Audi A6 Common Faults in the UK
C8, 2018–2024 — premium executive saloon. Updated 6 October 2026.
This guide covers the C8, 2018–2024 only. Older A6 generations have different engines and faults — for one of those, see how to check any car for known faults.
The C8 Audi A6 (2018–2024) is mechanically solid but suffers from MIB3 infotainment freezes pre-2022, DPF blockages on short-trip 2.0 TDI diesels, and owner-reported 48V mild-hybrid battery faults. The 2022 facelift fixed the infotainment. Best-buy years: 2022–2024. Worst: 2018.
Largest DVSA recall for the A6: R/2020/138, 34,982 vehicles in the whole recall — Moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator. See the 3 DVSA recalls listed for this model.
89.4% of Audi A6s registered 2018–2022 pass the MOT on the day (cars fixed during the test included), 1.9 points above all cars registered in those years (87.5%). These are the cars this guide covers that were 3 to 12 years old when DVSA tested them in 2025, counted from 2,967 DVSA tests; a pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Counting every registration year DVSA holds for the Audi A6 (2006–2022), which includes generations this guide does not cover, 83.1% pass on the day (cars fixed during the test included), from 12,504 tests.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0), a sample of the 2025 file (about one test in ten, from nine months). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a pass here (passed on the day); DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Compared against cars of the same registration years, because pass rates otherwise mostly measure how old a model's surviving fleet is.
See it by registration year and by mileage ↓The asking-price figures above are the middle 80% and the median of what sellers were asking on Autoza on 29 October 2026 — not what buyers pay — for Audi A6 cars registered 2018–2024. They are worked out from the cars on sale when this page is generated, and none is shown when fewer than 10 cars qualify. The road tax line comes from GOV.UK's vehicle tax rate tables (2026/27 rates). The other quick-stats values are indicative editorial estimates aggregated from owner-forum sentiment, recall data and reliability surveys. We do not publish a UK price index, and no figure here should be quoted as one.
Best and worst years to buy
We name a year as a best or worst buy only where the DVSA MOT table further down does not rate it the other way.
The 2022 facelift introduced MIB3 software stabilisation and resolved the infamous infotainment freeze. Build quality is consistent and the 2.0 TDI MHEV is well-sorted.
2023 cars are too new for the DVSA table below, so there is no MOT record behind that year yet.
Pre-2022 infotainment freezes are the most reported complaint on owner forums. Software updates helped, but owners of 2018–2019 cars report they never fully resolved it on the hardware those cars shipped with. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2019 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid.
Known faults — Audi A6 C8, 2018–2024
How to read this list. This model’s DVSA safety recalls are listed in their own section below, largest first, each with DVSA’s reference and vehicle count. Everything else in this list is owner-reported: patterns that come up repeatedly with workshops, owner forums and reliability surveys. Those are worth checking on a viewing, but we hold no count of how many cars have each one, other than any survey share a card itself quotes. Treat an owner-reported item as a question to ask, not a fault this car has.
MIB3 infotainment freeze
- Symptoms
- Screen goes black or freezes on Apple CarPlay / Android Auto; reboot required
- Years affected
- 2018–2021
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under software update; £350–£800 if hardware MMI swap needed
- What to check before buying
- During test drive, connect phone via Apple CarPlay and use it for 15+ minutes. Try switching audio sources. Reproduce the freeze and have it noted on inspection.
DPF blockage (2.0 TDI on short trips)
- Symptoms
- Limp mode warning; engine warning light; "DPF full" message
- Years affected
- All TDI variants — Mileage-independent — driving pattern matters more
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £450–£900 forced regeneration + drive cycle; £1,800+ if DPF replacement
- What to check before buying
- Avoid TDI variants that have only ever done short city trips. Ask about typical journey length. Look for forced-regen events in service history.
MHEV 48V battery faults
- Symptoms
- Stop-start system disabled; "Mild Hybrid" warning; reduced fuel economy
- Years affected
- 2019+ (when 48V system became standard on most variants)
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £800–£1,200 battery pack replacement
- What to check before buying
- Test stop-start engagement at every traffic light during drive. Should engage reliably when warm.
Air suspension (Avant variants with optional air)
- Symptoms
- Car settles overnight; harsh ride; pump cycling
- Years affected
- All air-suspension equipped Avants — 95,000+ miles
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £700–£1,200 per corner
- What to check before buying
- Park overnight, check ride height next morning. Listen for compressor at idle.
Coolant pump (electric)
- Symptoms
- Slow warm-up; coolant temperature warning; visible leak from pump
- Years affected
- 2018–2021
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £350–£550
- What to check before buying
- Cold-start observation: temperature gauge should reach normal in 4–6 minutes. Slow warm-up suggests pump failure.
DVSA safety recalls for the Audi A6, largest first
These are the recalls DVSA lists for this model and its build years: every one of 10,000 or more vehicles, largest first, with DVSA’s own reference and figures. A recall covers only cars built in its dates and within its VIN range — check a particular car by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check. “Critical” here means DVSA’s own notice tells owners not to drive the car until it is fixed. It is never a size: “Large” means DVSA lists 10,000 or more vehicles in the recall.
- Safety recall · R/2020/138Large recall — 34,982 vehicles
Moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator
34,982 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 1 June 2017 and 31 March 2020 · recall launched 30 June 2020
- Safety recall · R/2020/265Large recall — 11,936 vehicles
Moisture may enter the belt driven starter-alternator
It is possible that moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator.
11,936 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 10 August 2018 and 11 March 2020 · recall launched 2 October 2020
- Safety recall · R/2021/236Large recall — 10,089 vehicles
Rear axle suspension links nuts do not meet specifications
One or more nuts which do not meet the specifications may have been fitted on the rear axle suspension links.
10,089 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 7 November 2019 and 18 February 2021 · recall launched 25 June 2021
Source: DVSA vehicle recalls file (every recall since 1992), published under the Open Government Licence. Where DVSA gives one figure for a recall that covers several models, it is shown as the whole recall’s total.
Audi A6 MOT results by year and mileage
Measured from DVSA’s own MOT test records for tests carried out in 2025, not from owner reports.
By registration year
Against all cars registered in the same year, the MOT pass rate for the A6 was higher in 7 and level in 3 of the 10 registration years from 2013 to 2022 with enough tests to measure. The widest gap above is 2013 registrations: 81.2% against 71.9%.
Pass rate here: passed on the day, cars fixed during the test included. Rows: every Audi A6 DVSA tested in 2025, by registration year (2013–2022), all engines and fuels together. 2013–2017 registrations are older generations of the A6 than this guide covers, shown for comparison; the guide’s own cars start in 2018. A registration year cannot separate two generations exactly when one replaced the other part-way through a year.
| Registered | A6 | All cars that year | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022380 tests | 90.8% | 91.2% | −0.4 level |
| 2021498 tests | 93.2% | 90.1% | +3.1 higher |
| 2020346 tests | 91.0% | 88.7% | +2.3 level |
| 2019916 tests | 89.0% | 86.9% | +2.1 higher |
| 2018827 tests | 86.3% | 84.5% | +1.8 level |
| 20171,031 tests | 88.8% | 82.2% | +6.6 higher |
| 20161,381 tests | 86.7% | 79.4% | +7.3 higher |
| 20151,100 tests | 83.5% | 76.7% | +6.8 higher |
| 20141,036 tests | 81.3% | 74.3% | +7.0 higher |
| 20131,025 tests | 81.2% | 71.9% | +9.3 higher |
By mileage at the test
Against cars of the same age on the same mileage, the pass rate for the A6 was higher in the one mileage band with enough tests. How other models compare at the same mileage.
Show the table by mileage (1 band)
| Mileage | A6 | Same age and mileage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80k–100k2,066 tests | 83.9% | 74.0% | +9.9 higher |
Only a major or dangerous defect fails an MOT. A minor defect is recorded on the certificate and the car still passes, and an advisory is not a failure at all.
We don’t give a recall count for the Audi A6: whether a recall applies depends on the individual car. Check the one you are looking at by entering its registration on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall checker, and see how to check a car for known faults for the other free checks.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0), a sample of the 2025 file (about one test in ten, from nine months) (3,459,000 tests). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a pass here (passed on the day); DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Odometer readings below 100 or above 400,000 miles are discarded as misreadings, and cars under three years old are excluded because no MOT is yet due. Sampled from nine months of 2025 (January, February, April, May, July, August, September, October and November). Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Registration years shown are cars 3 to 12 years old when tested; the smallest rests on 346 tests. A gap is called level when it is under one percentage point or inside the 95% sampling margin for that number of tests. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Who this car suits — and who should look elsewhere
Buyers prioritising interior quality, long-distance comfort, and quattro all-wheel-drive grip in UK winters.
Buyers averse to electronics complexity, anyone who only ever does short city trips (TDI), drivers without tolerance for MIB3 quirks pre-2022.
Alternatives to consider
If the Audi A6 doesn't suit, these comparable models are worth a look in the UK market:
- →BMW 5 Series G30 common faults
- →Mercedes E-Class W213
- →Volvo S90
Audi A6: questions buyers ask
What are the most common faults on a used Audi A6 in the UK?
The C8 Audi A6 (2018–2024) is mechanically solid but suffers from MIB3 infotainment freezes pre-2022, DPF blockages on short-trip 2.0 TDI diesels, and owner-reported 48V mild-hybrid battery faults. The 2022 facelift fixed the infotainment. Best-buy years: 2022–2024. Worst: 2018.
What is the best year to buy a used Audi A6 in the UK?
Best-buy years: 2022, 2023. The 2022 facelift introduced MIB3 software stabilisation and resolved the infamous infotainment freeze. Build quality is consistent and the 2.0 TDI MHEV is well-sorted.
What years of Audi A6 should I avoid in the UK?
Worst years: 2018. Pre-2022 infotainment freezes are the most reported complaint on owner forums. Software updates helped, but owners of 2018–2019 cars report they never fully resolved it on the hardware those cars shipped with. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2019 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid.
How much does a used Audi A6 cost in the UK in 2026?
What sellers were asking on Autoza on 29 October 2026, for Audi A6 cars registered 2018–2024: £12,990–£25,995, median £18,595 — the range is the middle 80% of asking prices. Those are asking prices, not what buyers paid, and not a UK price index. Prices vary by mileage, region and trim, so compare several adverts of the same year and mileage band before negotiating.
What is the road tax (VED) on a Audi A6 in the UK?
Annual road tax (VED): £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
What real-world fuel economy does a Audi A6 achieve on UK roads?
Typical real-world consumption: 42–49 mpg for 2.0 TDI; 28–33 mpg for 55 TFSI petrol.
How does a Audi A6 compare to its rivals?
Strong alternatives in the UK: BMW 5 Series G30, Mercedes E-Class W213, Volvo S90. Choose based on dealer network in your area, parts availability, and your priorities (running cost vs. cabin quality vs. badge).
Who is the Audi A6 most suitable for?
Buyers prioritising interior quality, long-distance comfort, and quattro all-wheel-drive grip in UK winters.
Who should NOT buy a Audi A6?
Buyers averse to electronics complexity, anyone who only ever does short city trips (TDI), drivers without tolerance for MIB3 quirks pre-2022.
Are there safety recalls on the Audi A6?
DVSA lists 3 safety recalls for the Audi A6 that this guide shows or names, the largest first: R/2020/138 (34,982 vehicles in the whole recall, built between 1 June 2017 and 31 March 2020): Moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator; R/2020/265 (11,936 vehicles in the whole recall, built between 10 August 2018 and 11 March 2020): Moisture may enter the belt driven starter-alternator; R/2021/236 (10,089 vehicles in the whole recall, built between 7 November 2019 and 18 February 2021): Rear axle suspension links nuts do not meet specifications. Whether a particular car is affected depends on its build date and VIN, so check its registration on GOV.UK (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy.
Is the DPF blockage (2.0 TDI on short trips) on the Audi A6 a serious problem?
Owner-reported, frequency unknown: DPF blockage (2.0 TDI on short trips) comes up in owner forums and workshop reports for the Audi A6, but how often it happens is not known, so treat it as a question to ask rather than a fault every car has. Symptoms: Limp mode warning; engine warning light; "DPF full" message. Years affected: All TDI variants. Mileage-independent — driving pattern matters more. Indicative repair cost in the UK: £450–£900 forced regeneration + drive cycle; £1,800+ if DPF replacement. What to check before buying: Avoid TDI variants that have only ever done short city trips. Ask about typical journey length. Look for forced-regen events in service history.
Check these next
The guide above is about the Audi A6 as a model. These are about the car in front of you.
- Browse Audi A6 listings on AutozaEvery one listed now.
- Check any car by its registrationFree: its MOT history, tax status and any open recall, from a number plate.
- Work out the road tax for the A6Vehicle tax (VED) by registration date, CO2 and list price.
- Work out the monthly payment on a £18,595 A6The median asking price on Autoza on 29 October 2026, not what buyers pay: change it to the car you are looking at.
- What is your A6 worth?A price range from dealers' asking prices for comparable cars.
Looking to buy a Audi A6 in the UK?
Search Autoza listings filtered by year, mileage, and region. Every dealer page shows the business name, address and contact details, so you can check the business before you enquire.