2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v engine: faults and reliability

• 2.4 V6 30v 136-170 hp (ALW, ARN, ASM, APZ, AMM, AJG, AGA, AML, ALF, APS, ARJ, BDV; 1997-2005)

  1997–2005 · 136–170 hp · ALW, ARN, ASM, APZ, AMM, AJG, AGA, AML, ALF, APS, ARJ, BDV

  With caution

  Fiches-auto records 14 reviews of the 170 hp 2.4 V6 A6, with one coil, oil leaks and two catalytic converters replaced at around 190,000 km, and no serious engine faults. These cars are over 20 years old: ask for the invoice for the last belt change (FairGarage gives 120,000 km for the A6 up to 2005).^[2][3]

• 2.8 V6 30v 190-193 hp (ACK, APR, AMX, AQD, ALG, ATQ, BBG; 1996-2006)

  1996–2006 · 190–193 hp · ACK, APR, AMX, AQD, ALG, ATQ, BBG

  With caution

  There are few reviews (4 of the A6 2.8 V6, 5 of the Passat 2.8 V6 and 1 of the Superb on fiches-auto), and a 2006 forum sees it as durable if maintained, with oil leaks as the main complaint. The belt with water pump and thermostat requires a recent invoice: Audi and VW recommend it every 120,000 km.^{[1][3][8][9][10]}

• 3.0 V6 30v 220 hp (ASN, AVK; 2000-2005)

  2000–2005 · 220 hp · ASN, AVK

  With caution

  Fiches-auto records 5 reviews of the A6 3.0 V6 (including six coils replaced at around 85,000 km) and 10 of the 220 hp A4 3.0, with three ignition failures and a piston failure at 220,000 km in a convertible. Data is limited: buy with a test drive and belt invoice.^[3][4]

Buy: No known serious faults, or they have already been corrected, in this version. With caution: Worth buying if something specific is verified: history, a replaced part or a completed campaign. Avoid: High risk of a serious fault that is hard to check for or prevent.

1. 1Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalTimingTiming belt, tensioner and water pump on the 30v V6On the 2.8 V6 30v the water pump is driven by the timing belt. Audi and VW ask for it to be changed every 120,000 km along with the tensioner, rollers, pump and thermostat, and ContiTech warns that critical errors are often made in this job, especially with the tensioner roller.
2. 2Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionFaulty ignition coilsFiches-auto records failed coils on the A6 2.4 V6 and 3.0 V6 (in one case all six at about 85,000 km) and on the A4 3.0 V6; CarWiki lists the coils among the common faults of petrol A6s. Few cases, with no frequency figures.
3. 3Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalCoolingThermostat and water pump leaking or seizedCarWiki lists leaking coolant pumps and seized thermostats among the causes of faults on A6s, and an owner on fiches-auto changed the thermostat after overheating their 2.8 V6 A6. On the 2.8 the pump is driven by the belt, so it is best changed along with it.
4. 4Low severityFrequency: OccasionalLubricationOil leaks and oil consumptionFiches-auto records oil loss on the A6 2.4 V6 (at around 260,000 km) and high consumption on a 2.8 V6 4Motion Passat at 250,000 km, and a 2006 forum calls oil leaks the biggest problem of the 30v 2.8 V6.

Severity colours: low, medium, high, critical. How we rate them

Manufacturer

Grupo Volkswagen

Family

V6 a 90° de cinco válvulas por cilindro (30V)

Fuel

Petrol

Displacement

—

Cylinders

6

Fuel system

Naturally aspirated

Injection

Indirect injection

Timing

Timing belt (dry)

Power

136–220 hp

Peak torque

300 Nm

Production

1996–2006

Makes

Audi, Volkswagen and Škoda

Technical data^[5][6][7]

1. 1996–2006

   2.8 V6 30v 190-193 hp (ACK, APR, AMX, AQD, ALG, ATQ, BBG; 1996-2006)

   2,771 cc V6 at 193 hp (142 kW; ACK, APR, AMX, AQD, ALG and ATQ) and at 190 hp (140 kW; BBG, which according to German Wikipedia was not sold in Germany). The German Wikipedia entry for the A4 B5 places it from the 1996 model year, and the one for the Superb I gives the 193 hp AMX with 280 Nm.^[5][12][18]

2. 1997–2005

   2.4 V6 30v 136-170 hp (ALW, ARN, ASM, APZ, AMM, AJG, AGA, AML, ALF, APS, ARJ, BDV; 1997-2005)

   2,393 cc V6 with intake manifold injection. German Wikipedia lists it in 136 hp (ALW, ARN and ASM), 163 hp (APZ, AMM and AJG), 165 hp (AGA, APS, AML, ALF and ARJ; from April 1997 to May 2001) and 170 hp (BDV, from 2001 to 2005 in the A6). In the A4 B5 it replaced the 12-valve 2.6 V6 from the 1998 model year.^[5][6][18]

3. 2000–2005

   3.0 V6 30v 220 hp (ASN, AVK; 2000-2005)

   2,976 cc V6 with 220 hp (162 kW) at 6,300 rpm and 300 Nm. Wikipedia describes it as a longer-stroke version of the 2.8, with a timing belt and variable intake manifold. It was offered in the A4 B6 (until November 2004 according to German Wikipedia), the A6 C5 (from 2001 to 2005) and the A8 D3 (from July 2003 to May 2005).^{[5][6][14][16]}

• Timing kit

  • Buy part at Autodoc (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)

• Oil filter

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• Air filter

  • Buy part at Autodoc (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)

• Spark plugs

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