2013 Audi A6 Reliability
The 2013 Audi A6 has 52 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Compared with other A6 model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the A6's typical year, while the 2011 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
52
NHTSA owner complaints
6
Recall campaigns
2
Complaints citing a crash
2
Complaints citing a fire
2013 Audi A6 complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 model year, filed between 2013 and 2025. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 18 | 35% |
| Engine | 15 | 29% |
| Unknown or other | 8 | 15% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 7 | 13% |
| Steering | 7 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 7 | 13% |
| Seats | 3 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 4% |
2013 Audi A6 recalls
6 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2013 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15V823000 | Dec 8, 2015 | 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… |
| 16V646000 | Sep 7, 2016 | Fuel system — 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. |
| 17V002000 | Jan 3, 2017 | 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… |
| 17V781000 | Dec 6, 2017 | Fuel system — 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. |
| 18V229000 | Apr 11, 2018 | 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… |
| 18V370000 | Jun 4, 2018 | 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… |
How the 2013 compares with nearby A6 years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year A6 analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 21 | 3 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2012 | 60 | 8 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2013 (this page) | 52 | 6 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2014 | 41 | 4 | Steering | Caution |
| 2015 | 22 | 4 | Engine | Solid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2013 Audi A6
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 6 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2013 Audi A6 can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2013 Audi A6 reliability FAQ
Is the 2013 Audi A6 reliable?
The 2013 Audi A6 has 52 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Compared with other A6 model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the A6's typical year, while the 2011 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2013 Audi A6 problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Audi A6 are air bags (18), engine (15), unknown or other (8), fuel / propulsion system (7). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2013 Audi A6 have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2013 Audi A6, including 15V823000 (air bags — sensor / occupant classification) and 16V646000 (fuel system — delivery / hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2013 Audi A6 compare with the 2012 and 2014 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2012 has 60 complaints and 8 recalls (avoid); the 2014 has 41 complaints and 4 recalls (caution). The 2013 has 52 complaints and 6 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2013 Audi A6?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Audi A6 research
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2013 A6, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.