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KLUNK
KLUNK

2012 Audi A4

The Verdict

94 Smooth Ride

The 2012 Audi A4 has 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (17 complaints) and body (5 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 94/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Audi A4, consider the 2024 model year which has 92% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2024 has 92% fewer complaints

View the 2024 Audi A4 dashboard →

94

Klunk Score: Smooth Ride

This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000115016127
2001173244354
2002394874016
2003552497138
2004505428012
20052021552814
20062452312412
20081521372610
200931054542
2010613485
2011505202
2012503171
201361016257
20143028323
20158010205
2016804121
201720431242
20181231593
201910220
20203418900
202150411
202410010

By Category

Engine
17
Body
5
Electrical
3
Transmission
1

By Severity

1
11
2
14
4
1

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2012 Audi A4 stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Electrical 2

AFTER A FAILED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE REPLACED MY ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FREAKED OUT. 60,000MI ON THE DASH, AND MY CAR IS A BRICK. AFTER A MONTH ON THE LIFT THE MOST WELL CERTIFIED MECHANICS IN MY AREA, INCLUDING SOME OF AUDI'S OWN, ARE AT A COMPLETE LOSS. THE ONLY THING WE'VE COME UP WITH IS THAT THE COMPUTERS TURN ON EVERY 30 SECONDS WHILE MY CAR IS OFF.

84mo ago
Engine 2

CAR HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING. AND STARTING UP THE CAR HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE RANDOMLY JUSTIFIED. SOME TIMES IT STARTS UP RIGHT AWAY, SOME TIMES IT JUST TAKES A FEW CRANKS. DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S WARM OR COLD ENGINE. I PULLED ECU CODE AND IT SAYS U0100 WHICH IS LOSS OF COMMUNICATION TO ECM. WELL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I CAN BE DRIVING JUST FINE ON THE ROAD BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT JUST DECIDES TO QUIT CAUSE A HAVOC ON A BUSY TRAFFIC IN HOUSTON.

86mo ago
Engine 1

THIS CAR HAS A MASSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. A WEEK AFTER HAVING AN OIL CHANGE THE LOW OIL LIGHT COMES ON AFTER APPROXIMATE 150 MILES OF DRIVING. I STARTED HAPPENING IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON . I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER THEY RAN THE REQUIRED TESTS THAT FAILED, WAS TOLD THAT AUDI PUT THE WRONG ENGINE IN THE CAR AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $8K FOR THEM TO FIX IT. THIS IS NOT MY PROBLEM, IT IS AUDI'S BECAUSE IT IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT THEY SETTLED IN A LAWSUIT YEARS PRIOR. IT IS NERVE-WRACKING TO DRIVE BECAUSE, I NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH OIL IS IN THE CAR.

88mo ago
Engine 2

PISTON RINGS CAR IS SMOKING AND OIL IS COMING OUT OF THE MUFFLER THE CAR HAVE LAST THEN 100K MILEAGE

88mo ago
Engine 2

2012 AUDI A4 QUATTRO USES (BURNS) AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL, CONSTANTLY HAVING TO ADD MOTOR OIL. MUST ADD A QUART OF OIL ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND DRIVING LESS THAN 1,000 PER MONTH.

93mo ago
Engine 2

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND AUDI WANTS TO CHARGE ME $12,000 TO REPAIR THE OIL CONSUMPTION DUE TO THEIR BEING DAMAGE TO MY PISTON RINGS. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR. DURING THE TIME THAT THE FIRST OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT THAT HAD BEEN FILED AND SETTLED AGAINST AUDI DO TO THE MANUFACTURER MALFUNCTION WHICH CAUSED THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. BY THE TIME I BECAME THE OWNER THE SUITE HAD ALREADY SETTLED. AT THIS POINT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

93mo ago
Engine 2

2012 AUDI A4 HAS HAD ONGOING OIL CONSUMPTION ISUUES. AUDI DEALER PERFORMED CONSUMPTION TEST DONE AROUND 74K (3QTS PER 1000MILES - BASICALLY HAVE HAD TO ADD 1 QT EVERY 300 MILES. WAS TOLD NO RECOURSE - WAS OUTSIDE OF CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OF 2009-2011 OF SIMILAR ISSUES. NOW AT 133K MILE, ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING - EPC LIGHT CAME ON - CAR WAS SERVICED LESS THAN 25K MILES AND HAD ALL 4 FUEL INJECTORS, 4 SPARK PLUGS AND 2 IGNITION COILS REPLACED AND DE-CARB PROCEDURE DONE. I'M AT A LOSS THAT AUDI REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY ENGINE.

94mo ago
Engine 2

WE WERE JUST INFORMED OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT INVOLVING TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER FAILURE. THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP POSSIBLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND HARM TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. THE LAWSUIT COULD RESULT IN AN EXTENDED PRO-RATED WARRANTY BUT NO RECALL OR REPAIRS MADE TO ANY VEHICLE PRIOR TO ENGINE FAILURE. AUDI IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO THE DEALER NETWORK BUT WILL NOT OFFER ANY REPAIRS OUTSIDE OF THE CURRENT WARRANTY. WE BELIEVE ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED PRIOR TO A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN LOSS OF LIFE.

95mo ago
Body 2

SINCE PURCHASING MY CPO AUDI WITH EXTENDED MAINTENANCE PACKAGE & I HAVE IMMACULATE REPAIR RECORDS. IT'S GLARINGLY CLEAR NOW THAT THE DEALERSHIP AVOIDED DIAGNOSISING MY REPEATED COMPLAINTS ABOUT STEERING VIBRATION FEEDBACK. COUNTLESS DOLLARS SPENT ON ALIGNMENTS & RIM, TIRES CHANGES.MY STEERING HAS COMPLETELY DECAYED TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS AND NO AUDI SUPPORT ON RECALLING THIS ISSUE. FEELS LIKE A CROSSWIND PUSHING CAR ON HIGHWAYS, NOTCHING IS SO BAD THAT IT REQUIRES MUSCLE ENDURANCE TO TURN IT WHILE DOING K TURNS NOW. JUST OUT OF WARRANTY & FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT OF MANUFACTURING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED A LONG TIME AGO. NO FIX AVAILABLE THAT IS A GUARANTEED SUCCESS. TRULY DISGUSTED. 90,000 MILES OUTRIGHT FRAUD! PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.

97mo ago
Engine 1

UPON HAVING 3 CONSECUTIVE OIL CHANGES, MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO BURN OIL (NO LEAKS) AFTER THE FIRST OIL CHANGE UPON DRIVING LESS THAN 900 MILES. THEN THE SECOND OIL CHANGE DID THE SAME THING UPON DRIVING UNDER 300 MILES. IT ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF OIL TOTALLY. I ADDED OIL AS INSTRUCTED BY THE CAR, AND IT BURN THE OIL WITHING 250 MILES OF DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS MODEL AND YEAR HAD THE WRONG ENGINE PUT IN THE VEHICLE. THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE AT MY COST, WITH POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT TO ME. NOT ACCEPTABLE, SINCE THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE DEFECT. OIL CONTINUES TO BURN AT A VERY HIGH RATE AND POTENTIAL CAUSE ADDITIONAL ENGINE PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING.

98mo ago
Transmission 2

TAKATA RECALL I'VE NOTICED ON MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS I SEE THAT THE AUDI A4 HAS A PROBLEM OF JERKING AFTER IT IS ISOLATING IN TRAFFIC. MY CAR JERKS AFTER SITTING STILL IN TRAFFIC, AND THEN ONCE I PRESS TO ACCELERATE THE CAR JERKS. COULD YOU PLEASE FIX THIS PROBLEM ON THE AUDI A4? I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND TWICE AND THEY SAY THAT THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM.

101mo ago
Engine 1

OIL LIGHT KEEP APPEARING ON DASHBOARD EVEN WHEN SERVICED

102mo ago
Engine 1

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING CHAIN TO SLIP AND IMMEDIATE ENGINE STOPPAGE.

102mo ago
Engine 1

REPLACEMENT OF TIMING CHAIN, TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER, TIMING CHAIN GUIDES & LOWER TIMING COVER WITH PISTON REPAIR

104mo ago
Engine 1

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE AND ALMOST CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST ALMOST ALL POWER AND DECELERATED TO A 15 MPH PACE ON MAJOR STREET WITH 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT.

109mo ago
Body 4

TAKATA RECALL: MY 2012 AUDI A4 WAS TOTALLED IN JULY 2014. AFTER TURNING LEFT IN FRONT OF ANOTHER CAR GOING 60 MPH, I WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT MYSELF AND TOOK MY HANDS OFF THE WHEEL, FEEL OFF THE PEDALS, CLOSED MY EYES AND WAITED FOR THE OTHER VEHICLE TO STRIKE ME. I WAS WEARING SUNGLASSES AT THE TIME. EVERY AIR BAG INSIDE MY VEHICLE WAS DEPLOYED INCLUDING THE DRIVER REAR HEADREST BAG, USUALLY INDICATING A DEATH. I AM CERTAIN THE AIRBAGS AND SEATBELT SAVED MY LIFE. I AM STILL PULLING OUT PARTICLES OF DEBRIS FROM MY FACE AND LEFT FINGER, BUT AM THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE. I AM ALSO CERTAIN THAT TAKING MY HANDS OFF THE STEERING WHEEL, FEET OFF THE PEDALS, CLOSING MY EYES AND ROLLING SLOWLY INTO THE COLLISION ALSO SAVED ME. IF POSSIBLE MAYBE DIAL DOWN ON THE EXPLOSIVES, IF ANY COMPLAINT, BUT I WAS A BEE TO WALK AWAY FROM A POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT. IT DID FEEL AS THOUGH A BOMB WENT OFF, AND NEITHER CAR HAD AN ENGINE, HOOD, FENDERS, ETC. LEFT BUT BOTH OF US WALKED AWAY. JULY 24, 2014. MULHOLLAND HWY AND LAS VIGENES AT 12:00 NOON, MALIBU, CA. SO MANY AGENCIES WERE ON THE SCENE SOMEONE MUST HAVE FILMED IT. THANK YOU TAKATA INFLATORS FOR SAVING MY LIFE.

109mo ago
Engine 1

I TURNED CAR OFF, WENT INTO A STORE CAME BACK, STARTED CAR AND IT SOUNDED HORRIBLE, AS IF TOTALLY FALLING APART. TURNED IT OFF, TRIED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT START AT ALL. DEALER SAID ENGINE WAS SHOT, SEIZED UP HAS TO BE REPLACED. THEY HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING IT SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. OIL CHANGES ALL UP TO DATE. 30,000 MILE OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. DEALER HAS NO UNDERSTAND OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING? NO IDEA. HAS ANYONE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO THEIR AUDI A4 2012?

112mo ago
Electrical 1

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

116mo ago
Engine 1

EXTREMELY LOUD "ROARING" NOISE ON A COLD START AFTER HAVING SAT OVERNIGHT. DEALERSHIP BASICALLY REPORTED AS NORMAL "OF NO CONSEQUENCE". CONTINUOUS SINCE NEW.

125mo ago
Body 1

STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES/VIBRATES. THE VIBRATION IS VERY NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS BEING TURNED. IT MAY OCCUR AT HIGHER SPEEDS BUT IT CANNOT BE DETECTED SINCE ROADS ARE NOT SMOOTH. THE CURRENT UPDATED HOSE -- NOT SURE WHICH ONE -- WAS OEM ON CAR BUT AT 28583 MILES THE "SERVOTRONIC VALVE/CONVERTER" WAS REPLACED AND PROBLEM CORRECTED FOR A TIME. ORIGINAL PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AND CONTINUES DURING AND AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD -- I.E., PROBLEM HAS BEEN PRESENT STARTING WITH THE PURCHASE IN 2011 AND IS STILL PRESENT AT 12/26/2015. AUDI AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER CONFIRMED WITH AUDI THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CAR AND IS PRESENT IN OTHER 2012 AUDI CARS. SAFETY OF DRIVERS IS BEING COMPROMISED.

128mo ago

26 total

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