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Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Audi A8 problems

Owners filed 8 complaints about the 2003 Audi A8 with NHTSA between Jun 2003 and Jan 2012. The most-cited component is power train (2).

Full 2003 A8 research
Complaints
8
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train2
  2. Exterior lighting2
  3. Suspension1
  4. Steering1
  5. Tires1
  6. Engine and engine cooling1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20035
20040
20050
20060
20071
20081
20090
20100
20110
20121

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

2 reports1 related recall
“THE CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH: CV JOINTS, CONTROL ARMS AND NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. NOW THERE IS A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION CABLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2008Power trainODI 10245714
Recall: Power train: automatic transmissionGet this fixed

Exterior lighting

2 reports
“THE BLINDING BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS ON SOME NEW CARS ARE DANGEROUS. I FLASH MY BRIGHTS AT THEM THINKING THAT IS THE PROBLEM. IF CAR MANUFACTURERS CONTINUE TO PUT THEM ON NEW CARS, WILL THEY BE LIABLE FOR ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THE BLINDING LIGHT? *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2003Exterior lightingODI 10023228
Get this fixed

Suspension

1 report
“REAR DRIVERS COIL SPRING FAILED, BROKE IN HALF CAUSING SUSPENSION TO FAIL AND DAMAGE RIM/TIRE. SERIOUS CONDITION IF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NO WARNING OF THE FAILURE PRIOR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 23, 2012SuspensionODI 10444891
Get this fixed

Steering

1 report
“MY 2003 AUDI ALL ROAD HAS A CONTINUAL PULL TO THE RIGHT. IT WILL NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT FOR MORE THAN 5-8 SECONDS AT A TIME, ON MOST ROAD SURFACES. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS FOUR TIMES IN 3400 MILES. EACH TIME THE CAR WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND HAD TO BE ADJUSTED. THE SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTS THAT THE CAR IS PERFORMING TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS, BUT IT STILL HAS A PULL TO THE RIGHT. *LA”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 12, 2003SteeringODI 10041665
Get this fixed

Tires

1 report
“THE SIDEWALL RUPTURED ON A GOODYEAR WRANGLER F1, 225/55R17 TIRE. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2003TiresODI 10041107
Get this fixed

Engine and engine cooling

1 report
“WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN EXPLOSION AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WERE LOUD NOISES COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AND PARTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE ON THE GROUND. THE CAR THEN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY CLAIMED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN SOME TYPE OF IMPACT WHICH CAUSED THE EXPLOSION TO OCCUR, AND AUDI WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES. THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO FIND THE PROPER REASON FOR EXPLOSION. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE A RENTAL CAR AT HER OWN EXPENSE TO HAVE A VEHICLE. *MR *CB *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2003Engine and engine coolingODI 10034081
Get this fixed
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.