Research · Midsize Cars · 2 NHTSA variants

2010 Audi A6Recalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 17 owner complaints for the 2010 Audi A6. Most complaints involve air bags (11) and seat belts (3). The EPA rates it 18–22 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
18–22mpg
EPA · 4 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
3campaigns
Latest Jun 2018
Owner complaints
17
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$3,600est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

3 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jun 22, 2018NHTSA 18V427000

Air bags: inflator module

Remedy pending

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Audi A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles, ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet vehicles, and 2009-2011 Audi A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 4, 2018NHTSA 18V004000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling model year 2004 Audi A4 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jun 1, 2016NHTSA 16V382000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

17 complaints filed with NHTSA · Mar 2010 – Oct 2018
  1. Air bags11
  2. Seat belts3
  3. Electrical system2
  4. Engine and engine cooling2
  5. Tires2
  6. Engine1
  7. Exterior lighting1

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

By model year

Complaints for each A6 model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
199654
199721
1998130
1999217
2000148
2001113
2002103
200371
200435
200667
200753
200871
200921
201017
201121
201260
201352
201441
201522
201651
201720
20182
20269
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

11 reports1 crash
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V004000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER A YEAR AGO. THE DEALER (AUDI FAIRFIELD, 435 COMMERCE DR., FAIRFIELD, CT 06825) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT RECENTLY RECEIVED A POSTCARD FROM TK HOLDINGS ABOUT TAKATA FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2018Air bagsODI 11088850

Seat belts

3 reports2 crashes
“"TAKATA RECALL'' THEY HAVE YET TO SEND THE AIRBAGS TO AUDI TO BEGIN REPLACING THE DANGEROUS AIR BAGS. ALSO AUDI HAS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY IN REPLACING MY READ LEFT AND RIGHT SEAT BELTS THE BOTH GOT STUCK IN THE HOUSING. SO I CANNOT HAVE NONE IN BACK OR IN PASSENGER SEAT. NEED HELP”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 19, 2017Air bags, Seat beltsODI 11006331

Electrical system

2 reports1 crash
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS) FOR THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAG INFLATOR; HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE LOCAL DEALER (AUDI NORTH ORLANDO LOCATED AT 139 N OREGON ST, STANFORD, FLORIDA 32771) CONTINUED TO INFORM THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE PARTS AVAILABLE THE NEXT MONTH AND THAT THEY WERE ON A WAIT LIST; HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS RECEIVED WERE FOR NEWER VEHICLES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2017Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10991801
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

4 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars, Midsize Station Wagons
Engines
3.2L 6-cyl · 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged · 4.2L 8-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Automatic (S6)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 28, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
A6
Auto (variable gear ratios), 6 cyl, 3.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
182822$3,600404
A6 Avant quattro
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg · All-Wheel Drive
182621$3,800423
A6 quattro
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg · All-Wheel Drive
182621$3,800423
A6 quattro
Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 4.2 L · All-Wheel Drive
162318$4,400494
  • A6
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 6 cyl, 3.2 L
    18 city · 28 hwy · $3,600/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • A6 Avant quattro
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg
    18 city · 26 hwy · $3,800/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • A6 quattro
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg
    18 city · 26 hwy · $3,800/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • A6 quattro
    Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 4.2 L
    16 city · 23 hwy · $4,400/yr
    18
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 28, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Audi A6 as of Oct 28, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 28, 2026Vehicle 5524Vehicle 5525
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2010 A6 questions

How many recalls does the 2010 Audi A6 have?

3 safety recalls as of Oct 28, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2010 Audi A6 problems?

Owners filed 17 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (11), seat belts (3), electrical system (2). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2010 Audi A6 get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Audi A6 at 18–22 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 28, 2026