Audi A8 Complaints

254 consumer complaints on file.

#10343470July 15, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY CAR SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. RESTARTED CAR AND HAD IT STALL SEVERAL TIMES. CAR HAS BEEN SENT TO BE EVALUATED BY A MECHANIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10326100April 17, 2010
VISIBILITY
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) MY COMPLAINT COVERS ALL RADAR BASED BLIND SPOT MONITORING DEVICES. THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO HAS PERSONALLY OCCURRED TO ME TWICE WITHIN THE LAST MONTH. I WAS ONE IN A LINE OF VEHICLES DRIVING ON A CLEAR HIGHWAY WHEN AN AUDI WITH BLIND SPOT MONITORING ENTERED THE HIGHWAY DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE LINE OF VEHICLES. BECAUSE OF THE LOW POWER OF ITS BLIND SPOT MONITORING SYSTEM'S RADAR COUPLED WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE INVERSE SQUARE LAW OF PHYSICS, THE RADAR DETECTOR EQUIPPED DRIVER CLOSEST TO THE AUDI THOUGHT THEY WERE BEING MONITORED BY INSTANT ON POLICE RADAR AND JAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES, CAUSING PANIC STOPPING BY ALL OF THE VEHICLES BEHIND THEM. MYSELF AND SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES WERE REQUIRED TO USE THE ROAD'S SHOULDER TO AVOID BEING REAR-ENDED. I FEEL FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT WITHIN THE US THERE HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THESE DEVICES, YET THE ACCIDENT WILL NEVER BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE DEVICE BECAUSE THE DRIVER WITH THE BLIND SPOT MONITORING DEVICE WILL BE OBLIVIOUS TO THE CHAOS THEY CAUSED BEHIND THEM, AND THEY'LL IGNORANTLY CONTINUE DRIVING. THESE DEVICES SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE DISABLED, AND ANYONE THAT THINKS THESE ARE A GOOD IDEA SHOULD BE REMINDED THAT THEY SHOULD TURN THEIR HEAD AND LOOK OVER THEIR SHOULDER BEFORE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, OR CHANGING LANES. LET'S PROMOTE SMARTER, MORE AWARE DRIVERS, AND NOT SMARTER CARS. [XXX] *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10301865January 22, 2010
EQUIPMENT
MY 2005 AUDI A8L CONTAINS A DEFECT WHICH ALLOWS THE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT TO POP OFF IT'S RESTRAINING/LOCATING PEGS ENABLING THE MAT TO MOVE FORWARD AND PUSH AND HOLD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DOWN, RESULTING RUNAWAY ACCELERATION, THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM SIMILAR TO WHAT TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED AND FOR WHICH TOYOTA HAS INSTITUTED A LARGE RECALL. THIS SITUATION HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES TO THREE SEPARATE DRIVERS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. AT THE FIRST OCCURRENCE TO EACH ME AND MY WIFE, WE WERE ABLE TO CONTROL THE ACCELERATION WITH THE BRAKE TO BUY SUFFICIENT TIME TO GATHER OUR WITS AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, THOUGH IT WAS SCARY. NOW WE KNOW TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND PULL THE MAT BACK, REPLACING IT ON ITS PEGS ONCE WE STOP. AFTER THE FIRST OCCASION, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL AUDI DEALER IN DANBURY, CONN. THEY KEPT IT FOR THREE DAYS, HAD IT INSPECTED BY "CORPORATE" PEOPLE, AND IN WRITING CONCLUDED THAT EVERYTHING WAS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND INTENDED." THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE DANBURY AUDI DEALER TOLD ME THAT AUDI FELT THE PROBLEM WAS THE FLOOR MAT, AND SUGGESTED I PURCHASE HEAVY WINTER-TYPE MATS. I RENEWED MY COMPLAINT TO AUDI IN THE FALL OF 2009 IN LIGHT OF THE TOYOTA ISSUE, BUT THEY AGAIN DENIED THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND COMPLAINT, WE EXPERIENCED AT LEAST FIVE MORE EPISODES OF RUNAWAY ACCELERATION CAUSED BY THE FLOOR MAT PUSHING AGAINST THE ACCELERATOR. I TRY TO BE VIGILANT NOW EACH TIME I DRIVE THE CAR TO LOOK AT THE POSITION OF THE FLOOR MAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10295397December 11, 2009
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
CAR HANDLING SYSTEM WENT OUT OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING CONTROL CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE SENT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THEN OFF THE ROAD. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10280964August 19, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 AUDI A8. WHEN HE TURNED THE VEHICLE ON THE ENGINE BEGAN VIBRATING AND WHENEVER THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO A LOWER GEAR AND THEN SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 4 OCCASIONS AND EACH TIME THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 9033.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275799July 5, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND PROPELLED US ACROSS AM INTERSECTION INTO TRAFFIC. THIS IS 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ON A FREEWAY DEVOID OF OTHER TRAFFIC. I REPORTED THE FIRST EVENT TO THE LOCAL DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM BUT NEVER RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY THE DRIVERS FACTORY FLOOR MAT COMING LOOSE FROM ITS RETAINING CLIPS, SLIDING FORWARD AND CAUSING INTERFERENCE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT WAS ONLY MY FAMILIARITY WITH THE PROBLEM AND HOW TO FIX IT THAT ALLOWED ME TO REACT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT THE SECOND TIME. IF THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN BY A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER OR IF THIS HAD BEEN THE FIRST TIME THAT IT HAPPENED TO ME THIS COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A FATALITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10273916June 15, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2004 AUDI A 8 L GAS PEDAL STICKS IN ACCELERATION MODE. HAS HAPPENED 4-5 TIMES. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESPOND OR TAKE ACTION. I HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL GEAR AND PUMP PEDAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR HARD. LAST INCIDENT DATE BELOW TIM WALKER *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248811November 14, 2008
SEATS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 AUDI A8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HEATER CAUGHT FIRE WHILE HE WAS IN THE VEHICLE. HE TURNED OFF THE HEAT SWITCH AND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED. THROUGH THE INTERNET, HE DISCOVERED MORE ISSUES REGARDING THE SAME FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 111,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10245714October 16, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH: CV JOINTS, CONTROL ARMS AND NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. NOW THERE IS A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION CABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10237329August 7, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A8 L. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT APPROACHED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE HARDER HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE FASTER THE ENGINE WOULD RACE. HE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE FLOORMAT WAS RESTING ON THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS. THE CONTACT CALLED AUDI AND FILED A COMPLAINT. APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES FOR THE ISSUE WITH THE FLOORMAT. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON AUGUST 7, 2008 AND ALMOST CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PEGS IN THE FLOOR AND THEN THEY REPLACED THE FLOORMAT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,683.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10236405July 30, 2008
VISIBILITY
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP INTERMITTENTLY. THEY HAVE STOPPED DURING HEAVY RAIN ON AN EXPRESSWAY SEVERAL TIMES RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VISION. THE DEALERS COULD NOT GET THE PROBLEM TO REPEAT SO THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. I CALLED THE AUDI ADVOCATE PHONE LINE AND WAS TOLD THAT AUDI WOULD NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THEN I WROTE AUDI AND ASK FOR A REFUND AND THE AUDI ADVOCATE RETURNED THE CALL AND MAINTAINED THE SAME RESPONSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215979January 25, 2008
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
2004 AUDI A8L, PURCHASED IN 07/2004. FRONT WIPERS "HESITATED" IN THE RAIN A COUPLE OF TIMES. LOCAL DEALER SAID COULD NOT REPRODUCE. A FEW MONTHS LATER, WIPERS COMPLETELY STOPPED, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LEAVING ME WITHOUT VISIBILITY FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. PULLED OVER AND REMOVED/REPLACED FUSED. WIPERS STARTED UP AGAIN. LOCAL DEALER SAID COULDN'T REPRODUCE. WIPERS FAILED TWO MORE TIMES, AND HESITATED NUMEROUS OTHER TIMES, WHEN I FINALLY DECIDED TO NOT DRIVE THE CAR. THROUGHOUT ALL, DEALER CLAIMS HE'S UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, AUDI AMERICA DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR ACCIDENTS FROM WIPER-FAILURE. CAR WAS GARAGED AS UNSAFE TO DRIVE FOR THE REMAINING 17 MONTHS OF THE LEASE. JUST THIS WEEK I FOUND OUT THAT AUDI GERMANY KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND HAS REDESIGNED THE WIPER-MOTOR BEFORE 02/2004. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS FAILURE HAVE SURFACED ON THE INTERNET, AND EXCHANGING THE WIPER-MOTOR ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM. AUDI SHOULD RECALL ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE WIPER BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. FURTHERMORE, I REQUEST AUDI REFUND MY LAST 17 LEASE-PAYMENTS AS WELL AS INSURANCE AND REGISTRATION COST FOR THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS GARAGED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10188022April 16, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 AUDI A8. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED THE CONTACT HEARD A BELL SOUND AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. THE VEHICLE DECELERATED, BUT DID NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER APPROXIMATELY TEN TIMES, BUT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,800, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. *AK UPDATE 05/04/07*TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10179146January 19, 2007
PARKING BRAKE
EMERGENCY BRAKE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. FACTORY HAD A RECALL ON CAR TO REPROGRAM THIS MODULE, DEALER SAID MODULE COULDN'T BE REPROGRAMMED BECAUSE IT HAD FAILED. PARTS AND LABOR WAS $509.00 FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT I CONSIDERED A SAFETY RELATED ITEM AS THIS ALSO ACTS AS EMERGENCY BRAKE FOR VEHICLE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10178542January 10, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2001 AUDI A8L GAUGE CLUSTER PROBLEMS**CC THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN THE VEHICLE, THE TEMPERATURE OR THE VEHICLE SPEED, BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10178167January 9, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OWNER WAS DRIVING THE AUDI HOME WHEN HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. HE PULLED OVER AND OBSERVED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIRE BURNED WITH GREATEST INTENSITY IN LOWER LEFT REAR OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FROM LOCATION OF LEFT SIDE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SPARK PLUGS REMOVED FROM ENGINE SHOWED OVERFUELING PROBLEM IN #6 AND #8 CYLINDERS ON LEFT BANK, CAUSING CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO OVERHEAT AND START THE FIRE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10176112December 14, 2006
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
MY 1997 AUDI A8 IS EQUIPPED WITH A VEHICLE JACK THAT IS GROSSLY INADEQUATE FOR CHANGING A TIRE AND IS HAZARDOUS TO ANYONE USING IT-- IT IS PRONE TO COLLAPSE. MANY USERS OF THIS JACK HAVE EXPERIENCED COLLAPSE, AND AUDI DOES NOT CARE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10176010December 13, 2006
AIR BAGS
MY 1997 AUDI A8 HAS AIR BAG LIGHT DISPLAY IN THE CENTER OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ON A RECENT VISIT TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THEY HAVE RESET THE FAULT CODE. WHEREVER, SOON AFTER THAT THE WARNING LIGHT CAME UP AGAIN AND STAY ON NOW. I SEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND OUT THERE WERE MANY OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE ON THE 1997-2000 MODEL YEAR OF THE A8. I READ THE OWNER'S MANUEL, AND IT SAYS IF THE AIR BAG WARNING IS ON, WHEN COLLISION OCCURS, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG WILL BECOME DEACTIVATED (I.E. FRONTAL AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF A FRONTAL CRASH.) SINCE THE AIR BAG IS A VITAL SAFETY SYSTEM, I'D STRONGLY SUGGEST TO YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS FAILURE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10173004November 9, 2006
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
TIRE JACK SUPPLIED BY AUDI USA FOR THE AUDI A8 IS VERY DANGEROUS. IT IS MANUFACTURED OUT OF CHEAP ALUMINUM AND IS NOT RUGGED ENOUGH TO LIFT THE CAR EVEN ON FLAT PAVEMENT. THE JACK BENT UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HURT SOMEONE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169319September 26, 2006
STRUCTURE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND PREPARING TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED AND THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILED. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO LIQUID WHICH SPILLED IN THE BACK SEAT, RAN DOWN INTO THE SEAT, AND CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING CONTROL MODULE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING CONTROL MODULE, STEERING WHEEL AND LOCK. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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