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2021 Audi A8

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

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Safety
not rated
Recalls
10
on record
MPG
combined

Heavily recalled

10 safety recalls on record. Confirm with the seller that every campaign has been completed.

Vehicle Summary

2021 Audi A8

10 recalls
5 complaints

Before You Buy

Confirm all 10 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
No complaint on record reports a crash
Review the 5 owner complaints on record
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Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
10
Owner complaints
5
Complaints citing a crash
0

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

10 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

10 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 21V825000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8 and S8, 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, A4 Sedan, E-Tron GT, Q3, Q5, RS6 Avant, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RSQ8, SQ7, SQ8, and S3 Sedan vehicles. A software error may prevent the rear-view image from initially displaying when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Consequence

    A rear-view camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will update the infotainment unit parameters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 9, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91CR.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V606000high

    Safety restraint issue

    SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Consequence

    An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

    Full campaign record
  • 22V034000high

    Tire/wheel issue

    TIRES

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.

    Consequence

    Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V111000high

    Engine issue

    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A8 and 2020-2021 Audi S8 vehicles. A missing sealing pin may allow moisture to enter the engine control module connector, possibly causing a control module malfunction.

    Consequence

    An engine control module malfunction may cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine control module connector for a missing sealing pin, and install it, if necessary. The connector will also be inspected for corrosion, and replaced as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 12, 20121. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 97EV.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V295000high

    Suspension issue

    SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.

    Consequence

    A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V742000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Consequence

    A blank rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V806000high

    Electrical issue

    EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:VIDEO (TOUCH)SCREEN/MONITOR/UNIT

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 AUDI A8, A6 Allroad, E-TRON Quattro, 2022 S3, RSQ8, RS7, RS6 Avant, Q8, Q7, Q3, E-TRON Sportback Quattro, S5 Cabriolet, E-TRON GT, S5 Sportback, A7, A6, A5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, A4, A4 Allroad, A3, S8, SQ7, SQ8, S6, and S4 vehicles. The infotainment main unit may become damaged internally when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display the next time the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Consequence

    An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the infotainment main unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91Ei.

    Full campaign record
  • 23V842000high

    Electrical issue

    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:CHARGING:CABLE/CORD:ONBOARD

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 RS e-tron GT, e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron Sportback, Q4 e-tron, 2020-2021 Audi A8, 2019-2024 e-tron Quattro, 2020-2024 e-tron Sportback Quattro, Q5, and 2021-2022 A7 vehicles. When using the industrial 220V/240V plug at the 100% charge setting, some home power outlets may be incapable of handling the electrical current required to utilize the compact charging system, causing the outlet or charging cable to overheat.

    Consequence

    An overheated outlet or charging cable can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy

    Owners are advised not to use the 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable and only use the 110V home charging cable or public charging stations. Dealers will supply a new 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable with an incorporated temperature sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's numbers for this recall are 93U6 and 93U8.

    Full campaign record
  • 25V201000high

    Electrical issue

    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 SQ8, A6 SEDAN, A7, A8, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S6 SEDAN, S7, S8, A6 Allroad, and SQ7 vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail.

    Consequence

    An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will update the instrument panel module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90VC.

    Full campaign record
  • 25V900000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Consequence

    A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NHTSA holds no crash-test rating for this model year.

Not every model year is tested. A missing rating is not a poor rating.

Fuel economy & emissions

The EPA holds no fuel-economy record for this model year.

The EPA does not publish a record for every model year.

Consumer complaints

5 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

5
Total
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE2
  • ELECTRICAL1
  • FUEL SYSTEM1
  • STRUCTURE1

Normal Range

5 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)2
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)1
fuel system problems (leaks, pump failure)1

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Audi A8, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 25V900000

    A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 25V201000

    An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

  3. Recall

    Recall 23V842000

    An overheated outlet or charging cable can increase the risk of a fire.

  4. Recall

    Recall 22V806000

    An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  5. Recall

    Recall 22V742000

    A blank rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  6. Recall

    Recall 22V034000

    Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.

  7. Recall

    Recall 21V825000

    A rear-view camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

  8. Recall

    Recall 21V606000

    An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

  9. Recall

    Recall 21V295000

    A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

  10. Recall

    Recall 21V111000

    An engine control module malfunction may cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Unknown
Drive type
Unknown
Engine
0L 0-cyl
Fuel type
Unknown
Transmission
Unknown
Seats
0

Explore related

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 25V900000

    A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 25V201000

    An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

  3. Recall

    Recall 23V842000

    An overheated outlet or charging cable can increase the risk of a fire.

  4. Recall

    Recall 22V806000

    An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  5. Recall

    Recall 22V742000

    A blank rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.