AI DamageBentley Continental reliability: problems, complaints, recalls
Summary for the Bentley Continental across 8 model years: 3 owner complaints and 136 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Wheels 33% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 33% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 33% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (33% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 248.
- Wheels: 1 complaints (33% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 26.
- Engine: 1 complaints (33% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (33% of all).
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 2013–2024
- 6 L · petrol · turbo · 12 cyl 2004–2024
- 6.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl 2000
- 6.7 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl 1998
- 6.8 L · petrol · 8 cyl 2001
- 6.8 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl 1999–2003
- 4 L · plug-in hybrid · turbo · 8 cyl 2025–2026
- automatic, 4-speed 1998–2003
- automatic, 6-speed 2004–2013
- automatic, 8-speed 2013–2018
- dual-clutch (DCT), 8-speed 2020–2026
Drive: AWD, RWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 248 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 26 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 102 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 72 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 58 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| Suspension | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 10 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
In event if the vacuum lines over the transmission suffers a major failure while driving it will result in the vehicle stalling immediately which can result in causing immediate harm to drivers and dependant on the situation grave harm or death can result.
Tools provided by the manufacturer cannot be used on wheel nuts on the wheel due to incorrect sizes, the rear tire of the car went flat on the highway at 10:50 pm and try to install spare tire on the side of street but the tools provided from the factory as an emergency tools did not fit to uninstall the flat tire and…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- HVAC refrigerant leakage suspected or reports of a damp/musty smell within the cabin - Diagnosis guidelines
- Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI) Coolant fan operation check (SC24/08). Technical background
- 12 Volt - Battery condition checks. Customer statement / workshop findings
- Software update for the rear door control modules - 00BB and 00BC during PDI (SC23/24). Technical background
- Driver / Passenger door(s) creak on close - All models (front and / or rear)
- Software update for the rear door control modules - 00BB and 00BC during PDI (SC23/24). Technical background
- Driver / Passenger door(s) creak on close - All models (frond and/or rear)
- Spurious DTC identification. Customer statement / workshop findings
- HVAC distribution/operational issues - HVAC Motor defect DTCs logged. Customer statement / workshop findings
- Engine Coolant Mixture - Restrictions on use of desalinated water Customer Statement
- Brake Noise Identification
- Multiple Random Misfires Evident During PDI Customer Statement
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- Top 10 Luxury Coupes In 2026!amount per author: 465,994 UNSPECIFIED_DOLLAR
- REBUILDING REPAIRING 2016 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT GTC V8
Other models of this make
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.