YearToAvoid

2018 Audi A6 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

20/100

#13 most-complained of 16 A6 years

The 2018 Audi A6 ranks 13th out of 16 model years for reported problems, with a complaint index of 20 and just 11 complaints — making it one of the better A6 years. It carries 2 recalls, covering fuel rail leaks and airbag seat wiring wear.

Complaints
11
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
0 / 1
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
26
22 city / 31 hwy

Top 2018 Audi A6 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine7 (64%)
  2. Fuel System4 (36%)
  3. Other2 (18%)
  4. Airbags1 (9%)
  5. Electrical System1 (9%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain1 (9%)

What owners report

  • Vehicle hesitates or fails to accelerate briefly when completing a turn, described as if the car can't decide what to do, recurring multiple times.
  • Car stalls for a couple seconds at slow speed or from a stop, especially when preparing to turn, as if fuel isn't reaching the engine, at a median mileage around 11,800 miles.
  • Water pump fails and leaks coolant, sometimes preceded by a low coolant warning light.
  • EPC and engine warning lights illuminate, sometimes tied to an unaddressed recall the dealer declines to cover.
  • Fuel system issue causes gas to deplete faster than normal, linked by owners to an open recall.
  • A fire started near the gas tank area while the vehicle was parked and had been sitting for hours.
2018 Audi A6 complaints: complaints filed per month4Mar 2020Nov 2020Feb 2022Jun 2023Oct 2023Dec 2023Mar 2024Mar 2026
16 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2020 to Mar 2026; peak Mar 2026 (4).

2018 Audi A6 recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V035000Jan 16, 2019Fuel System74,881 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:fuel rail

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Q7, A6 and A7 vehicles, and 2015-2018 Audi A8 vehicles. The left and right fuel rails may leak fuel.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the left and right fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 24DP.

  2. NHTSA 18V370000Jun 4, 2018Airbags139,249 vehicles

    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 passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.

    Risk: If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.

2018 Audi A6 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
26 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,050
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.

2018 compared with other A6 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Avoid8751326.5
2017Good2720325
2018Best2011226
2019Avoid100114726
2020Caution6725924

All Audi A6 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Audi A6 reliable?
Compared to other A6 model years, 2018 ranks among the better ones, placing 13th worst out of 16 years tracked with a complaint index of 20 and only 11 NHTSA complaints.
What are the main problems with the 2018 Audi A6?
The top problem area is the engine, accounting for 7 of 11 complaints (64% share), followed by the fuel system at 36% share, including a fuel rail leak recall.
Does the 2018 Audi A6 have any recalls?
Yes, two recalls: one for leaking left and right fuel rails (campaign 19V035000) and one for airbag seat wiring stress and wear (campaign 18V370000). Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2018 A6 compare to the 2019 A6?
The 2019 A6 is rated Avoid with a complaint index of 100 and 114 complaints, far worse than the 2018 A6's complaint index of 20 and 11 complaints.

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.