Owners have filed 27 complaints
about the 2012 Audi S4 with NHTSA between 2012 and 2019.
The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain.
Across this model's run it ranks 9 of 14 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 28
Against the median year of the Audi S4. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 38
7.4% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 36
21% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
10,000 – 24,999 miles
28.3%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
416.7%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
1041.7%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
520.8%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
312.5%
NHTSA crash tests
The agency crash-tested this model year itself. These are its own
photographs and star ratings.
Configuration
Overall
Front
Side
Rollover
2012 Audi S4 4 DR AWD
9.9% risk
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Dec 2012peak 4Sep 2019
Recalls on the 2012 Audi S4
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 20150183,174 units in Canada
Fuel System
On certain vehicles, a fuel leak may occur in the fuel injection system under certain driving conditions. Leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source could lead to a fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding fuel injector seals.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 70,000 milesHouston, TXFire
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
COOLANT PUMP BLEW OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.
NHTSA complaint #11127920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesHouston, TXFire
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY COOLANT PUMP WENT OUT AND OVERHEATED THE CAR. THE COOLANT LEAKED OUT. MY CAR ONLY HAS 60K MILES ON IT. AUDI RECENTLY RECALLED COOLANT PUMPS FOR THIS VERY REASON ON THE A4, A5, A6 BUT HAVENT MADE THE RECALL FOR THE S CLASS. PLEASE BE ADVISED THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND PLACED ME AND FAMILY IN HARMS WAY.
NHTSA complaint #11092654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 98,000 milesElmwood Park, NJ
POWER TRAIN
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...
NHTSA complaint #11258596 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 64,000 milesColorado Springs, CO
POWER TRAIN
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.
NHTSA complaint #11246180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 105,000 milesJacobus, PA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL INJECTOR LEAKING AND NEEDS REPLACED. MY CAR WAS NEVER ON THE RECALL LIST. SITTING AT AUDI DEALER NOW.
NHTSA complaint #11240976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 107,592 milesChantilly, VA
POWER TRAIN
THE GEARBOX MALFUNCTION SCREEN ON THE DASH SHOWED UP OUT OF NOWHERE THEN FOLLOWED BY A PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION THEN THE CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL AND JUST SITS THERE REVVING THE ENGINE. I TRY TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL THEN DRIVE BUT THE LEVER GETS STUCK AND I CANT MOVE TO DRIVE. THIS FIRST HAPPEN IN THE HIGHWAY AND I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND I KNOW THIS CAR HAS HIGH MILEAGE BUT LOOKING AT IT THIS TRANSMISSION HAS PROBLEMS ALL THE WAY TO THE 2016 MODELS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE THIS IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS
NHTSA complaint #11172981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 102,000 milesWayne, NY
POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING TODAY ON THE HIGHWAY MY 2012 AUDI S4 EXPERIENCED THE COMMON DSG GEARBOX MALFUNCTION ALERT ALONG WOTH THE TPMS FAULT LIGHT. ON THE HIGHWAY LOOSING ALL POWER AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE SLOW DRASTICALLY WHILE IN TRAFFIC NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME ISSUE IS ASTONISHING THAT AUDI HAS NOT TAKING CARE IF THIS YET. THIS MALFUNCTION CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, ITS TIME TO RECALL THE DSG TRANSMISSION AND FIX THE ISSUE!!!!!! AS WELL AS REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, AUDI WILL TRY TO MAKE YOU PAY UPWARDS OF $5,000 TO $10,000 IN REPAIRS RATHER THAN DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIX THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #11130019 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 70,000 milesHouston, TXFire
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
COOLANT PUMP BLEW OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.
NHTSA complaint #11127920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 67,000 milesLittleton, CO
POWER TRAIN
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.
NHTSA complaint #11096667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 67,000 milesLittleton, CO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
NHTSA complaint #11096667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 67,000 milesLittleton, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #11096667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesHouston, TXFire
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY COOLANT PUMP WENT OUT AND OVERHEATED THE CAR. THE COOLANT LEAKED OUT. MY CAR ONLY HAS 60K MILES ON IT. AUDI RECENTLY RECALLED COOLANT PUMPS FOR THIS VERY REASON ON THE A4, A5, A6 BUT HAVENT MADE THE RECALL FOR THE S CLASS. PLEASE BE ADVISED THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND PLACED ME AND FAMILY IN HARMS WAY.
NHTSA complaint #11092654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 61,000 milesKirkland, WA
POWER TRAIN
AT ~61,000 MILES THE 2012 AUDI S4 STARTED DRIVING ROUGH IN LOW GEARS. THE CAR HAS HESITATION ISSUES FOLLOWED BY & JERKY ACCELERATION/DECELERATION IN LOW GEARS OUT OF & INTO A STOP. THE REVERSE GEAR HAS SIMILAR HESITATION & JERKY ACCELERATION. CAR THEN STARTED PERIODICALLY DISPLAYING THE MESSAGE: GEARBOX MALFUNCTION: YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING DEALER DIAGNOSED THE ERROR CODE AS P179E - DRIVE POSITION SENSOR ELECTRICAL ERROR, WHICH IS TSB 2032211/1
NHTSA complaint #11083899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 86,000 milesTucson, AZ
POWER TRAIN
"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIVING MY CAR WHEN I GOT THE 'GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" ON MY DASH AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT THEN SAID THAT REVERSE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CAR WENT LIMP AND WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR FROM 1ST GEAR WOULD REV TO VERY HIGH RPMS AND THEN FINALLY SHIFT. I WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 40 MPH AND WAS SLOW TO MOVE FROM A STOP. I TOOK IT TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MECHATRONIC UNIT. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT COST $5,400.00 DOLLARS FOR THEM TO REPLACE THE UNIT. I AM JUST BAFFLED AS TO WHY A CAR THAT IS ONLY 6 YEARS IN AGE AND HAS ONLY 86,000 MILES ON IT HAS AN ELECTRICAL PART THAT IS GOING OUT SO SOON. AUDI CLAIMS TO MAKE THE BEST DSG TRANSMISSION IN THE EUROPEAN PLATFORM, YET MANY HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE WITH THE MECHATRONIC UNIT AND YET AUDI HASNT CHOSEN TO WARRANY IT OR EVEN GIVE THE OPTION TO COVER THE DRIVETRAIN AS A WHOLE. A CAR THAT IS $40,000.00 RETAIL NEW SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF ISSUE WITHIN ITS EARLY LIFETIME. AND IF THIS IS A MECHANICAL ITEM THAT IS GOING TO FAILURE SO SOON THEN WHY NOT ATLEAST COVER IT OR ASSIST WITH AN ALTERNATIVE TRANSMISSION EXTENDED WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #11058266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 71,000 milesRiverside, CA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
NHTSA complaint #11051129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 71,000 milesRiverside, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #11051129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 76,000 milesDublin, CA
POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT, I RECEIVED A "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION. OK TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH LIMITED FUNCTIONALITY" ERROR. THE CAR THEN BARELY ACCELERATED AND I COULD NOT GO MORE THAN 20MPH (I WAS ON A BUSY ROAD SPEED LIMIT 35MPH BUT EVERYONE GOES ABOUT 50). I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY GET IT TO DRIVE WELL ENOUGH TO GET IT TO THE DEALER. DEALER SAID IT NEEDS A NEW CIRCUIT BOARD WHICH IS NOT COVERED BY ONLY THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, AS IT IS CONSIDERED AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT.
NHTSA complaint #11046617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Canton, MI
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A COMPLAINT AUDI S4 AND OTHER AUDI CARS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS I'M HAVING YOU CAN BE DRIVING ON THE MAIN ROAD OR ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR LOSES POWER AND EXCELLERATION . I FOUND THAT AS A PROBLEM TO THE SAFETY OF ME AND THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME CAR MODEL.
NHTSA complaint #11044900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 76,000 milesSAN Francisco, CA
POWER TRAIN
PREMATURE TRANSMISSION MECHATRONIC FAILURE. CAR UNABLE TO REVERSE DURING A 3 POINT TURN IN A ROADWAY ACROSS TRAIN TRACKS. SINCE NEW THE CAR HAD A CLUNKY TRANSMISSION. IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE BUT WHEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALER IT WAS ALWAYS, "OPERATING WITHIN MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS" THIS IS THE 2ND AUDI IN A ROW THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN MULTIPLE TIMES FOR A PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER CLAIMS ISN'T A PROBLEM AND IS "OPERATING IN SPECS OF THE MANUFACTURER".
NHTSA complaint #11003525 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 39,000 milesKaneohe, HI
POWER TRAIN
DSG TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING VERY ROUGH AND SOMETIMES SLIPS. ALSO LURCHES FORWARD SUDDENLY FROM A STOP CAUSING THE CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD.
NHTSA complaint #10995256 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 78,000 milesConcord, CA
POWER TRAIN
A GEARBOX MALFUNCTION (WITH CODES P179E AND P179F) MAY CAUSE THE CAR ENTER ONE OF THE "LIMP MODE" STATES, WHICH CAN CUT ENGINE POWER FROM THE TRANSMISSION. A MESSAGE ON THE DASH MAY SAY "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" WITH A MESSAGE IF THE CAR IS DRIVEABLE OR MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE REPAIR SHOP. IN SOME CASES, THIS LOSS OF POWER CAN MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT TO PULL OVER SAFELY, AS THE STALL CAN HAPPEN IN AN INTERSECTION, OR IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. AUDI HAS RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEM IN THE FORM OF A TSB (2032211), HOWEVER, ALL CARS WITH THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION MAY EXPERIENCE A SIMILAR ISSUE, AT ANY TIME, DESPITE FOLLOWING MANUFACTURER SERVICE INTERVALS. THE ISSUE MAY APPEAR TO BE INTERMITTENT AND MAY NOT ENTER FULL LIMP MODE UNTIL MANY MILES LATER. MY INITIAL ENCOUNTER WITH QUESTIONABLE TRANSMISSION BEHAVIOR WAS ABOUT 10-15K MILES PRIOR. THIS PARTICULAR CASE DOCUMENTED WAS THE WORST SCENARIO, BUT SIMILAR SCENARIOS (COMING OFF THE FREEWAY AND STALLING SHORTLY AFTER STOPPING, OR NOT BEING ABLE TO ENGINE BRAKE PROPERLY DUE TO TRANSMISSION REFUSING TO SHIFT) HAVE ALSO BEEN EXPERIENCED.
NHTSA complaint #10978959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 54,000 milesPhiladelphia, PA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL RAIL LEAKING FUEL. RELATED ISSUES ON OTHER 2011 AND 2012 AUDI S4
NHTSA complaint #10970862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Trenton, GA
SERVICE BRAKES
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.
NHTSA complaint #10852354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 14,000 milesKnoxville, TN
POWER TRAIN
DSG TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SHIFT POORLY. SHIFTS WOULD "SLIP" BETWEEN GEARS AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD DOWN SHIFT VERY HARD. THIS OCCURED MOSTLY IN URBAN DRIVING, STOP AND GO.
NHTSA complaint #10785829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 25,000 milesWebster, NY
POWER TRAIN
VERY ABRUPTLY SHIFTS UP OR DOWN LAUNCHING THE CAR FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING
NHTSA complaint #10764285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 25,000 milesWebster, NY
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VERY ABRUPTLY SHIFTS UP OR DOWN LAUNCHING THE CAR FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING
NHTSA complaint #10764285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 25,000 milesWebster, NY
SERVICE BRAKES
VERY ABRUPTLY SHIFTS UP OR DOWN LAUNCHING THE CAR FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING
NHTSA complaint #10764285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.