2008 Audi A6: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2008 Audi A6
On the 2008 Audi A6, the failure owners report most often is airbag inflator rupture, with 37 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 45,000 miles. Overall it scores 71 out of 100, high risk for a 2008.
High risk for a 2008 — 93rd riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. 79 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 19 named failure modes on the 2008 Audi A6, and the three most-reported carry 58% of everything filed.
Airbag inflator rupture leads with 37 reports and about 2.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Headlight failure or clouding follows with 6 reports, median 65,000 miles.
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure follows with 3 reports, median 70,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into airbag (41), lighting (8) and engine (8).
When these failures get reported
27 of the reports on the 2008 Audi A6 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 45,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 52% by 50,000 miles and 85% by 100,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 26% of the dated reports.
44% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 19. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 1 mentions a crash, 1 a fire and 1 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.49, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: airbag inflator rupture at $0–$0, headlight failure or clouding at $150–$1,800, control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure at $700–$3,000 and stalling while driving at $300–$2,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
13% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 37 | 1 | — | 102k | — | 2.3 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 6 | 5 | — | 64k | — | 0.4 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 3 | 3 | — | 70k | — | 0.2 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Intake carbon buildup | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 7k | — | 0.1 | $400–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 2 | 1 | — | 66k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 13k | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 2 | 2 | — | 89k | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 33k | — | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 16k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 300 | — | 0.1 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 42k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| CVT failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 4k | — | 0.1 | $3,000–$8,500 | Critical |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 2k | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 65k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 1 | 1 | — | 95k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Unclassified problem | other | 9 | 1 | — | 134k | — | 0.6 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2008 Audi A6 draws about 4.9 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 83rd percentile of complaint rates among 2008 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 16,204 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2008 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Headlight failure or clouding
My wife and child were driving through the desert in arizona when our audi's driver-side xenon headlight failed. Then again 2 months later, driving with my wife and child through california the passenger-side headlight failed. Both times I was told it was the bulb. But we couldn't simply buy a new bulb. Audi needs to order it and take off the bumper to replace them. About a month later, driving through the arizona desert with my family, the driver-side light went out again. This time audi service said they need to replace the igniter for the xenon lamp. This all happened within 5 months time. I'd only owned the vehicle about 2 years. When these lights fail, I have to use fog lamps or high beams to have at least 2 lights working at once. *tr
The head light would work sometimes and others it would not took vehicle the dealer was told must remove bumper and replace head lamp assembly complete the cost would be around $ 800.00after researching specific problem head lamp was replaceable without bumper removal and without headlamp assembly replacement cost 100.00 price of bulb. Audi of america should be able to troubleshoot this problem very easy and they are purposely trying to rip the customer off. Not to mention the danger a intermittent head light posses on the road dip head light error. *tr
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure
Multiple issues on this car that all came on about the same time. The amb/parking brake module/esp warning lit up, and a few days later the car was not shifting into gear on startup, and when it did shift into gear it shifted erratically and went into neutral on occasion. The transmission control module, ABS sensors both went bad on the car and the car was unable to shift into gear. The car sat at audi len stoler in owings mills, md for 2 weeks for problem to be diagnosed. They said it was the transmission control module and the ABS sensor that was bad. They replaced the ABS sensor in the hopes that it would resolve the transmission problem! It did not. The bill for the ABS, and a failed driver door lock switch replacement was almost $1400! The transmission control module is a small black box that has the circuitry that controls the transmission. The part alone costs $2600 and with labor it costs almost $4000 - quote from dealer. A 2008 wit 70k and a tcm fails? According to audi forums, this is a prevalent issue. Audi needs to do the right thing and recall these cars and get this serious issue fixed. It is a design/quality control…
Multiple issues on this car that all came on about the same time. The amb/parking brake module/esp warning lit up, and a few days later the car was not shifting into gear on startup, and when it did shift into gear it shifted erratically and went into neutral on occasion. The transmission control module, ABS sensors both went bad on the car and the car was unable to shift into gear. The car sat at audi len stoler in owings mills, md for 2 weeks for problem to be diagnosed. They said it was the transmission control module and the ABS sensor that was bad. They replaced the ABS sensor in the hopes that it would resolve the transmission problem! It did not. The bill for the ABS, and a failed driver door lock switch replacement was almost $1400! The transmission control module is a small black box that has the circuitry that controls the transmission. The part alone costs $2600 and with labor it costs almost $4000 - quote from dealer. A 2008 wit 70k and a tcm fails? According to audi forums, this is a prevalent issue. Audi needs to do the right thing and recall these cars and get this serious issue fixed. It is a design/quality control…
Recalls on the 2008 model year
NHTSA has issued 4 recall campaigns covering the 2008 Audi A6, affecting an estimated 31,466 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module and structure:body:trunk lid. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
237,947 vehicles 2018-06-22- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to…
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
33,421 vehicles 2017-01-11- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and…
- Consequence
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
194,453 vehicles 2016-06-01- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona…
- Consequence
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
23,898 vehicles 2007-08-01- Defect
- On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the automatic rear lid includes an electric motor and clutch that work in conjunction with two gas struts to open and close the rear lid, including a manual close function. If one of the struts has a total loss of pressure, the resultant slow movement of the rear lid is interpreted by the software as an intended manual close and the motor clutch releases to close the rear lid immediately.
- Consequence
- This can result in an unintended rapid closing of the rear lid with a risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install new software free of charge. The recall began on september 14, 2007. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2008 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2008 — 93rd riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 26 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1996 comes out best at 59 and 2019 worst at 87, with 2008 itself at 71.
If the model year is negotiable, 1996, 2021, 1997, 2005, 2007, 2004, 2014, 2000, 2006 and 2003 score lower than 2008 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2005–2011 generation specifically, 2005 is the strongest year at 64 and 2008 the weakest at 71.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2005-2011 generation, 2005 Audi A6 scores best at 64 and 2008 Audi A6 worst at 71.
The limits of complaint data
79 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 79 reports, 27 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 34% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Audi A6?
The most-reported failures are airbag inflator rupture (37 reports, median 100,000 miles), headlight failure or clouding (6 reports, median 65,000 miles) and control module (ecm/pcm/bcm) failure (3 reports, median 70,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2008 Audi A6 reliable?
It scores 71 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 93rd riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2008 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Audi A6 is best?
Within the 2005–2011 generation, 2005 scores best at 64 out of 100 and 2008 worst at 71. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed