Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Audi A8, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train2
- Electrical system2
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Structure1
- Engine1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Registered new in Europe in 2021
2,198 new Audi A8 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2021; the largest markets were Germany (1,631), Italy (138), Poland (93).
- Average mass
- 2,223 kg
- Average CO₂
- 153 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 241 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 49% · Petrol/electric 37% · Petrol 15%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
371 Audi A8 cars first registered in Europe in 2021 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Diesel hybrid versions use 8.4 l/100 km on the road against 7.4 in the WLTP test (+14%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel hybrid | 222 | 8.4 | 7.4 | +14% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 149 | 9.5 | 2.5 | +280% |
Litres per 100 km from the cars' own fuel meters (OBFCM), collected in 2024; the year is the year of first registration. All years together · European Environment Agency · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
84 first registered in 2021 are on Dutch roads; 85% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €145,176.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde14
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm5
- Band beschadigd4
- Band onvoldoende profiel4
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld4
- Band vertoont uitstulping(en)4
- Montage band niet volgens voorschriften2
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht1
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
254 cars built in 2021 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 33 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
17 of these cars first registered in 2021 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 73,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
4 2021 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.5–13.2 L/100 km (about 18–20 mpg US), CO₂ 267–308 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| A8 L Sedan 55 TFSI quattro · Full-size · Premium gasoline | 13.5 | 8.9 | 11.5 |
| A8 L Sedan 60 TFSI quattro · Full-size · Premium gasoline | 15.4 | 10.4 | 13.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
8 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 Audi A8.
| 2025713 19 Dec 2025 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. Canadian regulations require the rearview i… |
| 2025167 31 Mar 2025 | Lights And Instruments Issue: On certain vehicles, a problem with the instrument cluster (virtual cockpit) could cause it to shut down. If this happens, you may not be able to see … |
| 2023659 13 Dec 2023 | Accessories Issue: Under certain conditions, the plug for the 220 V compact vehicle charging cable could become damaged by the house power outlet. As a result, the cable … |
| 2022611 26 Oct 2022 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, the infotainment main unit in the center console could fail. If this happens, the display screen will not turn on when you start t… |
| 2022565 5 Oct 2022 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. Canadian regulations require the rearview i… |
| 2021642 20 Oct 2021 | Visual System Issue: Under certain conditions, a software problem could cause a delay before the rearview camera image appears. Canadian regulations require the rearview im… |
| 2021486 4 Aug 2021 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the passenger seat belt assemblies may contain defective automatic locking retractors (ALR). As a result, the seat belts may not p… |
| 2021249 26 Apr 2021 | Suspension Issue: On certain vehicles, the lock nuts for the rear trailing arm bolts may be defective. If a nut breaks, there could be sudden changes in rear wheel align… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 SQ8, A6 SEDAN, A7, A8, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S6 SEDAN, S7, S8, A6 Allroad, and SQ7 vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 RS e-tron GT, e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron Sportback, Q4 e-tron, 2020-2021 Audi A8, 2019-2024 e-tron Quattro, 2020-2024 e-tron Sportback Quattro, Q5, and 2021-2022 A7 vehicles. When using the industrial 220V/240V plug at the 100% charge setting, some home power outlets may be incapable of handling the electrical current required to utilize the compact charging system, causing the outlet or charging cable to overheat.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 AUDI A8, A6 Allroad, E-TRON Quattro, 2022 S3, RSQ8, RS7, RS6 Avant, Q8, Q7, Q3, E-TRON Sportback Quattro, S5 Cabriolet, E-TRON GT, S5 Sportback, A7, A6, A5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, A4, A4 Allroad, A3, S8, SQ7, SQ8, S6, and S4 vehicles. The infotainment main unit may become damaged internally when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display the next time the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8 and S8, 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, A4 Sedan, E-Tron GT, Q3, Q5, RS6 Avant, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RSQ8, SQ7, SQ8, and S3 Sedan vehicles. A software error may prevent the rear-view image from initially displaying when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A8 and 2020-2021 Audi S8 vehicles. A missing sealing pin may allow moisture to enter the engine control module connector, possibly causing a control module malfunction.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Audi told its dealers about the 2021 Audi A8: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011316 | Under this service action, Audi dealers will replace the starter-alternator in affected vehicles at no cost to owners. A defective starter-alternator may inhibit start/stop functionality which could increase CO2 and other emissions while the vehicle is stopped. Emissions still remain within certification standards. Updated affected vehicle chart & owner notification letters to reflect the addition of 2021 model year. Updated affected vehicle chart & owner notification letters to reflect the addition of the next wave of vehicles. |
| 11011314 | Under this service action, Audi dealers will replace the starter-alternator in affected vehicles at no cost to owners. A defective starter-alternator may inhibit start/stop functionality which could increase CO2 and other emissions while the vehicle is stopped. Emissions still remain within certification standards. Updated affected vehicle chart & owner notification letters to reflect the addition of 2021 model year. Updated affected vehicle chart & owner notification letters to reflect the addition of the next wave of vehicles. |
| 11011307 | This bulletin provides information when high beam assist, or traffic sign detection limited, DTC C12B3FD may be stored in the DAS control module. |
| 11011303 | This bulletin provides information when the anti-theft alarm activates for no reason, or when the anti-theft alarm does not activate. |
| 11011296 | This bulletin provides service-info relating to lithium-ion high-voltage batteries; determining energy content. |
| 11011285 | This TSB Provides information when parking assistance provides false warnings. |
| 11011282 | This bulletin provides information when speaker rattles, vibrations, or audio interference is noted. |
| 11011277 | This bulletin provides information when the parking brake does not work sporadically; DTC B107BF0 or B10FCF0 stored in the driver assist systems. |
| 11011276 | This TSB provides information when DTCs U142100 and U164200 are stored as passive/sporadic in the gateway. |
| 11011274 | This bulletin provides information when the restricted function icon for Audi Pre sense is displayed after engine starts. |
| 11011273 | This bulletin provides information when DTC B187A00 is stored: Park steer assist cancelation (symptom number 98341). |
| 11011272 | This bulletin provides information when the overhead view camera (TopView) calibration fails. |
| 11011271 | This bulletin provides general information and information when the laser scanner requires readjustment. |
| 11011268 | This bulletin pertains to complaints/general information regarding SOS Emergency Assist. |
| 11011263 | This bulletin provides information regarding cleaning exterior glass. |
| 11011256 | This bulletin provides information when the DTCs B200FF0 to B200FF5 are stored in the J775 suspension control unit. |
| 11011249 | This TSB provides info when there is a 48V vehicle electrical system warning, DTC U046900 stored in the ECM. |
| 11011247 | This bulletin provides information when the MIL is on, or the red coolant lamp lights up; DTC P218100 and/or P1BB400. |
| 11011246 | This bulletin provides information when the engine overheats, red coolant temperature warning, MIL on - 4.0 ltr. V8 TFSI; P029900. |
| 11011244 | This bulletin provides information when the engine oil level is too low, engine oil consumption is too high. |
| 11011240 | This bulletin provides information about professional noise analysis with the VAS 611 015 PICO-NVH tool |
| 11011239 | This bulletin advises that fuel additives are not permitted. |
| 11009990 | Under this service action, Audi dealers will replace the starter-alternator in affected vehicles at no cost to owners. A defective starter-alternator may inhibit start/stop functionality which could increase CO2 and other emissions while the vehicle is stopped. Emissions still remain within certification standards. Updated affected vehicle chart & owner notification letters to reflect the addition of 2021 model year. Updated parts table in parts section. |
| 11009989 | Under this service action, Audi dealers will replace the starter-alternator in affected vehicles at no cost to owners. A defective starter-alternator may inhibit start/stop functionality which could increase CO2 and other emissions while the vehicle is stopped. Emissions still remain within certification standards. Updated affected vehicle chart & owner notification letters to reflect the addition of 2021 model year.Updated affected vehicle chart & owner notification letters to reflect the addition of 2022 model year. |
| 11009985 | Under this service action, Audi dealers will replace the starter-alternator in affected vehicles at no cost to owners. A defective starter-alternator may inhibit start/stop functionality which could increase CO2 and other emissions while the vehicle is stopped. Emissions still remain within certification standards. Updated affected vehicle chart & owner notification letters to reflect the addition of 2021 model year. Updated parts table in parts section. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)