2003 Audi RS6: complaints, problems and recalls

ON STAR SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY INSTALLED DIFFERENT BATTERY. IT WORKED FINE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THEN THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. IT HAS HAPPENED FIVE (5) TIMES. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO(2) DIFFERENT DEALERS. AUDI OF ROCHESTER HILLS;45411 DEQUINDRE ROAD; ROCHESTER HILLS, MI 48307; [phone removed]. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10074187 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE HAS ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. BEEN IN SHOP 4 TIMES; PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. VERIFIED BY 2 DEALERS. COMPANY REFUSES TO MAKE GOOD ON WARRANTY ITEMS. REPLACED 4 TIRES; PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10078750 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SUSPENSION WAS NOT PRESSURIZED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE LEANS DURING TURNS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SUSPENSION, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 7/18/2006 - *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160248 at NHTSA ↗

2003 AUDI RS6 - SUSPENSION FAILURE - SYSTEM LEAKED HYDRAULIC FLUID RESULTING IN A VERY UNSTABLE RIDE. REPAIR ATTEMPTED BY AUDI MANY TIMES FROM JAN TO JUNE, AND AFTER TOO MUCH LEG WORK ON MY PART THEY ALMOST FIXED IT. THE CAR IS BETTER, BUT NOT NORMAL, AND THIS HAS AFFECTED MANY RS6'S, AND IS A VERY DANGEROUS SYSTEM FAILURE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160259 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A FAMILY VACATION TO NASHVILLE TN FROM MILWAUKEE, AND I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS VERY BOUNCY. I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE EXTRA WEIGHT OF THE LUGGAGE IN THE TRUNK, BUT AS THE VACATION WENT ON, THE BOUNCE GOT WORSE. BY THE TIME WE WERE HEADED BACK TO MILWAUKEE, THE BOUNCE WAS SO BAD, THAT THE CAR WOULD LOSE CONTROL WHILE GOING OVER ROUGH HIGHWAY. WE TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, AND WERE TOLD THAT THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAD A LEAK IN ONE OF THE REAR SHOCKS. HOWEVER,…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160308 at NHTSA ↗

FAILURE OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM, YIELDING ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF THE VEHICLE OVER BUMPS AND DEPRESSIONS. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A SYSTEM CALLED "DYNAMIC RIDE CONTROL" (AKA DRC) WHICH IS A FLUID-FILLED SYSTEM TO CONTROL SHOCK ABSORBER MOVEMENTS, BUT THE SHOCKS LEAK THE FLUID RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AS DESIGNED TO PERFORM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 27,265 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163499 at NHTSA ↗

FAILURE OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM OF THE 2003 AUDI RS6, FEBRUARY 2006, THE REPAIR TOOK 3 MONTHSED AND THE CAR WAS STILL NOT BACK TO NORMAL. AUDI CLAIMS THIS PROBLEM WITH LEAKAGE FROM THE DRC SYSTEM WAS RARE, BUT IN FACTWAS BECOMING QUITE COMMON. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10193484 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRC (DYNAMIC RIDE CONTROL) SUSPENSION ON THE 2003 AUDI RS6 HAS FAILED TWICE. THE ONLY SYMPTOM WAS A BANGING UNDERCARRIAGE RATTLE, BUT OTHERS HAD HANDLING PROBLEMS. DRC FAILURE WAS RAMPANT AS A SUBJECT FOR THREADS ON OWNER FORUMS, AND IT WAS THE SUBJECT OF AN ARTICLE IN THE MARCH ISSUE OF AUTOMETRIX, A BRITISH PUBLICATION, THE FIRST PAGE OF WHICH COULD BE FOUND HERE: HTTP://WWW.RS6.COM/FORUM/ATTACHMENT.PHP? *AKATTACHMENTID=5172&D=1181644759. SINCE THE DRC FAILURES OCCURRED AT 32,000 AND 50,000 MILES I EXPECTED MORE FAILURES …

Owner-reported narrative. 32,775 miles reported. Look up ODI 10193506 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-03-18 (March 18, 2004)

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.

Consequence: A FIRE COULD ORIGINATE IN THE LEFT DASHBOARD AREA.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVERING ON THE KNEE BOLSTER (CRASH ELEMENT). IN ADDITION, THE WIRING HARNESS AS WELL AS THE FELT PROTECTOR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD CARRIER WILL BE CHECKED, AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 26, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.

Reported: 2011-05-03 (May 3, 2011)

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 AUDI A6, MODEL YEAR 2002-2003 S6 AND MODEL YEAR 2003 RS6 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.2L ENGINES AND MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 19, 2001, THROUGH JUNE 8, 2004. THE AGING OF THE PLASTIC MATERIAL IN THE FUEL TANK ROLLOVER VALVE COMBINED WITH BENDING STRESS FROM THE ALUMINUM VENTILATION LINE TO THE ROLLOVER VALVE NIPPLE MAY LEAD TO CRACKING OF THE NIPPLE. IF THIS HAPPENS, A FUEL LEAK MAY RESULT.

Consequence: A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE NIPPLE ON THE ROLLOVER VALVE TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OR REPAIR THE CRACKING AT THE NIPPLE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.