Problems · NHTSA complaints

2013 Audi A6 problems

Owners filed 52 complaints about the 2013 Audi A6 with NHTSA between May 2013 and Nov 2025. The most-cited component is air bags (18).

Complaints
52
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags18
  2. Engine15
  3. Fuel/propulsion system7
  4. Steering7
  5. Electrical system7
  6. Seats3
  7. Service brakes2
  8. Power train2
  9. Exterior lighting1
  10. Tires1
  11. Lane departure1
  12. Fuel system, gasoline1
  13. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  14. Engine and engine cooling1

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 29, 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
20132
20141
20154
20163
20173
201821
20193
20206
20212
20221
20233
20241
20252

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

Air bags

18 reports2 crashes2 related recalls
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2025Air bags, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11690179

Engine

15 reports1 crash
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 13, 2023Service brakes, Engine, Lane departureODI 11521861

Fuel/propulsion system

7 reports
“CAR IS LEAKING & BURNING OIL AND IS HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OPEN SHORT TO GROUND I ONLY HAD THE CAR 2 MONTHS THE FUEL SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING MY ENGINE LIGHT & MY EPIC LIGHT IS ON SMOKE IS COMING COMING FROM THE ENGINE & THE ENGINE IS SHAKING ROUGHLY & THESE ARE SOME OF THE RECALLS BUT THERE SAYING THE RECALLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKING CAR OF BUT SEEMS LIKE THE PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING. I WAS IDLED IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS PROBLEM STARTED. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MY CAR COULD POSSIBLY CATCH FIRE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2020Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11375555

Steering

7 reports
“Steering Rack Assist has a recall for my car because my steering locked up. Audi replaced the recall part two times. the first didnt work after the second time it works but now they cant reset the check engine lights, TPMS, Steering Fault do not drive it says, ECS Fualt, Stability Fault, Child Safety Lock Fault etc. Dealer told they did everything they could even flew in an Audi Engineer still cant reset anything and that they exceeded the cars value in man hours to figure out what is the issue. Now they tell me the car is drivable but my question is, is it safe for me to accept it like that and risk something happening while driving and the steering locking up or any other problems that may arise but I wouldn"t know because of the other alarms may override the current alarm that may pop up. My insurance said they wouldnt accept the car back in that condition because its a recall issue related and that Audi needs to address this but in just getting the run around. My car has been at the dealer for about 6 months trying to figure it out. Now they tell me "You brought your car because steering was locked up wasnt able to drive and now the car is drivable and the…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2022Steering, Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11447242

Electrical system

7 reports1 fire
“MY CAR WAS STATIONARY AND OIL IS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE MY FUEL SYSTEM IS MESSING UP. ALSO I'M HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CYLINDER 1 MISFIRE OPEN GROUND OR SHORT TO GROUND CIRCUIT .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 19, 2020Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11375329

Seats

3 reports
“THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR GOES OFF AND ON WHILE I'M DRIVING, EVEN WHEN THE SEAT IS EMPTY. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS, BUT THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME MY CAR ISN'T COVERED. I FALL UNDER THE YEAR AND MAKE OF THE RECALL, WHY ISN'T MY CAR COVERED?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 6, 2018Air bags, SeatsODI 11115886
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

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