AUDI A8 · model year

2015 AUDI A8

46 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2015AUDIA8 carries 46 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2015 A8 is engine with 17 filings, followed by service brakes (4) and wheels (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 2015 A8. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

46
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

46 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE17
SERVICE BRAKES4
WHEELS3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SEATS2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
POWER TRAIN2
VISIBILITY/WIPER2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
STEERING1
TIRES1
AIR BAGS1
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS1

Recalls (5)

19V05700028/01/2019

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A8 and S8 vehicles. The fuel supply line for the high pressure fuel pump may become porous and leak fuel.

18V43000025/06/2018

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Audi S8 and A8 vehicles. The fuel supply line for the high pressure fuel pump may become porous over time, resulting in a fuel leak.

22V17800023/03/2022

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2013-2017 A8, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, and 2014-2017 RS7 vehicles. The turbocharger oil supply strainer can become blocked, causing wear to the bearings due to lack of lubrication.

19V03500016/01/2019

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Q7, A6 and A7 vehicles, and 2015-2018 Audi A8 vehicles. The left and right fuel rails may leak fuel.

20V39700007/07/2020

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S8 and A8 vehicles. The seal around the engine compartment may come loose and contact hot engine components.

Recent Complaints

20251007SUSPENSION

So I purchased a vehicle from wright drive in El Paso, Texas. I was driving home back to Alamogordo which is 90 miles away, maybe 80 I realized there was no adaptive cruise control. So I messaged dealership. They told me that there was nothing they could do. It's not a safety issue. I got the vehicle home the next day. I found out the whole front suspension was bad. I kept hearing a noise when I would drive over bumps and it was really loud. I contacted the dealership, told them that the suspension was bad. They told me to take it to Audi to have them look at it. It came out to like $8,000 worth of repairs. They told me they would not pay that and I could return the vehicle for a full refund. I told them okay. I would be there in 3 days because I was working. They said that was fine. I get there 3 days later they told me that was no longer an option. So I got stuck with the car that needed $8,000 worth of repairs and then another four for more suspension parts. New breaks the 3,000 to

20251007ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

So I purchased a vehicle from wright drive in El Paso, Texas. I was driving home back to Alamogordo which is 90 miles away, maybe 80 I realized there was no adaptive cruise control. So I messaged dealership. They told me that there was nothing they could do. It's not a safety issue. I got the vehicle home the next day. I found out the whole front suspension was bad. I kept hearing a noise when I would drive over bumps and it was really loud. I contacted the dealership, told them that the suspension was bad. They told me to take it to Audi to have them look at it. It came out to like $8,000 worth of repairs. They told me they would not pay that and I could return the vehicle for a full refund. I told them okay. I would be there in 3 days because I was working. They said that was fine. I get there 3 days later they told me that was no longer an option. So I got stuck with the car that needed $8,000 worth of repairs and then another four for more suspension parts. New breaks the 3,000 to

20251007FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

So I purchased a vehicle from wright drive in El Paso, Texas. I was driving home back to Alamogordo which is 90 miles away, maybe 80 I realized there was no adaptive cruise control. So I messaged dealership. They told me that there was nothing they could do. It's not a safety issue. I got the vehicle home the next day. I found out the whole front suspension was bad. I kept hearing a noise when I would drive over bumps and it was really loud. I contacted the dealership, told them that the suspension was bad. They told me to take it to Audi to have them look at it. It came out to like $8,000 worth of repairs. They told me they would not pay that and I could return the vehicle for a full refund. I told them okay. I would be there in 3 days because I was working. They said that was fine. I get there 3 days later they told me that was no longer an option. So I got stuck with the car that needed $8,000 worth of repairs and then another four for more suspension parts. New breaks the 3,000 to

20250105ENGINE

Yet another beautiful Audi 3.0tfsi with the rocker arm failure … how is there not a class action lawsuit already ? I have a knock in my valve train and I just bought this car two days ago …. Audi should be liable to fix this because I didn’t know nothing about this and with a quick search it’s alike a epidemic of the same problem..

20240222VISIBILITY/WIPER

Water leaking from passenger side top right corner from windshield. Glass isn’t damaged. Just started leaking for no reason

20240217STRUCTURE:BODY

Leaking windshield on passenger side top left corner

20240217VISIBILITY/WIPER

Leaking windshield on passenger side top left corner

20220412ENGINE

The contact owns a 2015 Audi A8. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle that stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

Mileage: 110,000

20220213ENGINE

With out any prior warning the car began to sputter and then lost power while I was on the highway. I had the vehicle towed to the dealership and found the Turbos failed which caused the problem. This car has been well maintained and serviced by the dealership. It now has a $14000.00 repair bill.

20220213UNKNOWN OR OTHER

With out any prior warning the car began to sputter and then lost power while I was on the highway. I had the vehicle towed to the dealership and found the Turbos failed which caused the problem. This car has been well maintained and serviced by the dealership. It now has a $14000.00 repair bill.

20220201ENGINE

Turbo chargers failed on highway at highway speeds leading major loss of power in a passing situation nearly causing an accident then the car stalled at exit ramp

20210818ENGINE

Engine stalled as i approached departure terminal at Newark airport. Dealer has inspected and determined the Turbo Impeller is bent and requires replacement. Car will not run. This is a known problem on Audi turbo engines apparently. Just prior to stalling the oil low light came on then the car stalled out creating a hazardous safety situation for a perfectly well maintained car.

20210615ENGINE

The stock turbo when right in the middle of traffic at 60,000 miles. Almost died in traffic as the car would not move out of the road. This is not exclusive to A8 but to all the audi cars with the 4.0T engine across many vehicle years. An OEM turbo should last 150k-200k miles (half that if aftermarket). Cost $10k to replace.

20210516ENGINE

Car stalled in left turn lane. Restarted with difficulty, and loss of power. No warning lights. Diagnosed by dealer to be failed twin turbochargers. 45688 miles. Replaced under extended warranty. Dangerous as car stalled in an intersection with no prior warning.

20210405ENGINE

MY CAR'S ENGINE STARTED STUTTERING AND IDLING VERY ROUGHLY WHILE EXITING THE EXPRESSWAY. THE EC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. IT CONTINUED TO SHUTTER, AND SHAKE, UNTIL IT SHUT OFF. IT WOULDN'T RESTART, AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE ISSUE, AND REPORTED THE TURBOS HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY AND SCORING ON THE SURFACE OF THE HOUSING, CAUSED BY THE EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE TURBOS. TURBOCHARGERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

Mileage: 49,693

20210401ENGINE

REGULAR DRIVING EAST BOUND ON I-80 AND AFTER GOING UP A HILL MY CAR COULDN'T GO OVER 3500 RPMS. THOUGHT IT WAS THE ECU PUTTING IT INTO LIMP MODE BECAUSE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. TURNED OUT BOTH MY TURBOS BLEW AT 67,000 MILES AND LEAD TO TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE WITH METAL SHAVINGS REACHING THE EXHAUST AND LOITERING THE OIL PAN.

Mileage: 67,000

20210312ENGINE

AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE JUST QUIT. FORTUNATELY WE WERE AT A STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE OFF-RAMP. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR TO MOVE IT OUT OF TRAFFIC NOR COULD WE SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. HAD THIS HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES EARLIER, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY, MY SON WAS DRIVING, BECAUSE AT MY AGE HAD THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THERE IS NO WAY I COULD HAVE STEERED IT TO SAFETY WITHOUT POWER STEERING. I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT OF THIS HAPPENING TO THIS MODEL CAR. IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IT'S A SHAME THAT AUDI IS FORCING ITS CUSTOMERS TO COVER THE COST OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE.

Mileage: 85,000

20210224ENGINE

ENGINE SHUT DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEED ~65MPH WHILE DECELERATING INTO TOLL BOOTH OUR TO TURBO FAILURE. COMPLETE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. LOST POWER IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. DANGEROUSLY NAVIGATED THROUGH EZPASS LANE WITHOUT POWER. HAZARDS ON. DANGEROUSLY NAVIGATED TO SHOULDER, COASTING, WITH NO ENGINE POWER. CAME TO COMPLETE STOP ON SHOULDER. WAS ABLE TO RESTART MOTOR AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO AUDI DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED KNOWN TURBO FAILURE PROBLEM ON VEHICLE MODEL. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY CONDITION AND NEEDS TO BE FEDERALLY ADDRESSED. AUDI HAS A 2015 SUPPLEMENT TO EMISSIONS WARRANTY IDENTIFYING THE TURBO FAILURES AND THERE IS A FEDERAL STATUE TO EXTENT THIS CORRECTION TO 7YR 70K MILES. REGARDLESS, IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL.

Mileage: 48,000

20210205POWER TRAIN

TURBO FAILURE AT 57,000 MILES. CAR DIED WHILE IN TRAFFIC WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD.

Mileage: 57,000

20210116POWER TRAIN

THE DRIVER SEAT BADGES A BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ROUGHLY IN DYNAMIC MODE AND THERE IS A BIG VIBRATION WHEN CAR IS SHIFTING GEARS

Compare 2015AUDIA8 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2015 AUDI A8 have?
The 2015 AUDI A8 has 46 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2015 AUDI A8?
The 2015 AUDI A8 received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2015 AUDI A8?
Yes, the 2015 AUDI A8 has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 AUDI A8?
The most-complained component for the 2015 AUDI A8 is ENGINE with 17 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and WHEELS.
Is the 2015 AUDI A8 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2015 AUDI A8 has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.