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1997 Audi A8 Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Serious

12 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.17 · updated 2026-10-27

The recalls

Serious08V397000

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

THIS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL, CAUSING A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LOCKING CABLE BY INSTALLING AN ADJUSTING PIECE THAT WILL SECURE THE LOCKING CABLE IN PLACE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 13,900 MY 1996-2003 AUDI A8 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE LOCKING CABLE MAY MOVE OUT OF POSITION OVER TIME. WITH THE LOCKING CABLE OUT OF POSITION, THE SHIFTER CAN BE MOVED OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION EVEN IF THE IGNITION KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION LOCK.

Serious97V175000

Air Bags:Frontal

ACTIVATION OF THE AIR BAG UNDER THESE CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND WIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DISCHARGE OF STATIC ELECTRICITY UNDER LOW HUMIDITY CONDITIONS CAN ACTIVATE THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WHEN THE DRIVER ENTERS OR EXITS THE VEHICLE AND FORMS AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BY TOUCHING CERTAIN AREAS OF THE STEERING WHEEL.

Complaint volume

12 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

1Crashes
0Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 12 complaints. Severity Index 0.17.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Vehicle Speed Control2 · 17%Power Train · Automatic T…2 · 17%Power Train1 · 8%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…1 · 8%Power Train · Manual Tran…1 · 8%Exterior Lighting · Brake…1 · 8%Electrical System · Ignit…1 · 8%Structure · Body · Bumpers1 · 8%
  1. Vehicle Speed Control — 2 reports
  2. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 2 reports
  3. Power Train — 1 reports
  4. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor — 1 reports
  5. Power Train:Manual Transmission — 1 reports
  6. Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights — 1 reports
  7. Electrical System:Ignition:Switch — 1 reports
  8. Structure:Body:Bumpers — 1 reports
  9. Air Bags — 1 reports
  10. Equipment:Mechanical:Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1996 (2) · 1997 · 1998 (3) · 1999 (4) · 2000 (2) · 2001 (2) · 2002 (1) · 2003 (1) · 2004 (1) · 2005 (1) · 2006 (2) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (1) · 2009 (1) · 2010 (1) · 2011 (1) · 2012 (1) · 2013 (6) · 2014 (5) · 2015 (5) · 2016 (4) · 2017 (3) · 2019 (3) · 2020 (5) · 2021 (10)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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