Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 19 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Audi A4, most frequently naming the engine, fuel system and brakes categories. 578 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2019 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 2019 | 1 | 2 |
| Feb 2020 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec 2020 | 2 | 5 |
| Jan 2021 | 2 | 7 |
| Apr 2021 | 4 | 11 |
| May 2021 | 1 | 12 |
| Oct 2021 | 1 | 13 |
| Dec 2021 | 1 | 14 |
| Jul 2022 | 1 | 15 |
| Mar 2023 | 1 | 16 |
| Jul 2023 | 1 | 17 |
| Oct 2024 | 1 | 18 |
| Jan 2026 | 1 | 19 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Audi A4. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 90,512 and at the time of the registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 175,000.
There is a recall for the year after this when many Audi owners of this model have the same issue per the Audi forums. We have the coolant leaking issue as well and it should have been included in the recall
1) Turbo, not because I'm looking to replace it 2) the car could stall when merging into highway or passing on the left lane 3) Yes 4) No 5) Yes, Check Engine Light came on afterward Check engine light came on after I tried to merge into a lane, while I was stepping on the gas peddle hard there was no acceleration. While the car did not stall, but it was not moving fast enough to provide the distance I need to be safe from the car behind me.
There have been wide-spread reports & complaints with Audi A4's starting in 2009. Audi settled a class-action lawsuit in 2015 but it only covered vehicles madein 2009-2011. If you look at any Audi owner blog or any car blog you'll find thousands of complaints about excessive oil consumption resulting in owners needing to replace pistons. In my case, I was given an estimate to replace pistons & timing belt for over $8,000 in 2021. There are additional class-action lawsuits pending against Audi BUT on my own I can do nothing and I have contacted Audi multiple times since they are "clearly" well-aware of that this is a wide-spread problem with their cars. HOW IS IT the NHTSA has no information on this problem? How is it that a recall wasn't instituted years ago? What are you doing to protect consumers from Audi's refusal to help owners? It is impossible that this problem hasn't been previously reported. I need this matter resolved, I need the car repaired & I need Audi to pay for the cost of repair based on their faulty manufacturing. Given that thousands of Audi owners are affected, clearly, this should qualify as a recall.
I have continued to notice increasing oil consumption on my 2012 AUDI A4. I have mentioned this to my dealership, however they kept dismissing it as an old car. I noticed that there have been numerous reports of this with AUDI vehicles. I requested for 2 part oil consumption test, which failed. Nonetheless, they keep suggesting that there is nothing to be done. Please advise, if this meets concern similar to other consumers with this issue.
Owned 1 year and just over 120ish miles TIMING CHAIN Jumped Required Head Rebuild and the Timing Replacement. Soon as those were completed and Car back on the road, OIL CONSUMPTION every 150miles with Carbon Buildup regularly on the rear bumper. Low Oil Pressure light soon to appear following up with Water Pump Housing Cracking, Replaced the water pump and low oil pressure is worse than before this repair. Checked Oil Pan for sludge, OIL PAN FULL of METAL, tear down the top end of motor inspection disclosed that both of the BALANCE SHAFTS and SPROCKET were destroyed teeth missing form gears, assuming that in addition to this that piston rings definitely must be fried so they will be replaced with the balance shafts repair. In Addition to this entire ENGINE being a Lemon and needing replaced or rebuilt, 2 smaller issues I’ve had would be Wiper Motor is not even fast enough for major downpours so possibly needs replacement and also the rear backup camera is extremely difficult for viewing as it’s foggy/pixelated/shadowy and during rain completely useless.
This vehicles Water Pump has failed and has been replaced 3 times in the last 3 years. I fear for the safety of the vehicle. We've received numerous correspondence regarding class actions suits and such for cooling system issues.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RECEIVED AN OIL CHANGE HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING ONLY 300 MILES, THE MINIMUM OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ADDED TWO QUARTS OF OIL TO THE ENGINE HOWEVER, AFTER SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES OF DRIVING, THE OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUDI STEVENS CREEK SERVICE (751 S WINCHESTER BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95128, (888) 903-4834) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PISTONS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00.
ENGINE
This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
STRUCTURE:BODY
This bulletin provides information when there is a film/visible rings on the clear glass cover of the headlight when the dipped beam is switched on.
POWER TRAIN
This bulletin provides infomraiotn when there is a gearbox malfunction message in the instrument clostuer; DTC P0706; vehicles with 0AW gearbox.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin provides informationwhen noises/vibration are detected from front of vehicle in dynamic mode.
POWER TRAIN
This bulleitn procides informaiton when tehre is a transmission warning mssage in the instrument cluster; P074100 is stored in the TCM.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 43.4 |
| 2022 | 6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 65.1 |
| 2020 | 127 | 3 | 0 | 48.0 |
| 2019 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 59.4 |
| 2018 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 49.2 |
| 2017 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 40.6 |
| 2016 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 35.5 |
| 2015 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 46.4 |
| 2014 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 32.2 |
| 2013 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 44.8 |
| 2012Viewing | 19 | 0 | 0 | 39.7 |
| 2011 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 27.6 |
| 2010 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 31.8 |
| 2009 | 120 | 2 | 0 | 47.1 |
| 2008 | 175 | 4 | 0 | 50.8 |
| 2007 | 196 | 3 | 0 | 46.5 |
| 2006 | 295 | 3 | 0 | 47.0 |
| 2005 | 219 | 4 | 0 | 49.4 |
| 2004 | 189 | 3 | 1 | 50.9 |
| 2003 | 210 | 4 | 0 | 49.2 |
| 2002 | 181 | 2 | 0 | 50.4 |
| 2001 | 131 | 3 | 1 | 57.3 |
| 2000 | 96 | 5 | 3 | 58.5 |
| 1999 | 190 | 7 | 5 | 59.8 |
| 1998 | 258 | 6 | 5 | 59.0 |
| 1997 | 98 | 8 | 4 | 62.0 |
| 1996 | 89 | 6 | 3 | 56.1 |
| 1995 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.