1996 AUDI A6 Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

32 complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH BECAME INOPERABLE IN VARIOUS POSITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V017000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000. UPDATED 10/18/16*LJ *TR

Aug 05, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, BUT THE KEY WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE ON POSITION ON ITS OWN. THE KEY REMAINED IN THE STARTING POSITION, CAUSING SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE KEY BACK MANUALLY IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO REMOVE FROM THE STARTING POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT OF THE SAME INFORMATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

Jun 19, 2012

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A6. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE STARTER WOULD DISENGAGE. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT RELEASE AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 149,063.

Apr 01, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED RECALLS FOR HIS VEHICLE AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE REPAIRS HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED. HE ASKED FOR THE REPAIR RECORDS, BUT THEY WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS NOTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V017000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH). THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS DO NOT ILLUMINATE, AND THERE IS A LOUD CRACKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 155,000. UPDATED 02/10/09 *BF WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION, THE IGNITION DIDN'T SPRING BACK. THE STARTER MADE A CRACKING NOISE WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED THE KEY. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED, BUT THE CLIMATE CONTROL AND AIR CONDITIONER MALFUNCTIONED. UPDATED 02/11/09. *JB

Dec 29, 2008

IGNITION SWITCH GETS STUCK IN ON POSITION CAUSING LIGHTS, RADIO, WIPERS NOT TO FUNCTION. STARTER ALSO REMAINS ON CAUSING BURN OUT. *TR

Nov 23, 2008

+ 27 more complaints for this component

AIR BAGS

3 complaints

TAKATA RECALL NOTICE TO SAY AIRBAG UNSAFE

Jan 05, 2018

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE AIR BAG COULD BE INOPERATIVE IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR

Oct 23, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Aug 17, 2001

Crash: 1

STRUCTURE

3 complaints

THE VEHICLE HIT A STONE BARRIER AT 5MPH AND THE BUMPER FELL OFF. *AK

Jun 14, 1999

VEHICLE PARKED. NEIGHBOR NOTICED VEHICLE IN FLAMES, EARLY IN MORNING & NOTIFIED FIRE DEPARTMENT. WAS INFORMED FIRE STARTED DUE TO ELECTRICAL SHORT INSIDE DOOR PANEL ON DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK

Apr 29, 1999

Fire: 1

TWO FRONT DOORS ARE TOO HEAVY.

Oct 27, 1997

POWER TRAIN

2 complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Jun 17, 2016

VEHICLE DEVELOPED A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION, THE O-RING IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED CAUSING THE FLUID TO LEAKED OUT ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT WAS JUST UNDERNEATH, THE FLUID BEGAN TO SMOKE AS IT HIT THE HOT METAL, POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *ET

Nov 12, 1999

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY,EQUIPMENT

2 complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT IS EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT FAILURES WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND TURN SIGNALS. BASED ON THE VIN, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 096V17000 IN 1996. THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE ONLY ONCE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

Aug 13, 2008

CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED IGNITION SWITCH. (NAR) *LAB LIGHTS, HEAD LAMPS, HEATER & AC FUNCTIONS, WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS WOULD FAIL UNPREDICTABLY. *CB

Feb 19, 2004

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint

ON THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 11TH 2014, MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL WHEN HER VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. SHE BELIEVES SHE WAS GOING BETWEEN 25 AND 35 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND TOPPED OUT AT 70 BEFORE SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO SLOW DOWN. SHE STATED TO ME AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT SHE HAD TO PRESS BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AND SHE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TOOK HER CAR TO FRIEND'S HOUSE, DROPPED HER OFF AT SCHOOL AND TOOK HER VEHICLE TO SUNNY SIDE AUDI IN MIDDLEBURG OHIO. THEY FOUND THE SPEED CONTROL WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE BETWEEN $800 AND $1000 TO REPAIR. I PAID THEM $138.00 TO DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE $138 ISN'T GOING TO BREAK ME BUT THEN AGAIN BREAKING ME IS WHY I AM WRITING THIS COMPLAINT. I HAVE GIVEN THIS INCIDENT A LOT OF THOUGHT; WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, HOW LUCKY WE ARE THAT MY DAUGHTER DIDN'T PANIC AND THEN I REALIZED THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN LIKELY MANY MORE 1996 AUDI A6'S OUT THERE AND WHO KNOWS OTHER AUDI'S IN GENERAL WITH THE SAME CRUISE CONTROL SET UP THAT IS INSTALLED IN OUR CAR THAT HAVE OR WILL MALFUNCTION. I AM HOPING THAT SOMEONE WILL LOOK INTO THIS INCIDENT. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO INSPECT OUR VEHICLE. I WAS SURPRISED BY THE RESPONSE OF THE SUNNY SIDE AUDI SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY OFFERED US NO SUPPORT OR AVENUE FOR ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIR AND TREATED THIS INCIDENT LIKE ANY OTHER VEHICLE REPAIR. WE WERE LUCKY IT WASN'T WORSE AND WE ARE GRATEFUL BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED AND HAVE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY REPAIRED. *TR

Mar 17, 2014

TIRES

1 complaint

I WAS DRIVING AN 1996 AUDI A6 ON HIGHWAY 95 IN FLORIDA AT ABOUT 7PM ON THURSDAY MARCH 8, 2007. TRAVELING ABOUT 73 MPH. THE LEFT FRONT TIRES TREAD WAS SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE ITSELF. THIS CAUSED ME TO DANGEROUSLY SWERVE IN TRAFFIC. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SAW A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE DONE TO THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR, THE BUMPER AND SIDE PANELING. I CALLED THE POLICE BUT THEY WERE NOT COOPERATIVE AND DID NOT WRITE AN ACCIDENT REPORT SINCE THE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY OWN CAR BY MY OWN CAR. BOTH FRONT TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED COSTING ABOUT $150 ALSO THERE IS AN ESTIMATED $4000 WORTH OF DAMAGE DONE TO THE CAR. *JB

Mar 12, 2007

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1 complaint

I HAVE A 1996 AUDI A4 AND THE ENGINE STARTED LEAKING OIL FROM THE CAM TENSIONER, I TALKED TO A FEW AUDI MECHANICS AND OWNERS AND THEY HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, AND TOLD ME TO REPORT IT TO THIS ORGANIZATION. *JB

Nov 28, 2005

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

IGNITION SWITCH STOPPED WORKING. WATER PUMP STOPPED WORKING. (WAS REPLACED 40,000 MILES AGO). *LA

Jan 23, 2004

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,EQUIPMENT

1 complaint

AFTER DRIVING AND WHEN VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF KEY STUCK IN THE IGNITION. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE SIGNAL LIGHTS/ HEAD LIGHTS AND AIR CONDITIONER DIDN'T WORK. *AK

Dec 19, 2003

VISIBILITY

1 complaint

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE IN HEAVY RAIN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE CAME LOOSE. *LA

Oct 15, 2003

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint

VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER UNDER NORMAL DRIVING ON LEVEL ROAD. ABOUT THE 8TH TIME IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. INITIALLY CORRECTED BY REPLACING THE OXYGEN SENSORS WHICH CAUSED ENGINE TO RUN "LEAN". UNKNOWN CAUSE OF CURRENT PROBLEM. BIG SAFETY ISSUE IF POWER IS LOST WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER TRAFFIC OR HIGHWAY OR LOSS OF POWER DURING TRAVEL ON HIGHWAY. ENGINE DOES NOT STALL, RPMS DROP WHEN ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED AND RETURNS TO "IDLE" RPMS WHEN RELEASING ACCELERATOR. CONSTANT "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT".

Dec 29, 2001

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY,EQUIPMENT

1 complaint

SOME ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS SUCH AS: HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND CLIMATE CONTROL, DO NOT FUNCTION AFTER THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.

Oct 03, 2001

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY

1 complaint

THE CAR CAN BE STARTED AND DRIVEN WITH THE HORN, DIRECTIONAL LIGHTS, WINDSHIED WIPERS, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS NOT WORKING. AUDI (BOTH THE DEALER AND NATIONAL) DOES NOT THINK IT IS A PROBLEM TO HAVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT INOPERABLE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE DEFECT, BUT DID NOT FEEL THEY NEEDED TO INFORM CUSTOMERS. THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE IGNITION SYSTEM FIXED.

Jun 20, 2001

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

COMPLETE POWER RACK & PINION STEERING REQUIRED REPLACEMENT, APPROXIMATELY $1,000. CAR HAD RECIEVED ALL REQUIRED CHECKUPS SINCE NEW BY VARIOUS AUTHORIZED AUDI DEALERSHIPS AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IF SYSTEM NOT REPLACED MAY HAVE LED TO MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM. NO LOSS OF LIFE OR DAMAGE SUSTAINED. SYSTEM FLUID LEAKAGE RESULTED IN ABNORMAAL NOISE AND THEN BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR/ REPLACEMENT. IGNITION SWITCH STUCK ON ENGINE START POSITION

Oct 11, 2000

SEATS

1 complaint

REAR SEAT RESTS ARE TOO HIGH CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY RESULTING IN COLLISION.

Oct 15, 1997

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

VISABILITY IS VERY POOR AT NIGHT DUE TO MISALIGNMENT OF THE HEADLIGHTS. *AK

Nov 06, 1996

⭐

4.9/5.0

92 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 1996 AUDI A6 have?

The 1996 AUDI A6 currently has 54 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 1996 AUDI A6?

The most common problems reported for the 1996 AUDI A6 are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 1996 AUDI A6 problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 1996 AUDI A6 comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.