Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Audi TT 2012 Problems

Are you having problems with your 2012 Audi TT? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest 2012 Audi TT issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the 2012 Audi TT in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Used Audi TT review: 1999-2016

The Audi TT was launched to a startled world in 1998 with an ultra rounded shape based around its fascinating wheelarches. It looked like nothing else on the road and grabbed a huge amount of attention, virtually all of it positive.

Few outside the industry had heard of the Audi TT’s designer, German Peter Schreyer, but since that time he has become something of a legend - and was later headhunted by the South Korean car makers. But that’s another story.

The fascinating domed theme of the original TT’s body carries through to the cabin. Big circular dials and and ventilation outlets really look the part. 

The TT first reached Australia in May 1999. The second generation TT, introduced downunder in November 2006, wasn’t as striking in its shape as the first. To call its lines somewhat generic is unkind, but it didn’t instantly shout out that it was a TT.

That changed with the launch of the third generation (Australia February 2015) and the TT has almost gone back to its roots. Love it.

Used versions of the first generation Audi TT are getting on in years, but one with a clean service record and having been owned by a sensible person is worth considering. However, despite having the underpinnings of a VW Golf major repairs can be pretty expensive. The second generation is probably a better bet. Quite a few gen-three TTs are now coming onto the used market and would be our choice - if the budget could support it…

The TT is great fun to drive but in the front-drive models feels more like a warm-to-hot hatch than a full-on sports model.

In the early years there were several fatal high-speed Audi TT crashes in Europe, principally in Germany. These were caused by a design flaw. The aerodynamics weren’t quite right and the problem was exacerbated by the TT’s very short wheelbase. Later models were modified in their suspension and have a rear wing to push the tail to the road at speed. The wing spoils the the visual effect of the car in the eyes of TT purists. 

The gen-two TT has a rear wing that’s hidden at lower speeds and raises automatically at moderate speeds. That is, at over 120 km/h, which is regarded as a moderate speed in more enlightened countries.

The original Audi TT was offered with 1.8-litre four-cylinder engines, in either light-pressure or high-pressure turbocharged format, the higher powered variants having the traction advantage of Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive. The capacity of the four-cylinder unit was increased to 2.0 litres using a turbocharged with the second generation TT. 

In December 2004, a 3.2-litre V6 was squeezed under the bonnet of the Audi TT coupe, but not the roadster. Naturally, the V6 also received the quattro system. A five-cylinder 2.5-litre RS engine with quattro was added to the range just in time for Christmas 2009.

Straight-line performance is pretty good in even the smaller-engined models due to the TT’s relatively light weight. Indeed, they can be fun because they demand driver involvement to get the best from them.

A six-speed manual was used in TT quattros from the start. Front-drive cars had a five-speed manual gearboxes until August 2005, when a six-speed manual arrived.

No automatic transmission was offered until March 2003, when a six-speed torque-converter auto was offered with the low-pressure engines. Good as it was, this transmission has been somewhat upstaged in the technology stakes by the six-speed double-clutch (S tronic in Audi speak) used in the Audi TT 3.2 quattro. 

Early generation double-clutch gearboxes can be painful at very low speeds, such as when parking. Test drive one in stop-start conditions to see what your think.

The TT is a high-tech car and should only be serviced and repaired by professionals. Good amateurs can tackle some of the routine maintenance work should they be so inclined. Make sure you've got a workshop manual close at hand, though.

Spare parts prices aren't cheap, but are in keeping with others in this class. It’s much the same story with the cost of servicing and repairs.

Check on insurance premiums as they can vary quite a bit, though this seems to be settling into mid-range figures in recent years. Your local Audi dealer may be able to offer advice.

Look for signs of previous crash repairs. A ripply finish in any of the panels, or a mismatch in paint colour from one section to the other are fairly easy to spot. If there's the slightest concern either get a full professional inspection, or find another TT.

Check the roadster’s roof seals correctly when it is closed and that it doesn’t have any tears or cuts, especially around the stitching.

Look at the carpets and the floor under them on a roadster for signs of dampness. 

Check the engine starts promptly, even when it’s stone cold. If there are any doubts try to arrange to come back first thing in the morning to have it completely cold.

Gearchanges should be reasonably light, but remember the gearbox is a long way from the shift lever, with a multitude of links connecting the two. This can give it a slightly spongy feel in older models.

Uneven tyre wear at the front possibly indicates hard driving, or it may mean the TT has thumped kerbs. Both are a cause for concern.

Sporty cars are seldom driven in a sporting manner - but when they are it might be best to avoid them. If the price is low and/or you can do your own repairs and maintenance then matters may be different.

Read the article
Used Audi TT review: 1999-2015

The recent introduction of the third generation Audi TT coupe and the imminent arrival of the open-top roadster has created quite a stir of publicity about the seriously stylish sportscar. To the extent that quite a few trade-ins are already appearing in the used-car yards. So here are some hints, tips and historical info to help you get yourself into a terrific TT.

We won't go into the all-new Audi TT MY15 here for obvious reasons, look out for it in our future used-car pieces.

Audi TT is great fun to drive but in the front-drive models feels more like a warm-to-hot hatch than a full-on sportscar. Which isn't a surprise - because underneath that gorgeous Audi skin there's a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Introduced to Australia in May 1999, the Audi TT was a hit right from the start, chiefly because its radical shape. It was originally sold as only as a coupe, potential buyers were forced to wait another year for the roadster, it hit us downunder in May 2000.

The fascinating domed theme of the body carries through to the cabin. Big circular dials and and ventilation outlets really look the part.

There were several fatal high-speed Audi TT crashes in Europe, principally in Germany, caused by a design flaw in the earliest models. Aerodynamic weren't quite right and problems experienced by some drivers were exacerbated by the TT's very short wheelbase. Later models were modified in their suspension and have a rear wing to push the tail to the road at speed.

The latter spoils the purity of the visual effect to my way of thinking - though perhaps I shouldn't say that. There were suggestions that a lift-up wing in the manner of a Porsche 911 would have been a better fix, but Audi says this could have been too expensive.

The all-new gen-two Audi TT, which arrived in Australia in November 2006 sorted out the problem. It has a rear wing, that's hidden at lower speeds and raised at moderate speeds – that is at over 120 km/h, which is regarded as a moderate speed in more enlightened countries.

There are some that feel the TT lost its originality of shape in the gen-two model, describing it as generic rather than radical. The all-new TT has Audi's company's trademark single-frame grille. A sleeker bonnet line carries into the car's shoulders and tapers out towards the distinctive rear lights. The domed roof is still there, but doesn't jump out visually to the same extent as the original.

The original Audi TT was offered with 1.8-litre four-cylinder engines, in either light-pressure or high-pressure turbocharged format, the latter coming with the traction advantage of quattro all-wheel drive. The capacity of the four-cylinder unit was increased to 2.0 litres using a turbocharged with the second generation TT.

In December 2004, a 3.2-litre V6 was shoehorned under the bonnet of the Audi TT coupe, but not the roadster. Sensibly, the TT 3.2 also received the quattro system.

Straight-line performance is pretty good in even the smaller-engined models due to the TT's relatively light weight

A five-cylinder 2.5-litre RS engine with quattro was added to the range just in time for Christmas 2009.

Straight-line performance is pretty good in even the smaller-engined models due to the TT's relatively light weight, so don't automatically go for the higher powered units unless you are a full-on revhead. The smaller, lighter cars can be fun as they demand driver involvement to get the best from them.

A six-speed was used in TT quattros from their introduction in October 1999. Front-drive cars had a five-speed manual gearboxes until August 2005, when a six-speed manual upgraded it.

As Audi regarded the TT as being a pure sportscar no automatic transmission was offered until March 2003, when a six-speed torque-converter auto was offered with the low-pressure engines. Good as it was this transmission has been somewhat upstaged in the technology stakes by the six-speed double-clutch - tagged the S tronic - used in the Audi TT 3.2 quattro.

Like some other early generation double-clutch automated-manuals its characteristics at very low speeds can be variable and irritating at times. Test drive one in stop-start conditions to see what your think.

Audi TT is a high-tech car and should only be serviced and repaired by professionals. Good amateurs can tackle some of the routine maintenance work should they be so inclined. Make sure you've got a workshop manual close at hand, though.

Spare parts prices aren't cheap, but are in keeping with others in this class. It's much the same story with the cost of servicing and repairs.

Check on insurance premiums as premiums vary quite a bit, though this seems to be settling into mid-range figures in recent years. Your local Audi dealer may be able to offer advice.

Look for signs of previous crash repairs. A ripply finish in any of the panels, or a mismatch in paint colour from one section to the other are fairly easy to spot.

If there's the slightest concern over crash repairs either get a full professional inspection, or skip that car and try to find another one.

Look at the floor of a roadster for signs of water entry. If there's the slightest cause for concern get permission from the seller to lift the carpets.

Check the roadster's roof seals correctly when it is closed and that it doesn't have any tears or cuts, especially around the stitching.

Make sure the engine starts promptly, even when it's stone cold. If there are any doubts try to arrange to come back first thing in the morning to have it completely cold.

Gearchanges should be reasonably light, but remember the gearbox is a long way from the shift lever, with a multitude of links connecting the two. This can give it a slightly spongy feel.

Read the article
Used Audi TT review: 1999-2012

Introduced to Australia in May 1999 about a year after it first created a huge stir in Europe, the Audi TT was a hit from day one. Originally sold as a fixed-roof coupe, a TT roadster was added to the local range just 12 months later, in May 2000.

The dome-shaped styling is not only radical on the outside, but also the cabin, with its circular dial and vent theme works very well. It uses a lot of aluminium highlights as Audi is a big fan of this high-tech material.

The overall look is great and even those who have no intention of ever driving hard love the sporting ambience created within the TT. Audi TT is great fun to drive but, at least in the front-drive models, feels more like a hot-hatch than a true sports car. 

Which shouldn’t surprise anyone, because underneath that gorgeous Audi skin there lurks a Volkswagen Golf GTI. While the Golf is a fine little hatch it’s not really a pure-bred sports model. There were several tragic cases of high-speed Audi TT crashes in Europe, principally in Germany, of the earliest models. 

These were blamed on aerodynamic flaws that were exacerbated by the very short wheelbase of the Audi TT. Later models were modified in their suspension and have a rear wing to push the tail to the road at speed. The wing takes away some of the purity of the original shape of the TT. 

There had been calls for it to be a lift-up wing in the manner of a Porsche unit. But Audi says this could have been too expensive. The all-new gen-two Audi TT of November 2006 sorted out the problem of the controversial addition of the rear wing, being hidden at lower speeds and raised at moderate speeds - that is at over 120 km/h, which is regarded as a moderate speed in more enlightened countries.

This second generation Audi TT had the company’s trademark single-frame grille. A sleeker bonnet line carries into the car’s shoulders and tapers out towards the distinctive rear lights. Naturally, the domed roof, the most prominent feature of the first TT, has been retained. There are some that feel the TT lost its originality in the gen-two model, saying it had become generic rather than radical. Your call...

The original Audi TT was offered with 1.8-litre four-cylinder engines, in either light-pressure or high-pressure turbocharged format, the latter coming with the traction advantage of quattro all-wheel drive. The capacity of the four-cylinder unit was increased to 2.0 litres using a turbocharged with the second generation TT.

In December 2004, a 3.2-litre V6 was shoehorned under the bonnet of the Audi TT coupe, but not the roadster. With all the torque that entailed, the TT 3.2 has also needed Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive. A five-cylinder 2.5-litre RS engine with quattro was added to the range just in time for Christmas 2009.

Straight-line performance is pretty good in even the smaller engined models due to the TT’s relatively light weight, so don’t automatically go for the higher powered units unless you are a full-on revhead. A six-speed was used in TT quattros from their introduction in October 1999. Front-drive cars had five-speed manual gearboxes until August 2005, when a six-speed manual was introduced.

Because Audi saw the TT as being a pure sports car no automatic transmission was offered until March 2003, when a six-speed torque-converter auto was offered with the low-pressure engines. Good as it was this transmission has been somewhat upstaged in the technology stakes by the six-speed double-clutch - tagged the S tronic - used in the Audi TT 3.2 quattro.

The automated double-clutch automated-manual transmission has all the labour-saving advantages of a conventional automatic, and none of the disadvantages of power loss and higher fuel consumption. However, its characteristics at very low speeds can be variable and irritating at times. Test drive one to see what you think.

These are complex cars that should really only be worked on by professionals. However, good amateurs can tackle some of the routine maintenance work should they be so inclined. Spare parts prices aren't cheap, but are in keeping with others in this class. It’s much the same story with the cost of servicing and repairs.

Check on insurance premiums before falling too deeply in love with one of these stunningly styled German cars as premiums vary quite a bit. Your local Audi dealer may be able to offer advice. 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Look for signs of previous crash repairs. A ripply finish in any of the panels, or a mismatch in paint colour from one section to the other are fairly easy to spot. If there's the slightest concern over crash repairs either get a full professional inspection, or skip that car and try to find another one.

Look at the floor of a roadster for signs of water entry. If there's the slightest cause for concern get permission from the seller to lift the carpets. Check the roadster’s roof seals correctly when it is closed and that it doesn’t have any tears or cuts, especially around the stitching.

Make sure the engine starts promptly, even when it’s stone cold. If there are any doubts try to arrange to come back first thing in the morning to have it completely cold. Gear changes should be reasonably light, but remember the gearbox is a long way from the shift lever, with a multitude of links connecting the two. This can give it a slightly spongy feel.

CAR BUYING TIP

We hear of too many people buying used cars without even going for a test drive. Crazy if you ask us, but it’s their choice...
 

Read the article
Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.
Have a new question for the CarsGuide team?
More than 9,000 questions asked and answered.