Audi A6: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Audi A6 problems by model year, from 464 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2016 (59%, 26 drivetrain complaints), 2012 (57%, 28 drivetrain complaints) and 2013 (57%, 20 drivetrain complaints). 5 of the 7 Audi A6 years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share.
Best years on this measure: 2020 (12%) and 2014 (32%). 2020 and 2014 rest on fewer than 60 complaints, so treat them as provisional. A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2013 (57%) to 2014 (32%), down 25 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2019 drew the most drivetrain complaints (40 of 138 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2022 and 2023 have fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Audi A6 year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 A6 | too few to score | – | 3 | 17 | – | 3 |
| 2011 A6 | too few to score | – | 3 | 21 | – | 3 |
| 2012 A6 | high | 57% | 28 | 59 | 2/7 | 8 |
| 2013 A6 | high | 57% | 20 | 52 | 3/7 | 6 |
| 2014 A6 | no elevated signal | 32% | 11 | 41 | 6/7 | 4 |
| 2015 A6 | too few to score | – | 11 | 22 | – | 4 |
| 2016 A6 | high | 59% | 26 | 51 | 1/7 | 3 |
| 2017 A6 | too few to score | – | 4 | 20 | – | 3 |
| 2018 A6 | too few to score | – | 1 | 2 | – | 2 |
| 2019 A6 | elevated | 35% | 40 | 114 | 4/7 | 7 |
| 2020 A6 | no elevated signal | 12% | 4 | 33 | 7/7 | 9 |
| 2021 A6 | elevated | 35% | 9 | 26 | 5/7 | 12 |
| 2022 A6 | too few to score | – | 1 | 4 | – | 5 |
| 2023 A6 | too few to score | – | 0 | 2 | – | 1 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Audi A6 years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Audi A6 engine recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the Audi A6 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 25 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2015 | 15V019000 | fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail | 2012 |
| Sep 2016 | 16V646000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2012–2013 |
| Jan 2017 | 17V002000 | engine and engine cooling: cooling system | 2012–2014 |
| Dec 2017 | 17V781000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2012–2014 |
| Apr 2018 | 18V229000 | engine and engine cooling: cooling system | 2012–2014 |
| Jan 2019 | 19V035000 | fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail | 2016 |
| Mar 2022 | 22V155000 | electrical system: instrument panel: fuel gauge: fuel level float/sensor/sending unit | 2019–2021 |
18 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2011 | 11V580000 | air bags: side/window | 2012 |
| Dec 2015 | 15V823000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification | 2012–2013 |
| Jun 2018 | 18V370000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 |
| Dec 2018 | 18V862000 | electrical system: wiring | 2016 |
| Mar 2020 | 20V153000 | electrical system: starter assembly | 2019–2020 |
| May 2020 | 20V274000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2020 |
| Dec 2020 | 20V749000 | electrical system | 2021 |
| Mar 2021 | 21V159000 | air bags | 2019–2021 |
| Apr 2021 | 21V295000 | suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly | 2020–2021 |
| Aug 2021 | 21V606000 | seat belts: rear/other: retractor | 2021 |
| Jan 2022 | 22V034000 | tires | 2020–2021 |
| Oct 2022 | 22V742000 | back over prevention: display function | 2021 |
| Oct 2022 | 22V806000 | equipment: electrical: infotainment: video (touch)screen/monitor/unit | 2021 |
| Nov 2022 | 22V861000 | electrical system | 2019–2021 |
| Aug 2023 | 23V601000 | service brakes, hydraulic: fluid | 2019–2021 |
| Mar 2025 | 25V201000 | electrical system: instrument cluster/panel | 2021 |
| Dec 2025 | 25V900000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2019–2021 |
| Mar 2026 | 26V125000 | lane departure: software | 2019 |
What the free pages leave out on the Audi A6
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Audi A6
What are the worst years for the Audi A6?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Audi A6 years are the 2016 (59% of relevant complaints, high), the 2012 (57% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2013 (57% of relevant complaints, high). 5 of 7 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Audi A6?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Audi A6 years are the 2020 (12%) and the 2014 (32%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Audi A6 have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 7 scored years, 138 of 335 relevant NHTSA complaints (41%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2021.
Is the Audi A6 reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 5 of 7 Audi A6 years we score have an elevated complaint share and 2 do not. Pooled across those years, 41% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Audi A6?
Yes. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Audi A6 years we track, out of 25 in total: 18V229000 (Apr 2018, 2012–2014), 19V035000 (Jan 2019, 2016), 22V155000 (Mar 2022, 2019–2021), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.