2012 Audi S4 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
70/100
#4 most-complained of 11 S4 years
The 2012 Audi S4 has 22 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 70, ranking 4th worst among 11 model years and earning a 'Caution' verdict. Transmission & Powertrain issues dominate at 64% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 76,000 miles.
- Complaints
- 22
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 18 city / 27.5 hwy
Top 2012 Audi S4 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain14 (64%)
- Fuel System5 (23%)
- Electrical System3 (14%)
- Brakes2 (9%)
- Other2 (9%)
- Engine1 (5%)
What owners report
- DSG transmission shifts poorly and slips between gears, sometimes downshifting hard during stop-and-go driving.
- Gearbox malfunction warnings trigger 'limp mode,' cutting engine power and making it hard to pull over safely.
- Transmission mechatronic failures leave the car unable to reverse and cause rough, lurching shifts from a stop.
- Sudden loss of power and acceleration occurs while driving on highways, tied to a faulty transmission sensor.
- Coolant pump failures cause overheating and coolant leaks, with one case reported as a fire.
- Fuel injectors and fuel lines leak, in some cases with the vehicle not covered by the existing recall.
2012 Audi S4 recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 15V019000Jan 20, 2015Fuel System26,008 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:fuel rail
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Audi S4, S5, Q7, 2012 Audi A6, Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles. In the affected vehicles the fuel injection system may experience a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the injection system in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 24AP for Audi customers and 24BK for Volkswagen customers.
2012 Audi S4 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 27.5 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,800
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other S4 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Audi S4 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 22 complaints for the 2012 Audi S4 with a complaint index of 70, giving it a 'Caution' verdict relative to other S4 model years. Transmission & Powertrain problems make up 64% of complaints.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2012 Audi S4?
- Transmission & Powertrain issues are the top problem area, accounting for 14 of 22 complaints (64%), with a median failure mileage of 76,000 miles.
- Does the 2012 Audi S4 have a recall?
- Yes, one recall (campaign 15V019000) covers a fuel system issue involving fuel rails and seals on 2011-2012 Audi S4 and related Volkswagen Group vehicles.
- How does the 2012 Audi S4 compare to other years?
- The 2012 model ranks 4th worst out of 11 years tracked, with a complaint index of 70. Its 2010 predecessor scored worse at 100, while 2018 and later years score lower, meaning fewer reported problems.