- The problem
- On certain vehicles where a weak battery exists, it is possible that a low voltage condition could cause the air bag control unit to improperly set a fault code. If this occurs, the passenger side frontal air bag will become deactivated. However, both the air bag warning light in the instrument cluster as well as the 'passenger air bag off' telltale in the center of the instrument panel will illuminate and provide visual warning to the driver.
- The risk
- If the case of a frontal crash, the passenger side front air bag would not deploy which could cause injury to the seat occupant.
- The fix
- Dealers will update the air bag control module software. The recall began on december 5, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Vehicle safety record
2006 Audi A8 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 6 complaints about the 2006 Audi A8 with NHTSA, most often about the acceleration & cruise control (3) and the electrical system (2). It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in November 2006 for the frontal. For comparison, the 2005 has 6 and the 2007 has 4.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical A8 year, for its age
#261 most complained-about 2006 vehicle
- Complaints
- 6
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2006 Audi A8 problems
Share of all 6 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2006 Audi A8 recalls 2
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, a wiring harness condition exists that may deactivate the passenger side frontal air bag even under circumstances when it should remain activated.
- The risk
- If this condition occurs, both the air bag warning light in the instrument cluster and the "passenger air bag off" telltale in the center of the instrument panel will properly illuminate. Consequently, the passenger side frontal air bag would not deploy in the case of a frontal crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will modify the wiring harness free of charge. The recall began on november 30, 2005. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
What owners say
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6 complaints about the 2006 Audi A8
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
The headlight warning light came on. The headlight on left had gone out. Opening the headlight assembly ( a 2,000 to 6000 dollar part) there are about 20 wires inside the assembly, every wire was partially bare, the insulation has cracked off every wire inside the assembly. A small wire harness connects everything inside the light, the harness is not available to fix it. The cost to have a harness for the car available, should not be a issue. We need lights and to replace a headlight is a 20 dollar fix not a 2500 dollar. Fix.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 audi a8. The contact stated that the front driver side door closing mechanism failed and caused the door to inadvertently attempt to close while the driver was exiting the vehicle. The contact also indicated that the mechanism would fail while attempting to open the door, which prevented the door from opening. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the door closure module and door latch failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 13,000. Updated 02/07/2017*ct
My vehicle encountered electrical damage due to water in footwells of the car. This obviously is a common problem I was not aware of before purchasing the vehicle. *Tr
While accelerating to get on the parkway my car locked at 7000 rpm's and continued to accelerate with my foot off the accelerator. I was forced to put the car in neutral to avoid an accident, if I were not an experienced driver this could have caused a fatality in the car was at 80 mph and quickly rising. The tachometer continued at 7000 rpm for roughly 20 seconds, only after continually tapping the accelerator it finally began to decline. Please look into this life threatening situation. Additionally my tire pressure light remains on even when all tires are at the factory recommended settings. *Tr
Car suddenly accelerated without warning and propelled us across am intersection into traffic. This is 2nd time this has happened, the first time it happened was on a freeway devoid of other traffic. I reported the first event to the local dealer that I purchased the vehicle from but never received any feedback. After researching the issue I was able to determine that the problem is caused by the drivers factory floor mat coming loose from its retaining clips, sliding forward and causing interference with the...
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accelerator pedal. It was only my familiarity with the problem and how to fix it that allowed me to react quickly enough to avoid an accident the second time. If the car had been driven by a less experienced driver or if this had been the first time that it happened to me this could have easily resulted in a fatality. *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 audi a8 l. While driving approximately 25 mph, the contact approached another vehicle and attempted to apply the brakes, but the vehicle would not stop. The harder he depressed the brake pedal, the faster the engine would race. He pulled to the side of the road and noticed that the floormat was resting on the gas and brake pedals. The contact called audi and filed a complaint. Approximately four months later, the failure recurred and the dealer was notified. He took the vehicle to...
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the dealer approximately six times for the issue with the floormat. The failure recurred on august 7, 2008 and almost caused the contact to crash into another vehicle. The dealer replaced the pegs in the floor and then they replaced the floormat; however, the failure persists. The failure mileage was 95 and current mileage was 39,683.
Audi A8: every year compared
All A8 years2006 Audi A8 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Audi A8 | 6 | 2 | C | |
| 2006 Audi A4 | 298 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2006 Audi A3 | 123 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2006 Audi A6 | 67 | 4 | D | Compare |
| 2006 Audi S4 | 30 | 2 | F | Compare |
| 2006 Audi TT | 4 | 1 | 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 2006 Audi A8
Does the 2006 Audi A8 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2006 Audi A8: frontal (November 2006); air bags (November 2005). 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 2006 Audi A8?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the acceleration & cruise control (3), electrical system (2), fuel system (1).
How many complaints has the 2006 Audi A8 had?
6 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on August 7, 2008 and the latest on February 11, 2025. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2006 Audi A8 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 58 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Audi A8 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 A8 years have the most complaints?
2013 (50), 2015 (32), 2014 (18). See every Audi A8 year compared.
What should I do if my 2006 Audi A8 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