2016 AUDI A6 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
75
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
73
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2016 AUDI A6
The 2016 AUDI A6 has received a total of 75 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION. 73 technical service bulletins have been issued by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (17 complaints), Air Bags (8 complaints), and Electrical System (7 complaints).
Recalls for the 2016 AUDI A6
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 2016 AUDI A6, potentially affecting up to 214,975 vehicles.
Recall 18V862000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
| 845 vehicles affected
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi A6 Sedans and 2015 Audi A7 vehicles. The auxiliary heater electrical connector on these vehicles may have been incorrectly inserted into the auxiliary heater, possibly resulting in increased electrical resistance.
Consequence: The extra resistance can cause the connector to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the auxiliary heater connector, replacing the auxiliary heater and connector, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for...
View full details →Recall 19V035000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
| 74,881 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase risk of a fire.
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.
View full details →Recall 18V370000 — AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
| 139,249 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
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.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2016 AUDI A6
75 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 AUDI A6. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
I own a 2016 Audi A6 3.0T. After filling the fuel tank completely, the vehicle only traveled approximately 190–200 miles before the fuel gauge indicated empty. This represents a sudden and significant loss of fuel range compared to normal operation. There are no warning lights, check engine lights, fuel smells, visible leaks, rough idle, or abnormal noises. The vehicle operates normally otherwise. The issue appears to involve excessive fuel consumption or incorrect fuel management without any driver warning. This condition poses a potential safety risk because the vehicle may unexpectedly run out of fuel while driving, which could result in loss of power in traffic or on highways, increasing the risk of an accident. The issue has been observed repeatedly after refueling. At the time of this report, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealer or independent repair facility, but diagnostic evaluation is planned. Based on owner research and symptoms, the issue may be related to a fuel system, engine management, or emissions-related component malfunction that does not trigger a warning indicator. No prior warning messages or lamps were displayed before or during the occurrence.
The water pump on my 2016 Audi A6 has failed multiple times prematurely. The first water pump failed at 36,965 miles in May 2019. That repair was covered under an extended warranty I purchased. The second water pump failed around 83,000 miles in September 2025, and Audi is now quoting me $2,350 out of pocket to replace it. I am now facing a third water pump replacement, which is far earlier than expected for this type of component. These repeated failures create a significant safety concern, as sudden coolant loss can cause the engine to overheat, potentially leading to engine failure or loss of power while driving. Each problem has been diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized Audi service center. The vehicle was inspected by Audi technicians, and repairs were recommended both times. The repeated failure of this critical component strongly suggests a systemic defect with the water pump design on this model. Despite a recent Audi water pump settlement, my vehicle was excluded, even though it has now experienced two failures and is requiring a third replacement.
This vehicle had a claim for water pump replacement and the 3.0 model has a recall for the turbo charger. This vehicle is experiencing the same issues and went from 70 mph to 0 and stalled on the freeway. Thankfully the semi and other vehicles were able to avoid me or my family would be reaching out instead of me. Currently the vehicle is parked in my garage because it is unsafe to drive. Can you please advise Audi to take responsibility and offer the same recalls on the 2.0 vehicles for the water pump and turbo charger because they have the same internal parts as the 3.0 vehicles that failed and these parts were covered.
This vehicle had a claim for water pump replacement and the 3.0 model has a recall for the turbo charger. This vehicle is experiencing the same issues and went from 70 mph to 0 and stalled on the freeway. Thankfully the semi and other vehicles were able to avoid me or my family would be reaching out instead of me. Currently the vehicle is parked in my garage because it is unsafe to drive. Can you please advise Audi to take responsibility and offer the same recalls on the 2.0 vehicles for the water pump and turbo charger because they have the same internal parts as the 3.0 vehicles that failed and these parts were covered.
This vehicle had a claim for water pump replacement and the 3.0 model has a recall for the turbo charger. This vehicle is experiencing the same issues and went from 70 mph to 0 and stalled on the freeway. Thankfully the semi and other vehicles were able to avoid me or my family would be reaching out instead of me. Currently the vehicle is parked in my garage because it is unsafe to drive. Can you please advise Audi to take responsibility and offer the same recalls on the 2.0 vehicles for the water pump and turbo charger because they have the same internal parts as the 3.0 vehicles that failed and these parts were covered.
Safety Rating for the 2016 AUDI A6
The 2016 AUDI A6 received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2016 AUDI A6
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. has issued 73 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2016 AUDI A6. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
TSB_2080681_1 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin provides information regarding contact checks for event memories, intermittent.
A3423632070167_1 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
This bulletin provides instructions for when DTC P1A5B00 is stored after replacing the transmission control module or valve body for another concern.
A0123502044156_5 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin contains repair instructions for DTC P045600 in the ECM.
A2022412050276_7 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
This bulletin contains repair instructions for when the customer has problems filling the fuel tank and DTC P045100, P044100, P202500, and/or P045300 is present.
A9120742047433_5 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
This bulletin contains software update information for when retrieving the stored myAudi destinations, the myAudi PIN is not saved.
A9120692059383_2 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin contains a software update for various technical MMI issues.
A9120272058160_2 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
This bulletin contains a software update that addresses the navigation system freezing at 77% initialization.
A9120272058160_2 — EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains a software update that addresses the navigation system freezing at 77% initialization.
A9619452049284_2 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
This bulletin contains a software update for an intermittent error message for traffic sign recognitions or the active lane assist, DTC B2F0400.
SM F-2019 — EQUIPMENT
The part number listed in the document are to be returned if it meets the criteria provided.
Showing 10 of 73 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2016 AUDI A6
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the AUDI A6
- 2011 AUDI A6 — 23 complaints
- 2012 AUDI A6 — 86 complaints
- 2013 AUDI A6 — 79 complaints
- 2014 AUDI A6 — 47 complaints
- 2015 AUDI A6 — 28 complaints
- 2016 AUDI A6 (current)
- 2017 AUDI A6 — 23 complaints
- 2018 AUDI A6 — 12 complaints
- 2019 AUDI A6 — 185 complaints
- 2020 AUDI A6 — 37 complaints
- 2021 AUDI A6 — 15 complaints