2012 Audi A6: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 8 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
59
Complaints
8
Recalls
0
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
0
Injuries
0.0
Severity index
Severity index 0.0 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Audi A6 ranks 129 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 0% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 14 | 23.7% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 13 | 22.0% |
| ENGINE | 13 | 22.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 9 | 15.3% |
| POWER TRAIN | 8 | 13.6% |
| STEERING | 6 | 10.2% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 5.1% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 3 | 5.1% |
The single most-reported system is AIR BAGS, cited in 14 of 59 complaints (23.7%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V229000 | 11/04/2018 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric c |
| 18V370000 | 04/06/2018 | AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION | 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 cau |
| 17V002000 | 03/01/2017 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump th |
| 17V781000 | 06/12/2017 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Audi A6 and A7 vehicles. The fuel line has a compression point that can weaken, potentially resulting in a fuel leak. |
| 16V646000 | 07/09/2016 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 and Audi A7 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a fuel hose in the engine compartment that may degrade and leak fuel. |
| 15V019000 | 20/01/2015 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Audi S4, S5, Q7, 2012 Audi A6, Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles. In the affected vehicles the fuel injection system may experience a fuel leak. |
| 15V823000 | 08/12/2015 | AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 vehicles manufactured March 28, 2011, to March 25, 2013, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles manufactured January 25, 2011, to March 19, 2013. In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, th |
| 11V580000 | 06/12/2011 | AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL 2012 AUDI A6 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 8, 2011, THROUGH MAY 26, 2011. DUE TO A PROBLEM IN THE STITCHING PROCESS OF THE CURTAIN AIR BAG, THE SEAM OF THE AIR BAG MAY NOT BE STITCHED PROPERLY. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.