AI Damage2016 Audi S8: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Audi S8 filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and steering. The maker issued 533 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 533
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 33% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 17% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 17% of all complaints
- 5 Electronic stability control 17% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (33% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 34.
- Steering: 1 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 26.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 20.
- Suspension: 1 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 20.
- Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
Drive: AWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 34 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 26 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 126 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 109 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 53 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Wheels | 0 | 0 | 13 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I started the car last friday, 11/15/2019 and got a bunch of system errors popping up one right after the other. I drove the car to get to a safe parking spot and noticed the steering wheel totally off center about 70 degrees counter clockwise.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 13,281 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S8 has 2 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 6, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has…
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.
- This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations
- This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases
- This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer
- This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the…
This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.
- This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped
- This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning
- This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels
- This bulletin provides information about leather care and seat repair
- This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns
- This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor
- This bulletin provides information on the GFF test plan required for AC compressor replacements regardless…
NHTSA lists 533 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Audi S8?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, steering, powertrain. Total complaints: 6.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Audi S8?
NHTSA lists 533 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Audi S8 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.