Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2020 | 2 | 8% | — |
| 2019 | 12 | 11% | 1,000 miles |
| 2017 | 5 | 25% | — |
| 2016 | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2015 | 2 | 9% | 87,000 miles |
| 2014 | 8 | 20% | 75,000 miles |
| 2013 | 7 | 13% | 20,000 miles |
| 2012 | 6 | 10% | 124,000 miles |
| 2011 | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2007 | 3 | 6% | 125,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 6% | 111,000 miles |
| 2005 | 8 | 9% | 127,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 3% | 40,000 miles |
| 2003 | 2 | 3% | 137,000 miles |
| 2002 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2001 | 1 | 1% | 0 miles |
| 2000 | 11 | 7% | 50,000 miles |
| 1999 | 19 | 9% | 64,000 miles |
| 1998 | 13 | 10% | 72,000 miles |
| 1996 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 1995 | 2 | 13% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Massive safety liability here. My 2019 Audi A6 was on the highway traveling at 75mph on 4/25/2023 at noon when with no prior warning, all of the electrical systems started failing rapidly. In the course of 90 seconds, there was an electrical malfunction warning, quickly followed by malfunction warnings for steering, brakes, and cascading shutdowns of all systems like the transmission, ABS, Collision Warning, Lane Departure, lights, hazard warning lights, instrument screens/clusters, HVAC, windows- literally everything. A complete failure of every component and safety system while driving highspeed is extremely dangerous. Had this happened at night, I would have been bricked in the middle of the road without headlights, hazard lights, airbags, etc. The car had to be towed away to the dealership and is available for inspection. …
After heavy down pour, the car was driven while the streets were still very wet. The car was driven through a 2 - 3 inch puddle of water that lasted less than 1 second, which caused a splash to the passenger side of the car, (the middle of the street did not have an accumulation of water) and within 30 secs caused the power steering warning light came on. This was not a flooded street, just the normal accumulation of water on the side of a residential curbed street. The steering immediately started to stiffen up and required increased effort to turn the steering wheel. The first warning lamp was yellow and stated that continued driving was still allowed, but after about 3 min the lamp turned red, and the message indicated "Steering malfunction, Do not drive vehicle". …
There is an issue with the power steering control module that causes a lot of error codes to populate. Many of the codes are generic and hard to diagnose, even with Audi certified diagnostic equipment/tools. When this code initially presented, ~9 months ago, there was a red steering wheel light on the dash. I found a company that repairs these modules with these specific codes (I'd imagine good business since this is a common issue); while I got power steering to work, there are codes that still recommend full replacement of the power steering module (Audi certified diagnostic equipment). This error in the module causes complete loss of power steering, with serious risk to safety of all passengers and other drivers, on and off the road. …
The steering rack for my 2017 Audi A6 2.0T Premium Plus Quattro has failed at roughly 54000 miles. This is the same exact OEM part (OEM Part # 4G1423055EA) that is used in the 2016 A6, which has an extended warranty from Audi due to a lawsuit of 10 years and 125000 miles. My VIN is not included in this extended warranty even though the 2017 Audi A6 and 2016 Audi A6 are the same engines, use the same OEM steering rack parts, and are the same vehicle outside of minor exterior updates in the facelift model (2017). This part has failed and now I'm being charged $6323.77 by the Audi dealership to fix this issue. I am sure this is simply the same issue as it is the same exact part in the same engine. This extended warranty must include all future Audi vehicles that use the same steering rack that is problematic and was given an extended warranty to cover the replacement.
The electronic steering system on my Audi A6 failed without warning, locking my steering wheel in place. A review of on line message boards for Audi owners indicates this is a systemic problem, and has, for some owners, actually locked their steering while driving. This did not happen to me, but prior to locking, my car instantly transitioned from steering with no issues to almost becoming undrivable before I could get to a repair shop.
Audi sent a notice in June 2021 regarding the issuance of a limited extended warranty coverage for Electromechanical Steering Unit for certain 2011-2016 model year A4, A4 Allroad, A5, S5, RS5, Q5, SQ5, A6, S6, A7, RS7, A8, and S8 vehicles. The letter stated that "Audi has determined that it is possible for the Electromechanical steering unit to malfunction in some vehicles, causing the electromechanical steering warning lamp in the instrument cluster to illuminate due to the presence of specific fault codes resulting from this malfunction." The letter provided consumers with repairs under warranty, but was unclear about requiring the repairs to be completed at an Audi authorized facility. …
Steering Rack Assist has a recall for my car because my steering locked up. Audi replaced the recall part two times. the first didnt work after the second time it works but now they cant reset the check engine lights, TPMS, Steering Fault do not drive it says, ECS Fualt, Stability Fault, Child Safety Lock Fault etc. Dealer told they did everything they could even flew in an Audi Engineer still cant reset anything and that they exceeded the cars value in man hours to figure out what is the issue. Now they tell me the car is drivable but my question is, is it safe for me to accept it like that and risk something happening while driving and the steering locking up or any other problems that may arise but I wouldn"t know because of the other alarms may override the current alarm that may pop up. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Audi A6. While backing the vehicle out of the driveway at 5 MPH and attempting to turn left, the vehicle failed to turn. The contact pulled back into the driveway, turned off, and restarted the vehicle. A "do not drive vehicle steering failure" warning message appeared. The contact shut off the vehicle and called the dealer and the manufacturer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electrical mechanical power steering module failed. The power steering control module and the steering gear failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 30,400.
Related recalls (2)
Steering › Linkages › Rod › Relay › Connecting
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rods of the steering assembly are protected on each side by a seal to prevent moisture and dust particles from entering the swivel bearing mechanism. It is possible that some tie rod seals May not seal properly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tie rods.
Steering › Linkages › Rod › Relay › Connecting
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rods of the steering assembly are protected on each side by a seal to prevent moisture and dust particles from entering the swivel bearing mechanism. It is possible that some tie rod seals May not seal properly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tie rods.
NHTSA investigations
Steering wheel heater overheats
This pe was opened based on four odi complaints that the steering wheel overheats. Vw has shown that moisture and prespiration permeate the steering wheel cover causing the heating element to corrode.this corrosion May cause a small, localized area of the steering wheel to experience a brief duration of overheating.there are no reports of the steering wheel sustaining combustion.
Frequently asked questions
Which Audi A6 years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (19), 1998 (13), 2019 (12), 2000 (11) and 2005 (8) model years. Steering complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Audi A6 steering problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 00V-414 (connecting, Dec 6, 2000); 99V-248 (connecting, Sep 13, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Audi A6 steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles; 35% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the linkages › tie rod assembly (23 mentions), followed by the steering wheel/handle bar (8).
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.