RoadVitals

2009 Audi R8

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.
6
Latest Jul 15, 2019
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.
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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.
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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.
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Overview

Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2009 Audi R8, most frequently naming the body & structure, suspension and engine categories. 428 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

  • Body & structure240.0%
  • Suspension240.0%
  • Engine120.0%

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

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

Body & structure
Filed Jul 15, 2019

FOR THE YEARS 2008-2010 AUDI R8 MODELS ARE PRONE TO EXPERIENCING STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE FRAME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO . I SAW THE PREVIOUS RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER REPAIRED TO GET THE REENFORCED FRAME STRUCTURE. I HAVEN'T BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND NOW I'M FINDING OUT THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOTED AS FRAME DAMAGE. SHOULDN'T AUDI/VOLKSWAGEN TAKE CARE OF THIS ESPECIALLY WITH THE HISTORY OF COMMON COMPLAINTS . I ONLY FOUND THIS OUT WHEN MY AUDI SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME OF THE CRACKED FRAME MEANWHILE DOING ROUTINE SERVICE OF THE BRAKE FLUID . THEY SENT ME A MESSAGE SAYING THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED A MAJOR ISSUE AND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR IS BREAKING OFF AND NEAR SEPARATION.

NHTSA ID
11231859
Incident
Jul 9, 2019
Mileage
36,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 2, 2017

I WAS DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, HIT A POT HOLE. NOT A HUGE POTHOLE BUT JARRED THE CAR. AGAIN, UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHEN THE CAR WAS ON THE LIFT TO REPLACE THE LEAKING SUSPENSION THAT PLAGUES THESE CARS I FOUND THE FRAME OF THE CAR HAD SEVERE CRACKS IN IT. STRUCTURAL CRACKS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10949107
Incident
Jan 14, 2017
Mileage
43,000 mi
Filed Feb 2, 2017

THE 2008 THROUGH 2010 MODELS ARE PRONE TO EXPERIENCING STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE FRAME (I.E. CRACKING) NEAR THE FRONT STRUT TOWER. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO AFFECT A LARGE NUMBER OF R8S MANUFACTURED DURING THIS PERIOD AND PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. AUDI HAS TACITLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE BEING FROM A DESIGN FLAW BY REINFORCING THE FRAME IN THAT AREA ON 2011 AND SUBSEQUENT MODELS. I AM FRANKLY SURPRISED HAS NOT BEEN ACTION TO FORCE AUDI TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM ON THESE MODELS BY THE NHTSA ALREADY. HERE IS A LINK TO A DISCUSSION OF THE PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.R8TALK.COM/FORUMS/60-MAINTENANCE-SERVICE/10169-STRUCTURAL-FAILURE-WARNING-8.HTML

NHTSA ID
10949093
Incident
Feb 2, 2017
Suspension
Filed Jan 7, 2016

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. OWNERS WERE OFFERED BY AUDI REPLACEMENT IMPROVED SHOCK OR REIMBURSE THEM IF THEY HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THEM EVEN IF OUT OF WARRANTY. THOSE OWNERS AND R8 OWNERS WERE WORRIED ABOUT SUSPENSION FAILURE AGAIN SINCE THE FAULTY SHOCKS ARE PRONE TO FAIL AGAIN SO THEY FELT BEST TO REPLACE THEM WITH OTHER NON MAGNETIC SHOCKS.PRIOR TO THE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WAS ANNOUNCED. SOME OWNERS HAD LEAKING SHOCKS WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY BUT WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. MY R8 HAD 12,000 MILES WHEN ALL THE SHOCKS WERE DISCOVERED TO BE LEAKING. I ONLY DISCOVERED THIS ISSUE WHEN I READ ABOUT THE COMMON ISSUE ON A R8 FORUM. MANY MORE OWNERS THAT ARE NOT PART OF R8 FORUMS WILL NOT KNOW OF THIS COMMON ISSUE. DRIVERS DO NOT EXPECT PREMATURE SUSPENSION FAILURE AND IT IS SAFETY 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 STRUCTURE DAMAGE TO THE CAR SINCE IT IS ABSORBING ALL THE VIBRATIONS. CROSS REFERENCE: NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10036971, 10036488

NHTSA ID
10818728
Incident
Nov 17, 2015
Mileage
12,500 mi
Suspension
Filed Jan 5, 2016

LEAKING MAGNETIC SHOCKS

NHTSA ID
10818100
Incident
Jan 1, 2016
Mileage
29,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 18, 2015

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING A FAILURE ON SECONDARY AIR PORTS. TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT SECONDARY AIR PUMP MOTOR WAS FINE AS WELL AS ALL VACUUM LINES. IT WAS SUSPECTED AFTER INSPECTION OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND TOP CYLINDER HEADS WERE AT FAULT, DUE TO EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD-UP. NO AIR CIRCULATING DUE TO THE DECREASE IN AIR FLOW FROM THE EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD-UP. UPDATED 7/29/15*CN

NHTSA ID
10726127
Incident
Jun 10, 2015
Mileage
18,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

TSB_2070568_6

This bulletin provides information about professional noise analysis with the VAS 611 015 PICO-NVH tool

TSB_2070568_5

This bulletin provides information about professional noise analysis with the VAS 611 015 PICO-NVH tool

TSB_2070568_4

This bulletin provides information about professional noise analysis with the VAS 611 015 PICO-NVH tool

TSB_2075530_2

ENGINE

This bulletin provides informatin when the engine does not run smoothly at idling speeds.

A2724842074729_2

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information in circumstances where there are noises/vibration from front of vehicle in dynamic mode.

A0124482014753_13

ENGINE

This bulletin provides information when the MIL is on; DTCs for misfire, air/fuel ratio imbalance, or lean fuel system stored in the ECM P030000.

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 R8 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2025000—
2024000—
2023000—
2022010—
2021010—
2020100—
2019000—
2018100—
2017000—
2016010—
2015100—
2014000—
2013000—
2012000—
2011000—
2010000—
2009Viewing600—
2008500—
2007000—
2006000—

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.