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U.S. public vehicle records

2012 Audi A7 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

30 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

87,146 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 30 complaints (23.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation516.7%
Electrical and battery issues516.7%
Steering behavior516.7%
Transmission and shifting413.3%
Braking behavior413.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags
7
Electrical System
6
Steering
6
Vehicle Speed Control
5
Engine
4
Power Train
4
Unknown Or Other
3
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
2
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags7
Electrical System6
Steering6
Vehicle Speed Control5
Engine4
Power Train4
Unknown Or Other3
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)2

Air Bags: 7; Electrical System: 6; Steering: 6; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Engine: 4; Power Train: 4; Unknown Or Other: 3; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
2
25,000 to 49,999
4
50,000 to 74,999
3
75,000 to 99,999
4
100,000 to 149,999
6
150,000 and above
1
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0002
25,000 to 49,9994
50,000 to 74,9993
75,000 to 99,9994
100,000 to 149,9996
150,000 and above1

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 1

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 10 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2014
3
2017
5
2018
7
2019
4
2020
4
2021
3
2022
4
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20143
20175
20187
20194
20204
20213
20224

2014: 3; 2017: 5; 2018: 7; 2019: 4; 2020: 4; 2021: 3; 2022: 4

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10983509 · 2017-05-04 (May 4, 2017)

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE "COOLANT VALVE LEAKED INTO THE WIRING HARNESS AND SHORTED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. MAY HAVE CAUSE AN UNEXPECTED STALL OF THE VEHICLE."

Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10983509 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11118698 · 2018-08-09 (August 9, 2018)

WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 AUDI A7 ON THE HIGHWAY, RECEIVED NUMEROUS ERROR MESSAGES WITHOUT WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH, STALL, AND DRIVE ERRATICALLY WITH LIMITED DRIVING AND BRAKING CONTROL. SITUATION WAS VERY UNSAFE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING. AUDI DEALERSHIP STATED THAT A COOLANT MIGRATION DEFECT OCCURRED. THE COOLANT PUMP VALVE FAILED INTERNALLY AND LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE COOLANT TRAVELED ALONG THE HARNESS AND DAMAGED OR DESTROYED MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE ECM, TRANSMISSION CONTR…

Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11118698 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11030207 · 2017-09-27 (September 27, 2017)

I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WHICH WOULD NOT GO OUT IS BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS (WHICH EVEN THE DEALERSHIP THINKS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM THOUGH I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY TOLD THAT TO AUDI) TO FIX THIS, AND ASSURE THAT MY AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY, THEY WANT OVER 18 THOUSAND DOLLARS. AUDI HAS DISCLAIMED ANY LIABILITY FOR THIS ISSUE AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WON'T COVER IT BECAUSE ITS AN AIRBAG ISSUE.

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11030207 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10578872 · 2014-04-10 (April 10, 2014)

OCTOBER 18, 2013. VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER STEERING AND ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING IN THE LEFT HAND LANE ON THE AT 72 MILES PER HOUR JUST IN FRONT OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. I WAS FORCED TO CROSS INTO THE RIGHT HAND LANE WITH NO ACCELERATION OR POWER STEERING AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A HALT APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE BEGAN AS THE RIGHT LANE WAS CLOSING. I WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MY GIRLFRIEND. THE RIGHT LANE WAS CLOSING WITH CONCRETE K RAILS ON BOTH SIDES. THIS COULD HAVE KILLED US BOTH. ONCE AT A FULL STOP AND IN PARK I …

Owner-reported narrative. 23,537 miles reported. Look up ODI 10578872 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11015046 · 2017-08-14 (August 14, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WARNING INDICATOR FLASHED RANDOMLY. THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND POWER EACH TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESET THE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD A RECALL AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE SERVICED BY A DEALER. THE DEALER (AUDI CONSHOHOCKEN, [phone removed]) AND THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE T…

Owner-reported narrative. 128,941 miles reported. Look up ODI 11015046 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11269822 · 2019-10-21 (October 21, 2019)

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT A COOLANT VALVE CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE MODULE AND THEREBY DAMAGING IT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN A SIMILAR VEHICLE OF THE SAME YEAR.

Owner-reported narrative. 70,142 miles reported. Look up ODI 11269822 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11316133 · 2020-03-04 (March 4, 2020)

CAR COMES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL AND AUTO-BRAKING. SYSTEMS RECENTLY WERE DISABLED, AND ARE THROWING ERROR. "0161 - VIDEO CABLE FOR IMAGE PROCESSING " UNABLE TO USE CRUISE CONTROL, AND ASSUME THAT AUTO-BRAKING IS DISABLED UNTIL THIS IS RECTIFIED.

Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11316133 at NHTSA ↗