Audi A8 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 175 NHTSA complaints, the Audi A8 years to avoid are 2013 — the worst logged up to 2.5× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 8 | 6 | 1 | N/A |
| 2009 | 5 | 2 | 1 | N/A |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 2011 | 15 | 11 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 11 | 7 | 1 | N/A |
| 2013 | 49 | 42 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 18 | 13 | 5 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 31 | 25 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2016 | 10 | 7 | 4 | N/A |
| 2017 | 6 | 4 | 3 | N/A |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| 2019 | 12 | 5 | 3 | N/A |
| 2020 | 3 | 2 | 5 | N/A |
| 2021 | 6 | 3 | 10 | N/A |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 3 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Audi A8. Full methodology.
Common Audi A8 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Audi A8 are engine, body, fuel. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Oil strainer clogging causing turbocharger failure
· Audi A8 2013–2015Corroborated by 29 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 66 engine complaints across 2013–2015, typically 45,688–110,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $9,000–$14,000.
Windshield water leak
· Audi A8 2013–2015Corroborated by 6 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3 body complaints across 2013–2015.
Fuel pump failure with metal shavings contamination
· Audi A8 2014Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3 fuel complaints across 2014. Owner-reported repair cost $15,000.
Why these years stand out
2013 Audi A8: 49 owner complaints on federal record, 42 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Audi A8.
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FAQ
What years of the Audi A8 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Audi A8 years to avoid are 2013 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Audi A8?
No single Audi A8 year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Audi A8 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Audi A8's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Audi A8 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Audi A8 reliable?
The Audi A8's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 175 NHTSA owner complaints, 2013 rates "avoid" — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Audi A8?
The most-reported problem area for the Audi A8 is engine, followed by body and fuel. Confirmed failures include oil strainer clogging causing turbocharger failure, windshield water leak, fuel pump failure with metal shavings contamination. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Audi A8 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Audi A8, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.