2004 AUDI A8 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

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N/A

Safety Rating

31

Owner Complaints

3 Fires

1

Recall

ACTIVE RECALL

19

Service Bulletins

0

Investigations

Overview of the 2004 AUDI A8

The 2004 AUDI A8 has received a total of 31 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There has been 1 recall campaign affecting this vehicle, covering issues with AIR BAGS:FRONTAL. 19 technical service bulletins have been issued by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Electrical System (4 complaints), Vehicle Speed Control (4 complaints), and Service Brakes (2 complaints).

Recalls for the 2004 AUDI A8

NHTSA has recorded 1 recall for the 2004 AUDI A8, potentially affecting up to 7,674 vehicles.

Recall 06V324000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

| 7,674 vehicles affected

Defect: 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.

Consequence: LOSS OF FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD OCCUR WHICH CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY IN A FRONTAL CRASH.

Remedy: 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.

View full details →

Owner Complaints for the 2004 AUDI A8

31 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2004 AUDI A8. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.

Most Recent Complaints

#11064890 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | | 183,000 miles
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 HOT!!! HAVE TO OPEN WINDOWS TO 100 DEGREES TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE...MY INTERIOR LIGHTS JUST COME ON AND DRAIN MY BATTERY....AND MY SOUND SYSTEM FLIPS OPEN AND MUSIC PLAYS WHEN IM IN MY HOUSE AND HAS SHUT OFF MY CAR AND WHILE DRIVING MY SOUND SYSTEM COMES ON AND MY RADIO IS REMOTELY CONTROLLED---HACKED BECAUSE MY STATIONS ARE SWITCHED IE. TUNED TO DIFFERENT STATIONS AND MY CDS ARE SCROLLED THROUGH THE TRACKS WITHOUT MY DOING SO....AND MY VEHICLE WAS HACKED FOR IT TO SPEED UP WHEN I WASNT ACCELORATING IN A WALMART PARKING LOT....THAT COULD HAVE INJURED MYSELF OR OTHERS..BUT I HIT THE BRAKES AND CUT MY CAR OFF IN A PARKING SPACE...MY SPEEDOMETER IS ALWAYS BEING HACKED THAT WHEN I DRIVING AT NO MATTER WHAT SPEED....ITS BEING HACKED TO READ 0 MILES AND THREATENS MY ABILITY TO KNOW MY SPEED AND IT SLOWS MY ENGINE PERFORMANCE...MY PARK BRAKE ENGAGES AND I HAVE TO CUT CAR OFF AND THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS WHILE IM DRIVING....MY STEERING ONCE JERKED BUT I MIRACULOUSLY WASNT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC..I DONT KNOW WHO WHAT OR WHY BUT WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE EVEN THE DEALER BOOMER DID ALOT OF SHADY THINGS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO MY VEHICLE.........PLEASE HELP...ALL THE VEHICLES I BUY ARE BEING HACKED AND EVENTUALLY EITHER RECALLED OR CRASHED OR [XXX] NEAR! OR PUT OUT OF ORDER... AND EVERY INSURANCE COMPANY I GET.....MY PREMIUMS GO UP WITHOUT ANY REASON EXCEPT "ITS THE STATE INSURANCE COMMISSION" WHERE I LIVE CHANGING STATE RULES? INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
#11064890 | SERVICE BRAKES | | 183,000 miles
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 HOT!!! HAVE TO OPEN WINDOWS TO 100 DEGREES TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE...MY INTERIOR LIGHTS JUST COME ON AND DRAIN MY BATTERY....AND MY SOUND SYSTEM FLIPS OPEN AND MUSIC PLAYS WHEN IM IN MY HOUSE AND HAS SHUT OFF MY CAR AND WHILE DRIVING MY SOUND SYSTEM COMES ON AND MY RADIO IS REMOTELY CONTROLLED---HACKED BECAUSE MY STATIONS ARE SWITCHED IE. TUNED TO DIFFERENT STATIONS AND MY CDS ARE SCROLLED THROUGH THE TRACKS WITHOUT MY DOING SO....AND MY VEHICLE WAS HACKED FOR IT TO SPEED UP WHEN I WASNT ACCELORATING IN A WALMART PARKING LOT....THAT COULD HAVE INJURED MYSELF OR OTHERS..BUT I HIT THE BRAKES AND CUT MY CAR OFF IN A PARKING SPACE...MY SPEEDOMETER IS ALWAYS BEING HACKED THAT WHEN I DRIVING AT NO MATTER WHAT SPEED....ITS BEING HACKED TO READ 0 MILES AND THREATENS MY ABILITY TO KNOW MY SPEED AND IT SLOWS MY ENGINE PERFORMANCE...MY PARK BRAKE ENGAGES AND I HAVE TO CUT CAR OFF AND THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS WHILE IM DRIVING....MY STEERING ONCE JERKED BUT I MIRACULOUSLY WASNT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC..I DONT KNOW WHO WHAT OR WHY BUT WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE EVEN THE DEALER BOOMER DID ALOT OF SHADY THINGS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO MY VEHICLE.........PLEASE HELP...ALL THE VEHICLES I BUY ARE BEING HACKED AND EVENTUALLY EITHER RECALLED OR CRASHED OR [XXX] NEAR! OR PUT OUT OF ORDER... AND EVERY INSURANCE COMPANY I GET.....MY PREMIUMS GO UP WITHOUT ANY REASON EXCEPT "ITS THE STATE INSURANCE COMMISSION" WHERE I LIVE CHANGING STATE RULES? INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
#11064890 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | | 183,000 miles
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 HOT!!! HAVE TO OPEN WINDOWS TO 100 DEGREES TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE...MY INTERIOR LIGHTS JUST COME ON AND DRAIN MY BATTERY....AND MY SOUND SYSTEM FLIPS OPEN AND MUSIC PLAYS WHEN IM IN MY HOUSE AND HAS SHUT OFF MY CAR AND WHILE DRIVING MY SOUND SYSTEM COMES ON AND MY RADIO IS REMOTELY CONTROLLED---HACKED BECAUSE MY STATIONS ARE SWITCHED IE. TUNED TO DIFFERENT STATIONS AND MY CDS ARE SCROLLED THROUGH THE TRACKS WITHOUT MY DOING SO....AND MY VEHICLE WAS HACKED FOR IT TO SPEED UP WHEN I WASNT ACCELORATING IN A WALMART PARKING LOT....THAT COULD HAVE INJURED MYSELF OR OTHERS..BUT I HIT THE BRAKES AND CUT MY CAR OFF IN A PARKING SPACE...MY SPEEDOMETER IS ALWAYS BEING HACKED THAT WHEN I DRIVING AT NO MATTER WHAT SPEED....ITS BEING HACKED TO READ 0 MILES AND THREATENS MY ABILITY TO KNOW MY SPEED AND IT SLOWS MY ENGINE PERFORMANCE...MY PARK BRAKE ENGAGES AND I HAVE TO CUT CAR OFF AND THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS WHILE IM DRIVING....MY STEERING ONCE JERKED BUT I MIRACULOUSLY WASNT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC..I DONT KNOW WHO WHAT OR WHY BUT WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE EVEN THE DEALER BOOMER DID ALOT OF SHADY THINGS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO MY VEHICLE.........PLEASE HELP...ALL THE VEHICLES I BUY ARE BEING HACKED AND EVENTUALLY EITHER RECALLED OR CRASHED OR [XXX] NEAR! OR PUT OUT OF ORDER... AND EVERY INSURANCE COMPANY I GET.....MY PREMIUMS GO UP WITHOUT ANY REASON EXCEPT "ITS THE STATE INSURANCE COMMISSION" WHERE I LIVE CHANGING STATE RULES? INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
#10893365 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | | 170,000 miles
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 SYSTEM, OTHER), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
#10693097 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | | 120,000 miles Fire
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 HOME. STRONG BURNING PLASTIC SMELL AGAIN AS THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE CABIN WAS FILLING WITH SMOKE. DRIVER OPENED THE TRUNK AS THE BATTERY WAS LOCATED IN THE RIGHT REAR SECTION OF THE TRUNK. SMOKE WAS EMANATING FROM THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. A PLASTIC PANEL WAS REMOVED FOR INSPECTION. LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDER THE BATTERY WAS A PLASTIC MODULE IDENTIFIED AS TRW *334 GNOACDOBNC28U* AND STAMPED MADE IN MALAYSIA??. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MODULE CONTROLS THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE FOR THE CAR. INSPECTING THE UNIT, MULTIPLE WIRE LEADS THAT FEED THE E-BRAKE CONTROL UNIT HAD BURNED THROUGH, AS DID A PORTION OF THE E-BRAKE CONTROL UNIT. THE BODY AREA OF THE CAR NEAR THE UNIT WAS COVERED IN SOOT FROM THE ELECTRICAL FIRE. YEARS PRIOR, THE DRIVER HAD ISSUES WITH THE E-BRAKE, THE E-BRAKES FAILING TO RELEASE PROMPTING THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. AT THAT TIME THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WALKED THE DRIVER INTO THE SERVICE AREA TO SHOW THE DRIVER CORROSION ON THE ELECTRIC CONTACT LEADS FROM THE CONTROL UNIT. THE REPRESENTATIVE SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS BATTERY ACID/GASES MAY HAVE RUN DOWN THE BATTERY INTO THE CONTROL UNIT CAUSING THE CORROSION. THE UNIT MAY HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT THAT TIME ALONG WITH THE BATTERY. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE OF THE CONTROL UNIT UPON REQUEST. *TR

View all Electrical System complaints →

Safety Rating for the 2004 AUDI A8

NHTSA has not yet tested the 2004 AUDI A8 in its New Car Assessment Program.

Technical Service Bulletins for the 2004 AUDI A8

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. has issued 19 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2004 AUDI A8. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.

A401766 2024318 — WHEELS

This technical service bulletin provides instructions for correcting a clicking sound from the wheel bearing(s).

Edition84 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

ElsaPro Tip: "notes"

A741309 2018004- — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 74 number 08-06 dated December 5, 2008. Rear center armrest lid does not latch. Unfavorable tolerance between the release and the armrest.

TSB-69-12-24 — AIR BAGS

AUDI: AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON, UPPER LIMIT FOR FRONT OR REAR SIDE AIRBAG EXCEEDED. *KB

SB-91-09-54 — STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

AUDI: THE ENTRY IN THE STEERING CONTROL UNIT IS INCORRECT. NEED TO MODIFY CONTROL UNITS. *PE

SB-91-09-54 — STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

AUDI: THE ENTRY IN THE STEERING CONTROL UNIT IS INCORRECT. NEED TO MODIFY CONTROL UNITS. *PE

TSB-43-08-14 — SUSPENSION

AUDI: SELF LEVELING SUSPENSION INOPERATIVE, WARNING LAMP ON. LEVELING SUSPENSION HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON. SELF LEVELING SENSOR(S) HAVE NO SIGNAL. *PE

970718 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

COOLING FAN INOPERABLE. *NJ

TSB-94-07-18 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

AUDI: AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT SWITCHES ON AND OFF WITHOUT REASON. AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT SWITCHES ON TOO EARLY OR TOO LATE, SWITCHES OFF TOO LATE OR COMES ON TOO LATE WHEN THE SUN SHINES BRIGHTLY. AFTER REPLACING THE RAIN LIGHT SENSOR OR AFTER REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD, THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT SWITCHES ON AND OFF...

0502 — VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

SUN ROOF CANNOT BE OPENED IN LIFT POSITION. *TT

Showing 10 of 19 technical service bulletins.

NHTSA Investigations for the 2004 AUDI A8

There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.

Other Model Years of the AUDI A8

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Other AUDI Models

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