Audi · S4 · 2012
1
Recall
22
Complaints
4/5
Safety Rating
The 2012 Audi S4 has 1 recall and 22 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: power train (12 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2012 Audi S4 page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is power train with 12 reported complaints.
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.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
9.9% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
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.
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...
FUEL INJECTOR LEAKING AND NEEDS REPLACED. MY CAR WAS NEVER ON THE RECALL LIST. SITTING AT AUDI DEALER NOW.
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 FI...
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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...
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COOLANT PUMP BLEW OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.
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.
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 & ...
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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 M...
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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 DISP...
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"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 WOUL...
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Showing 10 recent complaints from 22 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2012 Audi models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2012 Audi S4 has 1 recall recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 22 owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Audi S4.
The 2012 Audi S4 received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2012 Audi S4 are power train (12 reports), fuel/propulsion system (5 reports), service brakes (1 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 1 recall on record for the 2012 Audi S4. 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.