2003 Audi A6 Problems and Recalls (66 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2003 Audi A6 is Fuel system (30% of 66 owner reports). There are 7 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Fuel system — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
What problems show up on the 2003 Audi A6?
20 of 66 filings named Fuel system (30% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Electrical (13 reports).
There are 7 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags and Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2002 has 86 reports on file; this year has 66. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
- Crashes 1
- Fires 5
- Injuries 1
- Deaths 0
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 20 | 30.3% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 13 | 19.7% | 0 crashes · 4 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 7 | 10.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Tires (TIRES) | 6 | 9.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 4 | 6.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 3 | 4.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 3 | 4.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 2 | 3.0% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 2 | 3.0% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 43 | 65.2% | 1 crashes · 2 fires |
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 06V017000 was reported 829 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 07V375000 was reported 1,411 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 08V157000 was reported 1,635 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 11V267000 was reported 2,755 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2003-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2004-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2004-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2004-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2005-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2005-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2005-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2006-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2006-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2007-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2007-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2008-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2009-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2009-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2009-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2009-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2010-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2010-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2011-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2011-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2012-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2013-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 02V275000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 04V133000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 06V017000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 06V198000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 07V375000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 08V157000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 11V267000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE08008 |
Safety Recalls (7)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags and Fuel system.
-
Recall campaign 02V275000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- AN IMPROPERLY POSITIONED IGNITER WILL NOT ACTIVATE THE AIR BAG IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAGS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 18, 2002. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
-
Recall campaign 04V133000
Safety recall 04V133000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- A FIRE COULD ORIGINATE IN THE LEFT DASHBOARD AREA.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVERING ON THE KNEE BOLSTER (CRASH ELEMENT). IN ADDITION, THE WIRING HARNESS AS WELL AS THE FELT PROTECTOR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD CARRIER WILL BE CHECKED, AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 26, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
-
Recall campaign 06V017000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- IF FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE IS INTERRUPTED, THE VEHICLE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING AND THUS PRESENT A POTENTIAL RISK OF CRASH.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-222-8987 OR AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
-
Recall campaign 06V198000
Safety recall 06V198000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO OVERHEATING OR FIRE.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL REROUTE THE WIRING HARNESS BY INSTALLING A JUMPER WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 16, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
-
Recall campaign 07V375000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- IF FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE IS INTERRUPTED, THE VEHICLE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING AND THUS PRESENT A POTENTIAL RISK OF CRASH.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 28, 20007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-222-8987 OR AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834. THIS RECALL IS A SUPPLEMENT TO A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN (PLEASE SEE 06V017).
-
Recall campaign 08V157000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE NIPPLE ON THE ROLLOVER VALVE TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OR REPAIR THE CRACKING AT THE NIPPLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 27, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
-
Recall campaign 11V267000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE NIPPLE ON THE ROLLOVER VALVE TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OR REPAIR THE CRACKING AT THE NIPPLE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2003 Audi A6?
Owners named Fuel system most often — 20 of 66 reports (30%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2003 Audi A6?
NHTSA lists 7 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags and Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2003 Audi A6?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.