AudiA8 L2016Overview/audi/a8-l/2016/base/

2016 Audi A8 L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 A8 L.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2016 Audi A8 L is a passenger car that presents a relatively quiet ownership footprint with just 10 total owner complaints, though the engine stands out as the top complaint area. The vehicle also carries four separate recalls, which complicates its overall profile. Consequently, this model year sits at a nuanced point in the model's reliability history, meaning that researchers must weigh the low volume of owner grievances against the significance of multiple safety interventions.

Model year201820172016201520142013

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI NS · 760-950 CCA battery, OE oil filter 06E115562H. 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 · 760-950 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP255/45R19OEM · verified
Wheel / rim9-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter06E115562H alt WHT007533
Engine air filter4H0129620L alt 4H0129620M
Fuel filter4H0201511A alt 8T0127401A
Spark plug101905622A alt 079905626M
Battery000915089BD alt 000915089K
Front wiper blades4H1955425B alt 4H1955426B
Serpentine belt06E903137AB alt 07P145933E
Thermostat07P198210A alt 06E121119F
Cabin air filter4H0819439

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length202 in
Overall width76.8 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase117.7 in
Curb weight4376 lb
Track (front / rear)64.2 / 64.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine VW Part Number G052145S2 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 18.4 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-12-5-8-3-10-6-7-2-11-4-9.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidAudi part number G060162A2
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.8-4.2
Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilVW Part Number G052145S2
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.5-2.2
Engine CoolantUse Audi coolant G13 TL-VW774J
Engine Coolant Capacity15.9 qt
Engine CoolantUse Audi coolant G13 TL-VW774J

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts6.6
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts1st step:
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts1st step:
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts6.6
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts1st step:
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.4 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.2

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts45.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-3-6-2-5
Cylinder Firing Order1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-12-5-8-3-10-6-7-2-11-4-9
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Torque22 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Cranking Performance760-950 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14.5 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief20-23 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)55
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)72.5-116 psi
Residual Pressure43 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)72.5-116 psi
Residual Pressure43.5 psi
Engine Compression159-189 PSI @ RPM / Max variation 44 psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 41; Rear: 26 Use; Front: 41; Rear: 26
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 145; Rear: 75 use; Front: 145; Rear: 74
ABS Sensor Torque6.6 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.354; Rear: 0.315 Specifications

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Install new bolt and tighten to 148.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 180 degrees.148 ft. lbs
Rear Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Install new bolt and tighten to 148.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 180 degrees.148 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 36.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 9022 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 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Diesel Emissions Fluid (fill) · Disc Brake Caliper (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 10,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Diesel Emissions Fluid (fill) · Disc Brake Caliper (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
At 15,000 miAir Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 20,000 miAir Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Diesel Particulate Filter (inspect)
At 35,000 miBrake Rotor (inspect)
Every 40,000 miBrake Rotor (inspect)
At 55,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 75,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Belt Tensioner (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 2016 Audi A8 L dominate in one area — the engine, 4 of 10 reports (40%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 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.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
603
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
10
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 10 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Engine4
Unknown Or Other2
Engine & Engine Cooling,Fuel System, Gasoline,Structure1
Suspension,Engine1
Tires1
Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 603 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_2027368_72025-07-31Electrical SystemThis TSB provides information when the Audi advanced key is inoperative; door handle…
TSB_2010353_62025-07-25Electrical SystemThis TSB provides informatin when the cigarette lighter element does not eject, or the…
TSB_2078728_12025-07-22Unknown Or OtherThis bulletin provides information when a customer reports that poor voice quality via…
TSB_2070568_42025-07-10Unknown Or OtherThis bulletin provides information about professional noise analysis with the VAS 611 015…
TSB_2042920_22025-06-26Fuel/Propulsion SystemThis bulletin provides information when there is corrosion on the exhaust tail pipes.

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 L. 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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 A8 L have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.