Audi A8
Owners filed 252 complaints across 32 model years of the Audi A8. The 2013 drew the most (49); the 2026 the fewest (0).
Model years32
Complaints252
Recalls81
Fires6
Deaths0
Every Audi A8 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2025 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2024 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2023 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2022 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2021 | 5 | 10 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2020 | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2019 | 14 | 3 | — | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2018 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2017 | 8 | 3 | — | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2016 | 11 | 4 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2015 | 31 | 5 | — | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2014 | 18 | 5 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2013 | 49 | 6 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2012 | 11 | 1 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2011 | 15 | 1 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2010 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Visibility | Routine | |
| 2009 | 5 | 1 | — | 1 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine | Routine | |
| 2008 | 8 | 1 | — | 2 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2007 | 4 | 2 | — | — | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 2006 | 6 | 2 | — | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 2005 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 2004 | 20 | 1 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 | — | — | Exterior Lighting | Routine | |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Routine | |
| 2001 | 6 | 2 | — | 1 | Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal | Routine | |
| 2000 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | Tires › Bead | Routine | |
| 1999 | 9 | 4 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 1998 | 4 | 3 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 1997 | 10 | 2 | — | 1 | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 1996 | 1 | 2 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor | Routine | |
| 1995 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine |
Which Audi A8 years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2013 is the weakest year on record, with 49 complaints concentrated in the engine. It carries 6 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.