Your vehicle report
1996 Audi A6
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 51
- Received Nov 1996 to Jan 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ignition key sticks or will not turn21 complaints · 41% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail4 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Headlights dim or fail at night3 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #97V175000Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The discharge of static electricity under low humidity conditions can activate the driver side air bag when the driver enters or exits the vehicle and forms an electrical circuit by touching certain areas of the steering wheel.
- Recall #96V017000Defective ignition switches were improperly manufactured and can cause some electrical accessories to malfunction.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 1 crash, 1 fire, 0 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 4 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 3 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 8 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 51 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 21 | 41% | – | NHTSA recall #96V017000 |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 4 | 7.8% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 3 | 5.9% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 3 | 5.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #97V175000October 8, 199739,300 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The discharge of static electricity under low humidity conditions Can activate the driver side air bag when the driver enters or exits the vehicle and forms an electrical circuit by touching certain areas of the steering wheel.
Activation of the air bag under these conditions Can cause personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will install a ground wire on the driver side air bag.
NHTSA recall #96V017000January 29, 199624,000 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition: switch
Defective ignition switches were improperly manufactured and Can cause some electrical accessories to malfunction.
Some electrical accessories, such as, turn signals, windshield wipers, lamps, power WIND0WS and air conditioners Can malfunction when the car is started.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1996 Audi A6.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN