1997 Audi A8 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Audi A8, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Transmission325.0%
- Driver assistance216.7%
- Brakes216.7%
- Other / unspecified18.3%
- Powertrain (other)18.3%
- Electrical18.3%
- Body & structure18.3%
- Airbags18.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A TERRIBLE NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER FEELS TRANSMISSION HAS A DEFECT.*JB
TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE CAUSING LOUD HUMMING NOISE FROM ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER'S 1997 AUDI A8 QUATTRO ACCELERATED SUDDENLY. *NM *NM
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES TO PARK THIS VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AFTER BEING WEDGED IN BETWEEN TWO PARKED VEHICLES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE CAUSING LOUD HUMMING NOISE FROM ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. NLM
BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE AT A RED LIGHT. CONSUMER HAS TO KEEP PUSHING BRAKES. TOOK TO DEALER 4 TIMES, AND EVERYTIME DEALER SAID ROTORS WERE DAMAGED. CONSUMER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 10000 MILES. *AK THE VEHICLE MAKER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE A8 ROTORS WEAR QUICKLY. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY 1997 AUDI A8 IS EQUIPPED WITH A VEHICLE JACK THAT IS GROSSLY INADEQUATE FOR CHANGING A TIRE AND IS HAZARDOUS TO ANYONE USING IT-- IT IS PRONE TO COLLAPSE. MANY USERS OF THIS JACK HAVE EXPERIENCED COLLAPSE, AND AUDI DOES NOT CARE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE WANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE ODOMETER "ROLLBACK" (CHANGING FROM KILOMETERS TO MILES). DOES THIS CONSTITUTE ODOMETER FRAUD IF STICKER WAS NOT ON THE DOOR WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE? WE WANT TO KNOW IF ALL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS WERE MET FOR IMPORTATION TO THE U. S. FROM MEXICO IN 1999. AND WERE ALL TAXES AND/OR PENALTIES PAID IN FULL? ALSO WERE ALL DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS COMPLIED WITH? VEHICLE ID NUMBER IS NOT ON THE DASH ON LEFT-HAND SIDE, VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE IGNITION SWITCH IN MY 1997 AUDI A8 FAILED INTERNALLY AND WAS DISABLED IN IT'S ABILITY TO SPRING BACK FROM THE START POSITION. WITH THE SWITCH CONTACTS IN A POSITION BETWEEN START AND RUN, NONE OF THE ELECTRICAL AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT WILL OPERATE. THIS INCLUDES THE HEADLIGHTS / TAILLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS , WIPERS AND OTHER SYSTEMS. THIS CONDITION CAN ALSO ALLOW THE STARTER TO REMAIN ENGAGED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. IN THIS INSTANCE, THIS OCCURRED THE FIRST TIME AT NIGHT WITH MY WIFE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS FAILURE REPRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVILED THAT THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED ON OTHER AUDI MODELS. THE NHTSA HAS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED RECALLS ON THE 1997 A6 (00V317000) AND 1996 A4 (96V017000) MODELS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. I CONTACTED AUDI USA CUSTOMER SERVICE (REPS. NAME- MEGAN) AND ENTERED A COMPLAINT - CASE#30325223 THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED BY AUDI USA THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED BY THE AUDI DEALER AT A COST OF $535.00 FULLY CHARGED TO ME. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE WAS PULLING OUT IN REVERSE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BUMPER GOT CAUGHT ON SOMETHING AND RIPPED OUT COMPLETELY. CONSUMER ANTICIPATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TOO LOW, AND HAD INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY 1997 AUDI A8 HAS AIR BAG LIGHT DISPLAY IN THE CENTER OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ON A RECENT VISIT TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THEY HAVE RESET THE FAULT CODE. WHEREVER, SOON AFTER THAT THE WARNING LIGHT CAME UP AGAIN AND STAY ON NOW. I SEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND OUT THERE WERE MANY OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE ON THE 1997-2000 MODEL YEAR OF THE A8. I READ THE OWNER'S MANUEL, AND IT SAYS IF THE AIR BAG WARNING IS ON, WHEN COLLISION OCCURS, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG WILL BECOME DEACTIVATED (I.E. FRONTAL AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF A FRONTAL CRASH.) SINCE THE AIR BAG IS A VITAL SAFETY SYSTEM, I'D STRONGLY SUGGEST TO YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS FAILURE. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .