of similar products include Volkswagen Audi Q3 (2019) Steering Recall (2026-10-22), Volkswagen ID.4 Recall (2026-09-30), and 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan Recall (2026-09-10). NHTSA has received 128 owner complaints for the 2020 AUDI A4, with the latest received on 2026-10-05. Manufacturers have sent NHTSA 1,073 technical service bulletins covering the 2020 AUDI A4, with the latest dated 2026-09-25.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your vehicle is a 2020 Audi A4. The recall covers specific models from 2020-2021 Audi vehicles listed in the official notice.
Brand
Audi
Category
Vehicle
Based on the official NHTSA remedy
What to do — step by step
Contact Audi Customer Service
Call 1-800-253-2834 to schedule a repair with a dealer.
Get Lock Nuts Replaced
Dealers will replace the lock nuts and associated bolts at no cost.
Official remedy
What NHTSA says to do
Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
Owners were mailed letters 39 days after NHTSA received the defect report.
1NHTSA received the defect report
2Owner letters mailed
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Take action
Contact Audi
We’ve drafted a message you can send Audi to request your refund or repair — edit it as you like.
Subject: Recall 21V295000 — Audi A4 (2020) Recall: Broken Lock Nut Risk of Crash
Hello,
I own a Audi A4 (2020) Recall: Broken Lock Nut Risk of Crash that is covered by recall 21V295000 from Audi.
The official recall notice states: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
I’m writing to arrange the remedy described in the recall (a refund, repair, or replacement as applicable). Could you please tell me the next steps to resolve this?
Thank you.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on August 18, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.