How many recalls does the 1997 Audi A6 have?

2 open NHTSA safety recalls are on record for the 1997 Audi A6, alongside 26 owner complaints.

Home → Audi → A6 → 1997

1997 Audi A6 Recalls & Complaints

open safety recalls on record

Serious

26 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.58 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious97V175000

Air Bags:Frontal

ACTIVATION OF THE AIR BAG UNDER THESE CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND WIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG.

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.

Serious97V115000

Seat Belts:Rear/Other

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, AN IMPROPERLY LOCKING SEAT BELT COULD CAUSE INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTORS MAY NOT LOCK PROPERLY WHEN ENGAGED, OR NOT REMAIN LOCKED AFTER BEING ENGAGED.

Complaint volume

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

Complaints filed	26
Reporting a crash	0
Reporting a fire	5
Injuries reported	0
Deaths reported	0
Severity Index	0.58

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch — 8 reports
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery — 3 reports
Electrical System — 3 reports
Exterior Lighting:Headlights — 1 reports
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator — 1 reports
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner — 1 reports
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood — 1 reports
Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 1 reports
Electrical System:Ignition — 1 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 1 reports

What to do

Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

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

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

From the same data desk

Independent sites, same maintainer, same open-data standards.

TireFit

Is that tyre actually right for your car?

2,808 fitment guides

FuelFacts

What that trip really costs in fuel

Live consumption data

CostCompare

What things cost, city by city

2,123 comparisons