Body complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 33% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2020 | 3 | 12% | 67,000 miles |
| 2019 | 3 | 3% | 6,000 miles |
| 2016 | 2 | 4% | 7,000 miles |
| 2014 | 2 | 5% | 15,000 miles |
| 2013 | 1 | 2% | 19,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 3% | 20,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 5% | 17,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 3% | 52,000 miles |
| 2003 | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2002 | 4 | 5% | 62,000 miles |
| 2001 | 5 | 4% | 102,000 miles |
| 2000 | 4 | 3% | 97,000 miles |
| 1999 | 8 | 4% | 74,000 miles |
| 1998 | 9 | 7% | 87,000 miles |
| 1996 | 2 | 4% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2020 Audi A6. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, water leaked into the vehicle and accumulated in the rear passenger's side area of the vehicle. The contact initially believed that the failure might be related to inclement weather; however, the issue persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where a video diagnostic inspection was performed. The dealer diagnosed that water had entered in through the longitudinal member and passenger's side footwell, causing damages to the gateway control module which required replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact expressed concerns that water intrusion could create a hazardous condition and potentially lead to additional vehicle failures. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
This issue has been happening since I got the car and is getting worse by the day. The car only has about 11,000 miles and I bought it when it had almost 10,000 miles. Something in the dashboard and behind the instrument panels (A/C Controls and User Screens) makes a lot of Vibration Noises/Sounds as the car is slowly accelerated or as we drive over some uneven road. It seems like there is something loose. And this is getting worse by the day. When you pay a top price for a luxury car like Audi you expect that the care is built solid and not with cheap parts... it is very disappointing to see that a luxury car like Audi A6 will make these type of noises when the car is practically brand new.
The rear electronic child safety lock on my 2019 Audi A6 does not function as intended. When activated, the lock does not reliably engage or disengage, allowing the rear door to be opened from the inside when it should be locked. We only began using the child safety lock after having a baby, at which time the malfunction was discovered. This creates a potential child safety risk, as the rear door may be opened from the inside when the child safety lock is expected to prevent this. The vehicle has not been modified, and the issue occurs under normal operating conditions. The dealer inspected the vehicle and advised that the repair would require replacement of the rear door latch/actuator but declined coverage due to the vehicle being out of warranty.
My 6 week old Audi A6 was totaled when I was driving 20 MPH! I looked down to check my odometer, and within that time, no warning signals , brakes, etc. Alerted me! This car had all the bells and whistles! That morning I was on a tree lined drive to the tennis courts! No alerts! Hit a tree and all air bags deployed! Tremendous impact for 20 MPH! I was all banged up, car totaled! I am still in disbelief...thought I had the world's safest car. Has anyone else had a problem???
My 2005 Audi A6 has water damage. Some how over night heavy rain seepage left an inch of water behind driver seat. Car was parked in driveway at a slight incline. All windows and doors where closed. This has caused $2,700 electrical damage to modules located under front passenger seat. These modules alert me about ESP/ABS and park brake as well as a module that powers the vehicles mmi/navigation and stereo system. None of these function anylonger. I don't know where the water entered my vehicle. Is Audi responsible? This appears to be a design flaw.
During a recent rain storm I went to start the car to discover 6 inches of water in the back seat. Rear airbag and some electrical system had been fried. When I contacted Audi they said that it was not a warranty issue that it was my fault. That a line under the battery compartment had been clogged by pine needles causing the water to flow into the car through the airconditioning system. It seems to me that this is a design flaw and should be covered by Audi.
Driving from nj to upstate ny for ski trip to hunter mountain. Heavy rain during drive up on Friday evening, rain all day Saturday. Got in the car to go skiing on Sunday morning and noticed several inches of water in rear passenger footwell. I was able to bale out some of the water but interior carpeting was soaked. While going to hunter, water was sloshing between passenger footwell and rear. After dropping off the skiers I decided to head home on the ny state thruway. After approx 50 miles - digital dash display disappeared, car started to jerk around and buck. Speed was dropped down to 20 MPH, I was able to make it to a rest stop. Anyway - remainder of ski party picked me up and I had the car towed back to nj - $700. Mechanic states that tcu unit was under water. Rain water apparently came in through the pollen filter housing and flooded the car. Total damage to the car $2300. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Audi A6. The vehicle was recently purchased used and taken to a local repair facility for routine maintenance. The mechanic advised the contact that the vehicle was previously involved in a crash and that the rear cross member was fractured and had been re-welded in four different locations. The mechanic also advised that one of the fractures was only partially welded and the vehicle was not safe to drive. The mechanic stated that if the weld was to fracture again, it would potentially cause a crash and the contact would not be able to maintain control of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired and left with the dealer. The failure and current mileage was 92,764.
Related recalls (1)
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Audi A6 years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1998 (9), 1999 (8) and 2001 (5) model years. Body complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 1998.
Is there a recall for Audi A6 body problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 07V-334 (trunk lid, Aug 1, 2007). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Audi A6 body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles; 42% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body › bumpers (17 mentions), followed by the body (16).
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.