Audi A6 Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,658 owner complaints and 54 safety recalls on file for the Audi A6, across 32 model years (1995–2026). The 1999 model year has the most complaints (217). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
Audi A6 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical A6 year: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2019. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1999 A6: 217 complaints, 9 recalls
- 2000 A6: 148 complaints, 4 recalls
- 1998 A6: 130 complaints, 10 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Audi A6 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 393 | 30 | 6 |
| Air Bags problems | 315 | 25 | 32 |
| Engine problems | 130 | 21 | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 122 | 13 | 0 |
| Steering problems | 113 | 23 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 112 | 21 | 3 |
| Power Train problems | 112 | 26 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 106 | 12 | 9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 82 | 18 | 7 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 67 | 20 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 54 | 17 | 2 |
| Structure | 54 | 17 | 4 |
| Tires | 53 | 14 | 1 |
| Suspension | 49 | 9 | 1 |
| Visibility | 39 | 12 | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 36 | 16 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 31 | 7 | 1 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 30 | 10 | 0 |
| Seats | 25 | 11 | 1 |
| Equipment | 23 | 13 | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 22 | 12 | 6 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 19 | 10 | 0 |
| Wheels | 16 | 10 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 11 | 4 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 9 | 4 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Audi A6 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2019: electrical system (84)
All Audi A6 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 A6 | 6 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2025 A6 | 6 | 2 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2024 A6 | 3 | 1 | — | Forward Collision Avoidance | |
| 2023 A6 | 2 | 1 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2022 A6 | 2 | 5 | — | Back Over Prevention | |
| 2021 A6 | 17 | 11 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 A6 | 26 | 9 | 5★ | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 A6 | 114 | 7 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2018 A6 | 11 | 2 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 A6 | 20 | 3 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 A6 | 51 | 3 | 5★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2015 A6 | 22 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2014 A6 | 41 | 4 | 5★ | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2013 A6 | 52 | 6 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2012 A6 | 60 | 8 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2011 A6 | 21 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 A6 | 17 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 A6 | 21 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 A6 | 71 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 A6 | 53 | 4 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2006 A6 | 67 | 4 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2005 A6 | 91 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 A6 | 35 | 4 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2003 A6 | 66 | 7 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | More complaints than other years |
| 2002 A6 | 88 | 4 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 A6 | 113 | 7 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 A6 | 148 | 4 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 A6 | 217 | 9 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 A6 | 130 | 10 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 A6 | 20 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1996 A6 | 51 | 2 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 1995 A6 | 16 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
More from Audi: all Audi models · Audi VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Audi A6 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1998 (130), 1999 (217), 2000 (148), 2001 (113), 2002 (88), 2005 (91), 2008 (71), 2019 (114) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical A6 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Audi A6?
Electrical System, with 393 complaints across 30 model years.
How many recalls does the Audi A6 have?
54 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.