- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator when the parts become available, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed September 21, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69BT.
Vehicle safety record
1999 Audi A6 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 217 complaints about the 1999 Audi A6 with NHTSA, most often about the fuel system (39) and the brakes (38). Those complaints describe 12 crashes, 23 fires, 15 injuries and 2 deaths. It is covered by 9 recalls, the latest in January 2020 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 1998 has 130 and the 2000 has 148.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical A6 year, for its age
#37 most complained-about 1999 vehicle
- Complaints
- 217
- Recalls
- 9
- Crashes
- 12
- Fires
- 23
- Injuries
- 15
- Deaths
- 2
Most common 1999 Audi A6 problems
Share of all 217 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
1999 Audi A6 recalls 9
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- This condition could lead to overheating or fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will reroute the wiring harness by installing a jumper wiring harness. The recall began on december 16, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
- The problem
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.8L, v6 5-valve engines, and automatic transmissions, while driving during extremely low ambient temperatures the throttle may freeze in an open position due to ice accumulating in the throttle body.
- The risk
- If this occurs, the vehicle may fail to reduce speed when the driver lifts his/her foot from the gas pedal. This loss of vehicle control could result in a crash without warning.
- The fix
- Audi will install a replacement throttle body kit free of charge. The recall began on october 29, 2004. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834. Owners of vehicles which are not registered in the cold-weather states of alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, north dakota, ohio, oregon, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, vermont, washington, wisconsin, and wyoming, will be notified of a service action, under which they will be provided the free remedy upon request.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- A fire could originate in the left dashboard area.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a protective covering on the knee bolster (crash element). In addition, the wiring harness as well as the felt protector on the left side of the dashboard carrier will be checked, and replaced if necessary. The recall began on july 26, 2004. Owners should contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- Running out of fuel without warning while the fuel gauge indicates that there is sufficient fuel in the tank lead to safety problems.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove the existing fuel level sending units and replace them with fuel level sending units using a new alloy composed of gold, silver, and a small amount of nickel, which will not chemically react with sulfur. Vw/audi will also call back vehicles that were repaired under a previous recall last june in order to install the updated fuel sending units nhtsa 00v137/audi lb). Owner notification began may 1, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact audi at 1-866-892-2834.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rods of the steering assembly are protected on each side by a seal to prevent moisture and dust particles from entering the swivel bearing mechanism. It is possible that some tie rod seals may not seal properly.
- The risk
- If moisture and/or dust particles enter the swivel bearing mechanism, the swivel bearing could wear over time diminishing the steering control of the vehicle.
- The fix
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIE RODS.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rods of the steering assembly are protected on each side by a seal to prevent moisture and dust particles from entering the swivel bearing mechanism. It is possible that some tie rod seals may not seal properly.
- The risk
- If moisture and/or dust particles enter the swivel bearing mechanism, the swivel bearing could wear over time diminishing the steering control of the vehicle.
- The fix
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIE RODS.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. A control valve in the vacuum hose connecting the brake booster to the intake manifold may not open or close fully at temperatures below -4 f under certain driving conditions.
- The risk
- This condition could cause insufficient vacuum to be provided to the brake booster.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a vacuum by-pass system into vehicles operated in these states which is designed to provide sufficient vacuum for full brake assist under all weather conditions.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with quattro drive system which employs a fuel and fuel vapor leak detection system. If the vehicle is refueled shortly after the engine is started, and is kept running while being refueled, the fuel vapor recovery system could produce sufficient back pressure to cause fuel to be ejected after a complete fill-up when the fuel pump nozzle is removed from the filler neck.
- The risk
- In the presence of an ignition source, fuel spray could result in fire or possible personal injury.
- The fix
- Vw is providing a new page for the owner's manual and also requesting owners to make an appointment with their dealers to have a label containing important refueling instructions installed inside of the fuel filler door. Dealers will also remove the tire pressure label and replace it with a new label affixed to the fender well at the right rear door.
What owners say
Be the first A6 owner to share.
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
217 complaints about the 1999 Audi A6
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 9.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 audi a6. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v056000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The vin was invalid.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 audi a6. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v056000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Takata recall I've had to replace a wheel bearing and axel 2x @ $550 each time. Car wouldn't align right, so I replaced the tires several times due to the wearing on one side. The calipers won't come off when changing the brakes and rotors. The automatic windows would randomly roll down sometimes after it would rain, and wouldn't roll back up for several days. I fixed the turn signal and cruise control, but the problems with those returned after a couple weeks, and while I was driving the under cover/protector...
Read the full complaint
plastic broke off all over the road because the audi dealership apparently forgot to put it back on properly. This possibly allowed for the oil pan to hit the ground and crack, which a suspension problem was clearly part of that problem too. I took it in to see about a crack in the oil pan. They couldn't find it, but shortly thereafter, I drove to the movie store and when I got back to my car, it was no longer running. A puddle of oil was spilling out of it, and the the engine was shot. I had the car for about 2 years. I'm guessing that the problems stemmed from the what the car was recalled for.
While driving 60 mph on the freeway, the car accelerated on its own to 72 mph as if going into cruise control. Confirmed the cruise control switch was turned off. Applied the brakes seven times. Car did not respond to braking. Engine seemed to race against the brakes. I put the car in neutral, moved to side of the road. Applied the hand brake. Turned key off. Car slowed then stopped. Since this incident the car was test driven twice by mechanics, during which it seemed to operate normally. On january 27, 2015 the car was taken to the local dealer, bellevue audi, for diagnosis. Awaiting results. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 audi a6. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph, smoke and flames began to enter the vehicle through the air vents. The contact moved the vehicle over and extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. The contact stated that the passenger sustained burns to the fingers. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for inspection and the cause of the fire was unknown. There was not a police or fire report filed. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 96,000. *Tr
Audi claims that transmission fluid and filter never needs to be changed, this is not only incorrect, but this also causes transmission problems on a regular basis. This should not be told to the customer for it is a lie just so the customer has constant transmission problems while audi racks in the money. It is a scam and it should be eliminated from potential and existing audi customers. No oil was ever made not to break down and not ever be changed. A new audi owner usually listens to the dealership about their cars, and usually don't change the fluids or filters, hence transmission break downs and expensive repairs. Scam *tr
Have had nothing but problems with the audi a6 since inception. Car started making a horrible noise that sounds like it is coming from engine or transmission. Car cannot pass emissions. Engine smoking fluid is pouring out of front of transmission. The car dealer: nalley audi in roswell, georgia. The car dealer nalley audi fraudulently took money from me and never repaired vehicle. *Tr
My 1999 audi a6 2.8 Has abs control module failure. This appears to be a common problem among 1996 to 2001 audi's and vw's lack of anti-lock braking system control makes my vehicle unsafe. Audi is not willing to correct this problem. This problem affects a large number of vehicles.
My wife was driving to work this morning when she had a tire blowout on the highway going 60mph. I met up with her to put the spare on and I was expecting a nail or something in the tire. When I inspected the tire I was surprised to notice a severe blowout on the rear passenger tire on the inside side wall of the tire from the tread to the rim. This is concerning to me because we still had 40,000 miles left on the warranty and we still have the same brand/size on the other tires. I am worried that this may happen on the other tires. The brand of tire is yokohama avid trz size: p205/55r16 89t. I know this tire is not on the recall list, but I am suspect of this tire after this incident. *Tr
Abs module failure, abs system failed, abs warning light on , alarm and brake warning light on. Common failure on this model bosch unit. *Tr
1999 Audi a6 quattro suddenly accelerated. I was pulling into a parking slot at maybe 5 mph, my foot was lightly pressing on the brake pedal, as I was nearly in the parking stall. The engine was at idle speed. As I coasted into the parking stall with my foot on the brake pedal the engine suddenly and without any prior warning revved up to above 3000 rpm. The car lurched forward hitting the parking curb directly in front of me. I immediately applied more pressure to the brake pedal to keep the car from jumping...
Read the full complaint
over the curb, and shifted the gear selector into n. The engine then revved even higher, at which point I turned off the key. With the key off, I moved the gear selector to p, and restarted the engine. The vehicle then ran idled at normal speed, and drove normally to my home about 1/4 mile away. I'm afraid to drive the vehicle. This is the second time this has happened; the first time it happened was as I was coasting to a stop at a red traffic light. Again my foot was on the brake and the engine was returning to idle speed. As I approached the intersection the engine revved causing me to coast through the intersection before being able to bring the vehicle to a full stop, again by applying strong breaking force. I then put the transmission in n and the engine revved higher, so I switched off the key. Thankfully the other vehicles had already cleared the intersection and there was no collision. When I restarted the vehicle, it idled and drove as normal again. The outside temperature was above 45 degrees fahrenheit and the pavement was dry in both cases. *Tr
Catalytic converters (2 front) need to be replaced. And the check engine light is on steady, indicates engine misfire. *Tr
Driving home tonight my car all of a sudden started accelerating (i drive an audi a6 1999). Using the brakes I was able to slow it down enough to get off the freeway though my brakes seemed to be fighting against the car. I rolled through two stop signs as my car would not stop and luckily avoiding the other cars waiting there I was able to put my car in park and turn off the engine. I waited ten minutes or so and tried starting my car. The engine revved to 4 to 5000 rpms so, I quickly shut it off again. I...
Read the full complaint
waited again, tried it once more and the car started fine. I drove home, called the dealership and was told I could be seen on 02/14/11. Four days from now. This is the second time this has happened. *Tr
On the morning of november 20, 2010, I was pulling in to a parking space at the local library, approximately 10 minutes from my home. As I was making the turn to pull into the parking space, I heard the engine rev, and the car accelerated as though the cruise control had "kicked in" and my brake would not stop the car. Rather than hit a car that was parked in front of my parking space, I turned the vehicle to go up a curb and hit a tree. Once the tree stopped the car, I was able to put the car in reverse, back...
Read the full complaint
down off the curb, put the car in park, and pull out the key. Oil was pouring out of the vehicle and it had to be towed to my home, was examined by my insurance company, and was written off as a total loss. *Tr
Abs warning started flashing infrequently. Abs control module failed completely. Dealership diagnosed that abs module has failed. *Tr
Smoke erupted through vent system. Pulled car to side of road and family of 4 evacuated. Within 90 seconds, the dash erupted into flames. Interior/dash etc. Was totally destroyed. Motor compartment untouched by fire. Seems to have occurred in electrical system. Have pictures of fire and fire dept response. *Tr
I have a 1999 audi a6 quattro -- abs unit light flashes, diagnosed as a defective control unit. This appears to be a very common problem with audi and vw and a serious safety issue. *Tr
The seats have the option to be heated. The heat got so hot it burned seat, and a pillow that was on the seat, destroying both the pillow and the seat filling the car with a smokey film. The smell was so bad it filled the car and garage. *Cn
While driving my audi a6 avant quattro, smoke began coming out of the drivers side dash vent. I stopped the car as soon as I safely could and called 911, as soon as I was out of the vehicle the smoke became worse and flames began rolling out of the dash area. The fire was extinguished almost immediately with a fire extinguisher which a nearby resident luckily had handy. By viewing this fire at close range I am certain that the vehicle would have been completely engulfed within minutes. The fire department used...
Read the full complaint
a heat sensing tool to determine that the source of the fire or hotspot was very near the fuse box behind the headlight switch. They cut the dash apart to be sure the fire was completely out. I had no warning of this malfunction and am just thankful that I was able to get away from the vehicle as quickly as I did. *Tr
Car: 1999 audi avant wagon 1. The car was left outside during the winter of 2008/9 and unused for several months. In sprint of 2009, the car was jump started and this is when the problems started occurring. 2. Regardless of cold weather, the car will accelerate. More specifically, when the gas pedal is released, the car will not decelerate. This means the car will propel itself forward. Without depressing the gas pedal, the car will sometimes achieve a speed of 40-45 mph. By pushing the pedal down and...
Read the full complaint
releasing it quickly (pumping the pedal), the throttle will release and the car will come back down to idle speed. This occurs not every time but approximate 1 out of 10 times that the car is driven. 3. The tube that leads to the throttle, the accelerator cable, and the throttle body have all been replaced. There is a recall on the throttle body on this car related to this specific issue but the recall is only based on very cold ambient weather. I am experiencing this issue during warm weather also. The mechanic now thinks this is due the electronic control module (ecm). *Tr
All of a sudden my abs light came on in my 1999 audi a6, and the brake light started flashing. I had a full loss of my abs brakes on icy winter roads. I eventually slid off the road and hit a fence. The abs control module on my car had failed, and I've read posts of several hundreds other having the same problem. In my car it is a constant error, and no-one but audi can fix the problem. I also contacted audi, which claims that the abs system disabling is not a safety concern. When there's a chance that your abs...
Read the full complaint
(something you've relied on for years) suddenly shuts down because of a way too common error, it is a major safety concern. I was lucky I only got some dents to my car, but if audi had recalled these I wouldn't have had to get repairs done to my car. Unfortunately someone will probably have to die before this safety concern is taken seriously and audi will do a recall. *Tr
During normal use and driving abs, brake light and the air bag light comes on. Erratic at first then steady. Diagnosis: abs controller failure. During period of failure vehicle operates but without automatic braking system. This appears to be a common concern after conducting a quick internet search. Mechanic states this is common. *Tr
WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR LEAK. *TR
I drive a 1999 audi a6 avant which is our primary family car. While driving the car one day, the car's abs warning indicator light comes on and stays illuminated until the car is shut off. At the same time the red brake warning light flashes on and off until the car is turned off. This same thing happens every time the car is turned on. Despite the flashing warning lights, the brakes operated normally on dry pavement. However, on wet, snowy pavement the abs did not work when braking for a stop. I called the...
Read the full complaint
audi dealer to make an appointment for this problem (and other issues) because I was concerned about the safety of the brakes especially during the winter. The person I spoke with at the audi dealership did not sound alarmed or very concerned about the warning lights for the abs and the brake. I asked again about the safety issue, and the person said I would be fine and made an appointment for me for two and a half weeks later. We drove the car carefully for the next two and a half weeks until our appointment at audi. Before even looking at the car, audi service desk said that the warning lights were probably, more than likely the abs control module. I was told it would cost $975 to replace the abs control module. I didn't have the dealership replace that abs module yet because I needed other repairs first. After researching the abs control module online and after talking to a few people I realize that is a very common problem for this make and model car and for other audi cars but there is no recall campaign in effect for the batch of faulty abs modules. I live in minnesota where there is potential to be snow 5 months out of the year. I bought this car used because of all the safety features that are useful in snowy weather. To have the abs not functioning properly and then to realize that this is a common problem in this make of car seems to me to be a safety issue that should be addressed by the manufacture. Audi should recall the abs module. Thanks. *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 audi a6. While driving 65 mph, the contact smelled a toxic odor from the driver's side of the vehicle. He noticed green smoke coming from the vents and pulled the vehicle over. The smoke from all four of the vents turned into flames. The contact exited the vehicle and the fire department was called and filed a report. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard and the vehicle was inspected to determine the cause of the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained minor injuries and had to go to the hospital. The failure and current mileages were 9,000.
Audi A6: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 71 | 7 | D |
| 2002 | 96 | 4 | F |
| 2001 | 113 | 7 | F |
| 2000 | 148 | 4 | F |
| 1999 | 217 | 9 | F |
| 1998 | 130 | 10 | F |
| 1997 | 21 | 2 | B |
| 1996 | 54 | 2 | C |
| 1995 | 18 | 2 | B |
1999 Audi A6 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Audi A6 | 217 | 9 | F | |
| 1999 Audi A4 | 190 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 1999 BMW 3 Series | 6 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 1999 BMW 5 Series | 2 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 1999 Lexus IS | 1 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 1999 Lexus ES | 0 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 1999 BMW 330I | 0 | 2 | A | Compare |
| 1999 Audi Quattro | 21 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 1999 Audi A8 | 12 | 4 | D | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1999 Audi A6
Does the 1999 Audi A6 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 9 recalls for the 1999 Audi A6: inflator module (January 2020); electrical system (June 2006); vehicle speed control (October 2004); electrical system (March 2004) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Audi A6?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the fuel system (39), brakes (38), electrical system (37).
How many complaints has the 1999 Audi A6 had?
217 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on February 19, 1999 and the latest on March 22, 2021. Of these, 12 describe a crash and 23 a fire, and together they report 15 injuries and 2 deaths.
Is the 1999 Audi A6 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 6 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Audi A6 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Audi A6 years have the most complaints?
1999 (217), 2000 (148), 1998 (130). See every Audi A6 year compared.
What should I do if my 1999 Audi A6 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data