This bulletin provides information on VIN Plates, Safety Certification labels, and the ordering procedures.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Audi S8 engine problems
moderate 9 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
9
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
When does it fail?
Of the 9 engine complaints filed for the 2013 Audi S8, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This bulletin provides information regarding UV leak additive for finding oil leaks.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides informatin when the engine does not run smoothly at idling speeds.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides information when the MIL is on; DTCs for misfire, air/fuel ratio imbalance, or lean fuel system stored in the ECM P030000.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides informatin when the engine does not run smoothly at idling speeds.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
The dealer doesn’t want to perform the recall due to branded title. They should though. Please look into it
The car was running rough for a couple weeks; hesitant to accelerate, failed to start multiple times and idled rough. One day I was coming home from my hour long commute, I put the car in reverse in my driveway and the car started bucking so badly that it became un-drivable. At this point we had to get the car towed on a flatbed an hour away to the nearest dealership and this is when we…
While driving on the main highway, my car engine shut off. I had dysfunctional brake and steering failure. Brake was hardly working and I had to use all my strength to control steering. Basically, while driving at 50mph, car engine shut off without warning and I lost steering and braking. I was able to pull off the road into a vacant parking lot and car came to a stop. Fortunately, no cars…
Turbos failed, car stalled and will not start unless giving it gas. Down on power and performance. Check engine light came on
While driving, the car started to run rough and wouldn't idle when I came to a stop. It became very hard to start, especially when hot. While the car was in for recall work it was diagnosed with bad turbochargers. Quoted over $10k in repairs.
Both turbos on the engine were damaged to the point of replacement, causing the car to stall out at idle at a busy intersection putting me in danger of an accident. My car had less than 50,000 miles on it. *tr
It if very well known issue for 4.0tt v8 Audi engine, there is pour oil supply to turbos which causing them to fail. After an hour of cruising on highway car would choke on idle, difficult to even start. Audi dealer diagnosed turbo failure without underline cause. 10k dollars repair every 20-50k miles is unreasonable due to fact that oil separator, oil strainer, seals and coolant lines have been…
Engine turbocharger experience catastrophic damage, engine stalled, power steering was disrupted.
While on the highway, I noticed that the car was not picking up appropriate speed when accelerating. There was no prior notice or engine lights or any abnormalities with the vehicle prior to this. I decided to pull off the highway at a rest area and as the car was slowed down around 15-20 MPH, I lost total power of the vehicle and was unable to steer or use the brakes. Luckily the car was able to…
Had engine trouble with your 2013 Audi S8?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2013 Audi S8?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 9 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 9 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 81,325 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Audi/S8.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.