2015 Audi S6

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
20 mpgcombined; city 17, highway 27; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$20,120U.S. average; Ohio $18,960 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
2over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
5filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 S6. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine3100
Electrical system1000
Fuel/propulsion system1100
Steering1000
Suspension1000
Unknown or other1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 20071
  2. 20082
  3. 20090
  4. 20101
  5. 20110
  6. 201342
  7. 201420
  8. 20155
  9. 201619
  10. 20175
  11. 20184
  12. 20202
  13. 20210
  14. 20224
  15. 20230
  16. 20240
  17. 20254

Every S6 year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2015 S6 over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Engine and engine cooling: engine

NHTSA campaign 22V178000 · reported Mar 23, 2022 · 26,093 vehicles potentially affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2013-2017 A8, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, and 2014-2017 RS7 vehicles. The turbocharger oil supply strainer can become blocked, causing wear to the bearings due to lack of lubrication.

Risk: Worn bearings can cause the turbine wheel to contact the turbocharger housing or cause the shaft to break, causing an engine stall and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the oil strainer and perform an oil change, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 21H7.

NHTSA's record and documents

Air bags: sensor

NHTSA campaign 18V370000 · reported Jun 4, 2018 · 139,249 vehicles potentially affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.

Risk: If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 715 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2015 S6, the latest on Sep 25, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: equipment (220), electrical system (130), engine and engine cooling (84), unknown or other (60), service brakes (44).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Engineering analysis EA22001
Engine Stall - Turbo Failure		Engine and engine coolingApr 4, 2022Closed May 26, 2023
upgraded from PE21009
NHTSA's summary names recall 22V178000
NHTSA's record and documents
Preliminary evaluation PE21009
Engine Stall - Turbo Failure		Engine and engine coolingMar 29, 2021Closed May 27, 2022
Upgraded to an engineering analysis
NHTSA's file lists recall 22V178000 with it
NHTSA's record and documents

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2015 S6.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
S6
All-Wheel Drive		4.0 L, 8 cyl, turboAutomatic (AM-S7)Premium Gasoline17 / 27 / 20

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data