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Audi A6Years to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 1,664 NHTSA owner complaints across 33 model years, the Audi A6 years to avoid are 1999, and the strongest years are 1996, 2004, 2014 and 2020. The A6 has 54 safety recalls on record.

Audi A6
Years to avoid'99Use caution: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2019Best years'96 '04 '14 '20Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints1,664Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls541994–2026 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Audi A6 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the A6 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2026Too new–/1007 complaints · 0 recalls2025Too new–/1006 complaints · 2 recalls2024Not rated–/1003 complaints · 1 recall2023Not rated–/1003 complaints · 1 recall2022Not rated–/1002 complaints · 5 recalls2021Not rated–/10018 complaints · 11 recalls2020Best67/10027 complaints · 9 recalls2019Caution34/100114 complaints · 7 recalls2018Not rated–/10011 complaints · 2 recalls2017Not rated–/10020 complaints · 3 recalls2016Solid58/10051 complaints · 3 recalls2015Not rated–/10022 complaints · 4 recalls2014Solid65/10041 complaints · 4 recalls2013Solid55/10052 complaints · 6 recalls2012Solid57/10060 complaints · 8 recalls2011Not rated–/10021 complaints · 3 recalls2010Not rated–/10017 complaints · 3 recalls2009Not rated–/10021 complaints · 4 recalls2008Solid49/10071 complaints · 4 recalls2007Solid55/10053 complaints · 4 recalls2006Solid50/10067 complaints · 4 recalls2005Solid44/10091 complaints · 3 recalls2004Solid65/10035 complaints · 4 recalls2003Solid50/10066 complaints · 7 recalls2002Caution40/10088 complaints · 4 recalls2001Caution32/100113 complaints · 7 recalls2000Caution30/100148 complaints · 4 recalls1999Avoid20/100217 complaints · 9 recalls1998Caution33/100130 complaints · 10 recalls1997Not rated–/10020 complaints · 2 recalls1996Solid59/10051 complaints · 2 recalls1995Not rated–/10016 complaints · 2 recalls1994Not rated–/1002 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Audi A6 problems

All model years combined: 1,664 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system39763
Air bags31638
Engine1309
Fuel system, gasoline1221
Steering1134
Engine and engine cooling1137
Power train1124
Service brakes, hydraulic1069
Vehicle speed control827
26 other systems58136
54 recalls

Audi A6 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

66%Lane departure: software26V-125 · 2019 · Mar 4, 2026 · 1,620 vehicles69%Sensing system: camera25V-900 · 2019–2025 · Dec 19, 2025 · 356,894 vehicles90%Rear/other: retractor25V-899 · 2025 · Dec 19, 2025 · 27,768 vehicles84%Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel25V-201 · 2021 · Mar 31, 2025 · 44,387 vehicles92%Service brakes, hydraulic: fluid23V-601 · 2019–2021 · Aug 25, 2023 · 7,499 vehicles94%Electrical system22V-861 · 2019–2022 · Nov 21, 2022 · 50,883 vehicles89%Back over prevention: display function22V-806 · 2022 · Oct 26, 2022 · 6,076 vehicles93%Back over prevention: display function22V-742 · 2021 · Oct 5, 2022 · 170,296 vehicles88%Engine: engine control module (ecu/ecm)22V-368 · 2022 · May 23, 2022 · 72 vehicles94%Fuel gauge: fuel level float/sensor/sending unit22V-155 · 2019–2022 · Mar 14, 2022 · 47,238 vehicles97%Axle: non-powered axle assembly22V-034 · 2020–2021 · Jan 26, 2022 · 31,058 vehicles96%Seat belts21V-606 · 2021 · Aug 5, 2021 · 45,496 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 54 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

10 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the A6

  1. FUEL TANK LEAKPE08008 · 2001–2005 · closed May 30, 2008
    Led to recall 08V-156
  2. DRIVER'S SIDE DASH FIRERQ06003 · 1998–2000 · closed Jul 20, 2006
    Led to recall 06V-198
  3. STUCK-OPEN THROTTLEEA04017 · 1998–1999 · closed Feb 10, 2005
    Led to recall 04V-495
  4. STUCK-OPEN THROTTLEPE04023 · 1998–1999 · closed Jun 30, 2004
    No recall
  5. DRIVERS SIDE DASH FIREEA03025 · 1999–2000 · closed May 7, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-133
  6. DRIVERS SIDE DASHBOARD FIREPE03035 · 1999–2000 · closed Nov 25, 2003
    No recall
  7. STEERING WHEEL HEATER OVERHEATSPE03019 · 1998–1999 · closed Sep 17, 2003
    No recall
  8. BRAKE AND CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKETPE02008 · 1998–2001 · closed Jul 12, 2002
    No recall
  9. FUEL SUPPLY LINE LEAKPE99065 · 1994–1995 · closed Mar 31, 2000
    Led to recall 00V-068
  10. FUEL EXPULSIONPE99001 · 1998–1999 · closed Mar 24, 1999
    Led to recall 99V-058