IllustrationVEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH IGNITION SWITCH AS STATED IN RECALL 96 V 017 000. BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
1996 Audi A6
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Audi A6 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 35.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all A6 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
225–50K
350–75K
275–100K
12100–150K
1150K+
21 reports with mileage · 30 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Equipment. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
51 reportsNHTSA#96-V-017-000: DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND CAN CAUSE SOME ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES TO MALFUNCTION. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO THE VIN. *AK
CONSUMER STATED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS RECALL#96V01700 IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. TS
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
CONSUMER STATES THAT HIS IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY CAUSING TURN SIGNALS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT TO WORK.*JB
IGNITION SWITCH WOULD FAIL TO GO INTO ORIGINAL POSITION. ALL THE ACCESORIES WOULD BECOME INOPERATIVE. STARTER WAS ALSO AFFECTED BY THIS FAILURE MAKING A GRINDING NOISE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
MFR# KB & NHTSA# 96 V 017 000/IGNITION SWITCH: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MALFUNCTION OF VARIOUS ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES, SUCH AS THE HEAD LIGHT, AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD OCCUR WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH IGNITION SWITCH AS MENTIONED IN RECALL 96/V/017/000. BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK JLG
ORGINIAL OWNER HAD RECALL DONE FOR IGNITION SWITCH. PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK WITHOUT WARNING, THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD SOMETIMES STICK AND KEEP THE STARTER ENGAGED. OTHER TIMES, THE A/C, RADIO AND LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO ON ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. CONSUMER HAD TO MANUALLY SET THE KEY IN A POSITION THAT WOULD TURN THE IT…
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ORGINIAL OWNER HAD RECALL DONE FOR IGNITION SWITCH. PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK WITHOUT WARNING, THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD SOMETIMES STICK AND KEEP THE STARTER ENGAGED. OTHER TIMES, THE A/C, RADIO AND LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO ON ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. CONSUMER HAD TO MANUALLY SET THE KEY IN A POSITION THAT WOULD TURN THE ITEMS ON. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DRIVING OVER A BUMP WOULD TURN ALL ELECTIRCAL ITEMS OFF. *TT
THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT TURN BACK TO "MOTOR" POSITION AFTER ENGAGING THE STARTER. THE INTERNAL SPRING (FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH), IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. ANYTIME I START THE CAR I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL TO ROTATE THE KEY IN THE MOTOR POSITION; IF I DO NOT DO THIS, THE STARTER REMAINS ENGAGED AFTER THE ENGINE IS ON.I HAVE…
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THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT TURN BACK TO "MOTOR" POSITION AFTER ENGAGING THE STARTER. THE INTERNAL SPRING (FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH), IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. ANYTIME I START THE CAR I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL TO ROTATE THE KEY IN THE MOTOR POSITION; IF I DO NOT DO THIS, THE STARTER REMAINS ENGAGED AFTER THE ENGINE IS ON.I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER (AUDI/PORSCHE IN MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS OH 44130) TO REPLACE THE SWITCH AS A RECALL, BUT I AS TOLD THE RECALL IS ONLY FOR CARS OLDER THAN 1996. *AK
Official recalls
297V175000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 8, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DISCHARGE OF STATIC ELECTRICITY UNDER LOW HUMIDITY CONDITIONS CAN ACTIVATE THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WHEN THE DRIVER ENTERS OR EXITS THE VEHICLE AND FORMS AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BY TOUCHING CERTAIN AREAS OF THE STEERING WHEEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: ACTIVATION OF THE AIR BAG UNDER THESE CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND WIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG.
96V017000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Jan 29, 1996
DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND CAN CAUSE SOME ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES TO MALFUNCTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SOME ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES, SUCH AS, TURN SIGNALS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, LAMPS, POWER WIND0WS AND AIR CONDITIONERS CAN MALFUNCTION WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.