2012 Audi S4 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2012 Audi S4, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Powertrain (other)1456.0%
- Fuel system520.0%
- Electrical312.0%
- Brakes28.0%
- Driver assistance14.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
CIRCUIT BOARD ON THE MECHATRONICS UNIT FAILED AND CAR IS UNDER 100K MILES. SUDDEN SHAKING AND BANGING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN GIVING IT GAS ABOVE 30. FREQUENT JOLTS, DANGEROUS TO DRIVE...
THE DSG TRANSMISSION IN MY AUDI S4 EXPERIENCES ABRUPT JERKING FROM 2ND TO 1ST GREAT WHILE DECELERATING. IT ALSO JERKS AND FEELS LIKE IT IS BEING HIT WHILE SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND WHEN ACCELERATING NORMALLY.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL INJECTOR LEAKING AND NEEDS REPLACED. MY CAR WAS NEVER ON THE RECALL LIST. SITTING AT AUDI DEALER NOW.
COOLANT PUMP BLEW OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, MY CAR DROPPED INTO LOWER GEARS AND STOPPED MOVING, AND TWO ERROR CODES POPPED UP "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" AND "TPMS MALFUNCTION". LOOKING THIS UP ONLINE AND DISCUSSING WITH MY MECHANIC, THIS IS SOMETHING HAPPENING IN A LOT OF THE CARS THAT ARE THIS MAKE & MODEL AND HAVE THE SAME TRANSMISSION.
VEHICLE FLASHES A GEARBOX MALFUNCTION WARNING AND MOST ELECTRONICS WENT DEAD. VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE CAUSING ME TO NEARLY BE REAR ENDED. AFTER TURNING OFF CAR AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LOSE POWER RANDOMLY EVERY MILE OR SO. THIS CREATED VERY UNSAFE CONDITIONS ON A BUSY FREEWAY. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE A FAULTY SENSOR IN THE TRANSMISSION. AUDI HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE BUT WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I AM A MECHNIC WITH 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND I JUST STARTED THIS NEW JOB TWO WEEKS AGO. THEIR JUST THREE MECHNICS IN THE SHOP. WE HAD A 2012 AUDI S4 COME INTO THE SHOP WITH THE OWNER COMPLAINING OF BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE OWNER OF THE CAR SAID THE SOMTIMES ALL THE SUDDEN HIS BRAKES WOULD GO OUT WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AND HIS BRAKE PEDEL FELT SOFT. I TOOK ON THE WORK. MY SHOP FOREMAN TOLD ME TO BLEED THE BRAKES OUT. SO I DID. I NOTICED THT THE BRAKE RESIVIOR HAD A THICK GREEN SUBTANCE IN IT. I KNEW FROM MY EXPERIENCE THAT THEIR WAS A LOT OF WATER AND OTHER CONTAMINATION IN THE SYSTEM. I IMEADITLY INFORMD MY FOREMAN THAT THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED AND CLEANED. MY FOREMAN TOLD ME THT THE CAR WAS DONE AND TO MOVE ON. I IMEADITLY EXPRESSED MY CONCERN AND GAVE MY PROFESSIONAL ADVICE THAT THAT CAR WAS NOT TO BE DRIVING UNTIL IT WAS FIXD. THE BRAKES COULD FAIL ANYTIME AND SOMONE COULD BE KILLED. HRS LATER I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SEEN THE CARS OWNER AND HIS KIDS GET INTO THE CAR AND DRIVE OFF. I AGAIN EXPRESSED MY CONCERN TO THE FOREMAN. HE HAD TOLD THE CUSTOMER THT IT WAS FIXED. MY FORMAN JUST LET THIS COSTMER LEAVE OUT IN A CAR WITH HIS KIDS THE WAS UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. THE CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. MY FOREMAN JUST DIDNT CARE. NEXT DAY THE CAR CAME BACK WITH THE COSTOMER COMPLAING THE HIS BRAKES FAILD ON HIM AND THAT THEY WHERE NOT FIXED. IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN KILLED THAN IT WOULD BE MY FOREMANS FALT FOR NEGLANCE. I THINK HE SHOULD GOTO JAIL FOR THIS. IT IS MORALY WRONG AND DANGEROUS. WHT IS IT GONNA TAKE FOR THEASE TYPE OF ACTIONS FROM HIM TO STOP. HOPFULLY NOT FOR SOMONEMTO DIE FIRST.
VERY ABRUPTLY SHIFTS UP OR DOWN LAUNCHING THE CAR FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
VERY ABRUPTLY SHIFTS UP OR DOWN LAUNCHING THE CAR FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .