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2012 Audi A6 problems, recalls and owner complaints

What the 2012 Audi A6 has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.

  • 8safety recalls
  • 60owner complaints
  • 0crash reports
  • 0fire reports
  • 22%fail the UK MOT

60 complaints, against an average of 28 for the other 13 Audi A6 model years.

Every Audi A6 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.

What goes wrong with the 2012 Audi A6?

The components named most often in the 60 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.

  1. Air Bags15 (25%)
  2. Electrical System13 (21.7%)
  3. Engine13 (21.7%)
  4. Fuel/Propulsion System9 (15%)
  5. Power Train8 (13.3%)
  6. Steering6 (10%)
  7. Electronic Stability Control (ESC)3 (5%)
  8. Engine And Engine Cooling3 (5%)

What symptoms do 2012 Audi A6 owners describe?

Found by reading the text of all 60 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.

Has the 2012 Audi A6 been recalled?

8 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.

Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction. NHTSA campaign 18V370000 · June 4, 2018 · Risk and fix

Risk: If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.

Engine And Engine Cooling: Cooling System Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump. NHTSA campaign 18V229000 · April 11, 2018 · Risk and fix

Risk: A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.

Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Audi A6 and A7 vehicles. The fuel line has a compression point that can weaken, potentially resulting in a fuel leak. NHTSA campaign 17V781000 · December 6, 2017 · Risk and fix

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-888-237-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AR.

Engine And Engine Cooling: Cooling System Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating. NHTSA campaign 17V002000 · January 3, 2017 · Risk and fix

Risk: If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.

Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 and Audi A7 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a fuel hose in the engine compartment that may degrade and leak fuel. NHTSA campaign 16V646000 · September 7, 2016 · Risk and fix

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the under hood fuel pump and fuel hose, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BZ.

Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 vehicles manufactured March 28, 2011, to March 25, 2013, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles manufactured January 25, 2011, to March 19, 2013. In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS), used to enable the front passenger air bags, may malfunction and prevent the passenger-side air bags from deploying in a crash. NHTSA campaign 15V823000 · December 8, 2015 · Risk and fix

Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of occupant injury in a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D1.

Fuel System, Gasoline: Fuel Injection System: Fuel Rail Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Audi S4, S5, Q7, 2012 Audi A6, Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles. In the affected vehicles the fuel injection system may experience a fuel leak. NHTSA campaign 15V019000 · January 20, 2015 · Risk and fix

Risk: A fuel leak in the injection system in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 24AP for Audi customers and 24BK for Volkswagen customers.

Air Bags: Side/Window VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL 2012 AUDI A6 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 8, 2011, THROUGH MAY 26, 2011. DUE TO A PROBLEM IN THE STITCHING PROCESS OF THE CURTAIN AIR BAG, THE SEAM OF THE AIR BAG MAY NOT BE STITCHED PROPERLY. NHTSA campaign 11V580000 · December 6, 2011 · Risk and fix

Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE HEAD CURTAIN AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT AN OCCUPANT, INCREASING THE RISK OF AN INJURY.

Fix: VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOTIFY ALL OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND/OR RIGHT CURTAIN AIR BAG FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Is the 2012 Audi A6 recalled in the UK or Europe?

Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.

UK DVSAStop-drive TAKATA PSAN Recall R/2025/387 · Aug 8, 2025 · built Jul 2004 to Feb 2015 · Risk and fix

Risk: Urgent Safety Warning – Do Not Drive Your Vehicle Affected vehicles were originally allocated to or used for an extended period of time in a region with a climate zone considered to as HIGH RISK. Certain front airbags contain an ageing inflator propellant that may explode when deployed due to long-term exposure to heat and humidity. If the airbag inflator explodes metal fragments may be ejected causing life-threatening or fatal injuries to anyone in the vehicle.

Fix: Affected airbags will be be replaced. You can contact Audi's dedicated Takata Stop Drive helpline at 0113 526 9646 (MONDAY to FRIDAY 9:00AM to 5:00PM.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAReplacing Takata passenger airbag Recall R/2024/158 · Apr 4, 2024 · built Mar 2004 to Aug 2011 · Risk and fix

Risk: On affected vehicles the passenger airbag may in extremely rare cases be overloaded and even burst when the passenger airbag is triggered. If this were to happen small metal parts could become dislodged from the housing and potentially cause life-threatening injury to a vehicle occupant.

Fix: For safety reasons it is necessary to check the passenger airbag and if required to replace the airbag module.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAThe mesh size of the oil strainer in the oil supply for both turbochargers is too small Recall R/2022/132 · May 4, 2022 · built May 2012 to Mar 2017 · Risk and fix

Risk: The mesh size of the oil strainer in the oil supply for both turbochargers is too small.

Fix: The oil strainer will be replaced with a revised version with a larger mesh size.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSACoolant pump may overheat Recall R/2017/115 · May 1, 2017 · built May 2011 to Oct 2016 · Risk and fix

Risk: Foreign particles in the engine coolant can lead to a blockage in the additional coolant pump and cause the pump to overheat.Foreign particles in the coolant can lead to a blockage in the additional coolant pump and cause the pump to overheat.

Fix: Recall the machines that are likely to be affected and update the software which will deactivate the additional coolant pump in the event of malfunction. If there has been a malfunction of the additional water pump it will be replaced.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAFuel may leak Recall R/2015/031 · Apr 20, 2015 · built Apr 2011 to Apr 2012 · Risk and fix

Risk: Fuel may leak from the injector rails. Drivers may notice a smell of fuel and or evidence of a leak

Fix: On affected vehicles replace injector rails and seals.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAReduction in braking performance Recall R/2014/098 · Oct 1, 2014 · built Jan 2012 to Aug 2014 · Risk and fix

Risk: On affected vehicles engine oil may in isolated instances enter the brake servo via the vacuum feed lie.This may cause the brake servo diaphragm to rupture and loss of brake servo assistance.

Fix: Replace vacuum line on affected vehicles.

Check on GOV.UK

EU Safety GateThe airbag may deteriorate over time and if deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and metal fragments…The airbag may deteriorate over time and if deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and metal fragments could pass through the cushion material causing injury to occupants. Alert A12/00788/23 · reported by Germany · Apr 14, 2023 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe vehicles are equipped with control software regarded as unauthorised by the competent authorities. Alert A12/01220/21 · reported by France · Aug 20, 2021 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Importer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 23/04/2021

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe propellant used in the airbag inflator of the passenger airbags, manufactured by Takata, may experience a material alteration over…The propellant used in the airbag inflator of the passenger airbags, manufactured by Takata, may experience a material alteration over time due to degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity and high-temperature cycling. In the event of an airbag being deployed, the excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to rupture and metal fragments may pass through the cushion material causing injury to the occupants. Alert A12/00884/21 · reported by Germany · Jun 18, 2021 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe Takata gas generator housing could burst when the passenger airbag is deployed.This may cause small metal parts to become detached from the housing, posing a risk of injury to the occupants. Alert A12/01891/20 · reported by Germany · Dec 25, 2020 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe auxiliary coolant pump may seize up.This could lead to the pump overheating after the engine has been switched off with the risk that the vehicle could catch fire. Alert A12/0942/18 · reported by Germany · Jul 13, 2018 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe additional coolant pump can block due to foreign particles in the cooling system.This can result in the pump overheating which could lead to a fire. Alert A12/0713/17 · reported by Germany · Jun 2, 2017 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateIt is possible that, in isolated cases, oil arrives into the brake force amplifier through the vacuum hoses.This can lead to damage of the amplifier membrane and consequently to reduction of brake force, which could lead to an accident. Alert A12/1427/14 · reported by Romania · Sep 19, 2014 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Other; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

How often does the 2012 Audi A6 fail its MOT?

21.8% of 8,410 MOT tests in 2023 on Audi A6s first registered in 2012 were a fail12.6 points better than the average car of the same age
  1. Tyres34%
  2. Suspension30%
  3. Lights and electrics29%
  4. Visibility (windscreen, wipers, mirrors)13%
  5. Brakes12%
  6. Body, chassis and structure9%

Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2012, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.

What do 2012 Audi A6 owners report?

12 of the 60 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.

The contact owns a 2012 Audi A6. The contact stated that while there was a passenger seated inside the vehicle, the passenger’s side air bag warning light turned on and off, and the main air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V370000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the parts were not available. 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…
Air BagsNHTSA complaint 11769827 · Oct 8, 2026
Vehicle suffered sudden and total loss of power steering. Had just driven the car 5-10 minutes prior, came out to leave and had a message stating do not drive vehicle, steering defective. At that point the steering wheel felt locked in place and the vehicle was effectively a brick. This issue just happened yesterday and has not been to the dealership yet for diagnosis but I am a former automotive service manager (German specialist) and have connected my car to the VCDS system in order to retrieve the system failure codes. Error code was for the power assist motor. I then did some quick…
SteeringNHTSA complaint 11566847 · Jan 21, 2024
Good morning, For the past couple of weeks, I've been getting the run around on whether the issue I'm having with my vehicle is an active recall. I recently took my vehicle to Eurocode Tuning (Torrance, CA), and the mechanic instructed me to take my vehicle to the dealer because the issue I am currently experiencing (fuel leak in the injection system) is listed as a recall. I contacted the Audi dealership in Long Beach CA via phone at (562)610-4000, the service representative stated that he found no active recall on my vehicle. Once again contacted Eurocode Tuning and they stated to have them…
Fuel/Propulsion SystemNHTSA complaint 11562753 · Dec 30, 2023
My car almost overheated on the high on thanksgiving night thank god my brother was behind me driving and took me to go get antifreeze my coolant was leaking and i think my water pump messed up almost a accident cause i was in the middle lane and my vehicle was slowing down on the highway at night
Fuel/Propulsion SystemNHTSA complaint 11498311 · Dec 20, 2022
This needs to be heavily looked into. I see countless reports online and on NHTSA about "coolant" leaking onto components/wiring. Whatever it is, is definitely frying the electrical system. My info screen will state: "Transmission Malfunction: You can continue driving" and it'll go away a minute later, them beep again with the same message- then beep again- then go away- then come back again. etc etc etc. I recently a year or so ago got some coolant leak that was dripping on transmission wires below. I've seen this complaint too many times. Audi needs to investigate this issue and if this is a…
Power Train, Electrical SystemNHTSA complaint 11466406 · May 27, 2022
Greeting, I drove my car for a minor body repair and paint job at Midland Park Auto Body located at 158 Godwin Ave, Midland Park, NJ 07432 on March 22 2022. There were no signs on the dashboard for any services or repair when I dropped of the car. Warren the owner called me to let me know that the paint job was completed by had some bad news for me. The car would not start. He thought it was the starter that had malfunctioned. We decided to have the car inspected by Jack Daniels Audi of Paramus Service Center located at 16-01 McBride Ave, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410. I have had this car serviced there…
EngineNHTSA complaint 11459608 · Apr 4, 2022
I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO REPAIR FOR 2 RECALLS ON 2/22/21, THE NEXT DAY 2/23/21 THEY CALLED ME TELLING ME THAT I HAVE TO PAY $ 550.00 FOR THE REPAIR. ACCORDING TO DOWNTOWN AUDI TECH THE ECU OF MY VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER, BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO REPAIR THE RECALLS IT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION SINCE I CHANGED THE OIL AND CONNECTED MY SCANNER TO RESET THE MAINTENANCE MESSAGE ON THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD. THIS IS ABSURD THAT THEY WANT TO SCAM THEIR CUSTOMERS. NOW THEY WANT TO GIVE ME THE VEHICLE WITHOUT REPAIRING THE RECALLS AND WITH LIGHTS ON ON…
Electrical System, Air Bags, Unknown Or OtherNHTSA complaint 11397718 · Feb 24, 2021
WAS TOLD BY AUDI SOUTH ORLANDO THAT A WATER VALVE SEAPED COOLANT THROUGH THE CONNECTOR UP THROUGH THE WIRING AND INTO THE TRANS CONTROL MODULE CAUSING IT TO BURN OUT CAUSING A 14,000.00 CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.
Electrical SystemNHTSA complaint 11322857 · Apr 30, 2020
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY STEERING SYSTEM FAULTED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. RACK COMPLETELY FAILED. VERY VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. CAR ONLY HAS 124K MILES.
Steering, Electronic Stability Control (ESC)NHTSA complaint 11320629 · Apr 9, 2020
SHIFTS ROUGH FROM START THROUGH FIRST SET OF GEARS. FROM A STANDSTILL, UNDER NORMAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, NO MATTER WHAT SETTING THE CAR IS IN, THE TRANSMISSION HUNTS FOR THE CORRECT GEAR AND ROUGHLY SHIFTS FROM 1-2 OR 2-3. THIS ISSUE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SETTLED BY THE CVT CLASS ACTION BUT AUDI IS REFUSING TO REPAIR/REPLACE. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE 05-06/2014 AND FOR 9 TIMES SINCE UNTIL CPO WARRANTY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY LAPSED, NOW THEY FEEL THE PROBLEM WHEN BEFORE THEY COULD NOT AND DETERMINE THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT FOR $12,000.
Power TrainNHTSA complaint 11319084 · Mar 23, 2020
RAN OBD READER MYSELF AND AT MECHANIC AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING; P0456 EVAP EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM (VERY SMALL LEAK) | LEAK DETECTED AND P190F00 COOLANT PUMP FOR CHARGE PRESSURE COOLER | ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN LOAD CIRCUIT. MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS A SOFTWARE UPDATE REGARDING THE P0456 CODE AS NO LEAK WAS FOUND. ALSO THAT ONLY AUDI PERFORMS THIS UPDATE. REGARDING THE P190F00 CODE INFORMED ME THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL RECALLS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AS IT HAS BEEN CAUSING SOME SEVERE SYMPTOMS SUCH AS ENGINE SHAKING, LOSS OF POWER, SQUEALING, WHINING NOISE NEAR OR AT TIMING BELT AREA…
Electrical System, Engine, Fuel/Propulsion SystemNHTSA complaint 11317923 · Mar 13, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 18V229000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 18V370000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE DEALER (BRAMAN BMW WEST PALM BEACH, 2901 OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33409, (561)-465-8293) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A…
Engine And Engine Cooling, Air Bags, EngineNHTSA complaint 11113087 · Jul 23, 2018

2012 Audi A6: questions owners ask

Is the 2012 Audi A6 reliable?

NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 60 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Audi A6; the most common categories were air bags (15, 25%), electrical system (13, 21.7%), engine (13, 21.7%). There are 8 safety recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Audi A6?

Across 60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are air bags (25% of complaints), electrical system (21.7% of complaints), engine (21.7% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (15% of complaints), power train (13.3% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.

Does the 2012 Audi A6 have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2012 Audi A6; the most recent (campaign 18V370000, 2018-06-04) concerns Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Why does my 2012 Audi A6 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?

7 of the 60 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Audi A6 (11.7%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "While driving on highway steering system faulted, causing loss of power steering. rack completely failed. very very difficult to turn steering wheel. car only has 124k miles." (NHTSA complaint 11320629, April 2020). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.

Why does my 2012 Audi A6 smell of fuel or gas?

7 of the 60 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Audi A6 (11.7%) describe a fuel or gasoline smell, or a fuel leak. 2 related recalls exist: campaign 17V781000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. One owner wrote: "Tl* the contact owns a 2012 audi a6. the contact stated that the vehicle was leaking fuel, which was identical to the failure listed in nhtsa campaign number: 15v19000 (fuel system, gasoline). the vin was excluded from the recall." (NHTSA complaint 10874321, June 2016). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Why is the airbag light on in my 2012 Audi A6?

7 of the 60 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Audi A6 (11.7%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. 3 related recalls exist: campaign 18V370000 (air bags: sensor: occupant classification). The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. One owner wrote: "Takata recal....this was taken to dealer in 2015 for the recall and fixed. recently the air bag warning light came on and remained on. i took it to the dealer and was told the recall was for the ocd, not the module....they found a "faulty control module"." (NHTSA complaint 11176599, February 2019). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Why is the check engine light on in my 2012 Audi A6?

6 of the 60 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Audi A6 (10%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "O-ring failure in 2012 a6 3.0 caused the transmission to internally leak fluid causing the electonic system to go bad. all of the following lights came on when issue started." (NHTSA complaint 10810939, December 2015). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.

Why won't my 2012 Audi A6 start?

3 of the 60 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Audi A6 (5%) describe the car failing to start. One owner wrote: "Tl* the contact owns a 2012 audi a6. after parking the vehicle and shutting the engine off, the vehicle would not start the following day and the message "steering malfunction do not drive" was displayed. the cause of the failure was not determined." (NHTSA complaint 11288818, December 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.

Why does my 2012 Audi A6 overheat?

3 of the 60 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Audi A6 (5%) describe the engine overheating or coolant loss. 2 related recalls exist: campaign 18V229000 (engine and engine cooling: cooling system). The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. One owner wrote: "My car almost overheated on the high on thanksgiving night thank god my brother was behind me driving and took me to go get antifreeze my coolant was leaking and i think my water pump messed up almost a accident cause i was in the middle lane and my vehicle…" (NHTSA complaint 11498311, December 2022). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Check your own A6

Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2012 only.

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