2021 Audi A6 reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Audi A6 over 6 years — 2 per year. The other A6 years sit at about the same rate: their median is 2 complaints per year. NHTSA has 11 recalls on file, including Camera, Instrument cluster, and Hydraulic brakes, fluid.

2012 Audi A6 — Photo by Alexander-93, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (11 of 17), then Engine (3) and Forward collision avoidance (2). The most filings arrived in 2026 (7 of 17).

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 A6 has 25 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Audi A6. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (11)

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2025-12-19 · NHTSA campaign 25V900000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

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.

Recall electrical system, instrument cluster 2025-03-31 · NHTSA campaign 25V201000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 SQ8, A6 SEDAN, A7, A8, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S6 SEDAN, S7, S8, A6 Allroad, and SQ7 vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail.

Remedy Dealers will update the instrument panel module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90VC.

Recall hydraulic brakes, fluid 2023-08-25 · NHTSA campaign 23V601000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi S7, S6 Sedan, RS7, RS6 Avant, A6 Allroad, 2019-2021 A7, and A6 Sedan vehicles. An incorrectly labeled brake fluid cap may have been installed, which can result in the use of the wrong type of brake fluid.

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.

Recall Electrical system 2022-11-21 · NHTSA campaign 22V861000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Audi S7, S6 Sedan, A6 Allroad, 2021-2022 RS7, RS6 Avant, 2019-2022 A7, and A6 Sedan vehicles. Liquid spilled in the rear seat may penetrate and cause the gateway control module to shut down.

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.

Recall back-over prevention, display 2022-10-05 · NHTSA campaign 22V742000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Remedy Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.

Recall electrical system, instrument panel, fuel gauge, fuel level sensor 2022-03-14 · NHTSA campaign 22V155000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 RS6 Avant and RS7, 2020-2022 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, and S7, and 2019-2022 A6 Sedan and A7 vehicles. The fuel level sender may stick, causing an inaccurate fuel level reading to be displayed on the instrument cluster.

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.

Recall Tires 2022-01-26 · NHTSA campaign 22V034000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.

Recall seat belts, rear or other, retractor 2021-08-05 · NHTSA campaign 21V606000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Remedy Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

Recall Rear non-powered axle assembly 2021-04-26 · NHTSA campaign 21V295000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.

Remedy Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.

Recall Air bags 2021-03-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V159000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi RS6 Avant, RS7, 2020-2021 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, S7, 2019-2021 A6 Sedan, and A7 vehicles. The score line on the passenger air bag may not have been manufactured correctly.

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.

Recall Electrical system 2020-12-02 · NHTSA campaign 20V749000

Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A6 Allroad, Q7, RS6 and RS7 vehicles. The electrical connector can detach from the door crash sensor in either of the front doors.

Remedy Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and as necessary, replace the crash sensors in both front doors, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BM.

Complaints by component (17 total)

Electrical system

Engine

Forward collision avoidance

Powertrain

Engine and engine cooling

Fuel and propulsion system

Steering

Structure

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"While operating the vehicle under normal driving conditions, the vehicle suffered an immediate, un-commanded loss of engine power and throttle response. The vehicle displayed a critical dashboard restriction stating:…"
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-21
"The vehicle went in for a software update. After purchasing the vehicle, the software update was part of a recall. Since that recall was performed, my vehicle has a lot of electronic glitches and a lot of issues. My…"
Electrical system · filed 2026-09-04
"My 2021 Audi A6 produces a strong mold and mildew odor from the HVAC/air conditioning system. The smell occurs consistently after the air conditioning is turned off and persists when entering the vehicle. The issue…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-05-15
"The contact owns a 2021 Audi A6. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated. The engine overheating and the low coolant warning light illuminated. In addition, the engine seized.…"
Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-05-11
"Thermostat housing and oil cooler bracket leaking coolant with only 56k miles on the car"
Engine · filed 2026-05-10

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2021 Audi A6 (With Rear Seat SABs) 4 DR AWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars
2021 Audi A6 4 DR AWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	5 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
A6 Allroad	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (AM-S7)	All-wheel drive	20	26	22 MPG	$3650
A6 quattro	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (AM-S7)	All-wheel drive	22	29	24 MPG	$3300
A6 quattro	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (AM-S7)	All-wheel drive	23	31	26 MPG	$3050

Specs and fitment

C8 A6, 2019–present

Body styles Sedan, Wagon (Avant / allroad)

Oil 0W-20 (2.0/3.0 TFSI US listings) , 5.9 qt capacity

Tire size 245/45R19, 255/40R20, 255/35R21

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V-153 covers certain 2019-2020 A6 vehicles with mild-hybrid technology and 2.0 TFSI engines: moisture may enter the starter generator and cause an electrical short circuit, increasing fire risk; dealers replace the starter generator. Recall 22V-155 covers certain 2019-2022 A6 Sedan vehicles (with A6 allroad, S6, A7, S7, and RS models also listed) where the fuel level sender may stick, so the gauge and range display may be inaccurate; dealers replace the fuel level sender. Recall 22V-368 covers certain 2022 A6 Sedan vehicles (with A4 and Q5) for an engine-control-unit semiconductor that may short and stall the engine; dealers replace the ECU.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Audi A6 Next year 2022 Audi A6 See every Audi A6 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Audi A6 reliable?

What are common problems with a 2021 Audi A6?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (11 of 17), then Engine (3) and Forward collision avoidance (2). The most filings arrived in 2026 (7 of 17).

Is the 2021 Audi A6 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 A6 has 25 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Audi A6 been recalled?

The 2021 Audi A6 has 11 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Audi A6?

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2021 Audi A6 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Audi A6 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Audi A6 is 24 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does an Audi A6 take?

C7 (2012-2018) 2.0T listings commonly allow 5W-40/5W-30/0W-40/0W-30 (~4.9 qt). C8 US 2.0/3.0 TFSI often lists 0W-20 (~5.9 qt).

Does recall 18V-229 cover the Audi A6?

It covers certain 2012-2015 A6 vehicles with 2.0L Turbo FSI engines (with A4/A5/Q5 also listed): an electric coolant pump may short and increase fire risk; dealers replace the pump.

What generation is a 2020 Audi A6?

C8 generation (2019 onward in the US). 2012-2018 are C7.