Fitment guide
Why your year and model are not enough
A 2016 A4 can be one of two completely different cars. Chassis generation and engine code are what actually determine fitment — here is how to find both.
"2016 Audi A4" is not enough information to sell you a part, and any shop that says otherwise is guessing.
The reason is that Audi changes generation mid-calendar-year. A 2016 A4 might be a late B8.5 or an early B9. They share a badge and a model year, and almost nothing else that matters for parts.
Chassis generation
The generation — the chassis code — is the real unit of fitment. For the A4:
- B5 — 1995 to 2001
- B6 — 2001 to 2004
- B7 — 2005 to 2008
- B8 / B8.5 — 2008 to 2015
- B9 — 2016 onward
Other lines run their own ladders: the A3 goes 8L, 8P, 8V, 8Y; the A6 runs C5 through C8; the Q5 goes 8R then 80A. A crossover year is always a coin flip, and the years above overlap on purpose because the changeover is not clean.
You can read the generation straight off a part number you already have — the platform prefix encodes it. 8K0 is B8, 8W0 is B9. That is covered in how to read an Audi OE part number.
Engine code
Within one generation, the engine determines a surprising amount. Cooling packs, brake disc diameters, timing components, intake plumbing and mounts all vary between engine variants on an otherwise identical car.
The engine code is a three or four character code — CABB, EA888, CDNC, CRTD. It is not the displacement. Two 2.0 TFSI engines from different years can be different engines with different service parts.
Where to find both
The VIN is the definitive answer. It encodes the model year and plant, and any dealer can resolve it to the exact build.
The service sticker or data plate carries the engine code directly. Look in the spare wheel well, on the boot lid, or in the service book. On many cars there is a plate with a two- or three-letter engine code printed alongside the paint code.
The engine block itself is stamped with the code, though reaching it usually means removing a cover.
An old part number is the shortcut most people overlook. If you still have the part you are replacing, its number resolves fitment faster than any lookup.
What this means when you shop
On our site, the vehicle selector filters on generation and year rather than model year alone, because that is what the fitment data supports. Picking your car narrows the catalogue to parts we have confirmed against that chassis.
Two honest caveats. First, fitment coverage is still being built out — a part with no fitment data will not appear under a vehicle filter even if it does fit. Second, the engine selector helps us label your garage, but the fitment data itself is keyed to generation and year, not engine, so it will not narrow results further.
If a vehicle filter returns fewer parts than you expect, browse the full catalogue or the relevant category and check the part number yourself using the guide above.
The short version
- Model year alone is ambiguous at every generation changeover.
- Chassis code is the real unit of fitment.
- Engine code decides variant-level differences within a generation.
- The number on the old part beats all of the above for speed and accuracy.
Send us a VIN and a part number and we will confirm it before you spend anything.
Parts in this guide
Fitment guaranteed by engine code. Ask a technician if you are unsure.
