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2013 Audi A8 L E
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
47 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 17, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Engine problems dominate (72% of complaints, typically reported near 63k miles).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2013 Audi A8 L E, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Fuel system (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Engine
72%34 complaints · typically near 63k mi · 3 in the last 2 years
“Audi, A8L 2013, also has the stuck piston. Rings end oil blow by like the other Volkswagen, defected engines of the same year yesterday while driving my car ended up s…”
Fuel system
11%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“I HAD A STRONG GAS SMELL. I CHECKED INTERNET AND READ, 2013 AUDI A8 (VOLKSWAGEN) IS RECALLING CERTAIN 2013-2015 AUDI S8 AND A8 VEHICLES. THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE FOR THE H…”
Brakes
9%4 complaints
“Brake pedal is hard when starting the vehicle. Brake pedal turns soft when engine is started. The brake pedal is so hard that it requires significant force to depress …”
Transmission & drivetrain
6%3 complaints
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE EPC LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, AND SHORTLY AFTER DIED OUT COMPLETELY. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME WHEN…”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2013 Audi A8 L E beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2013? See how every A8 L E model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2013 Audi A8 L E against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.