johnb3030

I'm shopping for a 2018 S4. I've had one brief test drive and was mostly pleased, but I have questions the salesman couldn't answer. (This car was at a Honda dealership).

This car was loaded with options including Prestige Package, S Sport Package, Driver Assistance Package, and Dynamic Steering. We quickly discovered there is no printed owners manual, and neither the salesman nor I could figure out how to access all of the settings. I told the salesman I was seriously interested, but needed more information to determine if this was the right car for me.

Searching the internet when I got home, I found a 403 page PDF file of the owners manual for the 2018 A4 and S4. Extensive reading over the next day answered many of my questions.

The dealer's website allowed me to print the Monroney sticker for the car, and I noticed one of the options was "Carbon fiber spoiler & mirror caps - without side assist". Side assist is one of the features of the Driver Assist Package, and it's a feature I definitely want. But the statement on the label implies that this car didn't have it. I called the salesman and asked him to find out if the car had this feature or not. When he called back, he told me the car had been sold, so he couldn't answer the question. Disappointing, but there are several other cars in my area which I am considering. So my first question is whether or not a 2018 S4 can have the side assist feature and also the carbon fiber mirror caps?

Another feature I definitely want is a CD player. This car had one in the glove box. But many of the cars I see listings for don't specifically mention a CD player. I know that this feature has largely disappeared on the latest model years. So my next question is do ALL 2018 S4s include a CD player?

On the test drive, I wanted to experience the full power of the car. I came to a full stop and then floored the accelerator. There was about a half second delay before the car took off. I wasn't expecting this, thinking that turbo lag was much less of an issue than it had been years ago. After reading the manual, I'm wondering if this delay was due to the start-stop system, which I had NOT turned off? I read in one place that the engine re-starts the instant you take your foot off the brake, faster than you can move it to the gas pedal. But in a review of this car from Motor Trend, the "Clunky start/stop system" is listed as a "con". So which is it?

I'm going to look at other 2018 S4s on Monday. I hope to have these questions answered by forum members before then. All constructive advice will be appreciated. Thanks!

A4Audi4Fun

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/s4-...icing-2915151/

2018 US S4 Order Guide above

Carbon Fibre Mirror Caps was an option independent of the side assist, but it looks like Side Assist is standard on all S4's (there is some wording in the order guide about credit for no side assist, so maybe some early S4's didn't have it standard) Are you confusing side assist with lane assist which is the piece that is part of the driver assistance package.

Check the soft copy manual you downloaded for the Launch Control process if you really want to check out the standing acceleration, but be aware Audi's are not really great 0->XXX cars - they have great grip with Quattro but are heavy cars in comparison to many others. From standing, the turbo needs time to boost, that's why the launch control process takes revs to around 3500-4000 rpm first.

All B9 S4's have MIB2 Navigation Plus so there should be a DVD slot in the glovebox unit; note there's also a 10GB jukebox component that means you can store files directly in the unit or utilise the SD card slots - my 2017 B9 A4 has two slots, not sure if that changed for later years

https://procarmanuals.com/self-study...-audi-connect/ - full description of MIB2 Nav Plus here.

There is a printed owners manual - look for a storage area left of the steering wheel under the headlight switch - it's pretty hidden but that where many folks left their hardcopy manuals.

S/Matt

I purchased a 2018 S4 (Prem Plus) last November (after daughter hit a deer and totaled our A3) and love it. After several Infiniti's and the A3, this is now my favorite car I've ever owned - even enjoy it for every day driving more than my friend's 911 I recently borrowed.

As referenced in A4Audi4Fun's reply, the side assist is standard. I did see on Audi's parts site (https://parts.audiusa.com/p/Audi_201...72530A3Q0.html) that the carbon fiber mirrors can be ordered for cars with or without side assist, so maybe that particular car had the wrong ones installed and covered it up?

Also as they referenced, all S4's have the DVD/CD player in the glovebox (along with the hard drive jukebox). I've never used mine as the bluetooth and CarPlay work well with iPhones.

As far as launch hesitation, I've only had that a couple times due to the annoying auto shutoff. For best acceleration (quite fantastic!), simply flick the shifter back into Sport mode and hang on tight. Thankfully you can kill the auto shutoff by either pressing the dash button, or much better yet, always drive in Sport (preferably paddle shifting but just personal preference).

Bottom line, it is a comfortable, easy to drive, absolute blast. Go for it!

johnb3030

Audi4Fun: Thanks for the link to the 2018 S4 Order Guide. Very helpful.

I understand the difference between Side Assist and Lane assist. They BOTH are part of the Driver Assist Package if you believe the owners manual. In the owners manual TOC on page 2, Audi Side Assist is listed near the bottom of the Driver assistance section, page 128 and Audi active lane assist, page 125. The Side Assist alert indicator is on the side of the side mirror housing. It would make sense that if the carbon fiber mirror caps are installed, they would have a cutout for this indicator. But the strange wording on the Monroney sticker suggests that this may not be the case. Anyway, now I know to check for this on any car I consider.

S/Matt: Thanks for your encouragement!

A4Audi4Fun

Agreed they both fit into the category of Driver Assistance within the Owner's Manual but Audi separated them out when it came to how the features were actually added to the car. Look in the Order Guide and you will see the specific features that come in the Driver Assistance Package Option. Side Assist is standard in both Premium Plus and Prestige trims, but you will only get Active Lane Assist if the the Driver Assistance Package option was added to the car (it was an option for both trims per the order guide).

As you said the side assist light is quite visible on the mirrors and you might also be able to check by turning the engine on and having someone walk alongside the car in the blindspot area at the rear of the car. The other way to identify if the Driver Assistance Package option is installed, is to look for a round bulge in the lower front bumper area - the bulge holds the forward facing radar that's part of the Adaptive Cruise Control portion of the Driver Assistance Package option.

johnb3030

Since my last posting, I've now looked at two more 2018 S4s. I found the storage area left of the steering wheel under the headlight switch, but there was no owners manual in either car. I saw a discussion somewhere that suggests that Audi may have stopped supplying printed owners manuals recently. Can anyone confirm that as of the 2018 model year Audi was still supplying a printed owners manual for the S4?

Also, on both of these cars I looked under the spare tire for the jack but it wasn't there. Just the battery. Is there some other place the jack is stored in the 2018 S4?

Thanks again!

SCarGuy

All Audi's come with printed owners manuals. They can be in that cubby, in the trunk, or simply not there at all given it's a used car.

they don't come with jacks - that was an option, which most dealers don't elect to order, since the cars come with roadside assistance and those scissor jacks are a death trap

Is this in the US?

if so, yes, all B9 S4's had cd players. It's referred to as media player

All S4's had side assist from 2018 and up. The B9 first came out in 2017, as a 2018. Early cars integrated Side Assist into the package with Nav and other items. Lane assist for B9 was part of Driver Assistance (lane assist + laser guided cruise). For 2018-2019, this meant it had to be a Prestige, as you could not get Driver Assist any other way. Yes a car can have carbon mirrors and side assist - mine does. The carbon mirror caps also fit A4's, not all of which (B9) had side assist. Any S4 ordered with carbon mirror caps would have had the provision for side assist, which simply shows up as a light on the inner part of the sideview mirror

The stop start delay is present if the car has shut off (red light, etc). If not, then it all depends what drive mode (and/or whether you have the gear lever in D or S) you are on as far as the level of throttle response you get.

RickNY

Never heard of that on the S4... Both my 2018 and 2021 came with a space saving spare tire as well as jack and tools. On the 2018, the jack and tools were in the caddy underneath the spare tire next to the battery. On my 2021, they did away with the caddy and put everything in a bag along with a strap and strap it down to the cargo hooks on the side. I ended up ordering the caddy for the S5 from ECS to put that stuff back below the tire.

I'm pretty sure if it comes with the spare (which IS standard on the S4), it comes with the jack. I know I never had to order it separately, nor does the jack show up anywhere on my sticker... Has anyone here purchased a new B9 or B9.5 S4 in the US market that came with anything other than the spare tire and tool/jack?

RickNY

Also -- if I remember correctly, on my 2018 -- the jack and tools were located in the forward storage compartment in the trunk. This is the one that closes against the back seat. For the B9.5, that area was taken away for tool/jack storage due to components used for the Audi Phone Box.

SCarGuy

Was optional when I ordered my car - didn't want it, didn't get it. Again, could have been one of those rolling changes, as there is never 1 build guide for a model year, it is subject to change throughout the year