2013 Audi A6 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A6 years
- More complaints than other years 13th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Audi A6. That ranks 13th out of 32 A6 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (18 complaints, 35%), typically at around 66,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.

- 52owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 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 | 18 | 35% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 15 | 29% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 15% | 11,030 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 13% | 38,830 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 13% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 13% | 11,050 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 6% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 4% | 77,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 4% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | 61,871 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | 150 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Audi A6 recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.
Risk: If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.
Engine and engine cooling:cooling system
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump.
Risk: A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Audi A6 and A7 vehicles. The fuel line has a compression point that can weaken, potentially resulting in a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-888-237-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AR.
Engine and engine cooling:cooling system
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating.
Risk: If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 and Audi A7 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a fuel hose in the engine compartment that may degrade and leak fuel.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the under hood fuel pump and fuel hose, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BZ.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 vehicles manufactured March 28, 2011, to March 25, 2013, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles manufactured January 25, 2011, to March 19, 2013. In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS), used to enable the front passenger air bags, may malfunction and prevent the passenger-side air bags from deploying in a crash.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of occupant injury in a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D1.
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.
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 the turn signal is activated to go RIGHT, the turn indicator flashes LEFT (both the arrow on the instrument panel and the exterior lights). Since the driver is not consciously looking at the dash, this causes an unexpected lane change and dangerous (and illegal) lane change. There are no…
It was recently began to leak fuel from the top of the engine close to the windshield. Then the whole cabin specially in the front where the steering wheel began to have bad vibration during reversed, and idle, also when the ac is on. Then theres the airbag for the passenger, the light is on, it…
The contact owns a 2013 Audi A6 equipped with Kumho Tires, Tire Line: Solus Majesty, Tire Size: 245/45/VR18, DOT Number: 127W2YCJ9. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken for maintenance and the independent mechanic observed that the driver's and passengerâs side front tires tread was…
My sunroof exploded on the expressway and caused the glass to shatter both inside the vehicle sunroof vent and the exterior sunroof
I had my coolant system repaired before I found out there was a recall now my thermostat went bad. My brakes need to be replaced too much and my screw for my radio and system display stopped working every time you change fees it pops
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 | 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 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.
Similar Audi models
Embed this 2013 Audi A6 badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Audi A6?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, unknown or other problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 18 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Audi A6?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 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 2013 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.