2008 Audi R8 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 2008 Audi R8, 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
- Suspension480.0%
- Body & structure120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD SHOCK FAILURE RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY (VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION), LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS MATTER WAS DUE TO A KNOWN ISSUE OF AUDI'S LEAKING MAGNETIC SHOCKS THAT HAS BEEN A CONCERN FOR 2008-2010 MODELS WITH A "MAGNETIC RIDE SUSPENSION" AS PER MASTER AUDI SERVICE TECHNICIANS. PLEASE SEE OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE: 2008 AUDI R8 = HTTP://GOO.GL/A1OIUN 2009 AUDI R8 = HTTP://GOO.GL/3P75JI ACTION CSC-10036971-4658 = HTTP://GOO.GL/Y5HLCG ACTION CSC-10036488-9645 = HTTP://GOO.GL/14VAW3 THE MAGNETIC RIDE SHOCKS WILL PREMATURELY LEAK OIL WHICH LEADS TO SUSPENSION FAILURE. PART OF THE FUNCTION IS TO STIFFEN THE SUSPENSION IF SWITCHED INTO SPORT MODE BUT THE LACK OF OIL FLUID WILL PREVENT IT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. A SIMILAR ISSUE OCCURRED WITH AUDI RS4 AND RS4 LEAKING SHOCKS. I DISCOVERED THIS ISSUE WHEN I READ ABOUT THE COMMON ISSUE ON NHTSA. MANY MORE OWNERS WILL NOT KNOW OF THIS COMMON ISSUE. DRIVERS DO NOT EXPECT PREMATURE SUSPENSION FAILURE AND IT IS A SAFETY & HAZARD ISSUE. UNKNOWING OWNERS WOULD EXPECT THE SHOCKS TO NOT FAIL AND CAN SAFELY GO OVER BUMPS OR POT HOLES WITHOUT POSSIBLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR. MOREOVER, FAILED SHOCKS COULD CAUSE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR SINCE IT IS ABSORBING ALL THE VIBRATIONS. CROSS REFERENCE: NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10036971, 10036488
WITH JUST 20K MILES AND GENTLE DRIVING, THE MAGNETIC RIDE SHOCKS ARE NOW CLUNKING AND FAILING. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS ON ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERFORMANCE VEHICLES MADE IN THE UNIVERSE. AUDI AND VW NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS, AND UP TO NOW THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING- WHICH IS NO SURPRISE WITH THE ETHICS THAT THEY ARE KNOWN FOR.
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
FRAME CRACK AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. NO ACCIDENTS. NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. FRAME SHOULD NEVER CRACK UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND AUDI FAILED TO ADDRESS IT. I'M AN ATTORNEY. I WILL BE FILING A LAWSUIT.
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 .