RoadVitals

2011 Audi A8

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Sep 21, 2025
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Aug 24, 2016
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Audi A8, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and suspension categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 981 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine1050.0%
  • Electrical420.0%
  • Suspension315.0%
  • Body & structure15.0%
  • Fuel system15.0%
  • Powertrain (other)15.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
16V619000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Aug 24, 2016
9,067 units potentially affected
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Audi A8 vehicles manufactured May 15, 2010, to May 14, 2012. The affected vehicles have a coolant valve that may leak, allowing coolant to enter the engine control module causing a loss of power or the engine to stall.
The risk: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the coolant valve and inspect for coolant that has leaked through the electrical connector, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 19, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number 80B9View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 15
Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2025

The coolant is leaking out and onto engine. My safety was at Risk due to the car overheating and smoking. This is a on going problem that many AUDI’s had a recall for except mines. Yes the vehicle was inspected and the warning that came up was “coolant level low turn off engine”

NHTSA ID
11688719
Incident
Sep 19, 2025
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 4, 2023

ECU starting to malfunction as a coolant leak valve is leaking into it. There is a recall for these models but not for my specific car but I do believe my car is affected because my car has a coolant leak that I personally can’t find and my car was just worked on by Audi Indianapolis and they did not see any coolant leaks either. It was mentioned to me by another Audi A8 owner and it’s making sense to me as the way everything began to fail on my car until I detached the battery and attached it back it worked fine but sometimes the ECU will begin to fail for Adaptive Cruise Control randomly, then it will work again. These are symptoms of coolant leaking and affecting the ECU, and I can’t afford to pay for that to be fixed because it would cost more than what the car is worth but I would like to see if my car was affected by this recall because i genuinely believe this is what is happening

NHTSA ID
11558252
Incident
Dec 1, 2023
EngineSuspension
Filed Jan 12, 2022

AUDI A8 HAS BEEN USING LARGE AMOUNT OF COOLANT. HOWEVER, ITS NOT RUNNING OUT THE CAR. YET IM STEADY BUYING COOLANT BECAUSE ITS SAYING ITS LOW. AND WHEN I GO TO PUT THE COOLANT IN MY CAR IT IS LOW. SO WHERE IS THE COOLANT GOING? IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE MY COOLANT WAS GOING OR WHY WAS IT CALLING FOR SO MUCH I DID SOME AUDI RESEARCH ON MY VEHICLE AND SAW THAT IT HAD A PRIOR RECALL. I PURCHASED THIS CAR OVER A YEAR AGO AND THE DEALERSHIP DIDNT ALERT ME OF ANY RECALLS. I DONT THINK MY RECALL WAS FIXED. ALSO THERES BEEN A LOUND NOISE ON MY SUSPENSION IN THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE ON THE RIGHT. I SEE AUDI HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE. THE CAR WITH ARROWS FOR MY SUSPENSION STAYS ON. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP TO GET IT DIAGNOSED. THEY CUT THE LIGHTS OFF FROM THE DASH BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON. ACCORDING TO THE FORUMS IVE READ THESE ISSUES ON MY AUDI ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. THERE WERE NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. I AM REALLY AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE BECAUSE I DONT KNNOW WHAT OR WHEN IF IT WILL STALL OUT ON ME IN TRAFFIC OR WORSE.

NHTSA ID
11447239
Incident
Jan 12, 2022
Engine
Filed Jun 10, 2021

The contact owns a 2011 AUDI A8. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the camshaft and timing chain failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.

NHTSA ID
11420382
Incident
Jun 10, 2019
Mileage
67,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 7, 2020

RUST, CORROSION THAT MAY DETACH FROM BODY OR FRAME COMPONENTS OR OTHER STRUCTUAL COMPONENTS THAT MAY PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ID
11316805
Incident
Oct 28, 2019
Mileage
96,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 4, 2019

TAKATA RECALL COOLANT FAILER AND MOTOR

NHTSA ID
11174292
Incident
Feb 3, 2019
Mileage
93,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 31, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A8. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUDI OF FAIRFIELD (435 COMMERCE DR, FAIRFIELD, CT 06825, (203) 951-6570) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PLUG WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA ID
11114786
Incident
Jun 16, 2018
Mileage
66,000 mi
Filed Nov 30, 2017

THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM CONTINUOUSLY DISPLAYS A LOCATION WHERE I AM NOT LOCATED. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY, MANY TIMES. IT CAN OCCUR RANDOMLY OR AT STARTUP. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR WHICH I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL AUDI BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUE, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SAID OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE CAME IN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. THIS ISSUE IS ALSO WIDELY DOCUMENTED ON AUDI FORUMS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE GPS MAP LOST SIGNAL. ON OTHER OCCASIONS THE GPS MAP WOULD NOT PICK UP MY LOCATION. THIS HAPPENS THE MOST. IT HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE I WAS AT LOCATIONS WHERE I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH AND WAS RELIANT ON MY VEHICLE'S GPS. THE GPS ISSUES BEING EXPERIENCED HAVE CREATED MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN HEAVILY DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING AND NOTICING THAT THE GPS HAS LOST SIGNAL. I ALMOST HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT AND HAVE HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE OF IT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AUDI NEEDS TO ADDRESS.

NHTSA ID
11051393
Incident
Nov 23, 2015
Mileage
75,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB_2082846_1

This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00.

TSB_2073282_1

STRUCTURE:BODY

This bulletin provides information when there is a film/visible rings on the clear glass cover of the headlight when the dipped beam is switched on.

TSB_2074729_3

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides informationwhen noises/vibration are detected from front of vehicle in dynamic mode.

TSB_2059335_7

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information when there are noises from the area around the instrument cluster.

TSB_2082054_1

POWER TRAIN

This bulleitn provides information when there is a delayed accelerator response.

TSB_2082323_1

ENGINE

This bulletin provides informaiton when the engine is not running smoothly, misfiring.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Audi A8 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026010—
2025010—
2024020—
2023020—
2022030—
20215100—
2020350—
2019143054.2
2018020—
2017830—
2016114255.5
2015315254.5
2014185249.2
2013496255.9
2012111030.2
2011Viewing151039.6
2010110—
2009510—
2008810—
2007420—
2006620—
2005610—
2004201038.9
2003310—
2002110—
2001620—
2000320—
1999940—
1998430—
1997102046.1
1996120—
1995010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.