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#BS-2012-AUDS4-7F6B

2012 Audi S4Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 27 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 30, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026

Complaints
27
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Recalls
1
TSBs
796
🟢

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 27 complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, and 1 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

creaking noises from interior panels

1 complaints • Severity 4/10

$X,XXX
2

excessive rust

1 complaints • Severity 2/10

$X,XXX
3

excessive brake noise squeaking

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
4

plastic cooling lines leaking

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
5

no crank no start

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the DrivetrainHIGH

14 owners reported drivetrain issues — failures commonly reported around 67K miles.

!Inspect the Fuel SystemMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 4 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

5
0–30K
2
30–60K
13
60–90K
4
90–120K
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (13 reports) • Median: 67K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Drivetrain (14 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Drivetrain14 (52%)
Fuel System5 (19%)
Electrical3 (11%)
Brakes2 (7%)
Other2 (7%)
Speed Control1 (4%)

2012 Audi S4: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 52% of all reports filed for the 2012 Audi S4, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 67,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 67K-mile mark.

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 19% of all reports filed for the 2012 Audi S4, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2012 Audi S4, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2012 Audi S4, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

1
12
5
15
1
16
8
17
8
18
4
19

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2012 Audi S4. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

15V019000Mar 2015

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2012 Audi S4 NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

The worst model year for the Audi S4 is the 2010 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2012 Audi S4 vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

27

Class avg

242

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical compact cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 27 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 30, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Audi S4 Model Years

20222021202020192018201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019961995199419931992199119901989
View all Audi S4 years →

2012 Audi S4: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2012 Audi S4?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2012 Audi S4 is related to the drivetrain, with 14 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2012 Audi S4 reliable?
The 2012 Audi S4 has 27 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 2 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How safe is the 2012 Audi S4?
NHTSA rates the 2012 Audi S4 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 5 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2012 Audi S4 problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2012 Audi S4 have any recalls?
Yes, the 2012 Audi S4 has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Audi S4 problems start?
Based on 24 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 67,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2012 Audi S4 data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 30, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 28, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 13, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 27 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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