2012 Audi A6 Problems and Recalls (58 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2012 Audi A6 is Engine (17% of 58 owner reports). There are 8 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 58 complaints · 8 recalls
What problems show up on the 2012 Audi A6?
10 of 58 filings named Engine (17% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Fuel system (10 reports).
There are 8 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags, Fuel system, and Engine. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2011 has 21 reports on file; this year has 58. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Engine 10 complaints · 17.2% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 0
- Fires 0
- Injuries 0
- Deaths 0
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.
“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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine (ENGINE) | 10 | 17.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 10 | 17.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 8 | 13.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 7 | 12.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 6 | 10.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 5 | 8.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) | 2 | 3.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 2 | 3.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 2 | 3.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 12 | 20.7% | 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.
- Campaign 15V019000 was reported 168 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 16V646000 was reported 764 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 17V002000 was reported 1,615 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 17V781000 was reported 1,219 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 18V229000 was reported 2,078 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 18V370000 was reported 761 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 11V580000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V019000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V823000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V646000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V002000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V781000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V229000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V370000 |
Safety Recalls (8)
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, Fuel system, and Engine.
-
Recall campaign 11V580000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE HEAD CURTAIN AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT AN OCCUPANT, INCREASING THE RISK OF AN INJURY.
- Remedy:
- VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOTIFY ALL OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND/OR RIGHT CURTAIN AIR BAG FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
-
Recall campaign 15V019000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A fuel leak in the injection system in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 24AP for Audi customers and 24BK for Volkswagen customers.
-
Recall campaign 15V823000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of occupant injury in a crash.
- Remedy:
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D1.
-
Recall campaign 16V646000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the under hood fuel pump and fuel hose, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BZ.
-
Recall campaign 17V002000
Engine
- Report date
- Component:
- Engine (ENGINE)
- Consequence:
- If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.
-
Recall campaign 17V781000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-888-237-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AR.
-
Recall campaign 18V229000
Engine
- Report date
- Component:
- Engine (ENGINE)
- Consequence:
- A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.
-
Recall campaign 18V370000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- 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.
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
Showing 3 of 58 complaints · page 1 of 3
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Dear Highway Safety Authority Officer I am writing to formally request an investigation into a potential safety concern involving structural rust on the engine subframe (engine cradle) of the Audi A6, particularly in models from 2012 There have been growing concerns among owners and independent mechanics regarding excessive and premature rust and corrosion affecting the structural integrity of the engine mounting frame. In some cases, this corrosion could potentially compromise the stability of the engine or the safety of the vehicle during operation. Given the importance of this component to both drivability and crash safety, this issue merits further inspection. I am bringing this to your attention in hopes that your office will investigate whether this represents a broader manufacturing or design defect, and if a recall or safety advisory might be warranted. For your reference, the vehicle in question is: Make/Model: Audi A6 Model Year: 2012 VIN : [XXX] Description of issue: Extensive rust to the frame and some cracks I am happy to provide additional documentation or photographs to assist in the review process. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Ensuring the structural safety of vehicles on the road is of utmost importance, and I appreciate your diligence. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Vehicle suffered sudden and total loss of power steering. Had just driven the car 5-10 minutes prior, came out to leave and had a message stating do not drive vehicle, steering defective. At that point the steering wheel felt locked in place and the vehicle was effectively a brick. This issue just happened yesterday and has not been to the dealership yet for diagnosis but I am a former automotive service manager (German specialist) and have connected my car to the VCDS system in order to retrieve the system failure codes. Error code was for the power assist motor. I then did some quick research online and saw dozens of other complaints from owners with the same issue. Thankfully most fail upon start up but I did come across one or two that reported having the issue after turning a corner and suddenly losing all power assist. This is a known issue for Audi and they sent letters to owners around June of 2021 stating that the issue was being covered under a 10 year or 120k mile warranty. That's nice if your vehicle happens to fail while under warranty but now that the time period is it, the burden of repairing this potentially dangerous system defect is on the owner and costs in excess of $4,000 at the dealer. Audi also requires the new unit to be coded to the vehicle via their ODIS system which means owners don't have the option of going to many other sources for a repair. Few shops can afford the monthly fees Audi charges for the ODIS equipment.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Good morning, For the past couple of weeks, I've been getting the run around on whether the issue I'm having with my vehicle is an active recall. I recently took my vehicle to Eurocode Tuning (Torrance, CA), and the mechanic instructed me to take my vehicle to the dealer because the issue I am currently experiencing (fuel leak in the injection system) is listed as a recall. I contacted the Audi dealership in Long Beach CA via phone at ([redacted], the service representative stated that he found no active recall on my vehicle. Once again contacted Eurocode Tuning and they stated to have them run a diagnostic on the vehicle and they will see its the fuel leak in the injection system. And they are required by law to fix the recall. The following morning I took my vehicle into McKenna Audi ( Norwalk, CA) and one of the service representatives reiterates that my vehicle has no active recall. I stated that I was well aware of that, however, the issue I was having was listed as a recall on the web and I was informed by the repair shop as well. I proceeded to show him the information I got offline and my failed smog that was done on my vehicle. He proceeded to show me the breakdown on his computer that it was no active recall and the only thing that they were looking into was issues regarding the turbo. He stated what I was talking about was an extended warranty and my vehicle is well past that warrant. He then proceeded to say if a diagnostic is done on my vehicle I will be responsible to pay it and any repair done on my vehicle. So I walked out and decided to contact you. I am just trying to determine whether my vehicle could be repaired under the recall. I'm extremely frustrated and concerned for my safety because the recall did state the risk of a fire. Sincerely a confused, frustrated Audi owner [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2012 Audi A6?
Owners named Engine most often — 10 of 58 reports (17%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2012 Audi A6?
NHTSA lists 8 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags, Fuel system, and Engine. 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 2012 Audi A6?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. 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
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
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.