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2020 Audi A6 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2020 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.
- 9safety recalls
- 26owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 9%fail the UK MOT
26 complaints, against an average of 30 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 2020 Audi A6?
The components named most often in the 26 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2020 Audi A6 been recalled?
9 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Fluid Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi S7, S6 Sedan, RS7, RS6 Avant, A6 Allroad, 2019-2021 A7, and A6 Sedan vehicles. An incorrectly labeled brake fluid cap may have been installed, which can result in the use of the wrong type of brake fluid.
Risk: Incorrect brake fluid can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the brake fluid reservoir cap and, if necessary, replace it, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 17, 2023. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47T9.
Electrical System Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Audi S7, S6 Sedan, A6 Allroad, 2021-2022 RS7, RS6 Avant, 2019-2022 A7, and A6 Sedan vehicles. Liquid spilled in the rear seat may penetrate and cause the gateway control module to shut down.
Risk: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a protective cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90V2.
Electrical System: Instrument Panel: Fuel Gauge: Fuel Level Float/Sensor/Sending Unit Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 RS6 Avant and RS7, 2020-2022 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, and S7, and 2019-2022 A6 Sedan and A7 vehicles. The fuel level sender may stick, causing an inaccurate fuel level reading to be displayed on the instrument cluster.
Risk: An inaccurate fuel reading may cause an engine stall due to lack of fuel, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a new sensor in the tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2023. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 20DN.
Tires Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
Suspension: Rear: Axle: Non-Powered Axle Assembly Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
Air Bags Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi RS6 Avant, RS7, 2020-2021 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, S7, 2019-2021 A6 Sedan, and A7 vehicles. The score line on the passenger air bag may not have been manufactured correctly.
Risk: An incorrectly manufactured air bag may not deploy properly, and could also eject plastic debris into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the passenger air bag score line, and repair it as necessary, free of charge. The recall begin March 26, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 70i2.
Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Audi A6, A6 Allroad and A7 vehicles. The passenger air bag may not properly deploy through the instrument panel tear seam.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the passenger air bag may not properly deploy and inflate, and small plastic parts may enter the cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panels, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 70H6.
Electrical System: Starter Assembly Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Audi A6 vehicles equipped with mild-hybrid technology and 2.0TFSI engines. Moisture may enter the starter generator and cause an electrical short circuit.
Risk: A short circuit in the starter generator increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the starter generator, free of charge. The recall began by May 22, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 27H2.
Is the 2020 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 DVSAThe fuel gauge may not show the drop in fuel level correctly during vehicle operation
Risk: The fuel gauge may not show the drop in fuel level correctly during vehicle operation.
Fix: The tank level sender must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
UK DVSAFollowing a previous campaign the toe and/or camber values on the rear axle may in certain circumstances incorrectly be changed without…FOLLOWING A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN THE TOE AND/OR CAMBER VALUES ON THE REAR AXLE MAY IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES INCORRECTLY BE CHANGED WITHOUT THIS BEING NOTICED
Risk: Following a previous campaign the toe and/or camber values on the rear axle may in certain circumstances incorrectly be changed without this being noticed.
Fix: The wheel alignment must be checked and if necessary the suspension must be serviced on the affected vehicles.
UK DVSARear axle suspension links nuts do not meet specifications
Risk: One or more nuts which do not meet the specifications may have been fitted on the rear axle suspension links.
Fix: The affected nuts on the rear axle will be replaced on affected vehicles.
UK DVSAThe front passenger airbag might not inflate fully in the event of an accident
Risk: In the event of an accident requiring the vehicle's front passenger airbag to be activated the airbag might not inflate fully.
Fix: The dash panel must be checked on the affected vehicles and repaired or replaced if required
UK DVSAFaulty crash sensors for airbag/restraint systems may have been fitted in both of the front doors
Risk: Faulty crash sensors for airbag / restraint systems may have been fitted in both of the front doors.
Fix: The crash sensors for the side airbags (front) must be checked on the vehicles affected and replaced if necessary.
UK DVSAMoisture may enter the belt driven starter-alternator
Risk: It is possible that moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator.
Fix: The starter-alternator must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
UK DVSAMoisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator
Risk: It is possible that moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator.
Fix: The starter-alternator must be replaced on the affected vehicles.
EU Safety GateThe high-voltage battery’s cell modules could overheat during charging.This may lead to fire.
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
EU Safety GateAlteration of the rear axle’s toe and/or camber values lead to increased and uneven wear on the rear tyres, and if worn down to its…Alteration of the rear axle’s toe and/or camber values lead to increased and uneven wear on the rear tyres, and if worn down to its carcass may suffer a sudden loss of pressure. This can lead to loss of traction and may affect vehicle handling, increasing the risk of an accident.
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
EU Safety GateThe vehicles are equipped with control software regarded as unauthorised by the competent authorities.
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
EU Safety GateThe nuts on the eccentric bolt of the rear-axle spring-link control arm may break due to stress corrosion.As a result, the rear axle could move in the wrong direction, in an uncontrollable manner at high speeds.
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
EU Safety GateDue manufacturing defect in the instrument panel, the deployment of the airbag could be impeded.This could impair its protective potential and could lead to plastic parts become detached when the airbag is activated, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an accident.
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
EU Safety GateFaulty crash sensors for the airbag restraint systems may have been installed in both the front doors.This could impair the protective effect of the side airbags, head airbags and/or belt tensioners, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an accident.
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
EU Safety GateMoisture can ingress into the belt starter generator, generating short-circuits.This can lead to local overheating of the component, increasing risk of fire.
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
EU Safety GateMoisture can penetrate into the belt starter generator.This can result in a short circuit, leading to local overheating and increased risk of fire.Due to the permanent power supply of the starter generator, this can occur when the vehicle has already been parked for a while.
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
EU Safety GateThe middle part of the rear seatback can be inadvertently unlatched by an unsecured load in the boot in the event of an accident.Consequently, the unsecured items may be projected into the interior of the car, causing injuries to the occupants.
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
How often does the 2020 Audi A6 fail its MOT?
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 2020, 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 2020 Audi A6 owners report?
12 of the 26 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.
Central locking malfunction. Vehicle reports central lock error and can’t be opened easily from outside or inside. Unlocking from the key fob leads to the door locks to malfunction. Operating door handles is impossible from inside or outside. All doors are impacted.
The Audi software/MMI system has issues showing the 360 cameras in addition to the rear facing camera. Every few starts when I back out of a parking space/garage, the side mirror cameras show a black or camera with a cancel sign on the screen. The issue will not stop until the car is parked/off. for at least an hour. This issue has been happing since I purchased the car back in early 2021 and Audi did not "lemon-out" the car. I believe this is just as dangerous as the recent backup camera recall. I have asked Freehold, NJ Audi and Cherry Hill, NJ Audi to review, but they said if it doesn't…
Audi A6s have had massive issues with the door actuators. There are times when you go open the passenger side doors (both front and rear) and the doors will not open as there is either an electrical, software, or device specific issue. It requires 2-3 pulls of the door latch to open the front and rear passenger doors. The issues keep appearing a month or two after the dealership supposedly fixes the issue. I have had this fixed/reviewed 4+ times between Freehold, NJ and Cherry Hill, NJ Audi dealerships. This has been going on since I purchased the car in early 2021. I have asked them to push…
* Passenger front Seat wiring harness corrosion and failure due to water ingress due to leaking web plate in the longitudinal member on passenger side. Water ingress in passenger compartment caused electrical failure and black mold to grow in the interior carpet and seat rails as well as in an electrical well in the floor board. *Black mold and mildew can cause long term health risks to those persons exposed especially if one didn’t know the mold was present. *The vehicle has been repaired at VW dealership in Missoula, MT. Service tech couldn’t figure where the water was coming from. Finally…
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…
I was traveling at ~65mph on the freeway when the sunroof spontaneously exploded. It was louder than a gunshot—I nearly lost control of the vehicle. The explosion occurred in the outward direction. There was no evidence of impact of preexisting damage. Internet research suggests this is not an uncommon occurrence.
Audi issued a recall for our vehicle’s fuel level sender which reports the amount of fuel in the tank to our fuel gauge display in late 2022 or early 2023. The reason for the recall stems from a safety issue in which the car incorrectly can display that there is more fuel in the tank than what is actually there. Our local dealership’s service center, Princeton Audi initially completed this recall repair in Late February or Early March of 2023 while the car had roughly 25-26,000 miles on it. Less than a fews days later, the recall repair failed and our car shutdown on us leaving my wife…
The Audi presense system works intermittently. While under warranty I told the dealer the system wasn't working and they claimed that I must have hit something and would have to pay approximately $4,000 to realign the system. I refused to pay to realign/adjust the system since it was under warranty. I contacted the Audi customer advocate department who said they rely on the dealer to identify the issue and fix it, and since they said it may be related to an impact they could not do anything. I continued to drive the car and in the midst of a summer downpour sometime in 2022 the system…
The rear view camera on the vehicle stops working intermittently. I have provided photographs of this to the Dealer. Their scanning of fault codes noted that the "right environmental camera faulty B127D04: Rear environmental camera faulty." The ticket also notes they found multiple sporadic faults for B127F04. Although they have admitted to finding faults with the camera, they refuse to fix this because they could not duplicate the exact behavior at the time it was in their shop. By definition, this is an intermittent issue. Audi had other model years recalled for this same issue. I believe…
Vehicle reports Electric Malfunction and then suddenly start getting all warnings like all controls (like steering etc) disabled and vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. Had to get it towed and taken to dealership. They do not have a fix for this problem and no estimates on how long it will take to fix the issue and get the car back.
Gateway unit that is located under the rear seat has an inadequate insulation and is susceptible to liquid exposure and electrical failure. A liquid penetrated the rear seat and short-circuit the gateway while vehicle was moving resulting in a near-accident by shutting down power steering, brakes, and many of the car's systems. Failure messages began appearing and vehicle was unresponsive to driver actions. Emergency blinkers were not working at the tail lights which is a critical safety hazard for a disabled vehicle on the road. Dealer confirmed gateway unit failure due to the water exposure…
Various components and system malfunctioned. Vehicle is in dealership for 3rd time on electrical/software/hardware troubles, SOS module. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. The car stopped me on a major highway thinking that I was not available "Emergency Assist, Driver take over the wheel" when I had both hands on the wheel, going straight and was fully in control of the vehicle. The car slowed down from 70 mph and the trailing truck behind me almost rear ended me. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by the dealer. The vehicle and components are being inspected/serviced at the Fort…
2020 Audi A6: questions owners ask
Is the 2020 Audi A6 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Audi A6; the most common categories were electrical system (18, 69.2%), forward collision avoidance (5, 19.2%), structure (3, 11.5%). There are 9 safety recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Audi A6?
Across 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (69.2% of complaints), forward collision avoidance (19.2% of complaints), structure (11.5% of complaints), back over prevention (7.7% of complaints), steering (7.7% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2020 Audi A6 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 9 recalls for the 2020 Audi A6; the most recent (campaign 25V900000, 2025-12-19) concerns Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera. Recall repairs are free at a franchised 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 2020 only; combines NHTSA's entries for A6 and A6 (WITH REAR SEAT SABS).