2012 Audi A4: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
26
Complaints
0
Recalls
1
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
2
Injuries
76.9
Severity index
Severity index 76.9 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 16 | 61.5% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 | 15.4% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 | 11.5% |
| STEERING | 2 | 7.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 | 7.7% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 7.7% |
| AIR BAGS | 1 | 3.8% |
| WHEELS | 1 | 3.8% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 16 of 26 complaints (61.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 4 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 2.1x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.