Most common 2008 Audi A6 problems
Share of the 71 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Audi A6 complaints by model year
Best A6 years: 2022, 2018, 2011. Years to avoid: 2019, 2012, 2016, 1999, 1998. Compare all years →
2008 Audi A6 recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles.
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey,…
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands…
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.
Structure › Body › Trunk lid
On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the automatic rear lid includes an electric motor and clutch that work in conjunction with two gas struts to open and close the rear lid, including a manual close function.
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.
What 2008 Audi A6 owners say
Air bags all 49 →
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. …
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.
Electrical system
The exterior lights go out while driving. This has occurred on all four sides of my vehicle and the passenger front side twice. This is a known problem. The voltage is too high/hot for the the cheap wires Audi used in the their assembly light housing that the wires protective coating is literally burned/melted off exposing the wires. This then leads to the lights and computer chips to go out, and fires to occur in vehicles. There are many reports on the internet reporting this and Audi is aware but refuses to do anything about it three mechanics that I sent my car to also said they see this a lot in Audi vehicles. I was in two near accidents because the tail lights went out while driving and the other car did not see my turn signal or my brake light in the other incident. Some one is going to be hurt by this problem if they haven't already. I have almost twice. …
Multiple issues on this car that all came on about the same time. The amb/parking brake module/ESP warning lit up, and a few days later the car was not shifting into gear on startup, and when it did shift into gear it shifted erratically and went into neutral on occasion. The transmission control module, ABS sensors both went bad on the car and the car was unable to shift into gear. The car sat at Audi len stoler in owings mills, md for 2 weeks for problem to be diagnosed. They said it was the transmission control module and the ABS sensor that was bad. They replaced the ABS sensor in the hopes that it would resolve the transmission problem! It did not. The bill for the ABS, and a failed driver door lock switch replacement was almost $1400! The transmission control module is a small black box that has the circuitry that controls the transmission. …
Lights
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Audi A6. While driving 55 MPH, smoke entered the cabin of the vehicle. The contact noticed that the passenger side brake light melted and the driver side brake flickered. It was diagnosed that the brake lights needed to be rewired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 134,570.
My wife and child were driving through the desert in arizona when our Audi's driver-side xenon headlight failed. Then again 2 months later, driving with my wife and child through california the passenger-side headlight failed. Both times I was told it was the bulb. But we couldn't simply buy a new bulb. Audi needs to order it and take off the bumper to replace them. About a month later, driving through the arizona desert with my family, the driver-side light went out again. This time Audi service said they need to replace the igniter for the xenon lamp. This all happened within 5 months time. I'd only owned the vehicle about 2 years. When these lights fail, I have to use fog lamps or high beams to have at least 2 lights working at once.
2008 Audi A6 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
| 3.1L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 4.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Audi A6 a good car?
Based on 71 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 A6 rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the A6 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Audi A6?
The air bags — 49 complaints, 69% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (7) and lights (6).
How many recalls does the 2008 Audi A6 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Audi A6, the most recent from June 22, 2018 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Audi A6?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022, 2018 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2012, 2016, 1999 and 1998. See the full Audi A6 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Audi A6 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 44,000 miles; 52% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.