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2012 Audi A4 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
80% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Audi A4 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 97% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2012 Audi A4 have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 35 of 45 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Audi A4 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (80%), and the largest group is filed under engine (29). For comparison, the 2011 scores 82% and the 2013 scores 31%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Audi A4 years
Of the 10 Audi A4 years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 3rd-worst on engine and transmission share (80%). The worst is the 2010 (87%), the best the 2020 (1%). By volume, the 2012 drew 45 complaints (35 drivetrain), against 42 for the 2011 and 111 for the 2013.
Audi A4 years to avoid and best years →
2010 A4 problems · 2011 A4 problems · 2012 · 2013 A4 problems · 2014 A4 problems · 2015 A4 problems · 2016 A4 problems · 2017 A4 problems · 2018 A4 problems · 2020 A4 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Audi A4
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 35 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Checking one particular 2012 Audi A4? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2012 Audi A4 have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 35 of 45 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Audi A4 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (80%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Audi A4?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Audi A4 is engine: 29 of 45 complaints (64%) name it, followed by electrical system (5) and fuel/propulsion system (5). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2012 Audi A4 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 80% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 97% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 10 Audi A4 years we score, it ranks 3rd-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Audi A4?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns on the 2012 Audi A4.
Which Audi A4 years are better?
Among the Audi A4 years we track, the 2020 (1%), the 2018 (30%) and the 2013 (31%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (80%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/audi-a4
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.