2012 Audi A4

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Engine

Engine leads by volume: 30 of 45 complaints (67%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Electrical include more fire reports (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.

Complaints filed rose from 43 in 2011 to 45 in 2012.

Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.Also cataloged for 2012: 1 configuration(s) of a different vehicle class, excluded from the comparison bar only (but included in the figures above).
Category20102011201220132014vs. 2012 Compact Cars
Annual fuel cost ($)3,000–3,3503,100–3,2503,100–3,2503,000–3,3503,000–3,350
Combined MPG23–2624–2524–2523–2623–26
City / Highway MPG21–23 / 27–3021–22 / 29–3121–22 / 29–3120–24 / 29–3220–23 / 28–32
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)342–386355–370355–370342–379336–380
Complaints filed6443452432Not compared
Recalls issued00000Not compared
Crash-involved complaints00110Not compared
Fire-involved complaints02120Not compared
Injuries reported00210Not compared
Deaths reported00000Not compared
Configurations compared33343

Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2012 Audi A4 have?

No NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026.

What is the most common complaint about the 2012 Audi A4?

Engine: 30 of 45 NHTSA complaints (67%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Audi A4 get?

EPA rates it 24–25 MPG combined.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2012 Audi A4?

EPA estimates $3,100–$3,250 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

EPA-Rated Configurations (4)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
ConfigurationTransmissionCylindersDisplacementDrivetrainFuel TypeVehicle ClassCityHighwayCombinedAnnual Fuel CostCO₂
Configuration 1Automatic (variable gear ratios)42.0LFront-Wheel DrivePremiumCompact Cars22 mpg (high)30 mpg25 mpg (high)$3,100 (low)355 g/mi (low)
Configuration 2Automatic (S8)42.0LAll-Wheel DrivePremiumCompact Cars21 mpg (low)29 mpg (low)24 mpg (low)$3,250 (high)370 g/mi (high)
Configuration 3Manual 6-spd42.0LAll-Wheel DrivePremiumCompact Cars21 mpg (low)31 mpg (high)25 mpg (high)$3,100 (low)355 g/mi (low)
Configuration 4Automatic (S8)42.0LAll-Wheel DrivePremiumSmall Station Wagons21 mpg (low)29 mpg (low)24 mpg (low)$3,250 (high)370 g/mi (high)

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
CategoryComplaintsCrash-InvolvedFire-InvolvedInjuriesDeaths
Engine300000
Transmission & Drivetrain40000
Fuel System60000
Electrical50100
Brakes20000
Steering30000
Suspension, Wheels & Tires10000
Airbags & Restraints10000
Driver Assistance & Speed Control00000
Body, Seats & Latches00000
Visibility & Lighting10000
Other51020

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls

No recalls have been issued for this model-year.