AI DamageAudi A6: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Audi A6 across 12 model years: 233 owner complaints and 2,569 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 54% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 24% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 5 Forward collision avoidance 9% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 125 complaints (54% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3,281.
- Engine: 57 complaints (24% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 450.
- Powertrain: 22 complaints (9% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 452.
- Steering: 22 complaints (9% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 446.
- Forward collision avoidance: 21 complaints (9% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 61.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl 2012–2018named in 1 complaints
- 2.7 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl 2000–2004
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1995–2001
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl 2002–2004
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl 2009–2026
- 3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl 2005–2009
- 3.2 L · petrol · 6 cyl 2010–2011
- 4.2 L · petrol · 8 cyl 2000–2011
- 2 L · hybrid · turbo · 4 cyl 2019–2025named in 1 complaints
- 3 L · diesel · turbo · 6 cyl 2014–2016
- 3 L · hybrid · turbo · 6 cyl 2019–2026named in 2 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed 1995–1998
- automatic, 5-speed 1998–2004
- automatic, 6-speed 2005–2011
- automatic, 8-speed 2012–2018
- CVT 2002–2015
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speed 2016–2026
- manual, 5-speed 1995–2000
- manual, 6-speed 2000–2004
Drive: AWD, FWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 233 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 125 | 1 | 3,281 |
| Engine | 57 | 2 | 450 |
| Powertrain | 22 | 0 | 452 |
| Steering | 22 | 0 | 446 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 21 | 0 | 61 |
| Air bags | 16 | 1 | 93 |
| Service brakes | 11 | 0 | 358 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 11 | 0 | 113 |
| Structure | 9 | 1 | 858 |
| Lane departure | 7 | 0 | 47 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 20 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 160 |
| Backover prevention | 4 | 0 | 97 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 450 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Stop engine oil pressure too high light comes on dealer does not have solution. Engine could blow during operation and cause accident. Vehicle recall needed
Both daytime running lights have progressively changed from white to yellow and lost intensity. The discoloration began on one side and later appeared on the other, concentrated at the lower angled section of the daytime running light. There are no warning lamps, messages, or stored fault codes.
Simultaneously, the vehicle's primary safety and convenience systems dropped completely offline, displaying synchronized, consecutive malfunction alerts for the Central Locking System, Audi Pre Sense (Distance Monitoring), Cross Traffic Assist, and Lane Change/Blind Spot Warning systems.
Also, the door handles would not work me and my daughter had to climb out of the car windows to get out. So like, you know what? And then we had to try to access the battery compartment to do a hard reset. The vehicle is scheduled to go back to the manufacturer dealer to look at it again next week.
This defect poses a severe safety risk as coolant entering the vacuum grid can cause sudden loss of engine power, erratic braking assist, and localized engine overheating while operating the vehicle at highway speeds.
The gateway computer was fried due to water consumption. I was driving and lost all power in the car and hade to pull over with no power to help me. Also this was already recalled in 2019-2022 audi fix was to put a plastic bag around the gate way computer but this did not pretect the gateway properly.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has…
- This bulletin provides information when the starter/generator drive belt is noisy or came off
- This bulletin provides information regarding setup in the Audi Connect app for digital key
- This bulletin provides information when there is a warning message in the instrument cluster about…
- This bulletin is a help guide for Audi connect remote start
- This bulletin provides information when one or more electric extrerior door handles cannot be reached af…
- This Pending Service Solution (PSS) requests that technicians create a record in the PSS database when…
- This Pending Service Solution (PSS) requests that technicians create a record in the PSS database when…
- This Pending Service Solution (PSS) requests that technicians create a record in the PSS database when…
- This Pending Service Solution (PSS) requests that technicians enter a record in the PSS databse in…
- This bulletin provides information when there is a driver system fault, or an MIL - DTC P060C00 symptom…
- This bulletin is an aid supportin gthe combined softare update 03.11.00/C (28.14.01) KD2*
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- Flooded 2016 Audi A6 Rebuild Project. Salvage IAA car repair.amount per author: 18,000 UNSPECIFIED_DOLLAR
- Audi A6 2016, бензин 3.0, Quattro - 19300$
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.