2011 Audi A8: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
15 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
81,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 12 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 15 complaints (66.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 13.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 6.7% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 6.7% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 6.7% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 6.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 10 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Suspension | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Structure:Body | 1 |
Engine: 10; Electrical System: 4; Suspension: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Power Train: 1; Structure:Body: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 10 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2016: 6; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2023: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10838985 · 2016-02-29 (February 29, 2016)
THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT VALVE LEAKED COOLANT ON TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE CAUSING IT TO MALFUNCTION. THE CARD STOPPED WHILE IN MOTION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUSY STREET AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BUY A SEMI TRUCK. IT STARTED BACK UP, I GOT IT TO A PARKING LOT AND IT STOPPED AGAIN. I HAVE FOUND NO LESS THAN 50 ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS STATE THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS "AWARE" OF THE PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 81,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10838985 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10846101 · 2016-03-11 (March 11, 2016)
I WAS ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY ON RAMP WHEN THE ENGINE CUT OFF. I MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD TO BE TOWED INTO THE DEALER. THERE WAS A "COOLANT VALVE LEAK. THE COOLANT MIGRATED THROUGH A HARNESS TO THE ECM AND TO MULTIPLE CONNECTORS THOUGHOUT THE ENGINE HARNESS". THE WORST PART OF THIS SITUATION IS THE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POSITION I COULD HAVE BEEN IN. WHAT IF THE CAR STOPPED WHILE IN THE FAST LANE, OR EXPRESS LANES OF THE FREEWAY? THIS IS NOT THE FIRST COMPLAINT O…
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10846101 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10870187 · 2016-05-21 (May 21, 2016)
WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET MY CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED (4 LANE STREET -- 2 GOING, TO COMING). THERE WAS VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I COULD NOT MOVE THE CAR AS IT WOULD NOT COME BACK ON, NOR COULD I SHIFT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE WAY. AS A RESULT, THE CAR REMAINED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS AND INTO THE PCM WHERE IT SHORTED THE PINS. AS A RESULT T…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10870187 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10904439 · 2016-09-07 (September 7, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A8. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR AND THE "DO NOT EXCEED 4,000 RPMS" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE COOLANT WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE COOLANT VALVE CONNECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10904439 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10910462 · 2016-09-29 (September 29, 2016)
WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET MY CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED (4 LANE STREET -- 2 GOING, TO COMING). THERE WAS VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I COULD NOT MOVE THE CAR AS IT WOULD NOT COME BACK ON, NOR COULD I SHIFT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE WAY. AS A RESULT, THE CAR REMAINED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT THE DEALTER TOOK 4 DAYS TO DIAGNOSE IT WITH HAVING COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS AND INTO THE PCM WHERE IT SHORTED THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10910462 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10919234 · 2016-10-26 (October 26, 2016)
CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS SUBJECT TO PREMATURE FAILURE REQUIRING FREQUENT REPLACEMENT. THIS RESULTS IN EXTREME VIBRATION AND ERRATIC HANDING DURING BRAKING. UPPER CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY BUT OTHERS SOON FAILED ONCE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.
Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10919234 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11051392 · 2017-11-30 (November 30, 2017)
I WAS HEARING A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR EVERY TIME I BRAKED AND CAME TO A STOP. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CAR LEANED FORWARD HEAVILY WHEN I BRAKED AND KNEW THIS WAS NOT NORMAL. I ALSO NOTICED A VIBRATION ON MY STEERING WHEN WHEN TRAVELING AT AROUND 40-50 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR (2011 AUDI 8L) TO MY LOCAL AUDI WHO FIRST SAID THE CAR WAS FINE AND NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. THE ISSUE CONTINUED. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MY LOCAL AUDI DEALER AND ASKED TO TAKE THE MECHANIC ON A RIDE WITH ME SO I COULD POINT OUT WHAT I WAS HEARING …
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11051392 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11051393 · 2017-11-30 (November 30, 2017)
THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM CONTINUOUSLY DISPLAYS A LOCATION WHERE I AM NOT LOCATED. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY, MANY TIMES. IT CAN OCCUR RANDOMLY OR AT STARTUP. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR WHICH I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL AUDI BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUE, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SAID OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE CAME IN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. THIS ISSUE IS ALSO WIDELY DOCUMENTED ON AUDI FORUMS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE GPS MAP LOST SIGNAL. ON OTHER OCCASIONS THE GPS MAP WOULD NOT PICK UP MY LOCATION. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11051393 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
16V619000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Reported: 2016-08-24 (August 24, 2016)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Audi A8 vehicles manufactured May 15, 2010, to May 14, 2012. The affected vehicles have a coolant valve that may leak, allowing coolant to enter the engine control module causing a loss of power or the engine to stall.
Consequence: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the coolant valve and inspect for coolant that has leaked through the electrical connector, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 19, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
NHTSA campaign record ↗