2014 Audi S8: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
6 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 6 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 0.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2014 Audi S8. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the low oil warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. Upon visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the engine oil level was abnormally low, prompting him to add oil to the engine. However, afterwards the contact stated that the low oil warning light illuminated again, after which there was a burning odor …
During our recent rains i discovered water dripping on me from the center overhead console at the top of the windshield. This totally distracted me while driving as I was shocked by it's sudden occurrence. The next day, I suspected sunroof drains and proceeded to chase a flexible line thru them in the front drains and tested with water, it drained fine and no evidence of dripping inside. Went out driving in the rain …
The contact owns a 2014 AUDI S8. The contact stated while driving 60MPH the vehicle began to vibrate violently from the engine compartment; the cabin filled up with smoke and the vehicle tailpipe began producing smoke. The contact was unable to pull over and manually moved the vehicle into the shoulder. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence, then the v…
Recalls: 5 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V397000 | Structure:Body:Hood | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S8 and A8 vehicles. |
| 22V178000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2013-2017 A8, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, and 2014-2017 RS7 vehicles. |
| 13V448000 | Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Audi A8 and S8 vehicles equipped with a standard sunroof, manufactured March 12, 2013, through July 15, 2013. |
| 18V430000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Audi S8 and A8 vehicles. |
| 19V057000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A8 and S8 vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a large premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 18 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $4,200
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine And Engine Cooling2 complaints · typical job: Water pump, thermostat and coolant service (3.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,040
- Engine2 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Visibility/Wiper1 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Unknown Or Other1 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System1 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Audi S8 years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Audi S8?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine And Engine Cooling (2 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2014 Audi S8 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 83/100, computed from 6 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2014 Audi S8's most common problem?
2 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2014 Audi S8 sit in the Engine And Engine Cooling group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is water pump, thermostat and coolant service: about 3.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2014 Audi S8 cost to run per year?
About $6,489 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $32,448 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2014 Audi S8 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2014 Audi S8, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 07/07/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury larges of about the same age.
What will a 2014 Audi S8 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 6 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 6 NHTSA complaints on record (0.5/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (0.5/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality