How many recalls does the 2003 Audi A8 have?

The 2003 Audi A8 has 1 NHTSA safety recall campaign on record.

How do I check if my 2003 Audi A8 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2003 Audi A8?

Of 3 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is exterior lighting.

2003 Audi A8 Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2003 Audi A8 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 13,900 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the exterior lighting. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

POWER TRAIN 08V397000 2008-08-14 13,900 affected

Defect

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 13,900 MY 1996-2003 AUDI A8 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE LOCKING CABLE MAY MOVE OUT OF POSITION OVER TIME. WITH THE LOCKING CABLE OUT OF POSITION, THE SHIFTER CAN BE MOVED OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION EVEN IF THE IGNITION KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION LOCK.

Consequence

THIS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL, CAUSING A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LOCKING CABLE BY INSTALLING AN ADJUSTING PIECE THAT WILL SECURE THE LOCKING CABLE IN PLACE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.

Complaints by component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SUSPENSION

Total complaints3

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“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”

SUSPENSION · reported 2012-01-23

“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”

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · reported 2008-10-10

“Please add my name to the list of drivers that are adamantly opposed to the new blue/purple headlights many of the new luxury cars are featuring. The light is piercing and a danger to night time traffic. These new lights are even distracting during daylight. I believe that cars equipped with these…”

EXTERIOR LIGHTING · reported 2003-06-14

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2003 Audi A8 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.