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#BS-1998-AUDA6-60D0

1998 Audi A6

Based on reports from 158 owners and 10 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

158

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 158 complaints, 12 crashes, 7 fires, and 10 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank AssemblyHIGH

18 owners reported fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly issues — failures commonly reported around 79K miles.

!Inspect the Speed ControlMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

0–30K

30–60K

60–90K

90–120K

120–150K

150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (22 reports) • Median: 79K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly (18 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly18 (11%)

Speed Control11 (7%)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip7 (4%)

Suspension:front:control Arm7 (4%)

Fuel System7 (4%)

Structure:body:bumpers6 (4%)

Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly6 (4%)

Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal5 (3%)

1998 Audi A6: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly Issues

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 1998 Audi A6, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 79,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 79K-mile mark.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1998 Audi A6, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1998 Audi A6, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Suspension:front:control Arm Issues

Suspension:front:control Arm complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1998 Audi A6, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension:front:control arm-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Audi A6. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (10 recalls)

01V157000May 2001

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

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.

04V133000Jul 2004

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

04V495000Oct 2004

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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.

06V198000Dec 2006

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

20V056000Sep 2021

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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.

+ 5 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Audi A6 is the 2000 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1998 Audi A6 vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

158

Class avg

246

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 158 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 10 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Audi A6 Model Years

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994

View all Audi A6 years →

1998 Audi A6: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Audi A6?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Audi A6 is related to the fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly, with 18 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1998 Audi A6 reliable?

The 1998 Audi A6 has 158 complaints, 12 crash reports, and 7 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.

How much does it cost to fix 1998 Audi A6 problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1998 Audi A6 have any recalls?

Yes, the 1998 Audi A6 has 10 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Audi A6 problems start?

Based on 54 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 79,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.