Audi A6 Reliability
2,173 NHTSA complaints (1994–2026). Complaint rate: 112.8 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1998–2002 Audi A6 (58 crash-related complaints). The 2021–2022 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: AIR BAGS.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Audi A6 Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 289 | 6.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 259 | 1.5% |
| ENGINE | 120 | 2.5% |
| STEERING | 70 | 0.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 63 | 9.5% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 63 | 0.0% |
| POWER TRAIN | 60 | 0.0% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 56 | 10.7% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 53 | 0.0% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 49 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View 1994View→ |
| 1995GOOD | — | 22 | 1 | — | View 1995View→ |
| 1996 | — | 71 | 1 | 1 | View 1996View→ |
| 1997GOOD | — | 26 | 0 | 5 | View 1997View→ |
| 1998AVOID | — | 158 | 12 | 7 | View 1998View→ |
| 1999AVOID | — | 276 | 14 | 23 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000AVOID | — | 201 | 5 | 8 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001AVOID | — | 148 | 17 | 11 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002AVOID | — | 113 | 10 | 5 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003 | — | 85 | 1 | 7 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | — | 44 | 3 | 2 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005AVOID | — | 119 | 1 | 3 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006 | — | 83 | 3 | 1 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007 | — | 63 | 5 | — | View 2007View→ |
| 2008 | — | 78 | 1 | 1 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009GOOD | — | 22 | 0 | — | View 2009View→ |
| 2010GOOD | — | 24 | 5 | 1 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011GOOD | — | 23 | 1 | — | View 2011View→ |
| 2012 | — | 86 | 0 | — | View 2012View→ |
| 2013 | — | 79 | 5 | 3 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014 | — | 47 | 1 | — | View 2014View→ |
| 2015GOOD | — | 28 | 1 | — | View 2015View→ |
| 2016 | — | 77 | 0 | 4 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017GOOD | — | 23 | 0 | — | View 2017View→ |
| 2018GOOD | — | 16 | 0 | 3 | View 2018View→ |
| 2019AVOID | — | 185 | 5 | 2 | View 2019View→ |
| 2020 | — | 39 | 0 | — | View 2020View→ |
| 2021GOOD | — | 18 | 0 | — | View 2021View→ |
| 2022GOOD | — | 4 | 0 | — | View 2022View→ |
| 2025TOO NEW | — | 7 | 0 | — | View 2025View→ |
| 2026TOO NEW | — | 5 | 0 | — | View 2026View→ |
See also: Audi A6accident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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