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2013 Audi A8/S8

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 A8/S8.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2013 Audi A8/S8 is a passenger car that requires 8.8 quarts of 5W-30 or 5W-40 API oil for its engine, a substantial capacity that underscores the service scale of this model. Recorded reliability data for this model year includes 49 owner complaints and six recalls, with engine-related issues representing the top complaint area. Taken together, those figures establish an engine-centric reliability signature for this model year, providing researchers a concrete reference point within the vehicle’s documented history.

Model year2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2003 2002 2001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity8.8 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 / 5W-40 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI NS · NS CCA battery, OE oil filter 079198405D. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI NS · NS CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP265-35R21OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	079198405D
Engine air filter	4H0129620M
Fuel filter	4H0201511A
Spark plug	079905626M
Battery	000915089BD alt 000915089BE
Front wiper blades	4H1955425B alt 4H1955426B
Serpentine belt	079903137AJ
Thermostat	079198013 alt 079121119J
Cabin air filter	4H0819439

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 8.8 qt of 5W-30 / 5W-40 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-4 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.1 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	Audi part number G060162A2
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	4.2-4.9
Brake Fluid	DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil	SYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-4
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	1.9 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · 5W-40 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	8.8 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	Diagonally tighting 11 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	6.6 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	22.1 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.2

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

89 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2
Spark Plug Torque	22.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	4.05-4.75 oz

Service checks

Pressure Test	14.5 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	20-23 psi
Engine Compression	130-203 PSI @ RPM. 44 maximum variation PSI.

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	26 USE NEW BOLTS ONLY ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.181 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.181 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	1.102 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Torque to Knuckle — tightening sequence 1 stages

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

12 ft. lbs., step 2: 18

12 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 35,000 mi.

At 5,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Headlamp Washer Nozzle (inspect) · Headlamp Washer System (inspect fluid level) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Headlamp Washer Nozzle (inspect) · Headlamp Washer System (inspect fluid level) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (inspect)
At 15,000 mi	Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection)
Every 20,000 mi	Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection)
At 35,000 mi	Body Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Power Steering System (inspect fluid level) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 40,000 mi	Body Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Power Steering System (inspect fluid level) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 55,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean)
Every 60,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean)
At 75,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2013 Audi A8/S8 dominate in one area — the engine, 26 of 49 reports (53%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 6 recall campaigns target the engine, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

1491

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 49 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine26

Unknown Or Other3

Visibility/Wiper2

Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System2

Fuel/Propulsion System2

Steering,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1

Service Brakes1

Electrical System,Service Brakes,Engine1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V430000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 25/06/2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Audi S8 and A8 vehicles. The fuel supply line for the high pressure fuel pump may become porous over time, resulting in a fuel leak. Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The recall began July 20, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834…

19V057000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 28/01/2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A8 and S8 vehicles. The fuel supply line for the high pressure fuel pump may become porous and leak fuel. Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will install a fuel pressure damper, free of charge. The recall began February 21, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1491 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
TSB_2074729_3	2026-06-23	Electrical System	This bulletin provides informationwhen noises/vibration are detected from front of…
TSB_2028902_5	2026-06-23	Power Train	This bulletin provides informaiton when the transmission warning message appears in the…
TSB_2028985_13	2026-06-23	Power Train	This bulleitn procides informaiton when tehre is a transmission warning mssage in the…
TSB_2036278_3	2026-06-23	Power Train	This bulletin provides information when there are rough downshifts when the vehicle is…
TSB_2059335_7	2026-06-23	Electrical System	This bulletin provides information when there are noises from the area around the…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific A8/S8. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group NS battery Vehicles taking 8.8 qt Engine oil filter 079198405D Engine air filter 4H0129620M Fuel filter 4H0201511A Spark plug 079905626M

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2013 A8/S8 take?

8.8 qt of 5W-30 OR 5W-40 API MEETING VW SPECIFICATION VW50200, per the factory manual.

Does the 2013 A8/S8 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.