CSR

Audi · NHTSA safety record

2013 Audi A6

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

52

Complaints

2

Crashes

2

Fires

2

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2013 Audi A6 have filed 52 safety complaints with NHTSA between May 2013 and November 2025. The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 18 of them (35%). The typical failure was reported at 60,936 miles, the median across the 28 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 6 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (6)

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

18V370000 · June 4, 2018

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.
The risk
If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 139,249 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

18V229000 · April 11, 2018

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump.
The risk
A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 342,867 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

17V781000 · December 6, 2017

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Audi A6 and A7 vehicles. The fuel line has a compression point that can weaken, potentially resulting in a fuel leak.
The risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-888-237-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AR.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 48,693 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

17V002000 · January 3, 2017

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating.
The risk
If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 342,867 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

16V646000 · September 7, 2016

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 and Audi A7 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a fuel hose in the engine compartment that may degrade and leak fuel.
The risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the under hood fuel pump and fuel hose, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BZ.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 28,249 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

15V823000 · December 8, 2015

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 vehicles manufactured March 28, 2011, to March 25, 2013, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles manufactured January 25, 2011, to March 19, 2013. In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS), used to enable the front passenger air bags, may malfunction and prevent the passenger-side air bags from deploying in a crash.
The risk
An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of occupant injury in a crash.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D1.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 21,074 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 52.

AIR BAGS 18 35%
ENGINE 15 29%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8 15%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 13%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7 13%
STEERING 7 13%
SEATS 3 6%
POWER TRAIN 2 4%
SERVICE BRAKES 2 4%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 2%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 2%
EQUIPMENT 1 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2018 at 21.

2013 2018 2025
2013 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

1 injured · crash · 150 miles

HAD A FRONTAL CRASH AS I WAS TRYING TO CLICK IN THE SAFETY BELT WHILE IN MOTION. THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT MY HEAD WENT FORWARD AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD INJURING MY FOREHEAD. I LOST CONSCIOUSNESS FOR 30 MINUTES. THIS WAS A NEW CAR (115 MILES) AND NONE OF THE MULTIPLE AIRBAGS WENT OFF. TRIED TO HAVE AUDI EXPLAIN TO ME WHY NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF AND I GOT 2 NONSENSICAL REASONS (ONE SALESPERSON SUGGESTED THAT THEY DID NOT GO OFF BECAUSE THE SAFETY BELT WAS NOT ENGAGED, A CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE RELATED TO ME SOME MYSTERIOUS ANGLE - 30 DEGREES FROM THE MIDLINE OF THE CAR- WHERE AN IMPACT WOULD NOT ACTIVATE AIR BAGS (!) . I WAS ALSO GIVEN A LECTURE REGARDING THE SAFETY OF AUDI

NHTSA complaint 10534829, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 19,000 miles

I WAS ENTERING MY GARAGE AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I SLAMMED INTO ANY FRONT WALL DOING LOTS OF DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURES IN AND OUT AS WELL AS TO MY BODY. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. MY FIRST ACCIDENT EVER AND THE SCARIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE. I HAVE HAD PRIOR ACCELERATION/DECELERATION ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. ON AT LEAST 6 OCCASIONS, I WAS GOING DOWNHILL APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND THE CAR SEEMED TO STOP RESPONDING (STEERING, BRAKING, ENGINE) AND YET THE RPM'S WERE GONG HIGHER AND THE ENGINE WAS RACING. VERY FRIGHTENING SINCE YOU DID NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT!!! *TR

NHTSA complaint 10644104. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

WHEN I WAS DRIVING, WE SMELLED BURNING OF RUBBER BUT THOUGHT THAT IT MUST BE FROM OUTSIDE. HOWEVER AFTER DRIVING OF ANOTHER 3-4 MILES, SUDDENLY SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM AIR VENT MAINLY ON DRIVER AND WINDSHIELD SIDE INSIDE OF CABIN. I STOPPED CAR AND TURNED OFF. I TOOK IT TO NEARBY GARAGE AND THEY CHECKED ANY LEAKAGE OF FLUID THAT CAN CAUSE BURNING BUT CAN'T FIND IT WHICH INDICATES THAT PROBLEM OF SHORT CIRCUIT AND MAY NEED TO RESEARCH MORE. IN THE NIGHT, WHEN I TRIED TO TURN CABIN LIGHTS ON, IT DIDN'T WORK WHICH NOW CLEARLY SHOWS THAT IT'S INCIDENT OF SHORT CIRCUIT THAT CAUSE INSIDE LIGHTS DOME, READING AND OTHER LIGHTS OFF. I WAS LUCKY THAT IT DIDN'T CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED DOWN MY

NHTSA complaint 11033170, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

fire · 61,871 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A6. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SMOKE COULD BE SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE OVERHEATING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER (AUDI VALENCIA, 23923 CREEKSIDE RD, VALENCIA, CA 91355, (661) 735-1778) INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V229000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLANT PUMP FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,871. *TT

NHTSA complaint 11105119. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
When the turn signal is activated to go RIGHT, the turn indicator flashes LEFT (both the arrow on the instrument panel and the exterior lights). Since the driver is not consciously looking at the dash, this causes an unexpected lane change and dangerous (and illegal) lane change. There are no warning lights that there is an error/problem. This is an intermittent but frequent problem and replicable. I have not taken the issue to the dealer but research suggests that the turn signal stalk must be replaced. Searching online, I see that other Audi A6, for various years, have this problem. I also recently learned that Hyundai vehicles were recalled for this same issue. Hopefully you can look

NHTSA complaint 11700279, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
IT WAS RECENTLY BEGAN TO LEAK FUEL FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE CLOSE TO THE WINDSHIELD. THEN THE WHOLE CABIN SPECIALLY IN THE FRONT WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO HAVE BAD VIBRATION DURING REVERSED, AND IDLE, ALSO WHEN THE AC IS ON. THEN THERES THE AIRBAG FOR THE PASSENGER, THE LIGHT IS ON, IT USED TO SAY '"OFF" THEN WHEN THE SEAT IS USED IT WILL SHUT OFF. NOW IT JUST STAYS ON. LAST IS THE AC COMPRESSOR SEEMS TO BE RATTLING LIKE A BOLT IS LOOSE. ALL THE RECALLS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING WITH MY AUDI AND STILL MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED.

NHTSA complaint 11690179. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

TIRES

115,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Audi A6 equipped with Kumho Tires, Tire Line: Solus Majesty, Tire Size: 245/45/VR18, DOT Number: 127W2YCJ9. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken for maintenance and the independent mechanic observed that the driver's and passenger’s side front tires tread was separating from the tire. The contact stated that all four tires had been replaced 3 months prior. The contact was informed by the independent mechanic that the rear tires were also showing signs of tread separation. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 115,000. The tire failure mileage was 5,000.

NHTSA complaint 11624752. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My sunroof exploded on the expressway and caused the glass to shatter both inside the vehicle sunroof vent and the exterior sunroof

NHTSA complaint 11540695. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I had my coolant system repaired before I found out there was a recall now my thermostat went bad. My brakes need to be replaced too much and my screw for my radio and system display stopped working every time you change fees it pops

NHTSA complaint 11521861. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

122,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Audi A6. The contact stated that after returning to the parked vehicle, the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The contact stated that the temperature gauge and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact performed a diagnostic on the vehicle and retrieved fault codes for the temperature gauge and fuel delivery system. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V781000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.

NHTSA complaint 11500302, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Audi A6

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2021 15 11
2020 24 9
2019 114 7
2018 11 2
2017 20 3
2016 51 3
2015 22 4
2014 41 4
2012 59 8
2011 21 3
2010 17 3

Other 2013 Audi models

Every Audi on this site — 147 vehicles, 216 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst