2005 Audi A6 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A6 years
- Far more complaints than other years 6th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 91 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Audi A6. That ranks 6th out of 32 A6 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (43 complaints, 47%), typically at around 111,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 fires, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 91owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 43 | 47% | 111,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 16 | 18% | 107,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 9% | 126,948 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 7% | 112,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 5% | 101,092 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 5% | 93,450 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 5% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 4% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 4% | 13,793 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 3% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 3% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 3% | 37,895 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 3% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 2% | 33,183 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 52,365 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Audi A6 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling model year 2004 Audi A4 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service 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.
When this steering problem is occurring no communication between the steering and driver and accident happened and its very dangerous!!! DTC 00456 (Access/start control module -J518- no communication) is found in several control modules or the access/start authorization control module, J518…
Audi of america sent me a flyer (attached) offering $100 in audi goods and services as an incentive to complete the replacement of a takata airbag recall. Since may 2nd, now almost 5 months later, audi has still failed to provide the offered incentive despite me contacting them and their promise it…
Nov 17 2017 on my way to work , i got a flat tired so i had to pull over .. Right at the intersection of on clairemont going north on the 805. The
I have attempted to have the airbag recall repairs done many times over the last year,only told that they are waiting for parts at audi of rochester ny. I am concerned the i have hear nothing from them. I have not had the passenger airbag go off nor do i want to take the chance that it will.
Vehicle wouldn't start after parking at a store parking lot. Steering column was locked no power to anything only mmi had power transmission was locked on parking position and electronic brake sistem was activated looking up online i found that there's to many customers with same problem they all…
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 | 91 | 3 |
| 2004 A6 | 35 | 4 |
| 2003 A6 | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Audi A6?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, steering problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 43 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Audi A6?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 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 2005 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.