15 of the 113 complaints about the 2002 Audi A6 are about the electrical system — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 62,500 miles.
15
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SHORTING OUT AND CRACKING AND BARE WIRES TOUCHING
NHTSA complaint #11354327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 AUDI A6. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS AN ODOR OF SMOKE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING FACILITY. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #11076530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE AUDI WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE RPM METER STARTED TO DROP REVS SUDDENLY. ONCE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION THE ENGINE FELT ROUGH. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN 3 MILES WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENCE AND WAS PARKED FOR THE NIGHT. THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED IN THE MORNING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO GET VERY SLUGGISH AND SHUDDERING. THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND THE DIAGNOSTIC CODES WERE PULLED. THE CODES SHOWED MULTIPLE CYLINDER MISFIRES WITH SPECIFIC MISFIRES IN CYLINDER 2 AND THREE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO AN AUDI DEALER WHERE THIS WAS CONFIRMED. THE DEALERSHIP MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR EXACTLY THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10479603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER PARKING THE CAR IT CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE DASHBOARD THE FIREMEN CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND SAID IT WAS FROM THE ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE DASHBOARD.
NHTSA complaint #10465158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS MARKING MISFIRE BUT I HAVE GOTTEN A COMPLETE TUNE-UP, CHANGED ALL 6 COILS ON THE ENGINE CHANGED ALL THE SPARK PLUGS, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE AND CHANGED EVERYTHING I CAN THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE ENGINE ALL BRAND NEW AND NOTHING HAS WORKED AND ITS STILL SAYING MISFIRE...I'VE GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM FOR AUDI'S AND THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING... ALSO, I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS WELL ONE DAY MY WINDOWS WORK THE NEXT IT DOESN'T SOMETIMES MY LIGHTS WILL WORK AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T, SOMETIMES MY RADIO WILL WORK SOME TIMES IT DOESN'T, THE INFORMATION ON MY DASH SOMETIMES DOESN'T LIGHT UP AND I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING AT NIGHT TIME, I HAVE CONSTANTLY BEEN TO THE MECHANICS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON BUT WE CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, I'VE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY ON THIS CAR TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEMS BUT ITS REALLY MAKING IT HARD FOR ME TO KEEP SPENDING MONEY ON MY CAR AND NOT BEING ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF I'M DRIVING AT NIGHT TIME AND MY LIGHTS END UP NOT WORKING I CAN CAUSE A VERY BIG ACCIDENT I AM VERY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE DEFECTS, MY SAFETY AND OTHERS SAFETY AND WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE ITS HAPPENED TO SO MANY PEOPLE. I ALSO THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM I'LL PUT $60 IN GAS AND TWO DAYS LATER IT'LL ALMOST MARK EMPTY I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT IS POSSIBLE BUT IF THERE'S AN ANSWER I WOULD REALLY WANT TO KNOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10430871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DRIVING FROM NJ TO UPSTATE NY FOR SKI TRIP TO HUNTER MOUNTAIN. HEAVY RAIN DURING DRIVE UP ON FRIDAY EVENING, RAIN ALL DAY SATURDAY. GOT IN THE CAR TO GO SKIING ON SUNDAY MORNING AND NOTICED SEVERAL INCHES OF WATER IN REAR PASSENGER FOOTWELL. I WAS ABLE TO BALE OUT SOME OF THE WATER BUT INTERIOR CARPETING WAS SOAKED. WHILE GOING TO HUNTER, WATER WAS SLOSHING BETWEEN PASSENGER FOOTWELL AND REAR. AFTER DROPPING OFF THE SKIERS I DECIDED TO HEAD HOME ON THE NY STATE THRUWAY. AFTER APPROX 50 MILES - DIGITAL DASH DISPLAY DISAPPEARED, CAR STARTED TO JERK AROUND AND BUCK. SPEED WAS DROPPED DOWN TO 20 MPH, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO A REST STOP. ANYWAY - REMAINDER OF SKI PARTY PICKED ME UP AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO NJ - $700. MECHANIC STATES THAT TCU UNIT WAS UNDER WATER. RAIN WATER APPARENTLY CAME IN THROUGH THE POLLEN FILTER HOUSING AND FLOODED THE CAR. TOTAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR $2300. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET AND VARIOUS FORUMS DETAILING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND AUDI SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I'D LIKE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR MY COST. INDIVIDUALS WITH THIS PROBLEM SHOULD CONTACT AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-822-2834.
NHTSA complaint #10221267 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2002 AUDI A6 WITH A BELT FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT HE DID RESEARCH ABOUT THIS FAILURE AND FOUND OUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM TOO. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED OR FIXED THE TIMING BELT WAS NOT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HIS ENGINE OVERHEATED AND SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE WATER PUMP TO THE COOLANT WASN'T FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, FAULTY COILS WERE REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE HAD A LEAKING COOLANT BOTTLE.
NHTSA complaint #10220593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED RECALL NOTICE #04V133000 WAS RECEIVED FOR A 2000 AUDI A6 PERTAINING TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT ALSO OWNS A 2002 AUDI A6 WHICH A RECALL NOTICE WAS NOT RECEIVED FOR. WHEN THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE RECALL ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE, A LETTER IN THE DOCUMENT SEARCH FROM VOLKSWAGEN TO THE NHTSA IDENTIFIED THAT THE VIN FOR THE 2002 AUDI A6 MODEL WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHEN THE CONTACT ALERTED THE MANUFACTURER WITH THE VIN, THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING THE RECALL OR VEHICLE IN QUESTION.
NHTSA complaint #10168262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. CAR SEIZED AFTER GOING THROUGH CAR WASH; PRIOR TO THAT, CAR HAD EXPERIENCED ODD ELECTRICAL ISSUES, SUCH AS THE RADIO TURNING ITSELF ON AND OFF AND THE ALARM GOING OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. CAR IS STILL UNDER BOTH THE AUDI OF AMERICA WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS. 2. ENGINE SEIZED. 3. THE REPAIRS REQUIRE AT LEAST A NEW ENGINE AT THE COST OF AT LEAST $13,000.00. HERE IS MY ANALYSIS OF WHY I THINK AUDI IS TRYING TO PREVENT THIS DESIGN DEFECT FROM REACHING STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATORS. IN SHORT, I BELIEVE THAT AUDI IS PURPOSEFULLY DENYING WARRANTY CLAIMS TO PREVENT A RECALL AND ALSO TO PREVENT A WRITTEN RECORD OF THIS DEFECT IN THE CASE OF CLASS ACTION OR PERSONAL INJURY LAW SUIT. SPECIFICALLY, I BELIEVE AUDI OF AMERICA'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS MADE A VERY CALCULATED DECISION: SINCE THE DAMAGE INVOLVES WATER, MOST COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE POLICIES WILL COVER THE DAMAGE (IN FACT, MY INSURANCE CARRIER AGREED TO COVER THE CLAIM, ALTHOUGH THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEEK SUBJUGATION FROM AUDI). FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO PUSH HARD, AUDI WILL COVER THE REPAIRS OUT OF WARRANTY SO THAT AUDI WILL NOT HAVE TO REPORT THIS DEFECT TO STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATORS AND RISK A RECALL AND/OR PROVIDE EVIDENCE IN A CLASS ACTION OR PERSONAL INJURY LAW SUIT. IN FACT, IT WASN'T UNTIL I EXPLAINED MY SUSPICIONS (SOME OF WHICH THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP HAD CONFIRMED) TO AN AUDI OF AMERICA SUPERVISOR THAT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE ANY HEADWAY BEYOND, I'M SORRY, THIS IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY ONCE I SET FORTH THE FACTS AND MY ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION, HE CHANGED HIS MANNER AND EXPLANATION IMMEDIATELY. HE EXPLAINED THAT AUDI MANAGEMENT AND LEGAL WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THAT AUDI HAD MADE A DETERMINATION NOT TO COVER REPAIRS CAUSED BY THE CLOGGED DRAIN HOLES UNDER WARRANTY BUT THAT THE DEALER COULD REQUEST A SPECIAL OUT OF WARRANTY SERVICE AND AUDI OF AMERICA WOULD REIMBURSE THE DEALER AT 100% OF ITS COST.
NHTSA complaint #10140377 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2002 AUDI A6 BREAKDOWN. NAR 06/26/2003 *MR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP UPON ARRIVAL ALL OF THE IGNITION COILS HAD TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE AUDI DEALERSHIP DID NOT MAKE THE CUSTOMER AWARE OF THE IGNITION COILS BEING INOPERATIVE UNTIL THE INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER WAS VERY DISSATISFIED THAT AUDI DID NOT MAKE CUSTOMERS AWARE OF THE VEHICLE DEFECT. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS ON ANY UPDATED DEFECTS TO DATE. *CB
NHTSA complaint #10026415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE IGNITION COILS HAVE FAILED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHICH IS NOT ONLY INCONVENIENT BUT DANGEROUS AS THE CAR LOSES POWER WITHOUT WARNING. AUDI ADMITS THAT THE COILS ARE DEFECTIVE BUT WILL NOT REPLACE THE REMAINING THREE UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY FAIL. THIS MAKES THE CAR UNRELIABLE AS WELL AS DANGEROUS AS THE CAR LOSES POWER WITHOUT WARNING. AUDI ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE IGNITION COILS ARE DEFECTIVE BUT WILL NOT REPLACED THEM UNTIL THEY FAIL. AS THERE ARE SIX OF THEM ON MY CAR, AUDI ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE REMAINING THREE MAY ALSO FAIL (ONE IGNITION FAILED TWICE SO FOUR MORE MAY FAIL). ACCORDINGLY THE CAR IS UNRELIABLE AS WELL AS DANGEROUS BUT AUDI REFUSES TO PUT IN NON DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS. *JB ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****770841****
NHTSA complaint #10006649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COILS ARE DEFECTIVE AND ARE REDUCING THE PERFORMANCE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGING DEFECTIVE COILS, BUT WILL ONLY REPLACE WHEN THEY FAIL. PH
NHTSA complaint #10006716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
STARTER COILS ON MY 2002 AUDI A6 FAILED. DEALER REPLACED 4 FAILED STARTER COILS, BUT UNABLE TO REPLACE OTHER 2 UNTIL THEY FAIL. RECENT NEWS ARTICLE CITED A4'S, BUT MY A6 HAD PROBLEM
NHTSA complaint #10004948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIV IGNITION COILS. DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THE COILS. TS.
NHTSA complaint #10003716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME A COIL FAILED ON MY CAR; THE FIRST TIME WAS LAST SPRING. AUDI ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO REPLACE ALL COILS, SAYING IT WILL ONLY REPLACE THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY FAILED, LEAVING A POTENTIAL FOR SIX FAILURES. AUDI SAYS UPGRADED COILS ARE ON BACK ORDER AND ARE THEREFORE UNAVAILABLE TO MOST DEALERS. MY DEALER HAS AT LEAST TWO CARS WAITING FOR REPAIR. THIS DEFECT MAKES THE CAR TOTALLY UNRELIABLE, SINCE THE FAILURE HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND RENDERS THE CAR VIRTUALLY IMMOBILE. DRIVING IT AFTER THE FAILURE ALSO RISKS DAMAGE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND OTHER COMPONENTS. THERE SHOULD BE IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF OWNERS SO THEY CAN AT LEAST TRY TO AVOID LATE NIGHT DRIVING OR OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE THEY AND THEIR PASSENGERS MIGHT BE AT RISK IN CASE OF COIL FAILURE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AS SOON AS THE COILS ARE AVAILABLE. DT
NHTSA complaint #770550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.