RoadVitals

2020 Audi A6

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
24
Latest Mar 7, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
9
Latest Dec 19, 2025
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 24 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2020 Audi A6, most frequently naming the electrical, driver assistance and body & structure categories. 9 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 1,345 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical1753.1%
  • Driver assistance618.8%
  • Body & structure39.4%
  • Steering26.3%
  • Engine13.1%
  • Fuel system13.1%
  • Interior & seats13.1%
  • Brakes13.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

9 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Dec 19, 2025
356,894 units potentially affected
The defect: 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 Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number 90TVView on NHTSA.gov

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID

Aug 25, 2023
7,499 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: Incorrect brake fluid can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect the brake fluid reservoir cap and, if necessary, replace it, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 17, 2023. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47T9.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number 47T9View on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Nov 21, 2022
50,883 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will install a protective cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90V2.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number 90V2View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Mar 7, 2026

Audi A6s have had massive issues with the door actuators. There are times when you go open the passenger side doors (both front and rear) and the doors will not open as there is either an electrical, software, or device specific issue. It requires 2-3 pulls of the door latch to open the front and rear passenger doors. The issues keep appearing a month or two after the dealership supposedly fixes the issue. I have had this fixed/reviewed 4+ times between Freehold, NJ and Cherry Hill, NJ Audi dealerships. This has been going on since I purchased the car in early 2021. I have asked them to push this up to Audi corporate and have received no response. Audi will also not offer a lemon buyout for these door issues. I believe this needs to be heavily reviewed as if you search the Audi forum websites online, this is a constant problem for the 2018-2023 A6s.

NHTSA ID
11722663
Incident
Mar 2, 2026
Electrical
Filed Mar 7, 2026

The Audi software/MMI system has issues showing the 360 cameras in addition to the rear facing camera. Every few starts when I back out of a parking space/garage, the side mirror cameras show a black or camera with a cancel sign on the screen. The issue will not stop until the car is parked/off. for at least an hour. This issue has been happing since I purchased the car back in early 2021 and Audi did not "lemon-out" the car. I believe this is just as dangerous as the recent backup camera recall. I have asked Freehold, NJ Audi and Cherry Hill, NJ Audi to review, but they said if it doesn't happen when there, they can't action. I believe this is the same software issue the backup camera has and requires a similar recall as drivers rely on the side cameras for parking and there is a risk we c an hit another object or person.

NHTSA ID
11722661
Incident
Mar 5, 2026
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Feb 8, 2026

* 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 didn’t know the mold was present. *The vehicle has been repaired at VW dealership in Missoula, MT. Service tech couldn’t 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 the floor board. Pictures attached - tech write up also available upon request. No warning lights were present. ** Audi put out a TSB (Tech Service Bulletin) in 2023 and repaired the cars under warranty - assume this was a wide spread issue for a TSB to be issued and for Audi to manufacture parts to fix the problem. Mold can have serious long term consequences to anyone exposed. I believe Audi should have done a recall for safety reasons. I just bought the car on 1/10/26 used with under 40,000 miles. Carfax or other research did not turn up a recall. I have sent a letter to Audi of America detailing the problem, referencing the TSB and asking them to cover the cost of repair as they had covered the cost on vehicles under warranty. This car is just out of the 5 year warranty but has only 40,000 miles on it. No recall was issued that I can find. Any help you render would be appreciated. Mold exposure is serious if not immediate.

NHTSA ID
11716608
Incident
Jan 10, 2026
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Jan 6, 2026

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 passenger’s 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 passenger’s 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.

NHTSA ID
11709059
Incident
Jan 6, 2026
Mileage
67,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 9, 2025

I was traveling at ~65mph on the freeway when the sunroof spontaneously exploded. It was louder than a gunshot—I 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.

NHTSA ID
11698392
Incident
Nov 7, 2025
Electrical
Filed Oct 17, 2025

Water intrusion in passenger floor board which causes problem with control module and reduces acceleration

NHTSA ID
11694170
Incident
Oct 13, 2025
Fuel system
Filed Feb 17, 2024

Audi issued a recall for our vehicle’s 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 dealership’s 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 only 33,398 miles on it. After a third attempt to repair this recall, the Princeton Audi Service advisor confirmed the fuel level sensor was again faulty. Regretfully we are still seeing inaccurate reporting of the fuel levels in our car creating a perpetually dangerous situation for myself, my family, and others on the road. Our car can shutdown on a major highway if it runs out of gas because the fuel gauge display keeps showing we might have half a tank or more due to the inaccurate reporting from the fuel level sender. After contacting Audi of America again about this failed recall, they seem to be dodging responsibility for the failed remedy and providing no recourse to ensure the safety of myself, my family, or those we out at risk if we keep driving this vehicle. The Princeton Audi Service center keeps stating they have made the repair, but the recall remedy keeps failing for us. Please help us as they refuse to replace the vehicle or buy it back after the failed recall.

NHTSA ID
11572493
Incident
Feb 8, 2024
Electrical
Filed Sep 30, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID
11547503
Incident
Sep 22, 2023

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB_2082846_1

This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00.

TSB_2081573_4

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information when DTC B105A1A, B103E25 is stored in 0017; fuel tank level implausible.

TSB_2078648_2

STRUCTURE:BODY

This service information TSB provides warranty coverage information for vehicles with a broken sunroof panel.

TSB_2073282_1

STRUCTURE:BODY

This bulletin provides information when there is a film/visible rings on the clear glass cover of the headlight when the dipped beam is switched on.

TSB_2073747_4

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides informatoinw hent here are scratches or a coating on the cover of the instrument cluster, or particles inside of the housing.

TSB_2081573_3

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information when DTC B105A1A, B103E25 is stored in 0017; fuel tank level implausible.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Audi A6 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027000
2026500
2025520
2024010
2023210
2022250
20211511056.1
2020Viewing249054.7
20191137052.5
2018112055.5
2017203043.7
2016513050.7
2015224056.6
2014414050.7
2013526053.5
2012598043.2
2011213054.2
2010173052.8
2009214046.2
2008714049.8
2007534049.1
2006674048.1
2005913148.5
2004354152.0
2003667154.9
2002884155.2
20011137262.1
20001484458.5
19992179866.5
199813010662.7
1997202054.4
1996512045.5
1995162149.6
1994211

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.