Audi S8 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 36 consumer complaints across the 5 model years of the Audi S8 (2008–2016) that have at least 5 complaints. 2013 has the most, with 13. Across all years, the part named most often is engine (18 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All S8 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 | 37,500 | 3 | 642 | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 6 | 50,400 | 4 | 689 | — | Not enough data |
| 2014 | 6 | 58,000 | 5 | 655 | — | Not enough data |
| 2013 | 13 | 70,500 | 5 | 807 | — | Not enough data |
| 2008 | 5 | 127,000 | 1 | 201 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine18 46%
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)5 13%
- Other or unknown4 10%
- Transmission and drivetrain3 7.7%
- Fuel system3 7.7%
- Vehicle speed control2 5.1%
- Engine cooling2 5.1%
- Brakes2 5.1%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2015: “I was driving at highway speed when the engine suddenly started to shudder and lose power. The check engine light immediately started to flash and the engine stalled. I was stopped in a busy highway during rush hour. I eventually got the car to a safe location and pulled the turbo air intake to inspect the turbo with a borescope. The bank 1 turbo had damaged itself. This should not happen on a car with only 50,000 miles.”
NHTSA complaint #11092001, filed 2018-05, 50,000 miles2013: “While on the highway, I noticed that the car was not picking up appropriate speed when accelerating. There was no prior notice or engine lights or any abnormalities with the vehicle prior to this. I decided to pull off the highway at a rest area and as the car was slowed down around 15-20 MPH, I lost total power of the vehicle and was unable to steer or use the brakes. Luckily the car was able to coast to a stop without injury but was extremely frightening with my family in the vehicle. …”
NHTSA complaint #11391037, filed 2021-02, 80,000 miles2016: “I started the car last friday, 11/15/2019 and got a bunch of system errors popping up one right after the other. I drove the car to get to a safe parking spot and noticed the steering wheel totally off center about 70 degrees counter clockwise. I am not sure if the two (accident/calibration and the faults) connected or if this is just a coincidence. I did not take any notes of the faults at that time because I didn't have my phone or anything to write with. Now, today, I started to drive home from work and was doing about 60 MPH and the same thing happened. …”
NHTSA complaint #11282013, filed 2019-11, 37,500 milesOther Audi models
2,893 complaintsAudi A6
1,653 complaintsAudi Q5
1,348 complaintsAudi Q7
1,052 complaintsAudi A3
727 complaintsAudi S4
577 complaintsAudi A5
324 complaintsAudi TT
306 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology