<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-05-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001023364</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AUTOBYTEL  INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ABTL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001235152</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CCM MASTER QUALIFIED FUND LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MORGAN STANLEY FUND SERVICES (CAYMAN</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>LTD CENTURY YARD CRICKET SQ HUTCHINGS DR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PO BOX 2681 GEORGE TOWN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>E9</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>00000</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>CAYMAN ISLANDS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162675</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COGHILL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1 N WACKER DR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>STE 4350</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60606</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001235155</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COGHILL CLINT D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Equity Swap</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.54</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-05-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>1</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8454</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.02</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-04-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-05-04</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>ABTL Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8454</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>329327</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Equity Swap</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.54</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-05-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>1</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>84922</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.02</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-04-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-05-04</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>ABTL Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>84922</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3637465</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Indirectly by Coghill Capital Management, LLC and Clint D. Coghill</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Principal of investment manager or investment manager to the investment management entity in whose account the reported securities are held.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The reported transaction relates to the sale of the subject securities by CCM SPV II, LLC, a private investment vehicle managed by Coghill Capital Management, L.L.C., and which received the subject securities in connection with certain in-kind redemptions by investors from CCM Master Qualified Fund, Ltd.  CCM SPV II, LLC is not (and never has been) itself a &quot;10% owner&quot; subject to Section 16.  Further, Coghill Capital Management, L.L.C. and Clint D. Coghill have no pecuniary interest in CCM SPV II, LLC or the subject securities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Under the terms of these total return equity swap agreements (the &quot;Swaps&quot;) (i) CCM Master Qualified Fund, Ltd or CCM SPV II, LLC, as the case may be, will be obligated to pay to the counterparty any capital depreciation of the reference shares as of maturity, plus interest, and (ii) the counterparty will be obligated to pay to the CCM Master Qualified Fund, Ltd or CCM SPV II, LLC, as the case may be, any capital appreciation of the reference shares as of maturity.  Any dividends received by the counterparty on the reference shares during the term of the Swaps will be paid to CCM Master Qualified Fund, Ltd or CCM SPV II, LLC, as the case may be.  All balances will be cash settled at maturity and there will be no transfer of voting or dispositive power over the reference shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>CCM Master Qualified Fund, Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Coghill Capital Management, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Clint D. Coghill</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
