2019 Audi A6 Problems: Electrical (114 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2019 Audi A6 is Electrical (41% of 114 owner reports). There are 7 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Electrical — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 114 complaints · 7 recalls

What problems show up on the 2019 Audi A6?

47 of 114 filings named Electrical (41% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Engine (16 reports).

There are 7 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Electrical, Brakes, Rear camera / backup safety, and Lane keeping. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2018 has 11 reports on file; this year has 114. 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 2019 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 7 campaigns on file below.
  2. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  3. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Electrical. 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: Electrical 47 complaints · 41.2% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 2
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 2
  • 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 Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) appears in 47 of 114 owner complaints (41.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 47 complaints, 41.2% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 47 · 41.2% Engine (ENGINE): 16 complaints, 14.0% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 crash reports 16 · 14.0% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 12 complaints, 10.5% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 fire reports 12 · 10.5% Steering (STEERING): 9 complaints, 7.9% of reports Steering (STEERING) 9 · 7.9% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 7 complaints, 6.1% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 7 · 6.1% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 2 complaints, 1.8% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 2 · 1.8% Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE): 2 complaints, 1.8% of reports Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 2 · 1.8% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 2 complaints, 1.8% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 · 1.8% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 2 complaints, 1.8% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 · 1.8% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 24 complaints, 21.1% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 24 · 21.1% 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)
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 47 41.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 16 14.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 12 10.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Steering (STEERING) 9 7.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 7 6.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 2 1.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 2 1.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 1.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 1.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 24 21.1% 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 2019; the first recall shown was reported in Mar 2020. 2019-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2023-Q1: 27 owner reports 27 2023-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2023-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2023-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2024-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2024-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2026-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 Owner reports Jan 2019 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 20V153000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V153000 Recall campaign 21V159000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V159000 Recall campaign 22V155000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V155000 Recall campaign 22V861000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V861000 Recall campaign 23V601000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V601000 Recall campaign 25V900000 ◆ Recall campaign 25V900000 Recall campaign 26V125000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V125000
  • Campaign 22V155000 was reported 137 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 23V601000 was reported 870 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 25V900000 was reported 819 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V125000 was reported 1,848 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2019-Q1 Owner reports 2
2019-Q3 Owner reports 3
2019-Q4 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 2
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 2
2022-Q4 Owner reports 18
2023-Q1 Owner reports 27
2023-Q2 Owner reports 8
2023-Q3 Owner reports 7
2023-Q4 Owner reports 9
2024-Q1 Owner reports 7
2024-Q2 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 3
2024-Q4 Owner reports 2
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 1
2026-Q1 Owner reports 2
2026-Q2 Owner reports 5
2026-Q3 Owner reports 2
Recall campaign 1 20V153000
Recall campaign 1 21V159000
Recall campaign 1 22V155000
Recall campaign 1 22V861000
Recall campaign 1 23V601000
Recall campaign 1 25V900000
Recall campaign 1 26V125000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

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 Electrical, Brakes, Rear camera / backup safety, and Lane keeping.

  1. Recall campaign 20V153000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    A short circuit in the starter generator increases the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the starter generator, free of charge. The recall began by May 22, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 27H2.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 21V159000

    Safety recall 21V159000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    An incorrectly manufactured air bag may not deploy properly, and could also eject plastic debris into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
    Remedy:
    Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the passenger air bag score line, and repair it as necessary, free of charge. The recall begin March 26, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 70i2.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 22V155000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    An inaccurate fuel reading may cause an engine stall due to lack of fuel, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install a new sensor in the tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2023. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 20DN.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 22V861000

    Safety recall 22V861000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install a protective cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90V2.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 23V601000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    Incorrect brake fluid can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the brake fluid reservoir cap and, if necessary, replace it, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 17, 2023. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47T9.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 25V900000

    Rear camera / backup safety

    Report date
    Component:
    Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
    Consequence:
    A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Recall campaign 26V125000

    Lane keeping

    Report date
    Component:
    Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE)
    Consequence:
    The driver may be unaware that the lane departure warning system is deactivated and rely on a system that is not functional, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 13, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TW. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 6, 2026.
    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 3 of 114 complaints · page 1 of 5
2026-08-17Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11757339
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The factory-installed mechanical water pump module suffered a severe internal seal and housing failure. This allowed pressurized engine coolant to migrate directly into the engine's vacuum control system and vacuum lines, damaging crucial emissions and vacuum tubing. This defect poses a severe safety risk as coolant entering the vacuum grid can cause sudden loss of engine power, erratic braking assist, and localized engine overheating while operating the vehicle at highway speeds.
2026-07-08Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11749217
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My 2019 Audi A6 was diagnosed with catastrophic internal engine failure on May 9, 2026 at Audi of Newton, Newton, NJ, at 93,645 miles. The vehicle required a full engine rebuild performed by REV Auto NJ at a cost of $12,000. The failure involved metal debris found in the engine oil, consistent with the documented EA839 3.0L V6 TFSI rocker arm needle bearing failure or piston skirt failure affecting this engine family. The EA839 engine used in this vehicle has a documented history of design defects: (1) Rocker arm needle bearings in early production engines were undersized and prone to disintegration, releasing metal debris into the oil supply and destroying camshaft lobes, balance shafts, and pistons. Audi silently revised the rocker arm part number three times (06M109417H -> 06M109417L -> 0P2109417), with the final revision featuring bearings twice the size of the originals - evidence of a known design defect. No recall was issued. (2) Audi of America issued a Piston Skirt Limited Warranty Extension in 2025 to 8 years/80,000 miles for EA839 piston failures. Independent engineering analysis by 034Motorsport, backed by laboratory testing, confirms that the EA839 piston design creates failure paths even under stock, unmodified conditions. Audi of America has not issued a safety recall for this engine failure pattern despite multiple documented failures across the A6, A7, A8, S4, S5, SQ5, Q7, and Q8 platforms sharing this engine. The failure mode - metal debris circulating through the lubrication system - poses a risk of sudden, complete engine loss while driving at highway speeds, creating an unreasonable safety risk to vehicle occupants and other motorists. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the EA839 3.0T engine for a potential safety-related defect and consider whether a recall is warranted across the affected model population. I have incurred $12,000 in repair costs for a defect that evidence strongly suggests is a design flaw, not a maintenance issue.
2026-06-15Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11744302
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I recently brought my 2019 A6 to Nyack Audi for an unrelated repair, after performing their complimentary inspection the service advisor told me my water pump was leaking coolant into the vacuum hose system; and the pump, PCV valve, sensors, solenoids and vacuum hose system need to be replaced, costing $6,186. My A6 was out of warranty at that point, so Audi would not pay for the $6,186 in repairs. Engine coolant purportedly leaks into the vacuum system and other electrical components, causing contamination of the vacuum system. Leaking coolant will cause an overheated engine and possible FAILURE of the (EA839)engine and even the turbocharger . Today I did some online research line research and discovered a class action lawsuit involving their 1.8 & 2.0 engine water pumps which failed prematurely for the same reason. A major class-action settlement (Zhao v. Volkswagen Group of America) was approved covering certain 2014–2021 Audi vehicles equipped with 1.8L and 2.0L engines. And now, there is a class action involving the 2.9 & 3.0 V6 engines; “the lawsuit alleges the water pumps are defective in Audi's 2.9-liter and 3.0-liter EA839 V-6s; these engines were available in nearly every Audi model on sale from the 2018 to 2024 model years. The lawsuit—Larr, et al., v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al. —has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey”. Apparently, Audi has know about this issue since at least 2018 and done nothing to try and resolve it. Please put the pressure of the federal government on Audi to settle the lawsuit, DO THE RIGHT THING and cover the cost of repairs. Also find a solution to prevent this from happening to other Audi owners. I can’t afford $6,186 for a repair, nor go purchase a different vehicle…..Rock & a hard place. Please help. Thank you .

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2019 Audi A6?

Owners named Electrical most often — 47 of 114 reports (41%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2019 Audi A6?

NHTSA lists 7 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Electrical, Brakes, Rear camera / backup safety, and Lane keeping. 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 2019 Audi A6?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on. 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