Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2000 Audi A6, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system36
- Service brakes, hydraulic25
- Engine and engine cooling21
- Fuel system, gasoline14
- Tires14
- Suspension12
- Steering11
- Air bags8
- Power train8
- Unknown or other6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2000 Audi A6 failed the safety check 2.81% of the time — 51% more often than the average 2000 passenger car (1.86%). Median odometer at inspection: 137,467 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2000 Audi A6 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.4 petrol (121 kW, 162 hp), 4.2 petrol (220 kW, 295 hp) and 2.8 petrol (142 kW, 190 hp), out of 4 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 petrol | 121 kW 162 hp | 89 |
| 4.2 petrol | 220 kW 295 hp | 22 |
| 2.8 petrol | 142 kW 190 hp | 21 |
| 2.5 diesel | 132 kW 177 hp | 21 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
234 first registered in 2000 are on Dutch roads; 32% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen145
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde82
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af64
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect62
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld57
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm53
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm32
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af31
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
127 cars built in 2000 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 739 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 259 of these cars first registered in 2000 took their annual MOT test. 61% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2000 the figure was 61%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 15.4% | 17.7% |
| Brakes | 12.7% | 12.8% |
| Suspension | 12.4% | 14.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 12.0% | 9.6% |
| Steering | 7.3% | 3.9% |
| Tyres | 5.4% | 4.9% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
176 of these cars first registered in 2000 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 325,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
28 2000 cars are on the New Zealand register; 25% arrived as used imports, 71% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 6 variants: combined 12.8–13.4 L/100 km (about 18 mpg US), CO₂ 294–308 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| A6 · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 15.0 | 10.2 | 12.8 |
| A6 quattro · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 14.6 | 10.9 | 12.9 |
| A6 quattro · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 15.2 | 10.6 | 13.2 |
| A6 quattro · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 15.2 | 10.7 | 13.2 |
| A6 quattro · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 15.4 | 10.7 | 13.3 |
| A6 quattro · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 15.5 | 10.7 | 13.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2000 Audi A6.
| 2006152 15 Jun 2006 | Electrical On certain vehicles, if a plastic cover is not securely installed to the drivers-side support crossmember, the headlight switch wiring harness could short out o… |
| 2004095 16 Mar 2004 | Electrical On certain Audi S6, A6 and A6 Allroad Quattro, contact between the left driver's side crash element and the headlight switch wiring harness could eventually res… |
| 2000132 16 Jun 2000 | Fuel System On certain Audi A6 Quattro, sulphur in the fuel interacting with certain additives found in widely available fuel can become deposited on certain contact points… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 TT Roadster, 2000 TT Coupe, 1999 Audi A8, 1998-2000 Audi A6, and 1999-2000 Audi A4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, possibly causing the air bag to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HALOGEN LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS, CERTAIN CONNECTOR PINS IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CONNECTOR COME INTO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT. NOTE: VEHICLES WITH XENON LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT AFFECTED BECAUSE THE CIRCUIT IN THESE VEHICLES CONTAINS A FUSE, WHICH PRECLUDES EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW IN THE CASE OF A SHORT CIRCUIT. AUDI S6 AND S6 AVANT VEHICLES ARE ALL EQUIPPED WITH XENON LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND, THEREFORE, ARE NOT LONGER AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, IF A DRIVER'S KNEES PUSH AGAINST THE KNEE BOLSTER (CRASH ELEMENT) LOCATED UNDER THE DASHBOARD, IT CAN CONTACT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HARNESS, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD OCCUR.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SULFUR IN FUEL INTERACTS WITH CERTAIN ADDITIVES FOUND IN WIDELY AVAILABLE GASOLINE CAUSING SULFUR TO BECOME DEPOSITED ON THE CONTACT POINTS OF THREE FUEL SENDING UNITS MOUNTED INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THIS COULD CAUSE THE FUEL GAUGE TO READ FULL WHILE THE FUEL TANK MAY NOT IN FACT BE FULL OR COULD BE EMPTY.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Audi told its dealers about the 2000 Audi A6: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 627061 | SUBJECT REGARDING REAR LID, LUBRICATING HINGES TO ALLEVIATE STIFFNESS. *JG |
| 621505 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE THE ENGINE CRANKS BUT WILL NOT START. *TT |
| 612525 | CONCERNS WITH THE VEHICLE IN A LIMP MODE, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 17114 STORED IN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE MEMORY ON VEHICLES FROM VIN 4B_YN019790 TO VIN 4B_YN078064. *TT |
| 610270 | INFORMATION USED IF A CUSTOMER REQUESTS DEACTIVATION OF THE REAR SIDE AIRBAGS. *TT |
| 10253418 | Audi Delivery Guidelines. |
| 10253417 | Audi Delivery Guidelines. |
| 10251027 | Tightening wheel bolts |
| 10250950 | Tightening wheel bolts |
| 10250430 | Oil consumption measurement - Repair Authorization (CA) |
| 10249085 | Google Maps Street View (NVLW)) |
| 10249054 | Due to new Minnesota state regulations regarding biofuels, biodiesel blends of B5 or less may not be available in the State of Minnesota. |
| 10243930 | This bulletin provides information on the additional reporting requirements for safety related inquiries. |
| 10243787 | Audi Elsa Newsletter |
| 10243780 | Audi Elsa Newsletter |
| 10231130 | Idenifying and mixing factory fill engine coolants |
| 10231127 | ElsaPro Software update and technical bulletins |
| 10228314 | The use of contaminated gasoline or gasoline with a low content of deposit control additives may result in one or more conditions. |
| 10228302 | High quality media files (video and sound) are now integrated into technical service bulletins on a case-by-case basis. Media files can now be viewed on any smartphone or tablet. |
| 10226530 | ATF pan leaks |
| 10226529 | Vehicle lacks power or will not move after stop due to simultaneous depressing of the brake and accelerator pedals |
| 10224993 | The use of contaminated gasoline or gasoline with a low content of deposit control additives may result in one or more conditions. |
| 10224981 | High quality media files (video and sound) are now integrated into technical service bulletins on a case-by-case basis. Media files can now be viewed on any smartphone or tablet. |
| 10221966 | The use of contaminated gasoline or gasoline with a low content of deposit control additives may result in one or more conditions. |
| 10221954 | High quality media files (video and sound) are now integrated into technical service bulletins on a case-by-case basis. Media files can now be viewed on any smartphone or tablet. |
| 10216682 | Engine oils that meet Audi Oil Quality Standards. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
DRIVER'S SIDE DASH FIRE
DRIVERS SIDE DASH FIRE
DRIVERS SIDE DASHBOARD FIRE
BRAKE AND CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation