Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Audi A6 problems

Owners filed 148 complaints about the 2000 Audi A6 with NHTSA between Mar 2000 and May 2022. The most-cited component is electrical system (36).

Complaints
148
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system36
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic25
  3. Engine and engine cooling21
  4. Fuel system, gasoline14
  5. Tires14
  6. Steering11
  7. Suspension11
  8. Air bags8
  9. Power train8
  10. Fuel/propulsion system6
  11. Vehicle speed control5
  12. Service brakes, electric4
  13. Equipment4
  14. Structure4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200017
200111
20025
200312
200417
200511
200613
200713
200813
20099
20105
20116
20126
20133
20141
20152
20162
20171
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

36 reports8 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT NOTICED STRONG FUMES ENTERING THE VENTS, WHICH AFFECTED THE CONTACT'S BREATHING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO USE THE HEATER OR AIR CONDITIONER. A WEEK LATER, WHILE DRIVING, A FIRE ERUPTED NEAR THE DASHBOARD AND SMOKE CONSUMED THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND A FIRE INSPECTOR EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V198000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTIFICATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND PARKED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 15, 2016Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10874383

Service brakes, hydraulic

25 reports1 crash
“THE CAR HAD THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT DISPLAY (BRAKE LIGHT IF FLASHING), CAUSING THE CAR TO SOMETIMES NOT STOP PROPERLY. CHECKED OUT TO BE ABS MODULE FAILURE. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10425696

Engine and engine cooling

21 reports
“2000 AUDI A6 4.2L V8 QUATTRO ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE. THE PLASTIC COOLANT PIPE BETWEEN THE OIL COOLER HOUSING AND THE ENGINE BLOCK FAILS CAUSING POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC COOLANT LOSS, OVERHEATED ENGINE AND POTENTIAL FIRE. *TR THE PLASTIC PIPE HARDENS/CRUMBLES WITH AGE, APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS AND 135K MILES. I REPLACED THE PIPE...IT TAKES ABOUT 10 MANHOURS. THE REPLACEMENT AUDI PART IS MAYBE $20 BUT IT IS STILL PLASTIC. I REPLACED IT WITH A BILLET ALUMINUM PART WITH DOUBLE O-RINGS. DEALER WANTED $2900.00 TO REPAIR!! I UNDERSTAND THIS PART IS ON EVERY 4.2L V8 ON BOTH A6 AND A8 CARS FROM 1998 TO CURRENT 2010.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 9, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10342338

Fuel system, gasoline

14 reports1 related recall
“HELLO! TODAY I WAS AT THE SAMS CLUB GAS STATION TO FILL UP MY VEHICLE, 2000 AUDI A6 WITH THE 4.2 ENGINE. WHEN I FINISHED, I WENT OVER TO THE DRIVER SIDE, WHERE IVE SEEN A HUGE AMOUNT OF GAS ON THE GROUND. THE FUEL WAS LEAKING REALLY BAD FROM MY CAR. THE SAM'S CLUB EVEN CALLED THE FIRED DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE THERE TOO. IT LEAKED OUT A LOT COUPLE GALLONS FROM MY VEHICLE. THANKS GOD THE GAS STATION HAD A SMALL INCLINE SO I COULD NOTICE IT RIGHT BEFORE I WOULD DRIVE AWAY. JUST THINKING THAT I WOULD DRIVE AWAY AND SOMETHING SERIOUS WOULD HAPPEN IT SCARES ME. AS I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF AUDIS ARE RECALLED BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. MINE IS NOT UNDER THE RECALL. WHAT CAN I DO TO GET MINE UNDER THE RECALL TOO? PLEASE HELP ME. [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2015Fuel system, gasolineODI 10670841

Tires

14 reports
“2000 AUDI AX6 AXLE BROKE, TRANSMISSION IS POOR, LEFT FRONT RIM CRACKED, RACK AND PINION WORN, FLOOD LIGHTS DO NOT WORK, AIRBAG, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL WINDOWS AND SUNROOF FAILURES. *TS THE INSIDE LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2006Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Exterior lighting, Visibility, Tires, Wheels, Interior lightingODI 10161586

Steering

11 reports
“FIRST THE CAR RAN HOT NO TEMP HAVE CAME ON HAD TO REPLACE MOTOR .....THE COOLING FAN BROKE MADE OF PLASTIC AND CUT MY SERPENTINE BELT INTO ......THEN THE CAR FLOODED AND RUINED THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE HAD TO REPLACE THIS NOW THE FRONT AXEL IS BROKE AND THE BOOTS FELL APART AND THE BALL JOINTS ARE NO GOOD......”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 12, 2015Steering, Suspension, Electrical systemODI 10781459
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.