Audi · A7 · 2012
5
Recalls
30
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2012 Audi A7 has 5 recalls and 30 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: air bags (4 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Audi A6 and A7 vehicles. The fuel line has a compression point that can weaken, potentially resulting in a fuel leak.
Remedy Status
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-888-237-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AR.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 and Audi A7 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a fuel hose in the engine compartment that may degrade and leak fuel.
Remedy Status
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the under hood fuel pump and fuel hose, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BZ.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 vehicles manufactured March 28, 2011, to March 25, 2013, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles manufactured January 25, 2011, to March 19, 2013. In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS), used to enable the front passenger air bags, may malfunction and prevent the passenger-side air bags from deploying in a crash.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D1.
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.
Remedy Status
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.
As I was driving with my 4 year old daughter in the vehicle, while making a left turn my vehicle steering wheel locked or seemed to lock on me with no warning, and then the "DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE" indicator appeared. Thank God I was able to safety steer into a driveway. Inspection is available upon request. The defect of the vehicle could have cause major bodily injuries to me and my daughter and anyone within a few feet of my vehicle. No warning signs appeared at all prior to this incident happening, this malfunction came without notice. Im very concerned with the manufacturing defect and issue on this and many Audi's vehicle that have this same issue and could possible be life threating not only for the driver but anyone. I still get anxiety when thinking of this incident and the panic that happen.
I have seen at least three other complaints with NHTSA on this same item all with different headings. Check engine light comes on at high speeds while highway driving. Pull Engine code and comes back as P2753 - Valve for transmission fluid cooler circuit open. Had to replace coolant control valve for transmission as coolant was leaking into solenoid. Many other reports of this same problem on NHTSA already and mechanic says it is known issue with Audi.
Passenger seat airbag light is on .
Oil system. A quart of oil has to be added every day. Dealership says its crank case breather. Which the supercharge cause the oil to burn more. Also the antifreeze is burning more because the engine is so hot from the oil burning rapidly. Audi is aware and fails to do anything about this known issue.
As I reported on June 3, I drove my car onto my office parking lot, up- hill, in the afternoon, when suddenly my car raced, without my stepping on the accelerator to make it race, crushed into the first car parked there. That car was pushed into the wheel of the neighboring car, which fortunately was a big and sturdy car. I managed to drive my car into an empty parking space. The owners of the 2 cars that had been hit came out of the office building and we exchanged information. The car that my Audi had hit was not drivable. My Audi was drivable, despite severe damage. It was towed away by CALIBER COLLISION. Never in my life of driving had I experienced a car racing, without my causing to make it race.
The gas pedal must have been stuck, as the car raced across parking lot, into the first parked car there. that car was pushed into the next car, fortunately a big, sturdy car. and fortunately into the wheel of that next car. Also, fortunately, no people there at that time. I contacted my Audi dealer . they sent truck for pick-up by GUY TOWING LLC, tel.( 737) 333-7334. There were no warning signs before. Also, I had my car at Audi service earlier this year and paid ca. $6000.- for yearly overhaul and several repairs. To my knowledge, so far no inspection by anyone , but by the repair replace that the truck took my car to. Also, the 2 car owners of the cars hit by my car would have reported the incident to my car insurance company.
The contact owns a 2012 Audi A7. The contact stated that after driving from a stop sign into a four-way intersection at approximately 10 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. Upon inspection, it was discovered that fuel had leaked from the engine compartment and was caused by a detached fuel line due to a failed fuel line coupling. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number 17V781000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000.
I BOUGHT A 2012 AUDI A7 PRESTIGE FROM CARVANA ONLINE IN DECEMBER 2019, FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. AT THE END OF JANUARY, I'D AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR, WHICH NEEDED IT TO GO TO THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS. AT THE SHOP, I FOUND OUT THAT MY WHEELS WERE STAGGERED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LOWERED THAN ITS ORIGINAL SPECIFICATION AND RECOMMENDATION. I CONTACTED CARVANA AND SILVERROCK, AND A CLAIM WAS INITIATED ON 02/09/2020 AT 1:58PM. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO A SHOP AND HAVE THEM CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE. FEW MONTHS LATER, I NEEDED TO DO OIL CHANGE AND PERIODIC SERVICING AT AUDI CONCORD, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE WHEELS OF MY VEHICLE IS A HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE SWITCHED BACK TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION. MIND YOU, WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM CARVANA, THERE WAS NEVER A DISCLOSURE OF THE WHEELS BEEN CHANGED. CARVANA CLAIMS THEY HAVE MECHANICS WHO INSPECT EVERY CAR THEY SELL AND I'M SURE IF THAT IS TRUE, THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS AND JUST DECIDED NOT TO DISCLOSE IT TO ME, SO I COULD GO ON WITH THE VEHICLE PURCHASE. AUDI HAS STATED THAT MY WHEELS COULD FALL OFF, AMONG OTHER RISKS OF DRIVING A STAGGERED WHEEL. MY A7 IS A QUATRO AND EVERYTHING IS A SET OF 4, THAT NEEDS TO MATCH. I'VE A 3-YEAR OLD SON I DRIVE AROUND IN THE BACK SEAT. I'M SURE IF I WASN'T BLACK, THEY WOULD DISCLOSE THE DANGER OF DRIVING AROUND WITH MY FAMILY IN A CAR THE WHEELS COULD FALL OFF AND KILL US ALL. I'VE ALERTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE WARRANTY COMPANY, AND THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO DO ANYTHING. THEY CLAIM I NEEDED A DIAGNOSIS FROM WHEN I FIRST REPORTED THE ISSUE, EVEN THOUGH I'VE SENT THEM AND UPLOADED A FILE FROM MY SERVICE ADVISOR AT AUDI, AND THE PDF CLEARLY STATES MY CLAIM. THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STARTED EVEN BEFORE I GOT THE CAR. WHY CAN'T IT BE SIMPLY CORRECTED BACK TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION?
CAR COMES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL AND AUTO-BRAKING. SYSTEMS RECENTLY WERE DISABLED, AND ARE THROWING ERROR. "0161 - VIDEO CABLE FOR IMAGE PROCESSING " UNABLE TO USE CRUISE CONTROL, AND ASSUME THAT AUTO-BRAKING IS DISABLED UNTIL THIS IS RECTIFIED.
CAR COMES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL AND AUTO-BRAKING. SYSTEMS RECENTLY WERE DISABLED, AND ARE THROWING ERROR. "0161 - VIDEO CABLE FOR IMAGE PROCESSING " UNABLE TO USE CRUISE CONTROL, AND ASSUME THAT AUTO-BRAKING IS DISABLED UNTIL THIS IS RECTIFIED.
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT A COOLANT VALVE CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE MODULE AND THEREBY DAMAGING IT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN A SIMILAR VEHICLE OF THE SAME YEAR.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 AUDI A7 ON THE HIGHWAY, RECEIVED NUMEROUS ERROR MESSAGES WITHOUT WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH, STALL, AND DRIVE ERRATICALLY WITH LIMITED DRIVING AND BRAKING CONTROL. SITUATION WAS VERY UNSAFE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING. AUDI DEALERSHIP STATED THAT A COOLANT MIGRATION DEFECT OCCURRED. THE COOLANT PUMP VALVE FAILED INTERNALLY AND LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE COOLANT TRAVELED ALONG THE HARNESS AND DAMAGED OR DESTROYED MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE ECM, TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT, AND THE HARNESS / ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS. AUDI HAS A HISTORY OF COOLANT PUMP DEFECTS AND HAS ACTIVE RECALLS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR OTHER MODELS. THIS MODEL, THE 2012 A7 SHOULD BE ADDED TO THAT LIST AS IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS WERE SENT TO THE DEALERS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A7. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE STEERING ASSIST WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL AND DRIVE HOME. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,291.
RECEIVED NOTICE SOME TIME AGO ABOUT RECALL AFFECTING PASSENGER AIRBAG. MONTHS HAVE PASSED AND AUDI HERE CLAIMS STILL DO NOT HAVE PARTS FOR RECALL. I ALSO EARLIER FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS DISABLING THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG (WHICH I NOW BELIEVE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATED SEATS SINCE THEY WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER MODELS AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WAS NOT A SUBJECT FOR RECALL AS WELL.
EXCESS ROAD NOISE WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION 40-80MPH. SOUNDS LIKE DRONING HUMMING NOISE INDICATIVE OF EXCESSIVE WHEEL BEARING WEAR
MY 2012 AUDI A7 SHUT OFF AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. TOOK IT TO AUDI MEMPHIS AND THEY STATED THERE WAS A LEAK IN MY TRANS COOLANT CONTROL VALUE. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH I FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN AUDI'S. THE REPAIR IS ABOUT 6,500 DOLLARS.
PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (PODS) RECALL. MY VEHICLE'S PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY MALFUNCTIONING AND DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF A PASSENGER 100% OF THE TIME DURING ALL OPERATIONS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT REMAINS LIT 100% OF THE TIME, EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE SEAT DURING ALL OPERATIONS. I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, BUT AS OF 12:04 18 AUG 2018, MY VEHICLE VIN ON THE NHTSA AND AUDI WEBSITES ARE NO LONGER IDENTIFYING MY VEHICLE AS A RECALLED VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM IDENTIFIED. PLEASE ADVISE, AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY FAMILY THAT COULD RESULT IN INCREASED CHANCE OF INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 AUDI A7 ON THE HIGHWAY, RECEIVED NUMEROUS ERROR MESSAGES WITHOUT WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH, STALL, AND DRIVE ERRATICALLY WITH LIMITED DRIVING AND BRAKING CONTROL. SITUATION WAS VERY UNSAFE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING. AUDI DEALERSHIP STATED THAT A COOLANT MIGRATION DEFECT OCCURRED. THE COOLANT PUMP VALVE FAILED INTERNALLY AND LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE COOLANT TRAVELED ALONG THE HARNESS AND DAMAGED OR DESTROYED MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE ECM, TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT, AND THE HARNESS / ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS. AUDI HAS A HISTORY OF COOLANT PUMP DEFECTS AND HAS ACTIVE RECALLS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR OTHER MODELS. THIS MODEL, THE 2012 A7 SHOULD BE ADDED TO THAT LIST AS IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS WERE SENT TO THE DEALERS.
NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 18V370 NO PODS REPAIR KITS AVAILABLE FOR EXISTING CUSTOMERS DRIVING AROUND IN VEHICLES WHILE AUDI ISSUED STOP SALE ON CARS IN STOCK AT THEIR FACILITY WITH THE DANGEROUS PART. THE PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (PODS) CAN MALFUNCTION DUE TO STRESS/WEAR FACTORS AFFECTING AN INTERNAL CONNECTOR OR CONTACT RESISTANCE INCREASE AT BODY-SENSING MAT IN THE SEAT. SHOULD A MALFUNCTION OCCUR, VEHICLE OCCUPANTS WILL BE ALERTED OF A PODS PROBLEM BY ILLUMINATION OF THE AIRBAG MONITORING LIGHT AND BY THE STATUS OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR LIGHT. IN THIS SITUATION, A FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT RISKS INJURY IN A CRASH BECAUSE A MALFUNCTIONING PODS MAY NOT MAKE THE CORRECT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT DECISION FOR THE TYPE OF OCCUPANT SEATED THERE.
TAKATA RECALL, MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE APRIL 2018. AUDI OF ANNAPOLIS INFORMED ME THAT I HAVE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER STEERING WHEEL FOR $4000 TO REPLACE A FAULTY AIRBIG, WHY? I HAVE NO HORN AND NO AIR BAG AND I'M TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY CAR. I'VE BEEN RENTING CARS SINCE APRIL. MY CAR IS ALSO OVERHEATING WHEN IT'S IDLE FOR 10 MINUTES, HOWEVER, WHEN I START DRIVING IT COOLS DOWN. I SEE RECALLS FOR OTHER AUDI MODELS, WHY NOT THE 2012 A7?
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2012 Audi A7 has 5 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 30 owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Audi A7.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2012 Audi A7.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2012 Audi A7 are air bags (4 reports), steering (3 reports), power train (2 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 5 recalls on record for the 2012 Audi A7. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.