AudiA7 Sportback2012Overview/audi/a7-sportback/2012/base/

2012 Audi A7 Sportback

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 A7 Sportback.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S8)

The 2012 Audi A7 Sportback is a passenger car featuring an S8 automatic transmission. The vehicle requires 7.2 quarts of 5W-30 or 5W-40 API engine oil and delivers an EPA-rated fuel economy of 18/28/22 mpg. Regarding its reliability history, this model year has recorded five recalls and 30 total owner complaints, with the air bag system identified as the primary area of concern.

Model year2025202420232022202120202012

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity7.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 5W-40 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/28/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 95r · 850 CCA battery, OE oil filter 06D115475. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 95r · 850 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeSPORT PKG P255-40R19; BASE-P255-45R18OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter06D115475 alt 06E115446
Engine air filter4G0133843
Fuel filter4G0201317B
Spark plug101905611G
Battery000915089K
Front wiper blades8F1955426B alt 4G1955425B
Serpentine belt06E903137AB alt 06E903137T
Thermostat06E121119B alt 06E121111AL
Cabin air filter4H0819439

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length195.7 in
Overall width75.2 in
Overall height55.9 in
Wheelbase114.6 in
Curb weight4211 lb
Track (front / rear)64.6 / 64.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)54/46

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 28 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 7.2 qt of 5W-30 / 5W-40 API engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.4 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-3-6-2-5. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidAudi part number G060162A2
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.2-4.9
Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.9 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · 5W-40 · API
Engine Oil Capacity7.2 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE AUDI PART NO. G002000 OR G004000

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.4 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.2

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts89 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug20.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug7.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-3-6-2-5
Spark Plug Torque22.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.21-1.30 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.72-4.40 oz
Standard BCI Group Number95r
Standard BCI Cranking Performance850 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14.5 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief20-23 psi
Engine Compression159-203 PSI @ RPM. 44 maximum variation PSI.

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH 1KD, 2ED / WITH 1KW, 2EE / WITH 1LL
Torque Caliper to Bracket26 USE NEW BOLTS ONLY ft-lbs / 40 ft-lbs
Brake ApplicationWITH 1KD, 2ED / WITH 1KW, 2EE / WITH 1LL
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.472 in / 0.866 in / 1.339 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.472 in / 0.866 in / 1.339 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.394 in / 0.787 in / 1.26 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Torque to Knuckle — tightening sequence 1 stages
174, STEP 290 DEGREES
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., step 2: 20 ft. lbs., step 3: replace bolt and shim15 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

130.0 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1install by hand, step 211 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 55,000 mi; coolant at 15,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 15,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Headlamp Washer Nozzle (inspect) · Headlamp Washer System (inspect fluid level) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Headlamp Washer Nozzle (inspect) · Headlamp Washer System (inspect fluid level) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (inspect)
At 15,000 miAir Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 20,000 miAir Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
At 35,000 miBody Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Power Steering System (inspect fluid level)
Every 40,000 miBody Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Power Steering System (inspect fluid level)
At 55,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 75,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2012 Audi A7 Sportback top in one area — the air bags, 4 of 30 reports (13%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the air bags are also the target of recall 18V-370 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 2 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1292
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
30
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 30 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags4
Steering3
Power Train2
Vehicle Speed Control2
Tires2
Engine & Engine Cooling1
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Suspension,Power Train,Wheels1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V370000Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant ClassificationReported 04/06/2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of… Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at…

17V781000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 06/12/2017

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Audi A6 and A7 vehicles. The fuel line has a compression point that can weaken, potentially resulting in a fuel leak. Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-888-237-2834…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1292 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_2074729_32026-06-23Electrical SystemThis bulletin provides informationwhen noises/vibration are detected from front of…
TSB_2028985_132026-06-23Power TrainThis bulleitn procides informaiton when tehre is a transmission warning mssage in the…
TSB_2059335_72026-06-23Electrical SystemThis bulletin provides information when there are noises from the area around the…
TSB_2082046_12026-06-22Power TrainThis bulletin provides information when there is a strong jolt after engine automatically…
TSB_2082323_12026-06-10EngineThis bulletin provides informaiton when the engine is not running smoothly, misfiring.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific A7 Sportback. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2012 A7 Sportback take?

7.2 qt of 5W-30 OR 5W-40 API MEETING VW SPECIFICATION VW50200, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 A7 Sportback have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the A7 Sportback get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 28 highway / 22 combined mpg.