2020 Audi A6 Owner Complaints

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

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

* 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

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

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

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

NHTSA ID

11694170

Incident

Oct 13, 2025

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

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

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 moisture buildup in the location of the windshield mounted sensors. There's no way to get to the sensor and I asked them to clean it under warranty. The dealership once again refused to address the issue. I once again called the customer advocate department at Audi USA however they refused because I have just exceeded the 50,000 mile warranty. I noted that the issue has been ongoing and Audi never solved the issue. I purchased the auto because of the safety features it came equipped with. I'm asking them to resolve the original issue as identified while under warranty.

NHTSA ID

11536943

Incident

Oct 5, 2022

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.

NHTSA ID

11530148

Incident

Jun 15, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID

11518492

Incident

Apr 22, 2023

Electrical system malfunction. Car will not run

NHTSA ID

11517543

Incident

Apr 17, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID

11506862

Incident

Feb 11, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID

11505385

Incident

Jan 31, 2023

While driving to work, received notification of "Electrical System Malfunction, contact service immediately". I contacted Audi. They advised me to either bring the vehicle in or have it towed. I drove to Audi that afternoon. While driving to the service facility, the warning changed and told me to pull over immediately. As I was close to the dealership, I continue to drive and was able to make it to the dealership. I was informed by the service manager that the car could have shut down at any time and I would have lost complete control of steering and brakes. This is apparently a well-known problem with the 48 V generator. It will be a 2-month wait until I can have the generator replaced. Given that the electrical systems could have shut down at any time, this is a safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11504639

Incident

Jan 26, 2023

Vehicle reports Electric Malfunction and then suddenly start getting all warnings like all controls (like steering etc) disabled and vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. Had to get it towed and taken to dealership. They do not have a fix for this problem and no estimates on how long it will take to fix the issue and get the car back.

NHTSA ID

11495624

Incident

Nov 27, 2022

The contact owns a 2020 Audi A6. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The brake, transmission, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the windows inadvertently rolled up and down while driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the driver's and passenger's side rear seats sustained water damage, which caused an unknown electrical system component to malfunction. The dealer informed the contact that the manufacturer declined the replacement part. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.

NHTSA ID

11484681

Incident

Aug 30, 2022

Mileage

22,000 mi

Gateway unit that is located under the rear seat has an inadequate insulation and is susceptible to liquid exposure and electrical failure. A liquid penetrated the rear seat and short-circuit the gateway while vehicle was moving resulting in a near-accident by shutting down power steering, brakes, and many of the car's systems. Failure messages began appearing and vehicle was unresponsive to driver actions. Emergency blinkers were not working at the tail lights which is a critical safety hazard for a disabled vehicle on the road. Dealer confirmed gateway unit failure due to the water exposure and recommended the replacement of the unit. Vehicle had no warning lights or messages prior to the incident.

NHTSA ID

11475177

Incident

Jul 21, 2022

On more that one occasion, after starting the car and putting the car in drive, the display continues to show that the car is in PARK. I can drive several hundred feet with the display showing PARK. Then the display will go totally dark and, after several seconds, it will show that the car is in DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11455274

Incident

Mar 3, 2022

Various components and system malfunctioned. Vehicle is in dealership for 3rd time on electrical/software/hardware troubles, SOS module. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. The car stopped me on a major highway thinking that I was not available "Emergency Assist, Driver take over the wheel" when I had both hands on the wheel, going straight and was fully in control of the vehicle. The car slowed down from 70 mph and the trailing truck behind me almost rear ended me. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by the dealer. The vehicle and components are being inspected/serviced at the Fort Collins Audi dealer. Yes, warning messages as well as the vehicle pumping on the break and jerking the seat belt. These started in Jun 2021 at 1400 miles and continued to the time I turned in the vehicle on 19 Oct 2021 at approx 13500 miles. I am attaching an 11 page documentation of dates, times and mileage of each incident that the vehicle's computer systems are not functioning properly and the safety features are not reliable or make the driver feel safe with bogus warnings, or warnings that are erroneous.

NHTSA ID

11440289

Incident

Jun 9, 2021

- Multiple computer/modules/safety features. YES, the vehicle is available for inspection - The Emergency Assist with Driver Not available came on and slowed my car down to the point I almost got rear ended by the truck that came up from behind - The problemS randomly occur and are intermittent, but I have accurate documentation of when they have occurred. The dealer has my Audi A6 now for the 3rd time with the same issues. They just told me that they saw a lane assist problem occur but did not give me details. - The vehicle is currently at the dealer for the 3rd time and they are talking with the manufacturer - Yes, plenty of warnings coming up and have started Jun 2021 at 1400 miles I have kept track of when my car has given erroneous or real issues over the last few weeks. When I bring the vehicle in today, 19 Oct 2021, it is the third time you will have it in for the same issues. The car is scaring me because the safety issues are not safe and it seems as if the sensors are not working properly and seeing things that are not there and activating without any concerns to do so. One of these times, the emergency assist came on when I was driving highway speeds and had both hands on the wheel going straight on a dry road and sunny skies (13 Oct), beeped at me 4-5 times with the message continuing to show on dash, the car jerked with the automatic brakes being pumped and no driver intervention as the seat belt was tightening on me, kept the emergency assist on to slow me down to the point that I almost got rear ended by the truck that was following me. I was driving normally/straight on a straight road within the lines with both hands on the wheel and there was NO reason for the emergency assist to come on. This is only one example of the car having a mind of it’s own when it is not warranted. I am afraid that the vehicle will CAUSE me to have an accident instead of protecting me from one. I have word doc of dates/times of incidents, too numerous to list.

NHTSA ID

11438252

Incident

Jun 9, 2021

I have multiple safety features that are suddenly malfunctioning. The care suddenly braked when traveling at 80mph in the HOV lane. The pre sense function suddenly braked the car while another was passing in the opposite direction. The emergency assist tried to steer me into a car in the lane adjacent to mine. Multiple warning messages have appeared in the dash board. This is blamed by my dealer on a software update that recently occurred. He states that he has multiple other similar complaints. He has only suggested that I turn these safety features off and has had not solution to repair them. I feel like my vehicle is an accident waiting to happen. The date below is when these things began to happen

NHTSA ID

11425432

Incident

Jun 14, 2021

This issue has been happening since I got the car and is getting worse by the day. The car only has about 11,000 miles and I bought it when it had almost 10,000 miles. Something in the dashboard and behind the instrument panels (A/C Controls and User Screens) makes a lot of Vibration Noises/Sounds as the car is slowly accelerated or as we drive over some uneven road. It seems like there is something loose. And this is getting worse by the day. When you pay a top price for a luxury car like Audi you expect that the care is built solid and not with cheap parts... it is very disappointing to see that a luxury car like Audi A6 will make these type of noises when the car is practically brand new.

NHTSA ID

11425258

Incident

Apr 18, 2021

THE AUTOMATED EMERGENCY BRAKING RANDOMLY KICKS IN.. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS. NOTHING WAS AROUND TO CAUSE THE AEB TO ACTIVATE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF SOMEONE WAS DRIVING BEHIND ME AT THE TIME. IT JOLTED PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND NOTHING IN THE VICINITY, NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, NO PEDESTRIANS, NO ANIMALS....

NHTSA ID

11398232

Incident

Feb 27, 2021

Mileage

6,000 mi