2008 Audi A6 Problems: Airbags (71 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2008 Audi A6 is Airbags (68% of 71 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 71 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2008 Audi A6?

48 of 71 filings named Airbags (68% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (6 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Body / frame and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2007 has 53 reports on file; this year has 71. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2008 Audi A6

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Lights. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Airbags. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Airbags 48 complaints · 67.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 2
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 5
  • Deaths 0
All Audi A6 years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

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.

Which systems owners named Airbags (AIR BAGS) appears in 48 of 71 owner complaints (67.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Airbags (AIR BAGS): 48 complaints, 67.6% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 crash reports 48 · 67.6% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 6 complaints, 8.4% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 6 · 8.4% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 5 complaints, 7.0% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 5 · 7.0% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 4.2% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 3 · 4.2% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 3 complaints, 4.2% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 · 4.2% Engine (ENGINE): 2 complaints, 2.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 fire reports 2 · 2.8% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 2 complaints, 2.8% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 · 2.8% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 1 complaints, 1.4% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 · 1.4% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 1 complaints, 1.4% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 · 1.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 6 complaints, 8.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 6 · 8.4% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“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)
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 48 67.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 6 8.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 5 7.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 3 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 2 2.8% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 2.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 1.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 1.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 6 8.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

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.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2008; the first recall shown was reported in Aug 2007. 2008-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2017-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Aug 2007 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 07V334000 ◆ Recall campaign 07V334000 Recall campaign 16V382000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V382000 Recall campaign 17V032000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V032000 Recall campaign 18V427000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V427000
  • Campaign 16V382000 was reported 2,340 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V032000 was reported 2,564 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V427000 was reported 3,091 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2008-Q1 Owner reports 1
2008-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 4
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q1 Owner reports 1
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 2
2013-Q3 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 9
2016-Q4 Owner reports 4
2017-Q1 Owner reports 7
2017-Q2 Owner reports 5
2017-Q3 Owner reports 6
2017-Q4 Owner reports 7
2018-Q1 Owner reports 2
2018-Q2 Owner reports 3
2018-Q3 Owner reports 3
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 3
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2026-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 07V334000
Recall campaign 1 16V382000
Recall campaign 1 17V032000
Recall campaign 1 18V427000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Body / frame and Airbags.

  1. Recall campaign 07V334000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    THIS CAN RESULT IN AN UNINTENDED RAPID CLOSING OF THE REAR LID WITH A RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 16V382000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 17V032000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 18V427000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

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.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 9 of 71 complaints · page 1 of 3
2026-08-08Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11755588
CrashFireInjuryDeath
On August 3, 2026, a 2008 Audi A6 was traveling on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia when the driver encountered a large tree branch in the roadway and swerved to avoid it. The vehicle struck a curb, became airborne, rolled, and went down an embankment before coming to rest. The driver was wearing a seat belt. The driver’s frontal airbag in the steering wheel deployed, but none of the side or curtain airbags deployed during the crash. Given the severity and multiple-impact sequence of the accident, I am reporting the non-deployment so NHTSA can evaluate whether the side and curtain airbag systems operated as designed. The vehicle sustained significant damage and was declared a total loss. It remains intact and available for inspection, and we have requested that it be preserved.The vehicle has been in the same family since it was purchased new in 2008, with two owners within the family. It had never been involved in an accident before this crash, and to our knowledge there had been no previous airbag deployments or repairs to the airbag or restraint systems. There were no airbag warning lights, messages, or other indications of a problem before the crash.Police responded to the accident, and the vehicle has been inspected by the insurance company. It has not yet been inspected by Audi or an independent engineer specifically regarding the side and curtain airbag non-deployment. I understand a rollover alone does not necessarily require these airbags to deploy. My concern is that the driver’s frontal airbag deployed during a serious, multiple-impact crash while the side and curtain airbags did not, and I would like the non-deployment evaluated while the vehicle remains available for inspection. NHTSA previously conducted a Special Crash Investigation involving side-airbag non-deployment in another 2008 Audi A6 (NHTSA Publication 813261). NHTSA determined that vehicle’s airbags operated as intended. I am referencing it because it involved the same model year
2025-01-24Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11638293
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Audi A6. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V427000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
2022-09-11Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11483866
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TCM is defective will not allow car to shift into gear causing car to stop in traffic with no warnings
2019-02-27Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11182782
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V427000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI FAIRFIELD (435 COMMERCE DR, FAIRFIELD, CT 06825, ([redacted]) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
2019-02-11Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11176190
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AUDI PERIODICALLY SENDS OUT A PROVOCATIVE SAFETY WARNING TO 'SCHEDULE YOUR REPAIR IMMEDIATELY' STATING THAT (MY) 'SAFETY AND SATISFACTION ARE THEIR TOP PRIORITIES'. WHEN I CALL A DEALER, I'M TOLD THAT I ALREADY HAVE THE (TEMPORARY AND ONLY) FIX (AS TAKATA WENT BANKRUPT). PLEASE ENCOURAGE CORP AUDI TO GET THEIR STORY STRAIT. THE ONLY FACT I KNOW FOR CERTAIN IS THAT NEITHER I OR ANYONE ONE I KNOW WILL EVER BUY ANOTHER AUDI.
2019-01-03Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11165583
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL I HAVE CONTACTED THE AUDI DEALER AND AUDI USA SEVERAL TIMES TO GET A REPAIR SCHEDULED WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. THIS HAS NOW BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS. EVERY TIME I GET THE SAME STORY. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PARTS, ONE TIME THEY TOLD ME THE REPAIR HAD JUST BEEN REVOKED AND THAT THEY WERE WAITING NEW INFORMATION. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE WITH THE SITUATION.
2018-10-26Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11143130
CrashFireInjuryDeath
2008 AUDI A6 QUATTRO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEALERSHIP FAILING TO REPLACE FAULTY COMPONENTS IN A TIMELY MANNER; AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL NO. 69R7. *AS *JS
2018-07-31Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 11114794
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL - AIRBAG REPLACED PER RECALL BUT AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS LIT DUE TO FAULTY SEATBELT IN REAR CENTER PASSENGER SEAT. FAULTY SEAT BELT NEEDS TO BE PUT UNDER RECALL AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE IN THE AUDI.
2018-07-26Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11113862
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS INVOLVED IN A PASSENGER SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT WHERE THE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN DID NOT DEPLOY. THE IMPACTING VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOVE 35MPH WHEN IT STRUCK. THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS NOR ANY ATTEMPT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BEFORE IMPACT. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED IN THE COLLISION. ALL PASSENGERS IN BOTH VEHICLES (1 DRIVER/ 1 PASSENGER) WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED AT IAAI IN BALTIMORE. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM​/VEHICLE?ITEMID=2884​8576&ROWNUMBER=16&LO​ADRECENT=TRUE

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2008 Audi A6?

Owners named Airbags most often — 48 of 71 reports (68%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2008 Audi A6?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Body / frame and Airbags. 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 2008 Audi A6?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. 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.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

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.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources