mercury512

I have an '18 S4 and also drove an S5 at my Audi dealer that has the same issues as my S4. I consistently experience the slow response to getting on the throttle from a stop (to the point I was more comfortable pulling out into traffic in a FWD Q3 than in my S4). I've owned other turbocharged cars and this does not seem at all like turbo lag. I have noticed that if I'm rolling much at all the lag is greatly diminished.

More disturbing and possibly related is a problem that is most noticeable in 1st gear in manual mode but it can also be reproduced in automatic mode. The problem is that when going from on the throttle to off the throttle, there's a solid 1-2 second delay during which the engine keeps revving up and therefore the car keeps accelerating. I'm lucky i haven't rear-ended anyone yet because of this. Audi customer service was very evasive in their responses making it sound like they are working on it while also making it sound like they didn't know about it before I mentioned it to them.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, have you contacted your dealer, Audi customer service, etc.?

dbuxton13

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) that sounds like an isolated problem, as I have not experienced either of those issues in any mode or setting. In 'D' mode (or as I call it "fuel saving low performance mode" so the Germans can pass stringent European emissions), the engine can be "casual" or soft about picking up RPMs, but that is completely gone in Sport+Dynamic. Any turbo lag is extremely short with the twin scroll design, I'm loving it. You didn't mention any settings in your description, so I would start there.

Even without the turbo it's a 3 liter engine, so opening the throttle should still result in immediate forward movement. Off to the dealer for a service check, I would imagine. Customer service will be of little help for something like this.

mercury512

I should add that the slow response taking off from a stop is better in S vs. D but it's still not great. Every single loaner Audi I've had, including FWD Q3 and A4s have been vastly better. Once I'm moving, it flies! I can at least understand a delay with a DCT but that should be totally non-existent with the slushbox.

On the other issue where it keeps accelerating after lifting off the throttle, the Drive Select and gearbox mode don't matter. I'd love to find another S4/S5 here in the US that works correctly so I can say "see, it's my car" or find a bunch more that have the problem so I can beat up Audi about it.

gpe92

I have experienced this exact issue in 1st gear. When depressing the gas in manual mode (M1) and immediately releasing the gas to step on the brake, the motor will continue to rev up for a split second instead of instantly decelerating. I'm not convinced there is an issue with the car, but I think it has something to do with the new ZF tranny. If I rev up hard like that in 1st, and switch to second gear quickly, the problem is non-existent.

I also find it strange that the car feels sluggish driving in D or S when "driving stop and go-y" because the tranny stays in 2nd gear instead of downshifting into 1st. Kinda sounds like someone is riding the clutch in a manual car.. Again, I believe these experience are due to the transmission not sure though.. Just my thoughts

mercury512

The shift into 2nd gear will mask the fact that the motor is continuing to rev. I have had the problem (significantly less obviously) occur in automatic mode at speeds slow enough where the transmission isn't going to upshift yet.

The sluggishness feel like taking off in a car with a manual and nearly stalling it. My thought is that there's just overall lag in the ECU commanding the throttle body to respond or the throttle body is slow to respond.

ghostrider990

While I can't say that I've experienced this EXACT issue, i will say, that after 6000 miles, my biggest complaint about the S4 is the ZF trans.
I have driven alot of the newer models with both DCT and ZF's, and still prefer the DCT by far. however - the ZF is what we got, and i'm not unhappy, but it isn't perfect.

I have also experienced some oddities in up and down shifting, in all drive modes - and snatchiness is particularly pronounced during warm-up.

My advice to you, is develop and foster a working relationship with your Audi Dealership and Service Advisor - NOT an adversarial one.

Calling the Audi Customer Service line, will get you nothing. Work with your shop, document the issues, be kind, courteous, and humble.
Help them, help you.

makisupa5-0

I have experienced the acceleration issue in manual 1st gear. It's scary and I've had to use the brakes to avoid an accident. Only noticeable when hitting the throttle very hard in M1 and then lifting off abruptly before the redline shift to 2nd. I have not noticed the sluggishness you describe.

jlc

My husband and I frequently experienced something like this in our '10 and '12 A4s. I think it was confined to situations when the turbo would aggressively kick in, and then a moment later you had to brake sharply, as when you have to aim hard for a tight spot. I referred to it unfondly as "braking against the boost". (Although I was taught, learning to drive in OH, that tucking yourself b/t cars in a way that requires the driver behind to brake is incredibly rude behavior, out here in the NYC metro area this maneuver is expected, at least during commuter rush hour when traffic is both fast and dense....I add the color so we don't come across as complete a******* to those who have driven solely in the Midwest.) I haven't run into this response on the S4 yet, but suspect it's merely b/c the S4's engine is so comparatively powerful that I haven't mapped that region of phase space yet. (And, to be clear, I'm not keen to--I'm more than a tad nervous about what might happen if one were to mash the brakes while the car was in the midst of one of its 2-redlines-in-4-seconds rocket blast-offs.)

I have, however, noticed on the S4 that the engine revs quite a bit louder than expected when I'm braking during the accelerate/lunge-over/brake-hard maneuver, and I've been wondering if the transmission is downshifting more than usual (for the speed) to employ engine braking in addition to (normal? standard?) braking. I know we can see which gear we're in on the VC, but under these conditions I want my eyes firmly forward, not down.

bl0rq

I test drove a new '18 yesterday and noticed the same sorts of issues. It was very off-putting. I wrote off the idea of updating my 2011 because of it (well that and the bad exhaust note, but that's a whole different thread). After reading what some of the others are saying, I am wondering if it was has an issue or broken as designed...

markcincinnati

If you would/can: Drive the S4 EXCLUSIVELY (no cheating) in "S" mode (regardless of how you have ADS set) for a week, you may find your concerns mostly vanish. My understanding is that "D" is for the EPA rating. When driving this S4 in "D" it feels as if the parking brake is partially engaged. It feels, frankly, like it is in limp-home mode (which is a thing). In "S" the revs are 200+ RPMs higher and the rev matching (downshifting) works close to the way I would shift it if it was a stick-shift.

I have my ADS set: Dynamic, Dynamic, Comfort, Auto -- and when I start out in the morning, I double pull the shifter into "S" mode, since it defaults (no matter what) to "D" -- come to think of it, I've done this ever since I had to no longer have stick shifts (in Audis). My last stick shift was a 2003 allroad, followed by a 2005 A6 3.2 quattro. I've been driving in "S" for almost 13 [happy] years. I have almost zero use for "D" -- these cars just don't seem (as they must be programmed) to "feel right" driven in "D".

It seems a contradiction of terms to buy an "S" Audi and drive it in "D" -- but, I stand ready to be found "Often wrong but never uncertain." Try it ("S" mode) -- for a whole week.