2003 Audi RS6 problems & reliability
43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Audi RS6, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2003 Audi RS6 vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension → | 31 | 72% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 12% |
| Power Train | 3 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 2% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 2% |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% |
| Tires | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 40 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 44,500 miles (middle 50% between 31,831 and 56,289 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2003 Audi RS6. The contact stated that after adding fuel to the vehicle, he noticed that fuel had leaked, and there was a puddle of fuel on the ground on the rear driver's side of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred routinely when…”
Fuel System, Other · filed Jul 25, 2023
“This was not a blizzak lm-25. It was a blizzak lm-60. Twice within a year, I've had my rear tire tread completely separate from the beads, splitting all the way around on the inner and outer sidewalls. The first time was on the passenger rear while driving on the freeway at 75 mph. It blew off and went rolling beside…”
Tires · filed Dec 13, 2018
“Fuel tank leak from tip over valve. There is a recall on it. Audi recall 20l8/jy was performed on 5/16/2012. But the valve started leaking again recently. I called audi of america (aoa) they had me take the car to austin north audi dealer for confirmation and taking photos. After the dealer confirmation they denied my…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Dec 27, 2017
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
52 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Audi RS6. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information on the additional reporting requirements for safety related inquiries.
A0023742052680_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 4, 2023
This informational bulletin explains how to order replacement VIN plates, Safety Certification Labels, etc.
A0021482021205_6 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2021
This informational bulletin contains technical information for when there is condensation visible on the inside of the headlight, taillight, fog light, side marker light, front turn signal, daytime running lights…
A941791 2012749- · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 31, 2017
This special notice is to inform dealers to return all part numbers listed in the document and order the superseded part numbers going forward.
SM 44-2017 EN · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 28, 2017
This informational bulletin contains all the the Audi Oil Quality Standards that should be used when doing an oil change.
A171782 2010043- · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 10, 2017
Due to increasing requests for high voltage personal protective equipment (HVE PPE) for dealer technicians working with high voltage vehicles (Hybrid, Plugin Hybrid, Electric Vehicle), the Volkswagen Tools and Equipment…
ATE-17-05 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 3, 2017
This information TSB provides information regarding the correct way to torque adjust a wheel bolt.
A441662 2010334- · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 19, 2016
Audi: engine, on some vehicles, would run irregularly or have malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on or possible filter element for camshaft adjustment valve can loosen and in oil circuit, there is no damage from loosened…
SB-01-15-29 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2015
High quality media files (video and sound) are now integrated into technical service bulletins on a case-by-case basis. Media files can now be viewed on any smartphone or tablet.
00147020392061 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 10, 2014
High quality media files (video and sound) are now integrated into technical service bulletins on a case-by-case basis. Media files can now be viewed on any smartphone or tablet.
00147020392061 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 10, 2014
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2003 Audi RS6 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2003 Audi RS6?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 44,500 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.