Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2001 Audi A8, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Audi A8 year.
No EPA fuel-economy match for this model. Naming may differ, or it predates EPA records.
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for this make, model and year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car. A dealer can confirm from the VIN.
Issue: VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 13,900 MY 1996-2003 AUDI A8 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE LOCKING CABLE MAY MOVE OUT OF POSITION OVER TIME. WITH THE LOCKING CABLE OUT OF POSITION, THE SHIFTER CAN BE MOVED OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION EVEN IF THE IGNITION KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION LOCK.
Risk: THIS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL, CAUSING A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LOCKING CABLE BY INSTALLING AN ADJUSTING PIECE THAT WILL SECURE THE LOCKING CABLE IN PLACE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.
Campaign 08V397000
Issue: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A FUEL AND VAPOR LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM. A "BLIND COVER" AT THE FILLER NECK OF THE FUEL TANK MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY ALLOWING FUEL VAPOR TO ESCAPE.
Risk: SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, THE FUEL TANK PRESSURE WILL BE REDUCED, WHICH WILL ACTIVATE THE LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM AND ALERT THE DRIVER OF A SYSTEM'S FAULT INDICATED BY AN INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILLER NECK/EXPANSION TANK ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 21, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AUDI AT 1-866-892-2834.
Campaign 01V259000
The parts named most often across 18 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
A8L [QUATTRO, ALL WHEEL DRIVE] IN EARLY DECEMBER OF 2018, I ORDERED 4 TIRES FROM WALMART ONLINE FOR MY 2001 AUDI . THEY WERE 245/45/18 SUPERMAX 100V TM-1. THE TIRE SIZE WAS EXACTLY AS RECOMMENDED ON THE B-PILLAR AND EXACTLY THE SAME SIZE AS THE TIRES THAT WERE ON THE CAR WHEN THESE NEW TIRES WERE ORDERED. THE ONLINE AD FOR THE TIRES SPECIFICALLY STATED "ASK US TO INSTALL" [THE TIRES]. I HAD THEM SHIPPED TO THE WALMART ON QUEBEC AND E-470 IN ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO. WHEN THEY ARRIVED, "TED" THE ASSISTANT TIRE DEPARTMENT MANAGER, REFUSED TO MOUNT THEM AND REFUSED TO SELL ME ROAD HAZARD INSURANCE. I WENT TO THE MANAGER "SAMANTHA" TO COMPLAIN, BUT SHE BACK UP TED SAYING THE COMPANY HAD A WRITTEN POLICY NOT TO INSTALL THE TIRES OR SELL ROAD HAZARD INSURANCE FOR THEM. WHEN I ASKED TO SEE THE POLICY SHE SAID THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WRITTEN POLICY WAS SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT IT WAS NOT FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW. I HAD TWO OF THE TIRES PUT ON BY AN INDEPENDENT TIRE COMPANY AND THE OTHER TWO BY ANOTHER WALMART WHO INDICATED THEY WOULD INSTALL THEM BUT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ROAD HAZARD INSURANCE. ALMOST IMMEDIATLY, ONE OF THE TIRES WENT FLAT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CURVY ROAD [HWY 74 BETWEEN MORRISON AND EVERGREEN] AND RUINED THE TIRE. I DIDN'T SEE ANY NAILS OR PUNCTURES IN THE TIRE. PRETTY SOON TWO MORE OF THE TIRES DID THE SAME THING WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER. FINALLY, I WAS DRIVING ON I-70 AT ABOUT 50 MILES PER HOUR BY THE CHIEF HOSA EXIT DRIVING WESTBOUND. THE ROADS WERE NOT SNOW PACKED BUT WERE ICY. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE LOST AIR, THE CAR DID A 360 AND ENDED UP IN A SLIGHT DITCH ON THE EXIT. IT DID $7000 PLUS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. I BELIEVE EITHER THE SIDEWALLS OR THE BEAD ARE FAULTY AND WHEN GOING ON A CURVE, THE BEAD SEPARATES FROM THE WHEEL CAUSING IT TO LEAK AND THEN QUICKLY DEFLATE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 AUDI A8. UPON TRYING TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE FORWARD AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE UPON PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, BUT NOT INTO DRIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FUEL FILLER NECK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V397000 (POWER TRAIN) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 01V259000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE FURTHER DIAGNOSED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000. MA 10/1 UPDATED 12/06/2017*CN
FAIL OF THE CENTER CLUSTER RESULTING IN DEAD PIXELS. CONSISTENT PROBLEM ON THE AUDI'S. SHOULD BE MADE A RECALL. 01 AUDI A8. *TR
2001 AUDI A8L GAUGE CLUSTER PROBLEMS**CC THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN THE VEHICLE, THE TEMPERATURE OR THE VEHICLE SPEED, BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *JB
THE PRESSURE PLATE IN MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY AS I WAS ENTERING A FREEWAY. THE CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL WERE DAMAGED, CAUSING THE CAR TO FAIL TO RESPOND NORMALLY TO THE ACCELERATOR. *NM
I HAVE AN 2001 AUDI A8L AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. THIS CAR WAS SOLD TO ME GUARANTEEING A MAINTENANCE FREE TRANSMISSION. THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR WITHOUT A COMPUTER ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM. I HAD MY CAR CHECKED AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALER, SONNONEN MOTORS, AS DIRECTED BY MY OWNERS MANUAL AND FOR ALL PROBLEMS. AT NO TIME WAS I ADVISED OF A PROBLEM WITH MY TRANSMISSION AND AT NO TIME DID THERE COMPUTER ANALYSIS REVEAL A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND IN FACT THEY ADVISED ME OF THE FORGOING. THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS MAINTENANCE FREE AND THAT THEY HAD NOT FOUND ANY PROBLEMS DURING THEIR MAINTENANCE OF THE CAR. THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $6,000.00. I HAVE CONTACTED SONNEN, AUDI OF AMERICA, AND AUDI EUROPE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND SO FAR THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED. I HAVE ALSO DONE AN EXHAUSTIVE INTERNET SEARCH AND DO NOT FIND THIS PROBLEM LISTED. *NM
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN INCONSISTENCY WITH ACCELERATION WHEN MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HE DRIVES THE VEHICLE IT FEELS LIKE HE IS STARTING OFF IN THIRD GEAR. *TC
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER REQUESTED THE AGED TIRES BE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH NEW TIRES, THE DEALER REFUSED. *PH ALL FOUR TIRES WERE OLDER THAN THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE THAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2001. *SC
WE HAVE AN AUDI ALROAD VIN [XXX] WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW IN 2001. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 40,00 MILES ON IT. IT HAS NEEDED NEW BRAKE ROTORS AT APROX.25-29000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 39000 MILES, BECAUSE OF BRAKE VIBRATIONS DURING ROUTINE STOPS AT THOSE TIMES. IT NOT DRIVEN AGGRESSIVELY AND I FEEL THAT THE BRAKES FOR THIS CAR ARE NOT ADEQUATE DUE TO MANUFACTURES MISMATCHING THE BRAKES TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE ROTORS FREQUENTLY FOR OTHER CLIENTS WITH THE SAME MODEL OF AUTOMOBILE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE OF GREAT CONCERN TO ME AS IT SEEMS THAT THE BRAKES ARE INADEQUATE FOR THIS CAR NEEDING REPLACEMENT AT A FREQUENCY THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
OIL LIGHT COMES ON. OIL VOLUME IS FULL. 3 DEALER REQUEST HAVE NOT SOLVED PROBLEM. ENGINE NOW MAKES NOISES.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOT STUCK WHILE DRIVING, INCREASING THE SPEED TO 100MPH. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF TO STOP DUE TO NO BRAKE RESPONSE. VEHICLE IS A 2001 AUDI A8 QUATTRO DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*JB
Showing 12 of 18 complaints.
Rated configuration: 2001 Audi A8 4-DR. w/SAB