2009 Audi A6 Problems & Complaints

Better than average47% fewer complaints than a typical year of the A6 at the same age

Owners have filed 21 complaints about the 2009 Audi A6 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 47% fewer than a typical A6 model year at the same age, making the 2009 one of the better A6 years. The most reported problem area is the air bags (17 complaints, typically around 110,000 miles). 4 recalls cover this model year.

21complaints
4recalls
0crashes
0fires
0injuries
0deaths

Most common 2009 Audi A6 problems

  • Air bags~110,000 miles
    1781%
  • Other / not specified
    15%
  • Body & structure~17,000 miles
    15%
  • Stability & traction control~0 miles
    15%
  • Transmission & drivetrain~0 miles
    15%
  • Electrical system
    15%

Share of the 21 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Audi A6 complaints by model year

’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’25’2616512013021714811388663591675371211721605241225120111142618267
Owner complaints per model year, Audi A6. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best A6 years: 2022, 2018, 2011. Years to avoid: 2019, 2012, 2016, 1999, 1998. Compare all years →

2009 Audi A6 recalls (4)

Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 18V-427 · Jun 22, 2018 · 237,947 vehicles

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

NHTSA recall 18V-004 · Jan 4, 2018 · 10,166 vehicles

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Audi A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles, ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio,…

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Audi mailed an interim owner notification March 02, 2018.

Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 17V-032 · Jan 11, 2017 · 33,421 vehicles

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

NHTSA recall 16V-382 · Jun 1, 2016 · 194,453 vehicles

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.

What 2009 Audi A6 owners say

Air bags

Takata has reported that the passenger frontal airbag inflator could potentially rupture (due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute high humidity and temperature cycling) if the vehicle is involved in a crash where the frontal airbags are designed to deploy. In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, which May result in serious injury or death to vehicle occupants.

149,000 miles · Jan 2017

Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Audi A6. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V032000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and was unable to confirm when the parts would be available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

May 2017

2009 Audi A6 engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
3.0L 6-cyl supercharged6-speed automaticAWD18 / 26 / 21
3.1L 6-cylCVTFWD18 / 27 / 21
4.2L 8-cyl6-speed automatic4WD/AWD16 / 23 / 18

EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Audi A6 a good car?

Based on 21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 A6 rates better than average: 47% fewer complaints than 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 2009 Audi A6?

The air bags — 17 complaints, 81% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (1) and stability & traction control (1).

How many recalls does the 2009 Audi A6 have?

There are 4 recalls for the 2009 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 2009 Audi A6 problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 84,000 miles; 33% 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.