Audi›A8›2011›Overview/audi/a8/2011/base/

2011 Audi A8

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2011 A8.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S8)

The 2011 Audi A8 is a passenger car powered by an engine requiring 8.1 quarts of 5W-30 or 5W-40 API oil and paired with an automatic (S8) transmission. That powertrain is EPA-rated at 17 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. Across the 1995–2026 A8 complaint record, the 2011 model accumulated 15 owner complaints and one recall, with engine issues cited as the top concern. That tally sits well below the 2013 peak of 49 complaints and above the 1996 low of one, positioning 2011 as a comparatively quiet year rather than a standout problem generation.

Model year2019 2012 2011

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity8.1 qtOEM · verified

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

Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy17/27/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 49 · 850 CCA battery, OE oil filter 079103121BE. 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 49 · 850 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP245-45R19; P245-45R19OEM · verified

Wheel / rim1 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	079103121BE alt 079198405E
Engine air filter	4H0129620M
Fuel filter	4H0201511A
Spark plug	079905620 alt 101905621B
Battery	000915089BD alt 000915089BE
Front wiper blades	4H1955425B alt 4H1955426B
Serpentine belt	079903137AA
Thermostat	079121119C alt 079121115BG
Cabin air filter	4H0819439

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	201.6 in
Overall width	76.8 in
Overall height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	117.7 in
Curb weight	4211 lb
Track (front / rear)	64.2 / 64.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	17 / 27 / 21 mpg
Drivetrain	All-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	102 cu ft
Cargo volume	13 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Premium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the A8 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.0–5.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.00 sec — 2011 L 4.2 Quattro Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2011	L 4.2 Quattro Sedan 4.2L V8	5.00 sec	13.60 sec	372 hp	AWD
2011	4.2 Quattro Sedan 4.2L V8	5.10 sec	13.70 sec	372 hp	AWD
2011	L 4.2 Quattro Sedan 4.2L V8	5.10 sec	13.80 sec	372 hp	AWD
2011	4.2 Quattro Sedan 4.2L V8	5.20 sec	13.70 sec	372 hp	AWD
2011	4.2 Quattro Sedan 4.2L V8	5.50 sec	13.90 sec	372 hp	AWD
2012	L W12 Quattro Sedan 6.3L W12	4.10 sec	12.60 sec	500 hp	AWD
2012	L 4.2 Quattro Sedan 4.2L V8	5.00 sec	13.60 sec	372 hp	AWD
2012	4.2 Quattro Sedan 4.2L V8	5.10 sec	13.70 sec	372 hp	AWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 8.1 qt of 5W-30 / 5W-40 API engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.4 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 Capacity	1.9 Pints
Engine Oil	5W-30 · 5W-40 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	8.1 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE AUDI PART NO. G002000 OR G004000

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	Diagonally tighting 11 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.4 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	4.06-4.75 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	49
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	850 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	14.5 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	17-22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188 °F
Engine Compression	145-203 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

Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

44 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45

44 ft. lbs

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

hand tighten, step 2

15 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 55,000 mi; coolant at 15,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 15,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

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) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 20,000 mi	Air Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
At 35,000 mi	Body Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Power Steering System (inspect fluid level)
Every 40,000 mi	Body Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Power Steering System (inspect fluid level)
At 55,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean) · Spark Plugs (replace)
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.

The 2011 Audi A8 recorded 15 complaints, which is markedly higher than the single complaint in 2010 and comparable to the 11 complaints in 2012, placing it at the start of a noticeable upward swing in reported issues. Recall activity remained low and steady at one recall, matching the levels seen in the surrounding years and well below the peaks of five or more recalls observed from 2013 onward. No investigations were opened for the 2011 model year, consistent with the absence of investigations in 2010 and 2012, while technical service bulletins rose to 981, continuing the overall increasing trend across the generation. Complaint numbers then climbed sharply to 49 in 2013 before easing to 18‑31 in 2014‑2015 and falling again in later years, indicating that 2011 sits on the ascending edge of a broader reliability concern arc. Given the elevated complaint count relative to adjacent years and the ensuing upward trend, the 2011 Audi A8 carries higher risk than its immediate neighbors, suggesting that a prospective buyer should proceed only with a comprehensive pre‑purchase inspection.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

981

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10’11’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’20 ’21 ’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 15 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine6

Suspension2

Power Train,Electrical System,Engine1

Suspension,Engine1

Structure1

Unknown Or Other1

Electrical System,Engine1

Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Engine1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V619000Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineReported 24/08/2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Audi A8 vehicles manufactured May 15, 2010, to May 14, 2012. The affected vehicles have a coolant valve that may leak, allowing… Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the coolant valve and inspect for coolant that has leaked through the electrical connector, free of charge. The recall is…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 981 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_2059335_7	2026-06-23	Electrical System	This bulletin provides information when there are noises from the area around the…
TSB_2082054_1	2026-06-22	Power Train	This bulleitn provides information when there is a delayed accelerator response.
TSB_2082323_1	2026-06-10	Engine	This bulletin provides informaiton when the engine is not running smoothly, misfiring.
TSB_2052680_6	2026-06-04	Unknown Or Other	This Reporting Obligation requires technicains to contact the Technical Assistance Center…

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. 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 49 battery Vehicles taking 8.1 qt Engine oil filter 079103121BE Engine air filter 4H0129620M Fuel filter 4H0201511A Spark plug 079905620

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 2011 A8 take?

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

Does the 2011 A8 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the A8 get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 27 highway / 21 combined mpg.