2020 Audi A6

No clear pattern

0% of complaints about the 2020 Audi A6 arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2020 vehicle, but with only 40 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is electrical system (17 complaints), typically at 3.6 yr or about 67,000 miles.

Complaints: 40
Median age at failure: 3.3 yr
Median mileage: 67,000 n=4
Crash / fire / tow: 2.5% of reports
Safety recalls: 9

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

25V900000 2025-12-19

Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

23V601000 2023-08-25

Service brakes, hydraulic:fluid

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi S7, S6 Sedan, RS7, RS6 Avant, A6 Allroad, 2019-2021 A7, and A6 Sedan vehicles. An incorrectly labeled brake fluid cap may have been installed, which can result in the use of the wrong type of brake fluid.

Incorrect brake fluid can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.

22V861000 2022-11-21

Electrical system

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Audi S7, S6 Sedan, A6 Allroad, 2021-2022 RS7, RS6 Avant, 2019-2022 A7, and A6 Sedan vehicles. Liquid spilled in the rear seat may penetrate and cause the gateway control module to shut down.

A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.

22V155000 2022-03-14

Electrical system:instrument panel:fuel gauge:fuel level float/sensor/sending unit

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 RS6 Avant and RS7, 2020-2022 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, and S7, and 2019-2022 A6 Sedan and A7 vehicles. The fuel level sender may stick, causing an inaccurate fuel level reading to be displayed on the instrument cluster.

An inaccurate fuel reading may cause an engine stall due to lack of fuel, increasing the risk of a crash.

22V034000 2022-01-26

Tires

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.

Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.

21V295000 2021-04-26

Suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.

A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

21V159000 2021-03-10

Air bags

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi RS6 Avant, RS7, 2020-2021 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, S7, 2019-2021 A6 Sedan, and A7 vehicles. The score line on the passenger air bag may not have been manufactured correctly.

An incorrectly manufactured air bag may not deploy properly, and could also eject plastic debris into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

20V274000 2020-05-13

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Audi A6, A6 Allroad and A7 vehicles. The passenger air bag may not properly deploy through the instrument panel tear seam.

In the event of a crash, the passenger air bag may not properly deploy and inflate, and small plastic parts may enter the cabin, increasing the risk of injury.

20V153000 2020-03-19

Electrical system:starter assembly

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Audi A6 vehicles equipped with mild-hybrid technology and 2.0TFSI engines. Moisture may enter the starter generator and cause an electrical short circuit.

A short circuit in the starter generator increases the risk of a fire.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system mileage not reported 2.5 yr in service

On more that one occasion, after starting the car and putting the car in drive, the display continues to show that the car is in PARK. I can drive several hundred feet with the display showing PARK. Then the display will go totally dark and, after several seconds, it will show that the car is in DRIVE.

Electrical system mileage not reported 3.2 yr in service

Vehicle reports Electric Malfunction and then suddenly start getting all warnings like all controls (like steering etc) disabled and vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. Had to get it towed and taken to dealership. They do not have a fix for this problem and no estimates on how long it will take to fix the issue and get the car back.

Electrical system mileage not reported 3.4 yr in service

Receiving multiple electrical warnings including low battery charge, vehicle starting system, parking brake malfunction, stabilization control (ESC/ABS), parking aid malfunction, and all-wheel drive malfunction. Issue appears to be due to a common failing 48v battery alternator.

Other A6 model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2020 Audi A6

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other A6 model years

How to read this