YearToAvoid

2009 Audi A6 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2009 Audi A6 has a Good verdict, ranked 15th of 21 model years with a complaint index of 30. Its 21 complaints are dominated by Takata airbag issues (81% of complaints), with 4 recalls covering passenger frontal airbag inflators.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
30/100
#15 of 21 A6 years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
21
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2017
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21
18 city / 26 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2009 Audi A6 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags17 (81%)
  2. Brakes1 (5%)
  3. Electrical System1 (5%)
  4. Other1 (5%)
  5. Structure & Body1 (5%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain1 (5%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report long delays getting replacement parts for the Takata passenger frontal airbag recall, leaving the front seat unusable for passengers.
  • Some drivers say the vehicle went months past the promised repair window with dealers unable to source recall parts.
  • A CVT transmission control module reportedly needed reprogramming and eventually replacement after acceleration failed on the highway.
  • One owner described a battery that repeatedly failed to hold a charge even after being replaced twice by Audi dealers.
  • A passenger door reportedly closed unexpectedly, causing injury while loading the car.
2009 Audi A6 complaints: complaints filed per month4Nov 2009Aug 2016Dec 2016Jun 2017Oct 2017Jan 2018Jul 2018Feb 2022
21 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2009 to Feb 2022; peak Oct 2017 (4).

2009 Audi A6 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V427000Jun 22, 2018Airbags237,947 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.

  2. NHTSA 18V004000Jan 4, 2018Airbags10,166 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Audi A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles, ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet vehicles, and 2009-2011 Audi A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Audi mailed an interim owner notification March 02, 2018. When parts to perform the recall repair become available, Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in June 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69U1. Note: This recall has been superseded by 18V427.

  3. NHTSA 17V032000Jan 11, 2017Airbags33,421 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.

See all 4 recalls for the 2009 Audi A6 →

2009 Audi A6 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other A6 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Caution6553420
2008Avoid9571420
2009Good3021421
2010Good3517321
2011Good4021321

All Audi A6 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Audi A6 reliable?
Compared with other A6 model years, 2009 ranks 15th of 21 with a complaint index of 30 and a Good verdict. Most complaints relate to Takata airbag recalls rather than mechanical failures.
Does the 2009 Audi A6 have an airbag recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists four recall campaigns tied to airbags, all involving Takata passenger frontal airbag inflators that Audi has replaced free of charge.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Audi A6?
Airbags account for 81% of complaints (17 of 21), most describing delays in getting Takata recall parts, with a median failure mileage of 97,000.
How does the 2009 Audi A6 compare to the 2008 and 2010 model years?
The 2008 A6 has a much higher complaint index of 95 and an Avoid verdict, while the 2010 A6 has a lower index of 35 and a Good verdict, making 2009 sit between the two.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.