Total Complaints
37 filings
AUDI A6 · model year
37 NHTSA complaints, and 9 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2020AUDIA6 carries 37 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 5/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 A6 is electrical system with 15 filings, followed by unknown or other (4) and forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 9 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle, the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 2020 A6. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
37 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 15 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL | 2 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS | 2 |
| STEERING | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING | 1 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
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,
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,
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.
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.
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 M
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.
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.
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.
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.
* Passenger front Seat wiring harness corrosion and failure due to water ingress due to leaking web plate in the longitudinal member on passenger side. Water ingress in passenger compartment caused electrical failure and black mold to grow in the interior carpet and seat rails as well as in an electrical well in the floor board. *Black mold and mildew can cause long term health risks to those persons exposed especially if one didnât know the mold was present. *The vehicle has been repaired at VW dealership in Missoula, MT. Service tech couldnât figure where the water was coming from. Finally did research to find an Audi TSB 2059792/5 with the cause and remedy. *Recently Purchased this car and later found the seat not working. The VW dealership/service found the electrical corrosion and mold. Mold was not visible until the seat was moved. Mold was extensive throughout the passenger side under the seat - spread and growing under the carpet, insulation and in the electrical well in t
* Passenger front Seat wiring harness corrosion and failure due to water ingress due to leaking web plate in the longitudinal member on passenger side. Water ingress in passenger compartment caused electrical failure and black mold to grow in the interior carpet and seat rails as well as in an electrical well in the floor board. *Black mold and mildew can cause long term health risks to those persons exposed especially if one didnât know the mold was present. *The vehicle has been repaired at VW dealership in Missoula, MT. Service tech couldnât figure where the water was coming from. Finally did research to find an Audi TSB 2059792/5 with the cause and remedy. *Recently Purchased this car and later found the seat not working. The VW dealership/service found the electrical corrosion and mold. Mold was not visible until the seat was moved. Mold was extensive throughout the passenger side under the seat - spread and growing under the carpet, insulation and in the electrical well in t
The contact owns a 2020 Audi A6. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, water leaked into the vehicle and accumulated in the rear passengerâs side area of the vehicle. The contact initially believed that the failure might be related to inclement weather; however, the issue persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where a video diagnostic inspection was performed. The dealer diagnosed that water had entered in through the longitudinal member and passengerâs side footwell, causing damages to the gateway control module which required replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact expressed concerns that water intrusion could create a hazardous condition and potentially lead to additional vehicle failures. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
Mileage: 67,000
The contact owns a 2020 Audi A6. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, water leaked into the vehicle and accumulated in the rear passengerâs side area of the vehicle. The contact initially believed that the failure might be related to inclement weather; however, the issue persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where a video diagnostic inspection was performed. The dealer diagnosed that water had entered in through the longitudinal member and passengerâs side footwell, causing damages to the gateway control module which required replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact expressed concerns that water intrusion could create a hazardous condition and potentially lead to additional vehicle failures. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
Mileage: 67,000
I was traveling at ~65mph on the freeway when the sunroof spontaneously exploded. It was louder than a gunshotâI nearly lost control of the vehicle. The explosion occurred in the outward direction. There was no evidence of impact of preexisting damage. Internet research suggests this is not an uncommon occurrence.
I was traveling at ~65mph on the freeway when the sunroof spontaneously exploded. It was louder than a gunshotâI nearly lost control of the vehicle. The explosion occurred in the outward direction. There was no evidence of impact of preexisting damage. Internet research suggests this is not an uncommon occurrence.
Water intrusion in passenger floor board which causes problem with control module and reduces acceleration
Audi issued a recall for our vehicleâs fuel level sender which reports the amount of fuel in the tank to our fuel gauge display in late 2022 or early 2023. The reason for the recall stems from a safety issue in which the car incorrectly can display that there is more fuel in the tank than what is actually there. Our local dealershipâs service center, Princeton Audi initially completed this recall repair in Late February or Early March of 2023 while the car had roughly 25-26,000 miles on it. Less than a fews days later, the recall repair failed and our car shutdown on us leaving my wife stranded while I was having surgery unable to help her. I escalated and reported this issue to Audi of America immediately to create awareness as this was dangerous. The Princeton Audi Service Center attempted to repair the recall a second time and assured us the repair was successful. The same issue has unfortunately resurfaced less than a year later, in February of 2024 while the vehicle has o
Experienced alternator / generator failure while driving. Various vehicle systems starting shutting down and warning symbols were displayed. Vehicle stopped running on the highway and needed to be towed to the local Audi dealership. The sequence / progression of failure occurred over several miles with complete vehicle shutdown and stop in the middle of a busy highway intersection. Dealer confirmed it was an alternator / generator failure and it needed to be replaced. Seems to be a common occurrence with the A6 model. Dealer informed me it could be a couple of weeks to a couple of months for a repair as this item is on back order with Audi. Audi should issue an immediate recall or warning of this failure.
The Audi presense system works intermittently. While under warranty I told the dealer the system wasn't working and they claimed that I must have hit something and would have to pay approximately $4,000 to realign the system. I refused to pay to realign/adjust the system since it was under warranty. I contacted the Audi customer advocate department who said they rely on the dealer to identify the issue and fix it, and since they said it may be related to an impact they could not do anything. I continued to drive the car and in the midst of a summer downpour sometime in 2022 the system corrected itself. I once again told the dealer what happened however they said there was nothing for them to diagnose. The system worked as should until October 2022 when it started to show a message saying system malfunction. I followed the car manual recommendation and washed all of the sensors however that did not solve the issue. I once again spoke with the dealer who said often times there's a moistu
The Audi presense system works intermittently. While under warranty I told the dealer the system wasn't working and they claimed that I must have hit something and would have to pay approximately $4,000 to realign the system. I refused to pay to realign/adjust the system since it was under warranty. I contacted the Audi customer advocate department who said they rely on the dealer to identify the issue and fix it, and since they said it may be related to an impact they could not do anything. I continued to drive the car and in the midst of a summer downpour sometime in 2022 the system corrected itself. I once again told the dealer what happened however they said there was nothing for them to diagnose. The system worked as should until October 2022 when it started to show a message saying system malfunction. I followed the car manual recommendation and washed all of the sensors however that did not solve the issue. I once again spoke with the dealer who said often times there's a moistu
The Audi presense system works intermittently. While under warranty I told the dealer the system wasn't working and they claimed that I must have hit something and would have to pay approximately $4,000 to realign the system. I refused to pay to realign/adjust the system since it was under warranty. I contacted the Audi customer advocate department who said they rely on the dealer to identify the issue and fix it, and since they said it may be related to an impact they could not do anything. I continued to drive the car and in the midst of a summer downpour sometime in 2022 the system corrected itself. I once again told the dealer what happened however they said there was nothing for them to diagnose. The system worked as should until October 2022 when it started to show a message saying system malfunction. I followed the car manual recommendation and washed all of the sensors however that did not solve the issue. I once again spoke with the dealer who said often times there's a moistu
The rear view camera on the vehicle stops working intermittently. I have provided photographs of this to the Dealer. Their scanning of fault codes noted that the "right environmental camera faulty B127D04: Rear environmental camera faulty." The ticket also notes they found multiple sporadic faults for B127F04. Although they have admitted to finding faults with the camera, they refuse to fix this because they could not duplicate the exact behavior at the time it was in their shop. By definition, this is an intermittent issue. Audi had other model years recalled for this same issue. I believe this is a serious safety threat as one can't see things behind you and a person or vehicle could be hit. Audi is aware of this issue and is refusing to repair it under warranty.
The rear view camera on the vehicle stops working intermittently. I have provided photographs of this to the Dealer. Their scanning of fault codes noted that the "right environmental camera faulty B127D04: Rear environmental camera faulty." The ticket also notes they found multiple sporadic faults for B127F04. Although they have admitted to finding faults with the camera, they refuse to fix this because they could not duplicate the exact behavior at the time it was in their shop. By definition, this is an intermittent issue. Audi had other model years recalled for this same issue. I believe this is a serious safety threat as one can't see things behind you and a person or vehicle could be hit. Audi is aware of this issue and is refusing to repair it under warranty.
The rear view camera on the vehicle stops working intermittently. I have provided photographs of this to the Dealer. Their scanning of fault codes noted that the "right environmental camera faulty B127D04: Rear environmental camera faulty." The ticket also notes they found multiple sporadic faults for B127F04. Although they have admitted to finding faults with the camera, they refuse to fix this because they could not duplicate the exact behavior at the time it was in their shop. By definition, this is an intermittent issue. Audi had other model years recalled for this same issue. I believe this is a serious safety threat as one can't see things behind you and a person or vehicle could be hit. Audi is aware of this issue and is refusing to repair it under warranty.
The car literally stopped working while driving. All electrical components shut down. Unable to put the car into neutral to push it to safety. Had a hard time getting the vehicle towed because the parking break engaged somehow and we were unable to disengage it. Hazard lights did not work at all! Extremely unsafe situation to be in, especially if on a highway or expressway with vehicles traveling nearby at high speeds.
The car literally stopped working while driving. All electrical components shut down. Unable to put the car into neutral to push it to safety. Had a hard time getting the vehicle towed because the parking break engaged somehow and we were unable to disengage it. Hazard lights did not work at all! Extremely unsafe situation to be in, especially if on a highway or expressway with vehicles traveling nearby at high speeds.
Electrical system malfunction. Car will not run
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.
I purchased the car new around June 2020 and it currently has just under 26,000 miles on it. Earlier this week while driving the car, an electrical malfunction warning appeared on the dashboard display. The first dealership I contacted did not deem it serious and set me up for an appointment over a month away. The second dealership I called had me tow the car in right away as the thought was my alternator had failed. A call back later that afternoon confirmed the alternator did in fact fail. That dealer also indicated that the wait time for a replacement was several months away. This seems to indicate much larger problems with this part as alternators are fairly common and very necessary components.
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.