RoadVitals

2012 Audi A4 Avant Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Jun 5, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
65%
of 26 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Audi A4 Avant submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 5, 2019

CAR HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING. AND STARTING UP THE CAR HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE RANDOMLY JUSTIFIED. SOME TIMES IT STARTS UP RIGHT AWAY, SOME TIMES IT JUST TAKES A FEW CRANKS. DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S WARM OR COLD ENGINE. I PULLED ECU CODE AND IT SAYS U0100 WHICH IS LOSS OF COMMUNICATION TO ECM. WELL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I CAN BE DRIVING JUST FINE ON THE ROAD BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT JUST DECIDES TO QUIT CAUSE A HAVOC ON A BUSY TRAFFIC IN HOUSTON.

NHTSA ID
11218134
Incident
Jun 1, 2019
Mileage
66,540 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 29, 2019

THIS CAR HAS A MASSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. A WEEK AFTER HAVING AN OIL CHANGE THE LOW OIL LIGHT COMES ON AFTER APPROXIMATE 150 MILES OF DRIVING. I STARTED HAPPENING IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON . I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER THEY RAN THE REQUIRED TESTS THAT FAILED, WAS TOLD THAT AUDI PUT THE WRONG ENGINE IN THE CAR AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $8K FOR THEM TO FIX IT. THIS IS NOT MY PROBLEM, IT IS AUDI'S BECAUSE IT IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT THEY SETTLED IN A LAWSUIT YEARS PRIOR. IT IS NERVE-WRACKING TO DRIVE BECAUSE, I NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH OIL IS IN THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
11192438
Incident
Feb 17, 2017
Mileage
63,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 28, 2019

PISTON RINGS CAR IS SMOKING AND OIL IS COMING OUT OF THE MUFFLER THE CAR HAVE LAST THEN 100K MILEAGE

NHTSA ID
11192289
Incident
Jan 1, 2019
Mileage
95,000 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 5, 2018

2012 AUDI A4 QUATTRO USES (BURNS) AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL, CONSTANTLY HAVING TO ADD MOTOR OIL. MUST ADD A QUART OF OIL ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND DRIVING LESS THAN 1,000 PER MONTH.

NHTSA ID
11145285
Incident
Nov 3, 2018
Mileage
75,000 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 1, 2018

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND AUDI WANTS TO CHARGE ME $12,000 TO REPAIR THE OIL CONSUMPTION DUE TO THEIR BEING DAMAGE TO MY PISTON RINGS. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR. DURING THE TIME THAT THE FIRST OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT THAT HAD BEEN FILED AND SETTLED AGAINST AUDI DO TO THE MANUFACTURER MALFUNCTION WHICH CAUSED THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. BY THE TIME I BECAME THE OWNER THE SUITE HAD ALREADY SETTLED. AT THIS POINT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ID
11144723
Incident
Nov 2, 2016
Engine
Filed Oct 8, 2018

2012 AUDI A4 HAS HAD ONGOING OIL CONSUMPTION ISUUES. AUDI DEALER PERFORMED CONSUMPTION TEST DONE AROUND 74K (3QTS PER 1000MILES - BASICALLY HAVE HAD TO ADD 1 QT EVERY 300 MILES. WAS TOLD NO RECOURSE - WAS OUTSIDE OF CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OF 2009-2011 OF SIMILAR ISSUES. NOW AT 133K MILE, ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING - EPC LIGHT CAME ON - CAR WAS SERVICED LESS THAN 25K MILES AND HAD ALL 4 FUEL INJECTORS, 4 SPARK PLUGS AND 2 IGNITION COILS REPLACED AND DE-CARB PROCEDURE DONE. I'M AT A LOSS THAT AUDI REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY ENGINE.

NHTSA ID
11139039
Incident
Sep 28, 2018
Mileage
133,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 22, 2018

WE WERE JUST INFORMED OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT INVOLVING TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER FAILURE. THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP POSSIBLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND HARM TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. THE LAWSUIT COULD RESULT IN AN EXTENDED PRO-RATED WARRANTY BUT NO RECALL OR REPAIRS MADE TO ANY VEHICLE PRIOR TO ENGINE FAILURE. AUDI IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO THE DEALER NETWORK BUT WILL NOT OFFER ANY REPAIRS OUTSIDE OF THE CURRENT WARRANTY. WE BELIEVE ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED PRIOR TO A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN LOSS OF LIFE.

NHTSA ID
11130770
Incident
Sep 22, 2018
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 13, 2018

UPON HAVING 3 CONSECUTIVE OIL CHANGES, MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO BURN OIL (NO LEAKS) AFTER THE FIRST OIL CHANGE UPON DRIVING LESS THAN 900 MILES. THEN THE SECOND OIL CHANGE DID THE SAME THING UPON DRIVING UNDER 300 MILES. IT ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF OIL TOTALLY. I ADDED OIL AS INSTRUCTED BY THE CAR, AND IT BURN THE OIL WITHING 250 MILES OF DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS MODEL AND YEAR HAD THE WRONG ENGINE PUT IN THE VEHICLE. THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE AT MY COST, WITH POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT TO ME. NOT ACCEPTABLE, SINCE THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE DEFECT. OIL CONTINUES TO BURN AT A VERY HIGH RATE AND POTENTIAL CAUSE ADDITIONAL ENGINE PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID
11101607
Incident
May 11, 2018
Mileage
64,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 21, 2018

OIL LIGHT KEEP APPEARING ON DASHBOARD EVEN WHEN SERVICED

NHTSA ID
11074127
Incident
Feb 21, 2018
Engine
Filed Feb 16, 2018

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING CHAIN TO SLIP AND IMMEDIATE ENGINE STOPPAGE.

NHTSA ID
11073235
Incident
Feb 16, 2018
Mileage
88,946 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 21, 2017

REPLACEMENT OF TIMING CHAIN, TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER, TIMING CHAIN GUIDES & LOWER TIMING COVER WITH PISTON REPAIR

NHTSA ID
11055992
Incident
Dec 19, 2017
Engine
Filed Aug 1, 2017

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE AND ALMOST CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST ALMOST ALL POWER AND DECELERATED TO A 15 MPH PACE ON MAJOR STREET WITH 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT.

NHTSA ID
11012148
Incident
Jul 31, 2017
Mileage
55,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 24, 2017

I TURNED CAR OFF, WENT INTO A STORE CAME BACK, STARTED CAR AND IT SOUNDED HORRIBLE, AS IF TOTALLY FALLING APART. TURNED IT OFF, TRIED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT START AT ALL. DEALER SAID ENGINE WAS SHOT, SEIZED UP HAS TO BE REPLACED. THEY HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING IT SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. OIL CHANGES ALL UP TO DATE. 30,000 MILE OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. DEALER HAS NO UNDERSTAND OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING? NO IDEA. HAS ANYONE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO THEIR AUDI A4 2012?

NHTSA ID
10980165
Incident
Apr 17, 2017
Mileage
80,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 7, 2016

EXTREMELY LOUD "ROARING" NOISE ON A COLD START AFTER HAVING SAT OVERNIGHT. DEALERSHIP BASICALLY REPORTED AS NORMAL "OF NO CONSEQUENCE". CONTINUOUS SINCE NEW.

NHTSA ID
10854168
Incident
Sep 1, 2012
EngineFuel system
Filed Aug 20, 2015

I RECENTLY PURCHASED MY 2012 AUDI A4 AFTER A FEW WEEKS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED I WAS TOLD ( SYSTEM WAS TO LEAN IN BANK 1) I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW O2 SYSTEM, LIGHT NEVER WENT OFF AND I WAS TOLD NEXT THAT THEIR WAS A LEAK IN A VACUUM SEAL AND LASTLY MY COOLANT LEVEL WAS DEPLETING AT A RAPID SPEED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEIR WAS A LEAK FROM THE WATER PUMP.

NHTSA ID
10750153
Incident
Jul 30, 2015
Mileage
56,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Apr 21, 2014

ONLY FIVE MINUTES AFTER STARTING CAR IN MORNING, ENGINE RAPIDLY LOST POWER AND QUIT COMPLETELY WHILE IN 60 MPH TRAFFIC ON HEAVILY TRAVELED INTERSTATE 526 IN CHARLESTON, SC. COASTED CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC LANES TO SIDE, A VERY DANGEROUS LOCATION ON ELEVATED ROADWAY. HAD CAR TOWED TO AUDI DEALER, WHO SAID THEY TESTED AND FOUND FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND ENGINE SEEMS TO RUN NORMALLY NOW. IN FOUR DECADES OF DRIVING I'VE NEVER HAD A FUEL PUMP FAIL. THIS ONE PUT MY WIFE AND ME IN JEOPARDY DUE TO THE SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN MIDDLE OF FAST, HEAVY TRAFFIC. WE WERE LUCKY TO GET OUT WITHOUT BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRUCKS & TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID
10583872
Incident
Apr 5, 2014
Mileage
29,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 12, 2012

AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER OF MY 2012 AUDI A4 AVANT QUATTRO, A STRANGE NOISE BEGAN FROM THE FRONT AREA OF THE ENGINE. THE NOISE HAPPENS AT THE FIRST STARTUP OF THE ENGINE REGARDLESS OF AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES WHEN THE ENGINE IDLES DOWN THE NOISE STOPS. DIFFERENT AUDI TECHNICIANS AT TWO DEALERSHIPS HAVE DIAGNOSED THE NOISE AS 1) CAM TENSIONERS, 2) A BAD BEARING INSIDE THE CAM CASE, 3) SECONDARY BLOWER MOTOR AND, 4) LASH IN THE VVT SYSTEM. NONE OF THE TECHNICIANS HAVE PUT A WRENCH ON ANY OF THE NAMED COMPONENTS BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIPS' SERVICE MANAGERS, AUDI USA WILL NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIRS. ACCORDING TO AUDI USA, THE STRANGE NOISE IS A NORMAL FUNCTION EVEN THOUGH AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY THE NOISE WAS NOT APPARENT FOR THE FIRST APPROXIMATE 1000 MILES OF DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10451274
Incident
Feb 6, 2012
Mileage
3,956 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .