NHTSA (USA)High Risk
At a glance
What can fail
The body-sensing mat in the front passenger seat may wear or stress over time, causing the passenger detection system to stop working properly.
This page covers 5 recalls and 30 owner complaints for the 2012 Audi A7.
Complaints filed against the 2012 Audi A7 spread across several systems, with airbags, steering, and vehicle speed control each drawing the same number of reports. On the steering side, owners describe the steering wheel locking or becoming unresponsive mid-turn, sometimes accompanied by a warning telling them not to drive the vehicle. Speed control complaints involve the vehicle accelerating without input from the driver. Airbag-related reports round out the top tier, though the specific symptoms vary across those filings. A smaller number of owners report oil consumption issues, describing the need to add oil frequently, along with coolant loss they attribute to engine heat. One report describes a fuel line detaching at a coupling, causing fuel to leak from the engine compartment, though that appears to be an isolated account rather than a pattern across multiple complaints.
30
Total Complaints
2
Crash-Related
2
Fire-Related
By System
The 2012 Audi A7 has 5 recalls, the most serious being three separate fuel system fire risks: degrading engine compartment fuel hoses, a leaking fuel injection rail, and a weakened fuel line compression point, any of which can drip fuel onto hot engine components.
All three fuel issues share the same consequence: fuel escaping in the engine bay can reach an ignition source and start a fire. The hose degradation and the fuel rail leak each allow raw fuel to pool or spray in the engine compartment, while the third involves a fuel line that develops a weak point under compression and can crack or weep fuel over time. Together, these three separate problems cover different parts of the fuel delivery path but carry the same fire risk.
The remaining two recalls both involve the front passenger seat's occupant detection system, which uses a sensing mat built into the seat cushion to determine whether a passenger is present and how the airbag should respond in a crash. Stress or wear on that mat can cause the detection system's control module to malfunction, and if it does, the front passenger airbag may not deploy as intended when needed. An airbag that fires with the wrong timing or force, or not at all, leaves the front passenger with less protection in a collision than the system is designed to provide.
At a glance
What can fail
The body-sensing mat in the front passenger seat may wear or stress over time, causing the passenger detection system to stop working properly.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Dealers will install a passenger detection system repair kit at no cost to restore proper function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel line has a compression point that can weaken over time, potentially causing fuel to leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fuel line at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel hose in the engine compartment may degrade over time and develop leaks.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fuel pump and fuel hose under the hood at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection System may malfunction and prevent the front passenger air bags from deploying during a crash.
What the fix does
Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit at no cost to restore proper air bag deployment.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel injection system's fuel rails and seals may develop a leak, allowing fuel to escape.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fuel rails and seals at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.