5UNITED STATES


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 10-K


þANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE SECURITIESEXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015


OR


 ̈TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE SECURITIESEXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


For the transition period from ___________ to ____________.








Ally Auto Receivables Trust 2012-4


(Exact name of issuing entity as specified in its charter)





Commission file number of issuing entity: 333-163392-15





Central Index Key Number of issuing entity: 0001555611





Ally Auto Assets LLC


(Exact name of depositor as specified in its charter)





Commission file number of depositor: 333-163392





Central Index Key Number of depositor: 0001477336





Ally Bank


(Exact name of sponsor as specified in its charter)





Central Index Key Number of sponsor (if applicable): 0001601846








DELAWARE35-6990827(State or other jurisdiction of(I.R.S. Employerincorporation or organization)Identification No.)


Ally Auto Assets LLC


200 Renaissance Center


Detroit, Michigan


(Address of principal executive offices)


(Zip Code)


(866) 710-4623


(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)





Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None





Securities required to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None





Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes  ̈ No þ





Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of Acts. Yes  ̈ No þ





Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. þ Yes  ̈ No





Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  ̈ Yes  ̈ No





Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. þ Not applicable to this registrant.







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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of  "large accelerated filer,"  "accelerated filer," "non-accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):


 ̈Large accelerated filer ̈Accelerated filerþNon-accelerated filer ̈Smaller Reporting Company


(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)





Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).  ̈ Yes þ No





State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. None





Registrant does not have any voting or non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates.





Documents incorporated by reference. None





INDEX





Ally Auto Receivables Trust 2012-4





Part IItem 1.Business*Item 1A.Risk Factors*Item 1B.Unresolved Staff CommentsItem 2.Properties*Item 3.Legal Proceedings*Item 4.Mine Safety DisclosuresPart IIItem 5.Market For Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities*Item 6.Selected Financial Data*Item 7.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations*Item 7A.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk*Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data*Item 9.Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure*Item 9A.Controls and Procedure*Item 9B.Other InformationPart IIIItem 10.Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance*Item 11.Executive Compensation*Item 12.Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters*Item 13.Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence*Item 14.Principal Accounting Fees and Services*Part IVItem 15.Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules











* Item is omitted in accordance with General Instructions J to Form 10-K.








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Part I





Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments





None.





Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures





Not applicable.





Substitute information provided in accordance with General Instruction J to  Form 10-K:





Item 1112(b) of Regulation AB. Significant Obligors of Pool Assets (Financial  Information).





There are no significant obligors with respect to the pool assets held by Ally Auto Receivables Trust 2012-4 (the “Issuing Entity”).





Item 1114(b)(2) of Regulation AB. Credit Enhancement and Other Support, Except  for Certain Derivatives Instruments (Financial Information).





No entity or group of affiliated entities provides any external credit enhancement or other support with respect to either payment of the pool assets held by the Issuing Entity or payments on the notes (the “Notes”) or certificates (the “Certificates”) issued by the Issuing Entity.





Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB. Certain Derivatives Instruments (Financial  Information).





No entity or group of affiliated entities provides any derivative instruments that are used to alter the payment characteristics of the cashflows from the Issuing Entity.





Item 1117 of Regulation AB. Legal Proceedings.





There are no current legal proceedings pending, or to the best knowledge of management of such entity, threatened, against the Issuing Entity, the sponsor, the servicer or the depositor that, if determined adversely to such party, would be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of the notes.





BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Owner Trustee, has provided the following information for inclusion in this report on Form 10-K regarding The Bank of New York Mellon, which is an affiliate of the Owner Trustee that provides support services on behalf of the Owner Trustee in this transaction:





In the ordinary course of business, The Bank of New York Mellon is named as a defendant in or made a party to pending and potential legal actions. In connection with its role as trustee of certain RMBS transactions, The Bank of New York Mellon has been named as a defendant in a number of legal actions brought by RMBS investors. These lawsuits allege that the trustee had expansive duties under the governing agreements, including the duty to investigate and pursue breach of representation and warranty claims against other parties to the RMBS transactions. While it is inherently difficult to predict the eventual outcomes of pending actions, The Bank of New York Mellon denies liability and intends to defend the litigations vigorously.





Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (“DBTCA”), as Indenture Trustee, has provided the following information for inclusion in this report on Form 10-K:





DBTCA, the Indenture Trustee, has been named as a defendant in civil litigation concerning its role as trustee of certain residential mortgage backed securities (“RMBS”) trusts. On June 18, 2014, a group of investors (“Plaintiff Investors”) filed a civil action against DBTCA and Deutsche Bank National Trust Company (“DBNTC”) in New York State Supreme Court purportedly on behalf of and for the benefit of 544 private-label RMBS trusts asserting claims for alleged violations of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and negligence based on DBTCA’s and DBNTC’s alleged failure to perform their obligations as trustees for the trusts (the “NY Derivative Action”). An amended complaint was filed on July 16, 2014, adding Plaintiff Investors and RMBS trusts to the NY Derivative Action. On November 24, 2014, the Plaintiff Investors moved to voluntarily dismiss the NY Derivative Action without prejudice. Also on November 24, 2014, substantially the same group of Plaintiff Investors filed a civil action against DBTCA and DBNTC in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “SDNY Action”), making substantially the same allegations as the New York Derivative Action with respect to 564 RMBS trusts (542 of which were at issue in the NY Derivative Action). The SDNY Action is styled both as a derivative action on behalf of the named RMBS trusts and, in the alternative, as a putative class action on behalf of holders of RMBS representing interests in those RMBS trusts. On January 19, 2016, the court overseeing the SDNY Action granted in part the defendants’ motion to dismiss on procedural grounds: as to the 500 trusts that are governed by pooling and servicing agreements, the court declined to exercise jurisdiction. The court did not rule on substantive defenses asserted in defendants’ motion to dismiss. The court further ordered plaintiffs to file an amended




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complaint consistent with its ruling as to the remaining 64 trusts governed by indentures. The defendants will have an opportunity to file new defensive motions with respect to the amended complaint after it is filed. DBTCA will continue to vigorously defend the SDNY Action. On December 30, 2015, IKB International, S.A. and IKB Deutsche Industriebank A.G. filed a Summons With Notice in New York state court naming as defendants DBNTC and DBTCA, as trustees of 37 RMBS trusts (the “IKB Action”). The claims in the IKB Action appear to be substantively similar to the SDNY Action. The IKB Action is not styled as a putative class action, but may attempt to bring derivative claims on behalf of the named RMBS trusts. DBTCA intends to vigorously defend the IKB Action. DBTCA has no pending legal proceedings (including, based on DBTCA’s present evaluation, the litigation disclosed in this paragraph) that would materially affect its ability to perform its duties as Indenture Trustee on behalf of the Noteholders.








Part II





Item 9B. Other Information





None.





Part III





Substitute information provided in accordance with General Instruction J to  Form 10-K:





Item 1119 of Regulation AB. Affiliations and Certain Relationships and Related  Transactions.





Information required by Item 1119 of Regulation AB has been omitted from this report on Form 10-K in reliance on the Instruction to Item 1119.  The information has been provided previously in a Prospectus, dated August 7, 2012, filed by the Issuing Entity, pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) of the Securities Act of 1933 on August 9, 2012.








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Item 1122 of Regulation AB. Compliance with Applicable Servicing Criteria.





Each of Ally Financial Inc. (“Ally Financial”) and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (each, a “Servicing Participant”) has been identified by the registrant as a party participating in the servicing function with respect to the pool assets held by the Issuing Entity during the reporting period. Each of the Servicing Participants has completed a report on an assessment of compliance with the servicing criteria applicable to such Servicing Participant (each, a “Report on Assessment”) during the Issuing Entity’s year ended December 31, 2015, which Reports on Assessment are attached as exhibits to this Form 10-K. In addition, each of the Servicing Participants has provided an attestation report (each, an “Attestation Report”) by a registered independent public accounting firm regarding its related Report on Assessment. Each Attestation Report is attached as an exhibit to this Form 10-K.





None of the Reports on Assessment or the related Attestation Reports has identified any material instances of noncompliance with the servicing criteria described in the related Report on Assessment as being applicable to each such Servicing Participant.





Item 1123 of Regulation AB. Servicer Compliance Statement.





Ally Financial has been identified as the servicer during the reporting period with respect to the pool assets held by the Issuing Entity. Ally Financial has provided a statement of compliance with the applicable servicing activities (the “Compliance Statement”), signed by an authorized officer, and such Compliance Statement is attached as an exhibit to this Form 10-K.








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Part IV





Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules





(a)List the following documents filed as a part of the report:





(1)Financial Statements — Not Applicable.


(2)Financial Statement Schedules — Not Applicable.


(3)Exhibits


•Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Ally Auto Assets LLC dated, as of September 10, 2009.


•Indenture between Ally Auto Receivables Trust 2012-4 (the "Issuing Entity”) and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Indenture Trustee (the “Indenture Trustee”), dated as of August 15, 2012.


•Trust Agreement between Ally Auto Assets LLC, as Depositor, and BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Owner Trustee, dated as of August 15, 2012.


•Pooling Agreement between Ally Bank, as Seller, and Ally Auto Assets LLC, dated as of August 15, 2012.


•Rule 13a-14(d)/15d-14(d) Certification (Section 302 Certification).


•Report on Assessment of Compliance with SEC Regulation AB Servicing Criteria concerning activities of Ally Financial for the year ended December 31, 2015.


•Report on Assessment of Compliance with SEC Regulation AB Servicing Criteria concerning activities of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas for the year ended December 31, 2015.


•Registered Public Accounting Firm Attestation Report on Assessment of Compliance with applicable Servicing Criteria of Ally Financial dated March 10, 2016 for the year ended December 31, 2015.


•Registered Public Accounting Firm Attestation Report on Assessment of Compliance with applicable Servicing Criteria of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas dated February 26, 2016 for the year ended December 31, 2015.


•Servicer Compliance Statement of Ally Financial for the year ended December 31, 2015.


•Trust Sale Agreement between Ally Auto Assets LLC, as Depositor, and the Issuing Entity, dated as of August 15, 2012.


•Custodian Agreement between Ally Financial, as Custodian, and Ally Auto Assets LLC, as Depositor, dated as of August 15, 2012.


•Administration Agreement among the Issuing Entity, Ally Financial, as Administrator, and the Indenture Trustee, dated as of August 15, 2012.•Servicing Agreement among the Issuing Entity, Ally Financial, as Servicer, and Ally Auto Assets LLC, dated as of August 15, 2012.











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Signature





Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.





Ally Auto Assets LLC, as Depositor/s/ Ryan C. FarrisRyan C. FarrisPresident(Senior Officer in charge of securitization of the depositor)





Date: March 29, 2016








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Index of Exhibits





ExhibitDescriptionMethod of Filing3.1Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Ally Auto Assets LLC dated as of September 10, 2009.**4.1Indenture between Ally Auto Receivables Trust 2012-4 (the “Issuing Entity”) and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Indenture Trustee (the “Indenture Trustee”), dated as of August 15, 2012.*4.2Trust Agreement between Ally Auto Assets LLC, as Depositor, and BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Owner Trustee, dated as of August 15, 2012.*4.3Pooling Agreement between Ally Bank, as Seller, and Ally Auto Assets LLC, dated as of August 15, 2012.*31.1Certification of Executive Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(d)/15d-14(d).Filed herewith.33.1Report on Assessment of Compliance with SEC Regulation AB Servicing Criteria concerning activities of Ally Financial for the year ended December 31, 2015.Filed herewith.33.2Report on Assessment of Compliance with SEC Regulation AB Servicing Criteria concerning activities of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas for the year ended December 31, 2015.Filed herewith.34.1Registered Public Accounting Firm Attestation Report on Assessment of Compliance with applicable Servicing Criteria of Ally Financial dated March 10, 2016 for the year ended December 31, 2015.Filed herewith.34.2Registered Public Accounting Firm Attestation Report on Assessment of Compliance with applicable Servicing Criteria of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, dated February 26, 2016 for the year ended December 31, 2015.Filed herewith.35.1Servicer Compliance Statement of Ally Financial for the year ended December 31, 2015.Filed herewith.99.1Trust Sale Agreement between Ally Auto Assets LLC, as Depositor, and the Issuing Entity, dated as of August 15, 2012.*99.2Custodian Agreement between Ally Financial, as Custodian, and Ally Auto Assets LLC, as Depositor, dated as of August 15, 2012.*99.3Administration Agreement among the Issuing Entity, Ally Financial, as Administrator, and the Indenture Trustee, dated as of August 15, 2012.*99.4Servicing Agreement among Ally Financial, as Servicer, Ally Auto Assets LLC, and the Issuing Entity, dated as of August 15, 2012.*











*Incorporated by reference to the corresponding Exhibit to the Issuing Entity’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 16, 2012  (File No. 333-163392-15).





**Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Ally Auto Assets LLC’s Form S-3 Registration Statement filed on November 27, 2009 (File No. 333-163392).








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