2016 Audi S6 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (9) · Power Train (2) · Vehicle Speed Control (1)
Safety recalls (2)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/Supercharger 2022-03-23 · campaign 22V178000 · 26,093 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2013-2017 A8, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, and 2014-2017 RS7 vehicles. The turbocharger oil supply strainer can become blocked, causing wear to the bearings due to lack of lubrication.
Risk: Worn bearings can cause the turbine wheel to contact the turbocharger housing or cause the shaft to break, causing an engine stall and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the oil strainer and perform an oil change, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 21H7.
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.
Service bulletins (676)
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.
Visibility/Wiper 2026-09-22 · TSB_2020552_15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
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.
Showing the 6 most recent of 676 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-11-27 · Service Brakes“the front passenger-side 6-piston brembo caliper's (part no. 20.a989.63) external steel crossover tube failed due to corrosion, specifically where the tubing was covered by a protective rubber sleeve, which trapped moisture and road salt. this led to a catastrophic loss of brake fluid and braking capability. this appears to be a systemic corrosion …”
2024-12-17 · Suspension“subject: formal complaint regarding defective arnott front air strut to whom it may concern, i am writing to formally report a significant safety concern regarding a defective arnott fl front air strut purchased via rockauto for my 2016 audi s6 (vin: [xxx] ). the air strut failed within five days of professional installation. this failure compro…”
2024-06-27 · Power Train“we, a group of audi s6 owners with vehicles from the 2013-2017 model years, are experiencing premature mechatronic issues. these problems manifest as jerking when coming to a stop, which can lead to accidents, and intermittent power loss that can be life-threatening. these issues began around 40,000 miles and have progressively worsened, despite ou…”
2024-01-15 · Unknown Or Other“hi - the crankcase ventilation valve extended warranty [xxx] covers only ten years or 120k miles. my car has close to 160k miles. according to nhtsa or audi, “audi has determined that, in some vehicles, it is possible for the crankcase ventilation valve to malfunction, causing a whistling noise in the engine compartment and the mil to illuminate du…”
2023-09-09 · Steering“while driving with my wife and kids, on the highway, in the rain a warning message was displayed. the warning stated: steering malfunction, please stop the vehicle!. at which point the power steering locked-up & the engine powered down. as a result, i was unable to steer the vehicle. thankfully, i was able to “muscle” the car off the highway and on…”
2023-06-06 · Engine And Engine Cooling“the contact owns a 2016 audi s6. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v178000 (engine and engine cooling) however, the repair had been previously completed by an independent mechanic, a year prior to receiving the recall letter. the contact filed paperwork to be reimbursed after receiving the recall letter. the contact had …”
2022-07-28 · Engine“i was driving my car and it stalled out in the middle of an intersection which was totally unsafe and it would barely start. i was able to limp it to safety but it would not run or idle correctly. i had it towed to the local audi dealership and they diagnosed the issue as being the turbos. the turbos failed and need to be replaced. the obvious know…”
2022-02-06 · Unknown Or Other“i am having a transmission malfunction warning light on the dashboard that comes on. the car will not shift gears which is dangerous when driving in streets/highway. this is a known issue with the audi s6 and related models and a class action lawsuit is in process. audi is trying to charge few thousands dollars $8000-$12,000 to replace the mechatro…”
2021-12-13 · Vehicle Speed Control“loss of power on freeway, due to known turbo issue on these cars. filter for turbo oil clogs, and burns the turbo's without warning causing loss of power. not to mention it often sends metal into your engines oil and the repair for that is more than the car is worth.…”
2021-05-22 · Engine“the passenger side turbo failed. yes it’s available for inspection. i was driving and i felt a pop, like a backfire from under the hood. the car lost power instantly and was any under power anymore on the road. it could have been a lot worse if i was on a busy highway but luckily was on a street with do one behind me. it was confirmed it was the tu…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.