RoadVitals

2005 Audi A6 Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jan 25, 2022
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 91 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Audi A6 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Steering
Filed Jan 25, 2022

When this steering problem is occurring no communication between the steering and driver and accident happened and its very dangerous!!! DTC 00456 (Access/start control module -J518- no communication) is found in several control modules or the access/start authorization control module, J518 (address word 05), identifies itself with implausible data can be found through guided fault finding (GFF). If DTC 00288 (Steering column lock actuator-N360, faulty) is logged in the access/start authorization control module, J518

NHTSA ID
11448802
Incident
Jan 25, 2022
Steering
Filed Nov 11, 2018

VEHICLE WOULDN'T START AFTER PARKING AT A STORE PARKING LOT. STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED NO POWER TO ANYTHING ONLY MMI HAD POWER TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED ON PARKING POSITION AND ELECTRONIC BRAKE SISTEM WAS ACTIVATED LOOKING UP ONLINE I FOUND THAT THERE'S TO MANY CUSTOMERS WITH SAME PROBLEM THEY ALL STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE START CONTROL MODULE.

NHTSA ID
11150870
Incident
Oct 20, 2018
Mileage
145,800 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 7, 2017

KEY NOT WORKING. CAN'T START CAR AT ALL OR PUT IN NEUTRAL. KEY IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY CAR. SOME PROBLEM WITH THE CONTROLLER IN A STEERING COLUMN. DEALER WANTS $2000+ TO REPLACE AND FIX. MANY PEOPLE ONLINE HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. AUDI SHOULD PAY AND NOT THE CONSUMER.

NHTSA ID
10950127
Incident
Feb 6, 2017
Mileage
130,000 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 16, 2016

TRANSPONDER IN STEERING COLUMN FAILED DISABLING THE IGNITION AND LOCKS STEERING WHEEL. MY CAR WAS STATIONARY EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED. MY FEAR IS THAT THIS COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY .

NHTSA ID
10935581
Incident
Dec 2, 2016
Mileage
130,000 mi
EngineOther / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Aug 31, 2015

ENGINEERING FLAW LEAD TO EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSE REPLACING THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN INSTEAD OF JUST THE MODULE THAT FAILED. DOING SOME REVIEWS ON-LINE - SEEMS TO BE A WELL KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM BUT AUDI DOES NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT - HTTP://WWW.AUDIWORLD.COM/FORUMS/A6-S6-C6-PLATFORM-DISCUSSION-58/TRANSPONDER-STEERING-COLUMN-2834070/ MILLAGE LISTED AS APPROX SINCE CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW.

NHTSA ID
10760470
Incident
Aug 29, 2015
Mileage
68,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 23, 2015

I HAVE A 2005 AUDI A6 I DROVE THE CAR FOR 2 WEEKS WENT OUT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START THE WHEEL WAS LOCKED GEAR SHIFTER LOCKED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AUDI OF SOUTH BURLINGTON. I TOLD THEM I BELIEVED IT WAS A ISSUE WITH THE ACCESS START CONTROL UNIT AS I HAD READ IT MANY TIMES OVER FROM OTHERS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED IT TO THE TUNE OF $881.00 AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. LUCKILY ENOUGH I WAS NOT STUCK WITH A NO STARTING CAR IN AN EMERGENCY OR UNSAFE SITUATION. 3 WEEKS TO THE DAY SAME ISSUE. BACK AT THE DEALER GUESS WHAT IT'S THE ACCESS START CONTROL UNIT. WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO HOLD AUDI ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS COMMON PROBLEM? THIS COULD POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE CONSUMER STUCK WITH A COMPLETELY NON FUNCTIONING CAR BECAUSE IT HAPPENS JUST LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH WITH NO WARNING!! LET ME ILLUSTRATE THIS FOR YOU... YOU'RE OUT IN A SNOW STORM, YOU HAVE YOUR CHILDREN WITH YOU, YOU HAVE NO CELL SERVICE.... OK YOU PULL OVER OR SHUT YOUR CAR OFF FOR ANY REASON, ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN STARTING BACK UP THIS TIME IT DOESN'T. THIS ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THEY FIND YOUR FROST BITTEN DEAD BODIES THE NEXT DAY? CRAZY IT COULD ALL BE FIXED IF AUDI WOULD STOP CONCEALING PROBLEMS TO THEIR CONSUMERS AND JUST MAKE A RECALL. UPDATED 09/08/15*LJ UPDATED 10/26/2017*CN

NHTSA ID
10726977
Incident
May 21, 2014
Mileage
105,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed May 7, 2015

HAVING ALL THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE STEERING COLUMN LISTED BELOW, WHY HAS THIS ISSUE NOT BEEN MADE A RECALL ISSUE???? THERE IS AN ENTIRE PAGE OF THIS PROBLEM AT THE FOLLOWING AUDI FORUMS.COM LINK HTTP://WWW.AUDIFORUMS.COM/FORUM/AUDI-A6-9/2005-AUDI-A6-WONT-START-BUT-MMI-LIGHTS-SEAT-MEMORY-ETC-WORKS-FINEFACEBOOK-TWITTER-163846/ NOTE: THE ISSUES LISTED IN SERVICE BULLETIN NO: TSB-48-14-62 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10056441 COMPLAINT FILED 10/29/2014 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10651089 AND COMPLAINT FILED 04/27/2012 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10456711. WHY HASN'T THIS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN BECOME A RECALL ITEM? WHEN IS THIS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN GOING TO BECOME A RECALL ITEM? *TR

NHTSA ID
10715163
Incident
Apr 29, 2015
Mileage
126,948 mi
Powertrain (other)Steering
Filed Apr 27, 2012

CAR STOPPED IN PARKING LOT AND WOULD NOT MOVE, TURN ON, SHIFT GEARS OR ANYTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10456711
Incident
Apr 18, 2012
Mileage
75,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .