2018 AUDI A6 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
12
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
20
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2018 AUDI A6
The 2018 AUDI A6 has received a total of 12 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 2 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION. 20 technical service bulletins have been issued by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (7 complaints), Fuelpropulsion System (3 complaints), and Power Train (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 2018 AUDI A6
NHTSA has recorded 2 recalls for the 2018 AUDI A6, potentially affecting up to 214,130 vehicles.
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 2018 AUDI A6
12 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2018 AUDI A6. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
2018 Audi A6 3.0T diagnosed a coolant leak due to water pump failure at less than 43k miles on March 27, 2024. In July 2023 (at less than 39k miles), the vehicle's thermostat was replaced due to a coolant leak. These are substantial failures in terms of risk to engine damage and cost to consumer, within a time and mileage period where a consumer should not expect these issues.
The main water pump failed earlier than expected at 48000miles. Dealer mentioned that water pump should not fail so early
Coolant leak, warning light signified an issue with the cooling system. Took vehicle to Audi dealership service department; they confirmed there is a big coolant leak with the coolant pump and thermostat. Vehicle inspected by Audi Sewell dealership for repairs. Symptoms appeared approximately 11/19/23, 2 weeks days prior to taking into the dealership. I had the oil changed at a non-Audi supplier); I informed service technician coolant warning light was on and service tech informed me vehicle was low on coolant. He replaced oil and topped off coolant on 11/19. Service light was no longer on; 2 weeks after the light came on again so i reported to Audi on 12/1/23 for repairs. Audi confirmed lose of containment of coolant.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A6. The contact stated that the EPC and engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was notified of an unstated recall. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed about a buyback, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
The EPC light came on in my vehicle and I noticed I started to lose gas faster than normal. Took it to a shop to get diagnosed, they stated that my vehicle was under a recall (Recall #24DP). I called Audi and they said I do not fall under the warranty even though the website said 2016-2018 Audi A6 were under recall. They would not provide any help for me. My vehicle is showing all the signs of the recall. Sometimes the car will accelerate too fast and it is a risk for not only other drivers but me as well. It is just ironic that the same same problem for that recall is happening to my vehicle.
Safety Rating for the 2018 AUDI A6
The 2018 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 2018 AUDI A6
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. has issued 20 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2018 AUDI A6. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
A9023102059891_4 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin states that it takes about 20 seconds after switching the ignition on for the Audi Pre Sense symbol advising that "Audi pre sense not available at the moment"
A0121092053040_3 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM):SOFTWARE
This bulletin contains a software update for DTC P050A00 and/or P050700 stored in the ECM.
A4821052063527_1 — STEERING
This bulletin contains instructions for calibrating the steering angel sender G85.
A0121982062323_1 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin contains repairs for a wiring issue with DTCs P010600 and P023600 with a possible MIL light and a hesitation, low power or bucking/jerking sensation while driving.
A9120142060675_1 — STRUCTURE
This bulletin contains instructions for addressing the issue when the parking assist will intermittently alert the customer to an obstruction and the sensors look 'pushed in'.
A9120112037809_7 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
This informational bulletin contains instructions about updating the navigation map.
A6420702058551_2 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin contains repair instructions for when the window switch is malfunctioning by opening instead of closing as directed by customer input.
A2020252050276_5 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
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.
A4020002048266_7 — EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains repair instructions for a rumbling/creaking noises from the front of the vehicle.
A9119122045020_4 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This technical service bulletin provides troubleshooting information for an issue that causes the night vision system to not function.
Showing 10 of 20 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2018 AUDI A6
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the AUDI A6
- 2013 AUDI A6 — 79 complaints
- 2014 AUDI A6 — 47 complaints
- 2015 AUDI A6 — 28 complaints
- 2016 AUDI A6 — 75 complaints
- 2017 AUDI A6 — 23 complaints
- 2018 AUDI A6 (current)
- 2019 AUDI A6 — 185 complaints
- 2020 AUDI A6 — 37 complaints
- 2021 AUDI A6 — 15 complaints
- 2022 AUDI A6 — 4 complaints
- 2023 AUDI A6 — 1 complaint