2019 Audi A8 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (5) · Engine (2) · Visibility/Wiper (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Audi A8 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (3)
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 2025-12-19 · campaign 25V900000 · 356,894 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:engine Control Module (Ecu/Ecm) 2021-02-24 · campaign 21V111000 · 238 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A8 and 2020-2021 Audi S8 vehicles. A missing sealing pin may allow moisture to enter the engine control module connector, possibly causing a control module malfunction.
Risk: An engine control module malfunction may cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine control module connector for a missing sealing pin, and install it, if necessary. The connector will also be inspected for corrosion, and replaced as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 12, 20121. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 97EV.
Seats 2019-06-05 · campaign 19V415000 · 66 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019 Audi A8 vehicles equipped with rear relaxation seats. The front passenger seat track rivet may fail and cause the spindle bracket to separate.
Risk: A failure of the seat track rivet increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger seat tracks, free of charge. The recall began July 25, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72J3.
Service bulletins (1,327)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-25 · TSB_2083409_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-25 · TSB_2052680_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
Electrical System 2026-09-23 · TSB_2063336_5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information when dtc c12bff0 is stored in the lane change modeul or the radar sensor; intersection assist/lane change assist are inoperable.
Steering 2026-09-22 · TSB_2074846_5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
Steering 2026-09-22 · TSB_2065871_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides informaiton when dtc b200ff0 is stored.
Visibility/Wiper 2026-09-22 · TSB_2020552_15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,327 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-05-27 · Visibility/Wiper“complaint: authorized dealer non-compliance with nhtsa compliance recall 25v900 (rearview camera software, fmvss no. 111). vehicle is a 2019 audi a8 subject to recall 25v900, issued by the manufacturer in january 2026. the recall work was scheduled with an authorized audi dealer in southern california by telephone. the dealership representative c…”
2025-10-16 · Engine“complete engine failure - audible engine knock noise. bank 2 knock sensor faults stored & recorded at audi of hoffman estates. worked with audi of amercia where they denied any wrongdoing or know issues. bore socped engine at an independent shop & confirmed the cyclinder 6 bore was scored due to picton failure. paid for a used engine replacemen…”
2024-06-21 · Electrical System“my grandson and i got in the car after being in a lego store for 20 minutes. we tried to start the car to leave but the car started the electronic starting procedure but stoped. all kinds of malfunction and failure lights came on and everything locked up. we were trapped in the car and could not escape …”
2023-09-30 · Electrical System“electrical system malfunction. faulty generator shut dow. all electrical systems and eventually shut the car down. …”
2023-04-24 · Electrical System“electrical malfunction light came on and it says to pull over and cut your car off and also contact your dealer. this is very scary because you may be in am area that is very isolated or dangerous to stop. this is very disturbing. this is a known problem by audi. the vehicle is currently at the audi dealership. there were no warnings prior to this.…”
2023-04-23 · Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection“while driving on highway my car experienced massive electrical malfunction. all systems shut down (including dashboard) and engine cut off. i think it was a miracle that i was able to pull over to the roadside parking lot without any accident. the issue was caused by faulty design of the starter-alternator combo that may render the car undriveable …”
2023-04-09 · Unknown Or Other“the sunroof on my 2019 audi a8 spontaneously exploded around 445 pm on friday, april 7, 2023. the car was traveling around 55 mph and the sunroof just exploded out. the sunscreen was closed at the time. it was not hit by a rock or a tree limb or any other item. it just exploded. sounded like a gunshot when the car was brought to a stop, there wa…”
2023-04-07 · Steering“hello, on april 6th, 2023, at 12 pm, my car experienced a electrical malfunction within the start/stop system, which didn’t posed an immediate threat to my life. later that day, the car stalled on me while driving, causing a highly dangerous situation on a busy street during peak traffic hours. multiple error codes appeared, and the transmission …”
2023-01-26 · Electrical System“alternator/start stop generator is bad. car stopped dead in the intersection. …”
2023-01-25 · Electrical System · 45,000 mi“the contact owns a 2019 audi 8. the contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, the message "electrical malfunction" was suddenly displayed before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. the vehicle failed to restart. the vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the alternator was faulty and needed to be replaced. the manu…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.