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KLUNK

2019 Audi A6

The Verdict

71 Solid Pick

The 2019 Audi A6 has 113 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (54 complaints) and engine (31 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 71/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Audi A6, consider the 2023 model year which has 99% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2023 has 99% fewer complaints

View the 2023 Audi A6 dashboard →

71

Klunk Score: Solid Pick

Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 7

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

25V900000 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 ...

Risk

A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

23V601000 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 ha...

Risk

Incorrect brake fluid can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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 ...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

22V861000 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 sea...

Risk

A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

22V155000 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...

Risk

An inaccurate fuel reading may cause an engine stall due to lack of fuel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

20V153000 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 an...

Risk

A short circuit in the starter generator increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy

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. ...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

26V125000 LANE DEPARTURE:SOFTWARE

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q8, Audi A7, and Audi A6 vehicles previously repaired under recall number 25V900. Due to a software error, the lane departure...

Risk

The driver may be unaware that the lane departure warning system is deactivated and rely on a system that is not functional, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 13, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall i...

Reported Apr 3, 2026

21V159000 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...

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.

Remedy

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 s...

Reported Oct 3, 2021

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000402737434
20012811253811
20022111213211
2003176112710
20041227131
2006544863
2008125872
2009201801
2010201230
2011501301
201211315246
201312019201
20141648120
2015613110
20161148262
201790740
201800110
201915554318
2020611520
202130732
202310000

By Category

Electrical
54
Engine
31
Body
15
Transmission
8
Brakes
5

By Severity

1
54
2
56
4
3

Worst Problems

Complaints

Engine 1

My 2019 Audi A6 was diagnosed with catastrophic internal engine failure on May 9, 2026 at Audi of Newton, Newton, NJ, at 93,645 miles. The vehicle required a full engine rebuild performed by REV Auto NJ at a cost of $12,000. The failure involved metal debris found in the engine oil, consistent with the documented EA839 3.0L V6 TFSI rocker arm needle bearing failure or piston skirt failure affecting this engine family. The EA839 engine used in this vehicle has a documented history of design defects: (1) Rocker arm needle bearings in early production engines were undersized and prone to disintegration, releasing metal debris into the oil supply and destroying camshaft lobes, balance shafts, and pistons. Audi silently revised the rocker arm part number three times (06M109417H -> 06M109417L -> 0P2109417), with the final revision featuring bearings twice the size of the originals - evidence of a known design defect. No recall was issued. (2) Audi of America issued a Piston Skirt Limited Warranty Extension in 2025 to 8 years/80,000 miles for EA839 piston failures. Independent engineering analysis by 034Motorsport, backed by laboratory testing, confirms that the EA839 piston design creates failure paths even under stock, unmodified conditions. Audi of America has not issued a safety recall for this engine failure pattern despite multiple documented failures across the A6, A7, A8, S4, S5, SQ5, Q7, and Q8 platforms sharing this engine. The failure mode - metal debris circulating through the lubrication system - poses a risk of sudden, complete engine loss while driving at highway speeds, creating an unreasonable safety risk to vehicle occupants and other motorists. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the EA839 3.0T engine for a potential safety-related defect and consider whether a recall is warranted across the affected model population. I have incurred $12,000 in repair costs for a defect that evidence strongly suggests is a design flaw, not a maintenance issue.

10d ago
Engine 2

I recently brought my 2019 A6 to Nyack Audi for an unrelated repair, after performing their complimentary inspection the service advisor told me my water pump was leaking coolant into the vacuum hose system; and the pump, PCV valve, sensors, solenoids and vacuum hose system need to be replaced, costing $6,186. My A6 was out of warranty at that point, so Audi would not pay for the $6,186 in repairs. Engine coolant purportedly leaks into the vacuum system and other electrical components, causing contamination of the vacuum system. Leaking coolant will cause an overheated engine and possible FAILURE of the (EA839)engine and even the turbocharger . Today I did some online research line research and discovered a class action lawsuit involving their 1.8 & 2.0 engine water pumps which failed prematurely for the same reason. A major class-action settlement (Zhao v. Volkswagen Group of America) was approved covering certain 2014–2021 Audi vehicles equipped with 1.8L and 2.0L engines. And now, there is a class action involving the 2.9 & 3.0 V6 engines; “the lawsuit alleges the water pumps are defective in Audi's 2.9-liter and 3.0-liter EA839 V-6s; these engines were available in nearly every Audi model on sale from the 2018 to 2024 model years. The lawsuit—Larr, et al., v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al. —has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey”. Apparently, Audi has know about this issue since at least 2018 and done nothing to try and resolve it. Please put the pressure of the federal government on Audi to settle the lawsuit, DO THE RIGHT THING and cover the cost of repairs. Also find a solution to prevent this from happening to other Audi owners. I can’t afford $6,186 for a repair, nor go purchase a different vehicle…..Rock & a hard place. Please help. Thank you .

1mo ago
Electrical 2

The central locking / electronic door lock system on my 2019 Audi A6 intermittently malfunctions, sometimes with a long beep sound and an error message appearing on the screen in front of my steering wheel. The affected system is available for inspection upon request. The issue does not happen all the time, but the door sometimes fails to unlock or appears to re-lock while I am trying to open it. In late April 2026, in the morning, I was leaving YogaSource in [XXX] . As I approached my vehicle in the parking lot, an unstable individual was approaching the area near my car. I attempted to enter the vehicle quickly for safety, but the central locking system malfunctioned. As I tried to unlock and open the door, the vehicle appeared to lock again and the door would not open. I was temporarily locked out of the vehicle during a potentially unsafe situation. The door eventually opened only after I pushed the door inward with force, locked and unlocked the vehicle again, and tried the handle again. This created a very concerning safety risk because I could not immediately access my vehicle when I needed to get inside quickly as the individual approached me. The problem has not yet been fully reproduced or confirmed by a dealer to my knowledge. I previously mentioned the central locking issue during service and asked whether there was a recall. I was told there was no recall and that a lock replacement would cost approximately $850. The issue I have been experiencing appears consistent with Audi Technical Service Bulletin XXX/5, which applies to 2019 to 2024 Audi A6 models and describes central locking / door lock concerns and related fault codes. Because the defect is intermittent, it may be difficult to reproduce, but it creates a safety concern because the driver may be unable to access the vehicle when needed. I tolerated this issue for a while now, but now I realize what a big safety concern it really is and I'm surprised that a recall has not been issued. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2mo ago
Engine 1

Every single EA839 Audi Engine has piston skirt and cylinder scoring.

2mo ago
Electrical 2

Shortly after purchasing in 2025 I began having occasional issues with the door locks. Eventually the issue would self resolve but now I have experienced at least 2 times in last month being locked inside the vehicle and unable to exit without climbing into the passenger seat. I have not taken it in for repairs yet due to cost concerns but I am worried about this dangerous situation.

2mo ago
Engine 2

Complete shut down of all electrical associated components while driving on highway Loss of power steering loss of braking loss of ability to accelerate transmission failure loss of lane detection, loss of car detection. Diagnosed as , faulty alternator recall repaired and continuation of same electrical failures despite six additional repairs Multiple failures of all electrical components on highway road and side roads

2mo ago
Electrical 2

Incident Summary for NHTSA Complaint Component Involved: Electrical System: Alternator / Charging System Vehicle State: In motion (City street/Highway) Speed at Failure: Approximately [Insert Speed] MPH Narrative Description: The vehicle suffered a catastrophic electrical failure while in motion, resulting in an immediate and total engine stall in live traffic. This failure occurred without sufficient warning to safely maneuver the vehicle to the shoulder, creating an immediate safety hazard and risk of collision. This is a recurring safety defect: Repeat Failure: This is the second time this specific VIN has suffered a mid-traffic alternator failure. An Audi-certified replacement was installed by an authorized dealer (Audi Arlington) in 2022 following an identical incident. That replacement part has now failed. Failure of "Service Action" (27BQ): Despite an active Service Action for this component, the vehicle was not repaired during multiple prior service visits at authorized dealerships. The manufacturer failed to proactively address the defect, leading to this second roadside emergency. Cascading Electrical Instability: This VIN has a documented history of systemic electrical and safety system failures, including a gasket failure that compromised safety electronics and a total fuel system replacement due to sensor failure. The manufacturer (Audi) has classified this sudden loss of power in traffic as "non-critical," despite the clear risk of high-speed collision and physical injury. I am requesting a formal investigation into the recurring failure of the 27BQ component and the adequacy of the manufacturer's current service remedy.

5mo ago
Engine 1

My 2019 Audi A6 sedan displays warnings for the Start/Stop system malfunction indicated in Audi's document: "Emissions Service Action Code: 27BQ" [XXX] I'm still waiting to hear if this has been elevated to Recall status. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

5mo ago
Body 1

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.

6mo ago
Engine 1

My water pump failed at 49,000 miles. I have been advised by Audi that it is not covered by the extended warranty for some similar cars.

11mo ago
Engine 1

Yellow battery indicator light came on while driving car in 35 degree weather after a week of sitting in garage (holidays). I pulled over, read the manual and it said this could cause battery light to illuminate. I called the dealership service to ask them, they said possible reason. I decided to drive across city to dealership, 25 minutes away. On HOV lane, red warning lights flashing to pull over then 5 seconds later everything went black. No electrical, no engine, car died. VERY DANGEROUS!! Read later that this has been happening on Audi A6 (& other models) for 2+ years. Towed to dealership and they have had 1.5 weeks and still not fixed.

18mo ago
Body 1

255/40/R20 Tires thread separated Tires were purchased 10/14/2021 At Audi of Fort Myers

20mo ago
Electrical 1

Audi is aware of the starter-alternator issue which is documented in Audi's Emissions Service Action Code: 27BQ dated 4/30/24. Audi didn't communicate this to the effective users until October 2024. I personally experienced the defect in my starter-alternator on 10/21/24 and proceeded to have my car repaired.

21mo ago
Body 1

The car was purchased in 2019, brand new from Audi dealership. Last service showed a serious issue: REPLACE WATER PUMP VACUUM LINES WITH SOLENOIDS AND VACUUM RESERVOIR. Dealership claims out of warranty and wants to charge $5000. VW settled class action lawsuit with consumers due to faulty water pump, and there is a Technical service bulletin dated 11/21/2023 that states the water pump leaks coolant and needs to be repaired. Consumer should have been made aware that vehicle was at risk of faulty water pump that could have been replaced at time of bulletin issue because it would have been under the 4 year mark.

23mo ago
Body 1

Rearview camera (or various combinations of between 1 and 4 of the surround view cameras -- no rhyme or reason to which camera(s) fail in a given incident) frequently fails and displays a black screen instead of rearward facing view. This happens roughly one of every ten times I start my car, and is resolved only after I turn my car off, lock it, and leave it alone for several minutes. This has been the case since the car was new to me (I am the second owner of the vehicle, having purchased it 8 months and 10k miles after the original owner). This severely compromises rearward visibility and is in direct violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111. Without the mandated backup camera, I am unable to see immediately behind my vehicle, increasing the risk of a collision with a pedestrian, another vehicle, or an animal/other object. The problem has been reproduced by two separate Audi dealers (Audi Marin and Audi Palo Alto), but they have been unable to resolve the issue upon repeated inspection of my vehicle. There are no warning lamps or errors prior to the failure. The only indication of failure is when I shift into reverse and see a black screen. This issue is consistent with other owners' experiences (see [XXX] ) who own vehicles on the same infotainment infrastructure (2019-2020 Audi A6/A7/A8/Q7/Q8). Similarly, it is consistent with the issue underpinning Compliance Recall 91DZ, affecting the same vehicles of the 2021 model year onward. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

23mo ago
Electrical 1

Side marker light in headlight stopped working

24mo ago
Body 1

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". This occurred on a street where the speed limit was 30 mph, so safety at that time was not a big issue, but if this had happened on street where increased speed and more turning was required, safety could be a big issue if this happened suddenly. I was able to get the car to a nearby shop within 5 min, and the next day moved the car to the Audi West Houston. Audi has identified the power steering rack as faulty is in the process of replacing the electric power steering rack assembly. This car is a 2019 AUDI A6 with only 41k miles.

26mo ago
Electrical 1

Electrical malfunction warning. Steering wheel got tight. Transmission failure warning. Then the the car began to stop. all types of various warnings were popping up on the heads up display. It is in the process of getting taken to the nearest dealer.

28mo ago
Electrical 2

When backing up the car the cameras don't turn on and often times the collision sensors go off randomly. On the highway the emergency brakes go off randomly when a car passes by on the right-hand side of the vehicle.

29mo ago
Transmission 2

Car flashed several warning signs, electrical system malfunction, steering malfunction, lane assist malfunction, and finally powertrain system malfunction where car was barely driveable at very slow speed, died and I luckily was able to pull over and coast into a parking spot.

29mo ago

113 total

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