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2012 Audi A4 Avant

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 17 of 26 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine complaints

16 reports
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66,540 miles · Jun 5, 2019
Electrical SystemEngine

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 …

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11218134

63,000 miles · Mar 29, 2019
EngineUnknown Or Other

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 …

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11192438

95,000 miles · Mar 28, 2019
EngineUnknown Or Other

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

NHTSA ODI #11192289

75,000 miles · Nov 5, 2018
Engine

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.

NHTSA ODI #11145285

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 2018
EngineUnknown Or Other

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 AGAIN…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11144723

133,000 miles · Oct 8, 2018
Engine

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 C…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11139039

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2018
Engine

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 BU…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11130770

64,000 miles · Jun 13, 2018
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

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…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11101607

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2018
Engine

OIL LIGHT KEEP APPEARING ON DASHBOARD EVEN WHEN SERVICED

NHTSA ODI #11074127

88,946 miles · Feb 16, 2018
Engine

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

NHTSA ODI #11073235

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.