RoadVitals

2012 Audi A6 Electrical Problems

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

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
13
Latest May 27, 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.
22%
of 59 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 electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Audi A6 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 electrical

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

ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed May 27, 2022

This needs to be heavily looked into. I see countless reports online and on NHTSA about "coolant" leaking onto components/wiring. Whatever it is, is definitely frying the electrical system. My info screen will state: "Transmission Malfunction: You can continue driving" and it'll go away a minute later, them beep again with the same message- then beep again- then go away- then come back again. etc etc etc. I recently a year or so ago got some coolant leak that was dripping on transmission wires below. I've seen this complaint too many times. Audi needs to investigate this issue and if this is a countless issue we need to be issued a proper TSB / recall. Here's some links to best help direct this issue: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-c7-platform-discussion-194/obdii-code-p2753-anyone-2886141/page2/ https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-c7-platform-discussion-194/transmission-fluid-cooler-control-circuit-error-2886938/ https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-c7-platform-discussion-194/help-p2753-issue-2999672/ The codes I get occasionally are: TCU Code: 12448 and OBDII Code: P2753

NHTSA ID
11466406
Incident
May 19, 2021
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Feb 24, 2021

I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO REPAIR FOR 2 RECALLS ON 2/22/21, THE NEXT DAY 2/23/21 THEY CALLED ME TELLING ME THAT I HAVE TO PAY $ 550.00 FOR THE REPAIR. ACCORDING TO DOWNTOWN AUDI TECH THE ECU OF MY VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER, BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO REPAIR THE RECALLS IT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION SINCE I CHANGED THE OIL AND CONNECTED MY SCANNER TO RESET THE MAINTENANCE MESSAGE ON THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD. THIS IS ABSURD THAT THEY WANT TO SCAM THEIR CUSTOMERS. NOW THEY WANT TO GIVE ME THE VEHICLE WITHOUT REPAIRING THE RECALLS AND WITH LIGHTS ON ON THE DASHBOARD OF MY VEHICLE, THIS IS NOT ETHICAL OR PROFESSIONAL.

NHTSA ID
11397718
Incident
Feb 23, 2021
Mileage
122,080 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 30, 2020

WAS TOLD BY AUDI SOUTH ORLANDO THAT A WATER VALVE SEAPED COOLANT THROUGH THE CONNECTOR UP THROUGH THE WIRING AND INTO THE TRANS CONTROL MODULE CAUSING IT TO BURN OUT CAUSING A 14,000.00 CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
11322857
Incident
Apr 24, 2020
Mileage
117,000 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Mar 13, 2020

RAN OBD READER MYSELF AND AT MECHANIC AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING; P0456 EVAP EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM (VERY SMALL LEAK) | LEAK DETECTED AND P190F00 COOLANT PUMP FOR CHARGE PRESSURE COOLER | ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN LOAD CIRCUIT. MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS A SOFTWARE UPDATE REGARDING THE P0456 CODE AS NO LEAK WAS FOUND. ALSO THAT ONLY AUDI PERFORMS THIS UPDATE. REGARDING THE P190F00 CODE INFORMED ME THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL RECALLS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AS IT HAS BEEN CAUSING SOME SEVERE SYMPTOMS SUCH AS ENGINE SHAKING, LOSS OF POWER, SQUEALING, WHINING NOISE NEAR OR AT TIMING BELT AREA AT START UP, DELAYED REACTION AT ACCELERATION ( TAKES A WHILE TO REACH DESIRED SPEEDS), TEMP GAUGE LOWERING DESPITE WARM UP, WARMING OF VEHICLE TAKING LONGER, UNABLE TO DRIVE OVER 30-40MPH AND RPM WON'T GO ABOVE 2000-2500 RPMS. ACCELERATION IS NOT AS RESPONSIVE AS IT SHOULD BE.

NHTSA ID
11317923
Incident
Mar 8, 2020
Mileage
122,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed May 10, 2019

ON MY CAR, THERE IS AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION COOLANT VALUE THAT IS PART OF THE COOLING SYSTEM AND OBVIOUSLY, THAT COMPONENT ALSO HELPS KEEP THE TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE IN CHECK. THE ISSUE WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART IS THE VALVE MALFUNCTIONS CAUSING COOLANT TO PENETRATE THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE AND FROM THERE INTO THE WIRING HARNESS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT IS A CATASTROPHIC MALFUNCTION OF THOSE COMPONENTS AND A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. WATER AND ELECTRICAL DO NOT MIX WELL. PICTURES ARE ATTACHED. THE ROOT OF MY ISSUE IS THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO DETECT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMOBILE UNTIL THIS MAJOR MALFUNCTION HAPPENS. IF THAT WERE NOT THE CASE, THE CONSUMER COULD AT LEAST HAVE THE CHANCE TO HAVE THE CAR SERVICED PREVENTING THIS HUGE EXPENSE AND POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. I HAVE AN EMAIL FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER ADMITTING THIS IS THE CASE. IN MY CASE. THE CAR RAN FINE. THEN JUST WENT HAYWIRE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID COOLANT GOT INTO THE CONTROL MODULE AND 'FRIED' THE MODULE AND WIRE HARNESS. THE PICTURES THAT ARE ATTACHED ARE FROM THE SAME INSTANCE I FOUND ONLINE AND NOT PICTURES FROM MY CAR. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. AUDI HAS TURNED ME DOWN TWICE TO FIX THIS POTENTIALLY COMBUSTIBLE PROBLEM. VERY SCARY.

NHTSA ID
11206823
Incident
Apr 18, 2019
Mileage
80,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 4, 2018

MY MIL ( MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ) CAME ON, IN MY AUDI A6 2012 ON 1/21/18. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY AUDI DEALERSHIP ON 1/31/18. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY TRANS COOLANT VALVE WAS LEAKING INTO A WIRING HARNESS. THEY REPLACED MY N509 VALVE AND WIRING CONNECTOR. I FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS PROBLEM IN MY CAR AS WELL AS OTHER AUDI MODELS. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS IN AUDI A8 2010-2013. ( I HAVE INCLUDED THESE IN THE FILES THAT I HAVE UPLOADED.) THE AFFECTED A8 VEHICLES HAVE A COOLANT VALVE LEAK ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER OR THE ENGINE TO STALL. A VEHICLE STALL INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH. I HAD MY CAR REPAIRED AS MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND I CERTAINLY DID NOT WANT THE CAR TO STALL AND POSSIBLY HAVE A CRASH. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE AUDI A6 2012 SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. IF ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

NHTSA ID
11066897
Incident
Jan 31, 2018
Mileage
75,410 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Jan 29, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A6. WHENEVER AN OCCUPANT WAS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR BELOW THE RADIO FLASHED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUDI GRAPEVINE DEALER (1260 E STATE HWY 114, GRAPEVINE, TX 76051) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POD SYSTEM NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 180078683. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA ID
11065744
Incident
Jan 29, 2018
Mileage
82,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 27, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A6. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER WAITING MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE ENGINE POWER AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE STARTER RELAY COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10888936
Incident
Jul 2, 2016
Mileage
66,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 8, 2016

WHILE DRIVING ON A SUNDAY, THE CAR REPORTED TRANSMISSION ISSUES BUT IT STATED WE COULD CONTINUE DRIVING. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THERE WERE MULTIPLE SYSTEMS FAILURE WARNINGS. THIS OCCURRED AT 54,000 MILES AND 49 MONTHS SINCE PURCHASE. THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER BUT WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER A LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME, THE SERVICE MANAGER REPORTED THAT "COOLANT LEAK IN VALVE N82, COOLANT MIGRATED INTO HARNESS AND CONTAMINATED TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT, CAUSING NO COMM IN PWRTRAIN CAN; TSB2033806/7." THIS REPAIR REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF MAJOR COMPONENTS AND EXTENSIVE LABOR COSTS. THE TOTAL COST WAS $9606 AND THE DEALER/AUDI VOLUNTARILY PAID $5391 OF THE COSTS

NHTSA ID
10840419
Incident
Feb 25, 2016
Mileage
54,000 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 17, 2015

O-RING FAILURE IN 2012 A6 3.0 CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO INTERNALLY LEAK FLUID CAUSING THE ELECTONIC SYSTEM TO GO BAD. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN ISSUE STARTED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, GEARBOX, MIL TRAC CONTROL, MIL EPC, LIGHT AIRBAG MIL HI-SPEED COOLING FAN MIL TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT, MAJOR LACK OF POWER TO ENGINE. PARKING BRAKE WOULD ALSO ACTIVATE BY ITSELF. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT UP LIKE A X-MAS, WHEN I PULLED OVER THE CAR SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON.

NHTSA ID
10810939
Incident
Jul 13, 2015
Mileage
58,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed May 24, 2015

O-RING FAILURE IN 2012 A6 3.0 CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO INTERNALLY LEAK FLUID CAUSING THE ELECTONIC SYSTEM TO GO BAD. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN ISSUE STARTED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GEARBOX MIL TRAC CONTROL MIL EPC LIGHT AIRBAG MIL HI-SPEED COOLING FAN MIL TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT, MAJOR LACK OF POWER TO ENGINE. PARKING BRAKE WOULD ALSO ACTIVATE BY ITSELF.

NHTSA ID
10721255
Incident
May 20, 2015
Mileage
62,000 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Dec 25, 2014

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CEASED TO WORK CREATING DANGEROUS SITUATION. DEALER DENIED EXPRESS WARRANTY CLAIM. WIRING ON WIPERS WAS SO FLIMSY AS TO APPARENTLY ALLOW A MOUSE TO CHEW THROUGH COATING. DEALER CHARGED OVER $640. TO REPLACE A $20 WIRE. SEVERAL E-MAILS AND CALLS TO AUDI OF AMERICA DID NOT BRING ANY ACTION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10668224
Incident
Dec 17, 2014
Mileage
22,232 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 2, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A6. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

NHTSA ID
10661561
Incident
Nov 25, 2014
Mileage
27,000 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.

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