2004 Audi A8 problems & reliability
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Audi A8, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 6 | 30% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 25% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 20% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 10% |
| Suspension | 2 | 10% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 5% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% |
| Equipment | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 16 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“While driving and/or parking and/or putting key in ignition to start my vehicle abs light; stabilization; and speedometer seems as though being hacked...sometimes especially in the summer when temperatures reach 100 degrees + my heater is hacked on and my interior of the vehicle is life threatening hot!!! Have to open…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Jan 25, 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 audi a8. While the vehicle was parked, a strong fuel odor emitted from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was aware of nhtsa campaign number: 11v267000 (fuel system, other), but the…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Aug 5, 2016
“Driver smelled smoke shortly after starting his vehicle and driving away from his home. The smell was of plastic, and it was assumed from an electrical short/fire. The driver stopped the car and inspected the engine area. No evidence of fire, however the driver turned back and drove the vehicle home. Strong burning…”
Service Brakes · filed Mar 9, 2015
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
209 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Audi A8. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information on the additional reporting requirements for safety related inquiries.
A0023742052680_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 4, 2023
This technical service bulletin provides instructions for correcting a clicking sound from the wheel bearing(s).
A4021312024318_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 22, 2021
This informational bulletin explains how to order replacement VIN plates, Safety Certification Labels, etc.
A0021482021205_6 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2021
This technical service bulletin provides instructions for correcting a clicking sound from the wheel bearing(s).
A4020052024318_9 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 13, 2020
This information bulletin contains instructions for technicans on how to ensure their TAC call goes smoothly.
A0020362002047_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2020
Exterior lights, moisture accumulation 2013-2021 A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 Sportback, 2004-2005 A4 Cabriolet, 2004-2008 S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2010-2021 A4 allroad, 2018-2021 A5 Sportback, 2010-2012, 2018-2021…
A9419182012749_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 6, 2019
New document 2004-2020 A4 allroad, A6 allroad, A8L, R8 Spyder
20AUTIRECHAINS · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 4, 2019
This bulletin contains instructions for additional reporting requirements for safety related inquiries (airbag/seatbelts, accidents, fire and overheat damage.
A0019262052680_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 30, 2019
Wheel change mode/jacking mode - Description and usage
ATUChassis2019 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 30, 2019
Body components - Examples of customer misuse
ATUBody2019 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 30, 2019
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2004 Audi A8 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2004 Audi A8?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.