2013 Audi A6 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (11) · Fuel/Propulsion System (7) · Steering (6)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Audi A6 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
28 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (6)
Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification 2018-06-04 · campaign 18V370000 · 139,249 vehicles
Defect: 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 2018-04-11 · campaign 18V229000 · 342,867 vehicles
Defect: 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 2017-12-06 · campaign 17V781000 · 48,693 vehicles
Defect: 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 2017-01-03 · campaign 17V002000 · 342,867 vehicles
Defect: 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 2016-09-07 · campaign 16V646000 · 28,249 vehicles
Defect: 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 2015-12-08 · campaign 15V823000 · 21,074 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Service bulletins (1,666)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-25 · TSB_2083409_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-25 · TSB_2052680_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
Steering 2026-09-22 · TSB_2074846_5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-15 · TSB_2030471_9 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
Structure:body 2026-09-08 · TSB_2068999_5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this tsb describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases.
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-26 · TSB_2074436_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,666 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-11-19 · Exterior Lighting“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 warning lights that there is an error/problem. this is a…”
2025-09-28 · Fuel/Propulsion System“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 used to say '"off" then when the seat is used it will…”
2024-11-12 · Tires · 115,000 mi“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 passenger’s side front tires tread was separating from the tire. the contact stated that al…”
2023-08-25 · Unknown Or Other“my sunroof exploded on the expressway and caused the glass to shatter both inside the vehicle sunroof vent and the exterior sunroof …”
2023-05-13 · Service Brakes“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…”
2023-01-05 · Fuel System, Gasoline · 122,000 mi“the contact owns a 2013 audi a6. the contact stated that after returning to the parked vehicle, the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. the contact stated that the temperature gauge and check engine warning lights were illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the residence. the contact performed a diagnostic on the vehicle and retrieved fa…”
2022-01-12 · Unknown Or Other“steering rack assist has a recall for my car because my steering locked up. audi replaced the recall part two times. the first didnt work after the second time it works but now they cant reset the check engine lights, tpms, steering fault do not drive it says, ecs fualt, stability fault, child safety lock fault etc. dealer told they did everything …”
2021-09-24 · Unknown Or Other“i start getting coolant leak and it was at audi dealership. nothing was done just today get biger leak and took to shop and they say my water pump is broken. i think this is part of audi a6 2013 water oump problems. need to fix it …”
2021-01-27 · Engine · 115,000 mi“over heating caused by thermostat sticking. this problem was common on the 2.0 audi a6 which was recall. the car overheats every time i drive. also, i had a spark plug end ip in the cylinder causing damage to the inner wall of the engine. …”
2020-11-20 · Fuel/Propulsion System“car is leaking & burning oil and is having electrical problems open short to ground i only had the car 2 months the fuel system is malfunctioning my engine light & my epic light is on smoke is coming coming from the engine & the engine is shaking roughly & these are some of the recalls but there saying the recalls have already been taking car of bu…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.