2004 Audi A8 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A8 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Audi A8. That ranks 3rd out of 32 A8 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility (6 complaints, 30%), typically at around 6,760 miles. Complaints mention 2 fires. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 20owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 Audi A8 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 6 | 30% | 6,760 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 25% | 97,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 20% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 10% | 151,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 10% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 5% | 183,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 5% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 5% | 14,433 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 5% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 5% | 14,433 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Audi A8 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, during production of the driver's frontal air bag, the air bag may not unfold properly in the event of a crash and therefore may not inflate as designed.
Risk: Loss of frontal air bag deployment could occur which can increase the risk of injury in a frontal crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a new driver's frontal air bag free of charge. The recall began on october 6, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-822-2834.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
WHILE DRIVING AND/OR PARKING AND/OR PUTTING KEY IN IGNITION TO START MY VEHICLE ABS LIGHT; STABILIZATION; AND SPEEDOMETER SEEMS AS THOUGH BEING HACKED...SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER WHEN TEMPERATURES REACH 100 DEGREES + MY HEATER IS HACKED ON AND MY INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE IS LIFE THREATENING…
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 audi a8. While the vehicle was parked, a strong fuel odor emitted from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was aware of nhtsa campaign number: 11v267000 (fuel…
Driver smelled smoke shortly after starting his vehicle and driving away from his home. The smell was of plastic, and it was assumed from an electrical short/fire. The driver stopped the car and inspected the engine area. No evidence of fire, however the driver turned back and drove the vehicle…
I own a 2004 audi a8 quatro, this morning the car accelerated on it's own. The driver seat, steering wheel, and the car suspension adjusted automatically while i was driving it and it went from 40mph to 150+ without me having my foot on the accelerator. For a minute i thought i was going to die. I…
Two air suspension systems went out for no reason in my car. My car is a 2004 a8l with 64,000 miles. They were leaking. This was $5,000 expense. I think they are defective. *tr
Other Audi A8 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 A8 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 A8 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 A8 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023 A8 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 A8 | 0 | 3 |
| 2021 A8 | 5 | 10 |
| 2020 A8 | 3 | 5 |
| 2019 A8 | 14 | 3 |
| 2018 A8 | 0 | 2 |
| 2017 A8 | 8 | 3 |
| 2016 A8 | 11 | 4 |
| 2015 A8 | 31 | 5 |
| 2014 A8 | 18 | 5 |
| 2013 A8 | 49 | 6 |
| 2012 A8 | 11 | 1 |
| 2011 A8 | 15 | 1 |
| 2010 A8 | 1 | 1 |
| 2009 A8 | 5 | 1 |
| 2008 A8 | 8 | 1 |
| 2007 A8 | 4 | 2 |
| 2006 A8 | 6 | 2 |
| 2005 A8 | 6 | 1 |
| 2004 | 20 | 1 |
| 2003 A8 | 3 | 1 |
| 2002 A8 | 1 | 1 |
| 2001 A8 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000 A8 | 3 | 2 |
| 1999 A8 | 9 | 4 |
| 1998 A8 | 4 | 3 |
| 1997 A8 | 10 | 2 |
| 1996 A8 | 1 | 2 |
| 1995 A8 | 0 | 1 |
See all Audi A8 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
Similar Audi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Audi A8?
Owners most often report visibility, vehicle speed control, electrical system problems. The top one, visibility, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Audi A8?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 Audi A8 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other A8 model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.