AUDI S8 · model year

2008 AUDI S8

6 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008AUDIS8 carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 S8 is visibility:sun/moon roof assembly with 3 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (1) and vehicle speed control (1). 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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2008 S8. 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
VISIBILITY/WIPER1

Recalls (1)

16V41500009/06/2016

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Audi A8 and S8 vehicles. The sunroof glass on the affected vehicles may not be properly secured to the sunroof frame. As a result, the sunroof glass may detach from the car while driving.

Recent Complaints

20241210VISIBILITY/WIPER

There is a possibility that the sunroof glass may detach from the vehicle's frame, posing a road hazard and increasing the risk of an accident.

20220112VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

The contact owns a 2008 Audi S8. The vehicle had previously been serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V415000 (Visibility). The contact stated that while driving at 85 MPH, the sunroof glass detached from the sunroof frame. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was awaiting a callback. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000. Vehicle has been repaired.

Mileage: 114,000

20200628FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

AFTER A PERIOD OF ACCELERATION ON THE HIGHWAY, THE GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED, BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL. APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT STOP THE CAR, AND THE ACCELERATION STOPPED ONLY AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON.

Mileage: 25,000

20200628VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

AFTER A PERIOD OF ACCELERATION ON THE HIGHWAY, THE GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED, BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL. APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT STOP THE CAR, AND THE ACCELERATION STOPPED ONLY AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON.

Mileage: 25,000

20191219VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI S8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, A SUDDEN BOOMING SOUND WAS HEARD. THROUGH THE REARVIEW MIRROR, THE DRIVER COULD SEE THAT THE GLASS SUN ROOF WAS AIRBORNE. AFTER STOPPING TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER DISCOVERED THAT THE GLASS SUN ROOF HAD DETACHED FROM THE ROOF. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. AUDI OF OWINGS MILL(9804 REISTERSTOWN RD, OWINGS MILL, MD) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V415000 (VISIBILITY). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

20191218VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI S8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, A BOOMING SOUND WAS HEARD AND THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE GLASS SUN ROOF DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND WAS AIRBORNE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. AUDI OF OWINGS MILL (9804 REISTERSTOWN RD, OWINGS MILL, MD) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V415000 (VISIBILITY). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

Compare 2008AUDIS8 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 AUDI S8 have?
The 2008 AUDI S8 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 AUDI S8?
Yes, the 2008 AUDI S8 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 AUDI S8?
The most-complained component for the 2008 AUDI S8 is VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 2008 AUDI S8 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. 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.