2003 Audi A6 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A6 years
- More complaints than other years 10th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Audi A6. That ranks 10th out of 32 A6 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (16 complaints, 24%), typically at around 71,597 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 5 fires, 1 injury. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 66owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Audi A6 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 16 | 24% | 71,597 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 21% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 15% | 68,925 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 9% | 12,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 5% | 149,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 5% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 5% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 5% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 5% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 3% | 91,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 3% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 3% | 76,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 3% | 101,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 3% | 68,575 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 3% | 68,575 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 2% | 5,695 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 2% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | 84,600 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Audi A6 recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2001-2004 audi a6, model year 2002-2003 s6 and model year 2003 rs6 vehicles equipped with 4.2l engines and manufactured from june 19, 2001, through june 8, 2004. The aging of the plastic material in the fuel tank rollover valve combined with bending stress from the aluminum ventilation line to the rollover valve nipple may lead to cracking of the nipple. If this happens, a fuel leak may result.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could lead to a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealers will reinforce the nipple on the rollover valve to prevent leakage or repair the cracking at the nipple. The recall is expected to begin during june 2011. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Volkswagen is recalling 68,240 my 2001-2004 audi a6 quattro vehicles equipped with 2.7l, 2.8l, or 3.0l engines and my 2001-2005 allroad quattro vehicles equipped with 2.7l or 4.2l engines. The aging of the plastic material in the fuel tank rollover valve combined with bending stress from the aluminum ventilation line to the rollover valve nipple may lead to cracking of the nipple. If this happens, a fuel leak may result.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could lead to a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealers will reinforce the nipple on the rollover valve to prevent leakage or repair the cracking at the nipple. The recall began on june 27, 2008. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
Risk: If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
Fix: Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on september 28, 20007. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or audi at 1-800-822-2834. This recall is a supplement to a previous campaign (please see 06v017).
Electrical system
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with halogen low beam headlights, certain connector pins in the headlight switch connector come into contact with each other causing a short circuit. Note: vehicles with xenon low beam headlights are not affected because the circuit in these vehicles contains a fuse, which precludes excessive current flow in the case of a short circuit. Audi s6 and s6 avant vehicles are all equipped with xenon low beam headlights and, therefore, are not longer affected by this recall.
Risk: This condition could lead to overheating or fire.
Fix: Dealers will reroute the wiring harness by installing a jumper wiring harness. The recall began on december 16, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: On certain vehicles produced from september 2002 - march 2003, equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
Risk: If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
Fix: Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on april 10, 2006. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Electrical system
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, if a driver's knees push against the knee bolster (crash element) located under the dashboard, it can contact the headlight switch wiring harness, and an electrical short could occur.
Risk: A fire could originate in the left dashboard area.
Fix: Dealers will install a protective covering on the knee bolster (crash element). In addition, the wiring harness as well as the felt protector on the left side of the dashboard carrier will be checked, and replaced if necessary. The recall began on july 26, 2004. Owners should contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 3-spoke sport steering wheels, it is possible that the igniter for the driver's side air bag may not have been properly assembled.
Risk: An improperly positioned igniter will not activate the air bag in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the air bags. Owner notification began november 18, 2002. Owners should contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel tank leak (PE08008) — opened Jan 31, 2008, closed May 30, 2008, led to recall 08V156000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The gas tank or components of the tank are leaking gas when more than a small amount of gas is put into the tank. Gas leaks all over the ground from the tank and the cabin fills with gas fumes. My 18 son has been driving this car and i will not allow him or anyone else to drive the car now. After…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 audi a6. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the failure occurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer and the crankshaft sensor was replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 audi a6. The contact stated while driving at various speeds on the highway, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted and made aware of the failure. The…
Check engine light on, vehicle will not pass emissions testing. Audi determined that it was due to a fuel leak from a crack in the passenger side rear rollover valve. Vehicle had been recalled in past for similar issue (performed). Tank has 4 rollover valves, only one (front driver) included in…
I was driving in light rain and saw a small puddle of water ahead so i slowed down and went through it at 10mph, all of the sudden my steering wheel locks up and is stuck going right, grinding noise came from the front drivers wheel. I somehow managed to get the vehical to a fire station and park…
Other Audi A6 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 A6 | 6 | 0 |
| 2025 A6 | 6 | 2 |
| 2024 A6 | 3 | 1 |
| 2023 A6 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 A6 | 2 | 5 |
| 2021 A6 | 17 | 11 |
| 2020 A6 | 26 | 9 |
| 2019 A6 | 114 | 7 |
| 2018 A6 | 11 | 2 |
| 2017 A6 | 20 | 3 |
| 2016 A6 | 51 | 3 |
| 2015 A6 | 22 | 4 |
| 2014 A6 | 41 | 4 |
| 2013 A6 | 52 | 6 |
| 2012 A6 | 60 | 8 |
| 2011 A6 | 21 | 3 |
| 2010 A6 | 17 | 3 |
| 2009 A6 | 21 | 4 |
| 2008 A6 | 71 | 4 |
| 2007 A6 | 53 | 4 |
| 2006 A6 | 67 | 4 |
| 2005 A6 | 91 | 3 |
| 2004 A6 | 35 | 4 |
| 2003 | 66 | 7 |
| 2002 A6 | 88 | 4 |
| 2001 A6 | 113 | 7 |
| 2000 A6 | 148 | 4 |
| 1999 A6 | 217 | 9 |
| 1998 A6 | 130 | 10 |
| 1997 A6 | 20 | 2 |
| 1996 A6 | 51 | 2 |
| 1995 A6 | 16 | 2 |
See all Audi A6 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
Similar Audi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Audi A6?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 16 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Audi A6?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Audi A6 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other A6 model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.