CSR

Audi · NHTSA safety record

2021 Audi A6

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

15

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2021 Audi A6 have filed 15 safety complaints with NHTSA between April 2022 and May 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 9 of them (60%). The typical failure was reported at 59,000 miles, the median across the 2 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 11 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (11)

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

25V900000 · December 19, 2025

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. · up to 356,894 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

25V201000 · March 31, 2025

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 SQ8, A6 SEDAN, A7, A8, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S6 SEDAN, S7, S8, A6 Allroad, and SQ7 vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail.
The risk
An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the instrument panel module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90VC.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 44,387 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID

23V601000 · August 25, 2023

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. · up to 7,499 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

22V861000 · November 21, 2022

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. · up to 50,883 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

22V742000 · October 5, 2022

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
A blank rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 170,296 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:FUEL GAUGE:FUEL LEVEL FLOAT/SENSOR/SENDING UNIT

22V155000 · March 14, 2022

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 RS6 Avant and RS7, 2020-2022 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, and S7, and 2019-2022 A6 Sedan and A7 vehicles. The fuel level sender may stick, causing an inaccurate fuel level reading to be displayed on the instrument cluster.
The risk
An inaccurate fuel reading may cause an engine stall due to lack of fuel, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will install a new sensor in the tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2023. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 20DN.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 47,238 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES

22V034000 · January 26, 2022

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
The risk
Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 31,058 vehicles across all model years covered

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR

21V606000 · August 5, 2021

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk
An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 45,496 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY

21V295000 · April 26, 2021

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
The risk
A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 40,993 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS

21V159000 · March 10, 2021

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi RS6 Avant, RS7, 2020-2021 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, S7, 2019-2021 A6 Sedan, and A7 vehicles. The score line on the passenger air bag may not have been manufactured correctly.
The risk
An incorrectly manufactured air bag may not deploy properly, and could also eject plastic debris into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the passenger air bag score line, and repair it as necessary, free of charge. The recall begin March 26, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 70i2.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 3,421 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

20V749000 · December 2, 2020

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A6 Allroad, Q7, RS6 and RS7 vehicles. The electrical connector can detach from the door crash sensor in either of the front doors.
The risk
A detached connector can delay the activation of the restraint systems, including the side air bag, curtain air bag and/or seat-belt pretensioners during a side impact crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and as necessary, replace the crash sensors in both front doors, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BM.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 166 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 15.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9 60%
ENGINE 2 13%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 13%
POWER TRAIN 2 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 13%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 7%
STEERING 1 7%
STRUCTURE 1 7%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 5.

2022 2026
2022 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

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

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

towed · 38,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Audi A6. The contact stated while his father was driving 45 MPH, the electrical system Malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact stated that several electronic components started to turn off until the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the starter generator to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts being on backorder. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

NHTSA complaint 11525465. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2021 Audi A6 produces a strong mold and mildew odor from the HVAC/air conditioning system. The smell occurs consistently after the air conditioning is turned off and persists when entering the vehicle. The issue appears to originate from mold growth on the evaporator coil or dampers, likely caused by moisture accumulation and inadequate condensate drainage in the HVAC system. The vehicle was inspected and treated at an authorized Audi dealership; however, the treatment did not resolve the issue and the odor returned. Online owner forums and communities document the same problem across multiple Audi models and model years, suggesting this is a systemic design or manufacturing issue rather

NHTSA complaint 11738142, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

80,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Audi A6. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated. The engine overheating and the low coolant warning light illuminated. In addition, the engine seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak and a failed coolant pump vacuum. The contact was informed that the coolant pump vacuum assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact was informed that the failure was a known failure of the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure

NHTSA complaint 11736958, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Thermostat housing and oil cooler bracket leaking coolant with only 56k miles on the car

NHTSA complaint 11736875. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
I was driving my vehicle when the engine surged and then a transmission warning light came on and there was an immediate and complete loss of drive power. After the vehicle glided to a stop, there was no drive transmission in either forward or reverse. There was no pre-warning and no earlier incidence that led up to this issue. The vehicle is five years old with 39,834 miles and has had all routine maintenance and mileage interval services performed at the dealership, including its recent (Dec-25) 40,000-mile service. Thankfully this complete failure occurred when I was in my neighborhood and travelling 20mph; otherwise, the results could have been catastrophic had it occurred on a

NHTSA complaint 11730290, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My alternator was not working and it was a recall and I paid to fix it and they don’t wanna pay me back. I got a new part from audi and fix it at the shop and they don’t wanna pay anything just called and she said we don’t pay only if he’s done at the dealer. And I don’t believe that! Bc dealer told me they pay if I fix it any where to get done quick bc was out stock

NHTSA complaint 11720235. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving at normal speed, the entire digital instrument panel suddenly went black and a red warning triangle appeared. I lost all gauges, including speedometer, fuel level, and warning indicators. This created a serious safety risk because I was in active traffic and had no way to know my speed or see alerts. My VIN shows an open recall for this exact defect (instrument cluster blackout), but the failure has already happened during normal driving. I consider the vehicle unsafe to drive until repaired.

NHTSA complaint 11703548. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Audi A6

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2020 24 9
2019 114 7
2018 11 2
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 2021 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.

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