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2001 Audi A8 Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Serious

8 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.25 · 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.

Moderate01V259000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap

SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, THE FUEL TANK PRESSURE WILL BE REDUCED, WHICH WILL ACTIVATE THE LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM AND ALERT THE DRIVER OF A SYSTEM'S FAULT INDICATED BY AN INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILLER NECK/EXPANSION TANK ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 21, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AUDI AT 1-866-892-2834.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A FUEL AND VAPOR LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM. A "BLIND COVER" AT THE FILLER NECK OF THE FUEL TANK MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY ALLOWING FUEL VAPOR TO ESCAPE.

Complaint volume

8 this model-year 7 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 8 complaints. Severity Index 0.25.

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 Control · A…1 · 13%Engine And Engine Cooling1 · 13%Power Train · Automatic T…1 · 13%Vehicle Speed Control1 · 13%Electrical System · Inst…1 · 13%Fuel/Propulsion System1 · 13%Power Train1 · 13%Wheels1 · 13%
  1. Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal — 1 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling — 1 reports
  3. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 1 reports
  4. Vehicle Speed Control — 1 reports
  5. Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel — 1 reports
  6. Fuel/Propulsion System — 1 reports
  7. Power Train — 1 reports
  8. Wheels — 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 (2) · 1998 (3) · 1999 (4) · 2000 (2) · 2001 · 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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