Reliability & cost of ownership
Audi S8 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Audi S8? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Audi S8 problems by model year
28 recall entries and 42 owner complaints on file across 8 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 S8 | 8 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2016 S8 | 3 | 6 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2015 S8 | 4 | 6 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2014 S8 | 5 | 6 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2013 S8 | 5 | 13 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2009 S8 | 1 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2008 S8 | 1 | 5 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2007 S8 | 1 | 3 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Audi S8, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- engine19 complaints
- visibility5 complaints
- unknown or other4 complaints
- power train4 complaints
- visibility/wiper3 complaints
- vehicle speed control3 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system3 complaints
- electrical system2 complaints