2013 Audi A8 engine problems

The 2013 Audi A8 has 37 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 55% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

Engine complaints

55%

Share of year

Crash-involved

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

A8 engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

22V178000EngineMarch 23, 2022 · 26,093 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

Worn bearings can cause the turbine wheel to contact the turbocharger housing or cause the shaft to break, causing an engine stall and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the oil strainer and perform an oil change, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 21H7.

16V619000EngineAugust 24, 2016 · 9,067 units

Defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Audi A8 vehicles manufactured May 15, 2010, to May 14, 2012. The affected vehicles have a coolant valve that may leak, allowing coolant to enter the engine control module causing a loss of power or the engine to stall.

Consequence

A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the coolant valve and inspect for coolant that has leaked through the electrical connector, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 19, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

What owners report

“The pcv oil separator has failed and is making a whistling sound. From researching this issue it is widely known and an investigation shows it is caused in relation to a recall for the oil strainer that was done on this vehicle. I called audi dealership and they said this is not an open recall,…”
Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · October 11, 2025

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2013 Audi A8 have?

NHTSA has 37 complaints about the 2013 Audi A8 engine — 55% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2013 Audi A8 engine?

Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns for this model year are tied to the engine: 16V619000, 22V178000.

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.