Most common 2012 Audi S4 problems
Share of the 22 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Audi S4 complaints by model year
Best S4 years: 2009, 2008, 2007. Years to avoid: 2010, 2000, 2001, 2005. Compare all years →
2012 Audi S4 recalls (1)
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system › Fuel rail
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: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015.
What 2012 Audi S4 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
"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 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. …
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Audi S4. The contact stated that the vehicle exhibited a fuel leak. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 10,500 and the current mileage was 14,200.
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.
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.
2012 Audi S4 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged | 7-speed automatic | AWD | 18 / 28 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged | 6-speed manual | AWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Audi S4 a good car?
Based on 22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 S4 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the S4 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Audi S4?
The transmission & drivetrain — 14 complaints, 64% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (5) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2012 Audi S4 have?
There is 1 recall for the 2012 Audi S4, the most recent from January 20, 2015 (fuel rail). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Audi S4?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2008 and 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010, 2000, 2001 and 2005. See the full Audi S4 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Audi S4 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 21% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.