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2012 Audi S4
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
22 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 17, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (64% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
4/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2012 Audi S4 4 DR AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2012 Audi S4, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Transmission & drivetrain (14) · Fuel system (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
64%14 complaints
“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, DANGE…”
Fuel system
23%5 complaints
“COOLANT PUMP BLEW OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.”
Electrical system
14%3 complaints
“I HAVE A COMPLAINT AUDI S4 AND OTHER AUDI CARS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS I'M HAVING YOU CAN BE DRIVING ON THE MAIN ROAD OR ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR LOSE…”
Brakes
9%2 complaints
“VERY ABRUPTLY SHIFTS UP OR DOWN LAUNCHING THE CAR FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING”
Recalls (1)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Fuel System, Gasoline · 15V019000
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.
Risk: A fuel leak in the injection system in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2012 Audi S4 beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2012? See how every S4 model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2012 Audi S4 against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.