AudiA8/S81999Overview/audi/a8-s8/1999/base/

1999 Audi A8/S8

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 A8/S8.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 1999 Audi A8/S8 represents Audi's full-size luxury passenger sedan, equipped with a standard 5-speed automatic transmission and requiring 8.0 quarts of oil with viscosities of 5W-30, 5W-40, or 10W-30 meeting API specifications, while achieving EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined; this model year recorded 12 total owner complaints with the engine and engine cooling system emerging as the primary concern area, alongside 4 recalls, placing it within a period of the A8/S8's history where these issues contribute to a reliability profile that prospective buyers should factor into their evaluation.

Model year201820172016201520142013200320021999

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity8.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/24/18 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 077198563. Note the factory engine oil filter, engine air filter, fuel filter, spark plug, thermostat and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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
Tail / brake / turn1OEM · verified
Tire sizeALL 225-60HR6; ALL 225-55HR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-J; 8-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter077198563 discontinued
Engine air filter077129620D discontinued
Fuel filter441201511C discontinued
Spark plug101000052AA discontinued
Battery000915089J
Front wiper blades4A0955425B alt 4B0955425
Thermostat078121113F discontinued
Cabin air filter4D0898438A discontinued · alt 4D0819647

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 24 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume100 cu ft
Cargo volume18 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 8.0 qt of 5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-4 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 26.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilRear: 75W-
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.7 Pints
Differential Gear OilSYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-4 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.2 Pints
Engine Oil Capacity8.0 qt
Engine Oil Capacity8.0 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE VW. PART NO. G002000

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs11 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs11 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts332 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug26.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts89 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug26.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug26.0 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub140 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.3-0.5 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerVW
Spark Plug Gap0.038 in
Spark Plug ManufacturerVW
Spark Plug Gap0.028-0.035 in
Spark Plug Torque22.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.65-1.76 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Capacity8.50-9.50 oz
Standard BCI Group Number49
Standard BCI Cranking Performance850 cca
Standard BCI Group Number49
Standard BCI Cranking Performance850 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14.5 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief17-22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188 °F
Pressure Test14.5 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief17-22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature179 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)61.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)52.0 psi

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle89 ft-lbs / 44 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket140 ft-lbs / 26 ft-lbs
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.181 in / 0.866 in / 0.984 in / 0.787 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.181 in / 0.866 in / 0.984 in / 0.787 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.102 in / 0.787 in / 0.906 in / 0.709 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9022 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
244 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
244 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
390 degrees90 degrees
490
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
148 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9048 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
144 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9044 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 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant at 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (at 7,500 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 7,500 miAir Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Neutral Safety Switch (test)
Every 7,500 miBrake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miAir Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Battery (inspect electrolyte level) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect)
At 30,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 75,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

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 1999 Audi A8/S8 top in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 2 of 12 reports (17%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 4 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling 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
59
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
12
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 12 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling2
Electrical System,Seats1
Air Bags1
Tires1
Power Train,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Wheels,Equipment1
Electrical System,Structure1
Suspension1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V056000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 31/01/2020

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 TT Roadster, 2000 TT Coupe, 1999 Audi A8, 1998-2000 Audi A6, and 1999-2000 Audi A4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI)… Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator when the parts become available, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed September…

08V397000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 14/08/2008

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 13,900 MY 1996-2003 AUDI A8 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE LOCKING CABLE MAY MOVE OUT OF POSITION OVER TIME. WITH THE LOCKING CABLE OUT OF POSITION, THE SHIFTER CAN… Remedy: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LOCKING CABLE BY INSTALLING AN ADJUSTING PIECE THAT WILL SECURE THE LOCKING CABLE IN PLACE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2008…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 59 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
A0023742052680_42023-10-04EquipmentThis bulletin provides information on the additional reporting requirements for safety…
AWC 19-052019-08-28Electrical SystemThis communication is issued to inform dealers of updated shipping regulations related to…
AWC 19-042019-07-22EquipmentThis communication is issued to remind dealers of the repair validation process for…
A0019212052680_12019-06-07EquipmentThis bulletin contains instructions for additional reporting requirements for safety…
A941791 2012749-2017-07-31Exterior LightingThis informational bulletin contains technical information for when there is condensation…

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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 A8/S8 take?

8.0 qt of ENERGY CONSERVING OILS: 5W-30, 5W-40, 10W-30 OR 10W-40 API SL, EXCEPT ENGERGY CONSERVING OILS: 5W-50, 10W-50, OR 10W-60 API SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 A8/S8 have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the A8/S8 get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 24 highway / 18 combined mpg.