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Audi · NHTSA safety record

2018 Audi A6

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

Owners have filed 11 safety complaints about the 2018 Audi A6 with the US government. Of those, 1 mentions a fire and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the gasoline fuel system and the air bags.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 7 complaints, 64% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers March 2020 to March 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

11 complaints on file

11

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 7 · 64%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 36%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 · 18%
AIR BAGS 1 · 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 · 9%
POWER TRAIN 1 · 9%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 11.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2023 at 5.

8 6 4 2
20 22 23 24 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2020 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2018 Audi A6, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR AWD 4 DR FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 9.0% 9.0%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

19V035000 · January 16, 2019

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Q7, A6 and A7 vehicles, and 2015-2018 Audi A8 vehicles. The left and right fuel rails may leak fuel.
The risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase risk of a fire.
The remedy
Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the left and right fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 24DP.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 74,881 vehicles across all model years covered

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

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

February 27, at approximately 1:20am my vehicle caught fire while parked in the driveway after sitting for about 9 hours. The fire originated near the gas tank. The fire department was called, there is a fire report being conducted. Audi was notified.

NHTSA complaint 11723814. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Audi is unable to correct the recall repairs despite several attempts by us to schedule. Advised parts are no longer available and were not available during 2 previous attempts to repair.

NHTSA complaint 11723830. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
2018 Audi A6 3.0T diagnosed a coolant leak due to water pump failure at less than 43k miles on March 27, 2024. In July 2023 (at less than 39k miles), the vehicle's thermostat was replaced due to a coolant leak. These are substantial failures in terms of risk to engine damage and cost to consumer, within a time and mileage period where a consumer should not expect these issues.

NHTSA complaint 11579713. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
The main water pump failed earlier than expected at 48000miles. Dealer mentioned that water pump should not fail so early

NHTSA complaint 11562566. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Coolant leak, warning light signified an issue with the cooling system. Took vehicle to Audi dealership service department; they confirmed there is a big coolant leak with the coolant pump and thermostat. Vehicle inspected by Audi Sewell dealership for repairs. Symptoms appeared approximately 11/19/23, 2 weeks days prior to taking into the dealership. I had the oil changed at a non-Audi supplier); I informed service technician coolant warning light was on and service tech informed me vehicle was low on coolant. He replaced oil and topped off coolant on 11/19. Service light was no longer on; 2 weeks after the light came on again so i reported to Audi on 12/1/23 for repairs. Audi confirmed

NHTSA complaint 11559166, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

52,000 miles

The contact owns a 2018 Audi A6. The contact stated that the EPC and engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was notified of an unstated recall. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed about a buyback, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

NHTSA complaint 11550363. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Audi A6

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 6 2 —
2021 17 11 —
2020 25 9 —
2019 114 7 —
2017 20 3 —
2016 51 3 —
2015 22 4 —
2014 41 4 —
2013 52 6 —
2012 59 8 —
2011 21 3 —
2010 17 3 —

Other 2018 Audi models

Every Audi on this site — 155 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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