CSR

Audi · NHTSA safety record

2016 Audi A8

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

11

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2016 Audi A8 have filed 11 safety complaints with NHTSA between June 2016 and October 2025. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 5 of them (45%). The typical failure was reported at 43,500 miles, the median across the 4 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

22V178000 · March 23, 2022

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2013-2017 A8, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, and 2014-2017 RS7 vehicles. The turbocharger oil supply strainer can become blocked, causing wear to the bearings due to lack of lubrication.
The risk
Worn bearings can cause the turbine wheel to contact the turbocharger housing or cause the shaft to break, causing an engine stall and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the oil strainer and perform an oil change, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 21H7.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 26,093 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

20V397000 · July 7, 2020

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S8 and A8 vehicles. The seal around the engine compartment may come loose and contact hot engine components.
The risk
If the seal contacts hot engine components, there could be an increased risk of a fire.
The remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install a retaining plate to prevent the engine compartment seal from loosening. The recall began September 4, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 51G6.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 12,964 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

19V057000 · January 28, 2019

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A8 and S8 vehicles. The fuel supply line for the high pressure fuel pump may become porous and leak fuel.
The risk
Leaking fuel, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of fire.
The remedy
Audi has notified owners, and dealers will install a fuel pressure damper, free of charge. The recall began February 21, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20BM.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 8,985 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

19V035000 · January 16, 2019

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Q7, A6 and A7 vehicles, and 2015-2018 Audi A8 vehicles. The left and right fuel rails may leak fuel.
The risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase risk of a fire.
The remedy
Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the left and right fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 24DP.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 74,881 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (2)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Engine Stall - Turbo Failure

EA22001

Closed engineering analysis · opened April 4, 2022 · closed May 26, 2023

the engine and its cooling

On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE 21-009) after the agency received 58 reports alleging engine stalling in 2013-2016MY Audi vehicle models A8, S6, S7, S8 & RS7 equipped with the 4.0L, twin-turbocharged engine. Complainants reported the vehicles would stall with no warning while driving at highway or city traffic speeds. Several of the complainants alleged an inability to restart. The complaints alleged the major contributing factor to the engine stalling was the failure of the turbochargers. The complaints cited the turbocharger failure was a result of oil starvation due to a clogged oil strainer in the turbocharger oil supply line.The location of the oil strainer in the turbocharger oil supply line is in the inner valley of the engine. It is not easily accessible, making servicing the component difficult. The oil strainer removes particles and carbon deposits from the oil before lubricating the turbochargers. Over time, if the debris is not removed from the oil strainer, it becomes clogged and prevents oil from flowing to the turbochargers. This causes the turbine bushings to run dry and overheat resulting in turbine shaft failure due to thermal stress.On April 04, 2022, PE21-009 was upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA22-001) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the alleged defect. Volkswagen filed recall 22V-178 to replace the 30?m mesh oil strainer with a 90?m mesh oil strainer in the subject vehicles. VW introduced the larger mesh oil strainer into production in March of 2017 effecting the 2017-2018MY vehicles.ODI reviewed information from VW for vehicles that had the larger mesh installed in production. The data received showed, since the new oil strainer size of 90?m went into production for the 2017-2018MY, there has not been any reported incidents of turbocharger failures due to oil starvation or other failures that could be related to the larger screen mesh. In view of the recall being conducted by VW and lack of any detrimental side effect to the turbocharger caused by the larger mesh, ODI is closing this Engineering Analysis (EA). The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.11502847,11506565,11494663,11488813,11486393,11480926,11479882,11476289,11466761 11464663,11463254,11460580,11460496,11458973,11458804,11457556,11454753,11452668 11452589,11452584,11452383,11452175,11452111,11451724,11451724,11450995,11450988 11449661,11447092,11443657,11442867,11440536,11440052,11439959,11438691,11436461 11435619,11433925,11433733,11432336,11431661,11431421,11429704,11429584,11428128 11426929,11424203,11423603,11423337,11422431,11421084,11420626,11420342,11419693 11418884,11418437,11418433,11418135,11417635,11417351,11416095,11414578,11414235 11414064,11413359,11413285,11413214,11407510,11407450,11406897,11406821,11406637 11406460,11406416,11406291,11406287,11406277,11406273,11406263,11406256,11406251 11406229,11406222,11406208,11406204,11406197,11406182,11406015,11404665,11404426 11404348,11403823,11403430,11403268,11402684,11399435,11397821,11396241,11394763 11391037

Engine Stall - Turbo Failure

PE21009

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened March 29, 2021 · closed May 27, 2022 · led to recall 22V178000

the engine and its cooling

On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 21-009 after the agency received 58 reports alleging engine stalling in 2013-2016MY Audi vehicle models A8, S6, S7, S8 & RS7. The subject vehicles are equipped with 4.0L, twin-turbocharged engine. Complainants reported that the vehicles stall suddenly with no warning while driving on the highway or in city traffic. Several of the complainants alleged an inability to restart. The complaints allege the major contributing factor to the engine stalling is the failure of the turbochargers. The complaints further allege the turbocharger failure is a result of oil starvation due to a clogged oil strainer.The location of the oil strainer in the turbocharger oil supply line is in the inner valley of the engine. It is not easily accessible, making regular service difficult. The oil strainer removes dirty particles and carbon deposits from the oil before flowing to lubricate the Turbochargers. Overtime if the debris are not removed from the oil strainer, it clogs the strainer and prevents free flow of oil to the turbochargers and makes the turbine bushings to run dry and overheat which causes the turbine shaft to break due to thermal stress. In VW's response to ODI's Information Request letter, VW provided approximately 611 warranty claims with unique VINs, 70 Field Reports and 45 Consumer complaints. These reports allege engine stalling due to turbocharger failure similar to the NHTSA reports described above. To date, NHTSA has received approximately 98 allegations of stall due to turbocharger failures. The total of 824 reports shown in the table above eliminates duplicate reports received by both ODI and the manufacturer.This Preliminary Evaluation is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the alleged defect of engine stalling due to turbocharger failureThe ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers:11452589, 11452584, 11452383, 11450995, 11450988, 11449661, 11447092, 11442867 11440536, 11440052, 11439959, 11438691, 11436461, 11435619, 11431661, 11429704 11429584, 11426929, 11424203, 11423603, 11423337, 11421084, 11420626, 11420342 11418884, 11418437, 11418433, 11417635, 11417351, 11416095, 11414235, 11413359 11413214, 11413285, 11413133, 11407510, 11407450, 11407289, 11406821, 11406416 11406291, 11406277, 11406273, 11406256, 11406251, 11406229, 11406222, 11406204 11406197, 11406182, 11404665, 11404426, 11404348, 11403430, 11403268, 11399435 11397821, 11396241, 11394763, 11391037, 11388662, 11387166, 11377446, 11363283 11354107, 11344193, 11342497, 11342360, 11340302, 11325065, 11324163, 11322168, 11321144, 11318477, 11306754, 11279429, 11268109, 11256706, 11252723, 11246579 11234853, 11234714, 11231582, 11231013, 11230589, 11229484, 11222281, 11218822 11218749, 11217604, 11209168, 11209142, 11197149, 11191243, 11175842, 11170776 11164032, 11152418.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 11.

ENGINE 5 45%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 18%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 9%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 9%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 1 9%
LANE DEPARTURE 1 9%
POWER TRAIN 1 9%
STRUCTURE 1 9%
SUSPENSION 1 9%
TIRES 1 9%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2022 at 4.

2016 2022 2025
2016 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Part #: 4h0907217fx which is a windshield camera has stopped working and Audi has no solution to repair it. I have been without Cruise control, ABS error codes for 2 years. Please help.

NHTSA complaint 11692367. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My car was schedule for the 21H7 recall. I received 2 letters this year to have the recall work done. Audi of Pittsburgh's only available date was 12/08/22. I took the car in and later that day I got a call stating the recall was done back in March of this year. I told them it was not. Later I got a call saying it was done in April of 2019. I asked for the repair order and no one will provide it. To me it seems that Audi is looking for a reason not to perform the work.

NHTSA complaint 11497032. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

42,000 miles

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A8. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated. Additionally, after starting the vehicle in the morning, the vehicle was shaking until the engine warmed up. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V178000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), 20V397000 (Structure), and 19V057000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was

NHTSA complaint 11480781, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Recall for turbo internals, but nothing done to remedy problem . Second issue in leaking suspension parts, which the dealership let problem continue, until warranty up.

NHTSA complaint 11463254. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Turbos failed which caused the car to shut down in heavy traffic on an interstate.

NHTSA complaint 11454753. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I was driving and my turbos blew causing my car to shut down and not be able to restart. I was in the middle of traffic and was lucky to pull over. There was no warning and I had my 2 young kids in the car and it could have caused an accident. This was dangerous for myself and other motorists. I use this vehicle as a daily driver and this should not happen. I have not had it repaired yet but I can only imagine it will costs thousands of dollars.

NHTSA complaint 11422431. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Audi A8

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2019 14 3
2017 8 3
2015 31 5
2014 18 5
2013 49 6
2012 11 1
2011 15 1

Other 2016 Audi models

Every Audi on this site — 147 vehicles, 216 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst