2010 Audi A6

Routine

Owners filed 17 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags11
100
Tires2
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling1
000
Engine1
010
Electrical System1
100

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module18V427000
Filed Jun 22, 2018237,947 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.

Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module18V004000
Filed Jan 4, 201810,166 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Audi A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles, ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet vehicles, and 2009-2011 Audi A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Audi mailed an interim owner notification March 02, 2018. When parts to perform the recall repair become available, Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in June 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69U1. Note: This recall has been superseded by 18V427.

Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module16V382000
Filed Jun 1, 2016194,453 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling model year 2004 Audi A4 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834.

What owners reported

Newest filings
EngineFire
Filed Oct 24, 2018113,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STEAM APPEARED UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLANT SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 18, 2018CT

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V004000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER A YEAR AGO. THE DEALER (AUDI FAIRFIELD, 435 COMMERCE DR., FAIRFIELD, CT 06825) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT RECENTLY RECEIVED A POSTCARD FROM TK HOLDINGS ABOUT TAKATA FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 24, 201794,000 milesTX

TAKATA RECALL I JUST BECAME AWARE OF THIS RECALL.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 3, 2017FL

2010 AUDI A6. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REPLACEMENT PARTS NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG RECALL NOTICE. *LD UPDATED 08/03/2017 *JS

Air Bags
Filed Jul 19, 2017CA

"TAKATA RECALL'' THEY HAVE YET TO SEND THE AIRBAGS TO AUDI TO BEGIN REPLACING THE DANGEROUS AIR BAGS. ALSO AUDI HAS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY IN REPLACING MY READ LEFT AND RIGHT SEAT BELTS THE BOTH GOT STUCK IN THE HOUSING. SO I CANNOT HAVE NONE IN BACK OR IN PASSENGER SEAT. NEED HELP

Air Bags
Filed Jun 15, 2017CA

AIRBAG RECALL: TAKATA

Air Bags
Filed May 26, 2017FL

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS) FOR THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAG INFLATOR; HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE LOCAL DEALER (AUDI NORTH ORLANDO LOCATED AT 139 N OREGON ST, STANFORD, FLORIDA 32771) CONTINUED TO INFORM THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE PARTS AVAILABLE THE NEXT MONTH AND THAT THEY WERE ON A WAIT LIST; HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS RECEIVED WERE FOR NEWER VEHICLES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Air Bags
Filed Mar 2, 2017PR

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 25, 2017TX

TAKATA RECALL. OVER EIGHT MONTHS WITHOUT A REMEDY.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 19, 2016CA

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 8, 201668,000 milesGA

TAKATA RECALL. MFG OR DISTRIBUTOR HAS NOT CORRECTED THE RECALL SAFETY ISSUE IN A TIMELY MANNER.

Electrical SystemCrash
Filed Jul 25, 201664,000 milesNY

BLINKING DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT. AUDI HAS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND WILL NOT REPAIR FOR FREE !! TERE REASONING IS IS THAT I HAVE OVER 100 K MILES. I REPORTED THIS TO THEM WHEN I HAD 62 K MILES AND THEY SAID IT NEVER BLINKED WHEN THEY TESTED IT (NOT TRUE) THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AT NIGHT AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME OVER $1,000 DOLLARS TO FIX....THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE!!!IN FACT AUDI CORPORATE IS AWARE AND ARE PICKING AND CHOOSING WHO GETS THE REPAIR FOR FREE!

Air BagsCrash
Filed Apr 22, 201675,000 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT UNLATCHED INDEPENDENTLY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Dec 2, 20108,000 milesCO

2009 AUDI A6 3.0T WATERPUMP FAILED...TWICE. ONCE AT 8000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 19,000 MILES. *TR

Tires
Filed Oct 21, 20106,500 milesNY

UPON INSPECTING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OF MY 2010 AUDI A6, I NOTICED A "BUBBLE" IN THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. THE BUBBLE WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND BULGED ABOUT 1/2 INCH OUTWARD. BECAUSE THIS CAN COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF THE TIRE, I REQUESTED THE AUDI DEALER REPLACE THE TIRE WITH A NEW ONE. MILEAGE AT TIME OF FAILURE 6500. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Oct 21, 20106,500 milesNY

2010 AUDI A6 EXPERIENCED MASSIVE SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT. RESULT WAS NEED TO IMMEDIATELY STOP CAR AND SHUT DOWN ENGINE. LOSS OF COOLANT RESULTED IN HOT LIQUID SPRAYING OUT OF ENGINE AND REDUCING VISIBILITY. REQUIRED TOW TRUCK TO GET CAR TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP. ACCORDING TO SERVICE MANAGER WHO DIRECTED REPAIRS, THE ORIGINAL WATER PUMP HAD A PLASTIC HOUSING AND THESE HOUSINGS HAVE BEEN FAILING ON MANY 2009-2010 AUDI CARS. NEW WATER PUMP PART HAS BEEN CHANGED TO METAL PUMP HOUSING (REPORTEDLY). *TR

Tires
Filed Mar 30, 20103,500 milesNJ

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6 WHICH HOUSE CONTINENTAL 2454018EL97H CONTI PRO CONTACT TIRES. THE DRIVER NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS REPLACED. ONE MONTH LATER, BOTH FRONT TIRES BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS. THE POLICE ARRIVED TO THE SCENE TO ASSIST WITH REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE TIRES WITH SPARE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE SPECIALIST FOR REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

17 of 17 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1999
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20266000Routine
20256200Routine
20242100Routine
20232100Routine
20222500Routine
2021161100Routine
202025900Routine
2019114710Routine
201811210Routine
201720300Routine
201651320Routine
201522400Routine
201441400Routine
201352620Routine
201259800Routine
201121300Routine
2010 — this page17310Routine
200921400Routine
200871410Routine
200753400Routine
200667410Routine
200591320Routine
200435420Routine
200366750Routine
200288431Fatalities reported
2001113770Routine
2000148480Routine
19992179232Fatalities reported
19981301070Routine
199720240Routine
199651210Routine
199516200Routine
19942100Routine

Compare every A6 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jun 22, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.