Selling a dead or junk Audi A8

A big luxury sedan with a dead engine or a stack of warning lights often costs more to fix than it's worth. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, A8s and S8s included. You sell the whole car as it sits, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.

Four generations and their records

Every A8 generation came out of Audi's Neckarsulm plant, Wikipedia says, and the car replaced the Audi V8. Production dates below are Wikipedia's; the model-year groups are how the NHTSA data lines up with them, roughly.

D2: built June 1994 to August 2002

Wikipedia lists 2.8-liter V6s and a 3.7-liter V8, with manual and automatic gearboxes, on Audi's aluminium Space Frame. The 1996-2003 model years hold 37 complaints.

The recall that matters most here is 08V397. It covers 13,900 A8s from 1996-2003 with the 5-speed automatic, where a locking cable can drift out of place and let the shifter move when it shouldn't. Dealers fit an adjusting piece. Air bags are the other theme: 97V175 adds a ground wire on 1996-1997 cars because static discharge in dry air could set off the driver's bag, and 22V471 (1998) and 20V056 (1999) replace driver inflators. Those inflator campaigns, 28,624 and 106,857 vehicles, also cover A4, A6 and TT models. Campaigns 99V248 and 00V414 replaced tie rods on 1998-1999 cars.

D3: built August 2002 to November 2010

Wikipedia lists V6 engines, a 6-speed ZF Tiptronic automatic and a multitronic CVT. The 2004-2010 model years hold 60 complaints. The 2004 is the busiest at 20, with electrical and visibility at 4 each. Vehicle speed control is near the top on the 2004 through 2006.

D4: the 2011-2017 cars

All D4 cars use an eight-speed Tiptronic, and there was a 2.0 TFSI hybrid with a 1.3 kWh battery. These seven years hold 174 complaints, more than half the A8 total. Engine leads on the 2011 through 2016 and ties with service brakes on the 2017.

Several recalls land on the engine bay:

• 22V178: oil headed for the turbocharger passes a strainer that can clog and starve the bearings. The remedy is a new strainer and fresh oil. The 26,093 vehicles include S6, S7, S8 and RS7 models, not only A8s.
• 19V057: the supply line to the high-pressure fuel pump on 2013-2016 A8 and S8 cars can turn porous and leak fuel. Dealers add a fuel pressure damper. 8,985 vehicles.
• 20V397: the engine compartment seal on 2013-2018 A8 and S8 cars can come loose and touch hot engine parts. 12,964 vehicles.
• 16V619: a coolant valve on 2010-2013 A8s built May 2010 to May 2012 can leak coolant into an electrical connector. 9,067 vehicles.
• 19V035: left and right fuel rails may leak on 2015-2018 A8s. The 74,881 vehicles include Q7, A6 and A7 models.

D5: built November 2017 to 2026

Wikipedia lists a 3.0-liter biturbo V6, a mild hybrid version and a plug-in hybrid with a 14.1 kWh battery, all with an 8-speed Tiptronic. NHTSA has no 2018 A8 complaints and 24 across the 2019-2021 cars. Ten recall campaigns name the 2021 A8, while owners filed just 7 complaints on it. Those include 23V842, which tells owners of 2020-2021 plug-in A8s to stop using the 220V/240V portable charging cable, and 25V900, a rearview camera software fix on 356,894 Audis from 2019-2026.

Year-by-year counts from NHTSA

NHTSA's file supplied these A8 and S8 counts on October 10, 2026. Each recall is tallied under every A8 year it names, and many also reach other Audis.

Worth fixing?

Ask for a written repair estimate, then look up the selling price of a running A8 from the same year. On a car this complex, the estimate often comes out ahead.

1. Search the A8's VIN at NHTSA. On 2013-2017 cars, look for the turbo strainer and fuel line campaigns first, since the listed remedies are free.
2. Turbo noise, smoke or low boost? Our failed turbo guide walks through the decision.
3. Engine already gone? See blown engine before you spend on a diagnosis.

How the sale works

1. Note the VIN, the miles showing and what's going wrong, plus whether you have the A8, A8 L or S8.
2. Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Let us know the A8's spot and if it can roll when pushed. Our truck comes to that spot, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Leave it whole. Tell us about any parts already removed.
5. Hand over the title and show ID when the A8 is loaded. After you sell covers plates and insurance.