2005 Audi A6 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the Takata passenger-side airbag recall and the long wait for replacement parts, and about a start/steering-column module that leaves the car unable to start with the wheel and shifter locked. Brake warning lights and an electronic parking brake that will not release are also recurring themes, while lighting, water leaks, and climate control faults appear in smaller numbers.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Takata airbag recall with no replacement parts

   • 40 complaints (44%)
   • median 123,000 mi at 11.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2019

   Owners describe receiving recall notices for the passenger-side frontal airbag and then being told the repair parts are not available, in some cases for many months. Complaints say dealers or the manufacturer advised against using the front passenger seat in the meantime, and that no loaner vehicle or timeline was offered. Several owners also report the airbag warning light staying on. Reported across a wide mileage range, including vehicles with high miles, mostly in complaints filed in 2016 and 2017.

   Recall 18V427000Recall 17V032000Recall 16V38200021 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask the seller for proof that the passenger-side airbag inflator recall has been completed, and confirm with a dealer by VIN whether parts are now available. Check that the airbag warning light is off on a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall it's been over 1 year since I received my recall notice on the passenger airbag for my 2005 Audi A6. I've been told Audi doesn't have a replacement part available yet. If the recall is correct my car isn't safe for a passenger and I see no help from Audi.”

   NHTSA complaint #11005154, filed 2017-07, 142,000 miles

   “Audi of america sent me a flyer (attached) offering $100 in Audi goods and services as an incentive to complete the replacement of a takata airbag recall. Since may 2nd, now almost 5 months later, Audi has still failed to provide the offered incentive despite me contacting them and their promise it would be resolved. As this recall is under NHTSA jurisdiction I thought you would have interest in their behavior in regards to this serious matter.”

   NHTSA complaint #11271402, filed 2019-10, 82,717 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   No-start with locked steering and shifter (column module)

   • 18 complaints (20%)
   • median 105,000 mi at 10.5 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,200 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2022

   Complaints describe the car refusing to start, with the steering wheel locked, the shifter stuck and only some dash displays powered. Owners report the access/start control module or transponder in the steering column as the cause, and say dealers quoted replacement of the whole steering column, often around $2,000 or more, sometimes after first replacing the ignition switch. Most report the failure while the car was parked. Usually reported above 100,000 miles, though some complaints describe the problem at lower mileage.

   What to check: Start the car several times from cold and check that the key is recognized and the wheel unlocks. Ask whether the start/access control module or steering column lock has ever been replaced, and whether any related repair paperwork exists.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Transponder in steering column failed disabling the ignition and locks steering wheel. My car was stationary each time this happened. My fear is that this could possibly happen on the highway .”

   NHTSA complaint #10935581, filed 2016-12, 130,000 miles

   “My car was running perfectly, next time I went to drive it, it wouldn't start. The wheels and shifter are locked up .the lights and bells work, but it turns out that the module that recognizes the key has failed. I have been on just about every Audi forum to investigate this, and this is an incredibly common complaint. The part that is broke cannot be fixed, rather the entire steering column has to be replaced at a cost of at least $2000, in some cases over $3000. This is an obvious design defect and Audi needs to be held responsible. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10777711, filed 2015-09, 135,000 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   ABS, ESP and parking brake warning lights

   • 12 complaints (13%)
   • median 97,271 mi at 7.5 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $2,700 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2015

   Owners report the ABS, ESP and parking brake warnings lighting together, sometimes with a chime, and say the car can feel as though braking or traction assistance has dropped out. Complaints describe dealers diagnosing the ABS or brake module and quoting repairs in the high hundreds to a few thousand dollars, with some owners noting the codes clear and return intermittently. Typically reported from roughly 50,000 to 110,000 miles, sometimes during wet or snowy driving.

   What to check: Ask whether the ABS/brake module has been replaced or diagnosed, and scan for stored ABS and ESP codes. Check that no warning lights stay on after start-up and during a braking test at low speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving 55 MPH on the express way and the engine shut off completely. The car stalled until it came to a complete stop. The esp light and engine light came on. Restarted the car and problem continue 4 times. After the 4th attempt, I managed to get the car to the side of the road. After waiting several minutes, I restarted the car. The car still feel at times as if its going to stall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10444942, filed 2012-01, 101,092 miles

   “I was driving my car in my work parking lot when a loud beep occurred and my car issued a warning for parking break malfunction. Two lights, ESC and ABS also lit up when the beep sounded. I immediately stopped driving, engaged the parking brake (which worked) and disengaged it. I am the second owner of the car and after some research found that the brake module and mmi both had been upgraded by the previous owner. I continued to witness these symptoms and am waiting for my dealership to run a diagnostic. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10542433, filed 2013-09, 103,542 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Electronic parking brake will not release

   • 5 complaints (5%)
   • median 62,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2009–2015

   Complaints describe the electronic parking brake failing to disengage, leaving the car immobile, sometimes repeatedly over several years. Owners report corroded wiring and connectors or failed motors, with dealers replacing the harness, the switch or a brake motor. Some owners mention the parking brake warning light staying on. Mostly reported between about 45,000 and 125,000 miles, often after several years of use.

   What to check: Cycle the parking brake on and off several times during a test drive and confirm the warning light goes out. Ask whether the parking brake motor, switch or harness has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Electromechanic parking brake broke 6 times in 4 years. A few times the brake won't disengage, having to literally drag the car on a platform to be able to take it to the dealer. Since the first event I've never used the parking brake on purpose (the car is automatic) to avoid another malfunction but it would still break every few months. It's either the motors or wiring or both. It never happened to me while driving but dealer warned me that it could. The reason I'm filing the complaint is that it is not an isolated case. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10466308, filed 2012-07, 66,390 miles

   “On 2 separate occasions I had to pay for a parking brake module or motor. The cost was 900.00 both times. I google this and found more complaints about this same issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10678745, filed 2015-01, 122,000 miles
5. 5
   Exterior lighting

   Rear tail light and bulb-carrier failures

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report one or both rear tail lights stopping working, with brake, turn signal and hazard functions affected on the same side. Complaints describe melted connectors or a burnt circuit board in the lamp assembly rather than a simple bulb, and note the problem returning after repair. Some say it is weather- or temperature-dependent. Reported from about 50,000 miles upward, including early repeat failures shortly after a repair.

   What to check: With the lights on, walk around the car and check tail, brake, reverse and turn signals on both sides. Ask whether the rear lamp carriers or connectors have been replaced and whether the repair has held.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a 2005 Audi A6 3.2 quattro in august of 2008 with 37,000 miles. In december 2008 I took the car to the Audi dealer in pasadena because the left rear taillight, left rear reversing light, and left rear fog light were shorting out off and on. Sometimes they would work, sometimes they wouldn't. The dealer said the connectors to that left tail lamp assembly were melted and it was fixed under warranty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10332368, filed 2010-05, 51,000 miles

   “The left drivers side break light/signal will stop working intermittently. I have noticed that it tends weather dependent. I have read Audi forums whom have said that the electrical wiring when exposed to heat (70 degrees fahrenheit and above) will short causing the LED break/signal light to not work. My mechanic stated that it is also because of a faulty light control module + wiring. Due to the intermittency and high cost of the job it has not been something that I have been able to fix. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10913780, filed 2016-10, 120,000 miles

Buying note. Check that the Takata passenger airbag recall has actually been completed, and budget for possible steering-column module and brake electronics repairs, which owners frequently report as expensive. A pre-purchase scan for stored ABS, ESP and airbag codes plus a full lighting check will surface most of the common complaints.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.