10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
21,960 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #12

Mar 012021

A3

  • miles
I purchased my 2016 Audi A3 in April of 2020 from Audi San Diego. Less than a year later, I was getting airbag warning lights on my dash, as well as constant warning sounds when driving. I brought my vehicle into Audi San Diego, and they "fixed" the issue free of charge. A few months later, I started getting the same warning lights/sounds - this time, the passenger airbag was turning on and off even while somebody was sitting in the passenger seat. I received a recall letter in the mail shortly thereafter. When I called in the summer of 2021 to schedule a service appointment, I was told there was not yet a remedy to this recall and that in the next few months I should receive a phone call to schedule service. Over a year later, I called Audi San Diego to get an update (since I did receive a phone call as promised), and I am still told that there is no solution. For over a year now, I have been unable to have passengers in my front seat, due to the fear of the airbags not working in the event of a crash.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #11

Jul 232022

A3

  • miles
Fault codes: P072C00, P072B00, P174A00, P072600, P179D00, P173400. Name of codes in order above, Stuck in Gear 1, Stuck in Reverse, Valve 3 in partial transmission 1, Engine Speed Inp.Circ., Cooling oil valve, Starter release from the selector level sensor system.

- Cottonwood Heights, UT, USA

problem #10

Jun 062022

A3

  • miles
Air bag light comes on when no on is in the passenger seat, the coolant light is coming on saying turn engine off when my coolant level is fine, the suspension cracks even though I have had this checked by Audi in Birmingham, Al. multiple times.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #9

Nov 102021

A3

  • miles
While driving the message -€œVehicle Electronic System Malfunction Shift Car to Park Before Exiting Vehicle.-€ The car can fail to shift into gear, or change gears while the vehicle is in motion. The mechanic that I usually take my car to said that-€™s he-€™s seen the same message in some of his other customers cars. Sometimes it pops up when the car is started, other times is comes up when the car is in motion. I-€™ve parked the car and turned it off, and the message came back on after restarting the car.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #8

Aug 242021

A3

  • miles
Audi baton rouge informed me there is a problem with coolant migration at coolant tank connector (coolant could leak into wire harness) and cause severe damage to electrical system want $300 +_ to repair. Since this is not something caused under normal conditions or negligence on my part I do not feel I should be responsible for cost of repair, should be a recall on Audi

- Prairieville, LA, USA

problem #7

Mar 172021

A3

  • 74,517 miles
Audi A3 quattro 2016 malfunction indicator lamp (mil) came on whilst driving slowly in traffic. I believe the version of the ECM in my vehicle is defective and may be related to "safety recall 24df": https://static.NHTSA.gov/ODI/rcl/2017/rconl-17V508-5502.pdf https://static.NHTSA.gov/ODI/rcl/2017/rcak-17V508-2021.pdf cross referencing "application for emissions certification 2016 model year" "test group: Gvgav02.0apa", in particular page 79 for my engine code "cntc" which lists software id "5G0906259L": https://iaspub.epa.gov/otaqpub/display_file.jsp?docid=43249&flag=1 the ECU part number was superseded without being properly released for edir or cal id and cvn information. Please note the difference in part number suffix. "B" vs "L". I am concerned that my car is currently dangerous to drive and needs repairing. Below is output from vcds diagnostic tool showing the fault and ECU software id "5G0 906 259 D" 0001 (full output can be provided): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- address 01: Engine (J623-cntc) labels:. 06K-907-425-V1.clb part no sw: 5G0 906 259 D hw: 06K 907 425 B component: 2.0L R4 tfsi H13 0001 revision: --H13--- coding: 0A1D00124426000F2000 shop #: wsc 06385 790 00016 asam dataset: Ev_ecm20tfs0205G0906259D 001002 rod: Ev_ecm20tfs0205G0906259D.rod vcid: 2F3B1884879B11D3269-807A 1 fault found: 15059 - fuel rail/system pressure P0087 00 [104] - too low intermittent - confirmed - tested since memory clear freeze frame: Fault status: 00000001 fault priority: 2 fault frequency: 2 mileage: 119924 km date: 2021.03.17 time: 12:39:23

- Jersey City, NJ, USA

problem #6

Feb 042021

A3

  • miles
Took my car in a few weeks ago for a recall repair affecting the passenger airbag. The airbag was not able to sense when there was a passenger in the vehicle, and would randomly turn on/off even when there was a passenger in the vehicle. Had the error messages pop immediately on the way home from the dealer after their "fix". I took it back in today and they dealer said it was the actual pods sensor and it would cost $1,100 to repair! this was because the recall repair only included that wire connection. I drive my younger brother to school every day and do not think it's fair that Audi's recall only fixed half the problem - now there's no way to tell if the airbag is working properly and if my brother or any other passenger is safe in the car.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #5

Oct 272018

A3

  • 80,000 miles
Check engine light cuts on with overheating and eps error when starting car sometimes. When you shut off car it cuts off and returns to normal. It started last year and has continued, I was told it may be a sensor shortage.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #4

Jul 142020

A3

  • miles
An improper electrical contact may cause the passenger occupant detection system (pods) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag. The dealership will say they fixed it but shortly after the passenger airbag and seatbelt sign goes off again beeping and advising you the passenger seatbelt is not on. When you have no passenger.this is a safety hazard and the dealership cannot fix the issue. They are incompetent and do not care about the safety of the vehicle drivers. If it is saying the airbag is off what will happen if there is an accident and the airbag doesn't go off due to this recall. This is negligence on the dealership/automaker.

- Woodside, NY, USA

problem #3

Dec 072019

A3

  • 64,000 miles
Vehicle was garaged and functioning under normal conditions. Appx. 64000 miles. When the car was turned on and put in reverse, the rearview camera's view was moderately visible, but garbled past any useful view. This did appear to happen after the trunk was simply opened and shut before getting in the car, although that should hardly affect the ability for the camera to work or not. The next time I started the car, I did not open the trunk, and the problem persisted. The time after that, I opened the trunk and shut it and it went away. Then it came back. This has been going on for over 2 months now and would appreciate some resolution. Too early for simple electronics like a camera to be breaking, however, checking other Audi vehicles tsbs indicates this problem is commonplace and repair work has been prescribed in the past to replace the wiring harness and/or the camera. If the camera is not working properly, it could create an unsafe situation while driving in reverse that the use of the camera is supposed to prevent - I.e. a crash or accident with a pedestrian.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #2

Jul 252016

A3

  • 45,000 miles
The contact owned a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it was informed that the vehicle caught on fire. It was unknown how the fire was extinguished. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was totaled. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.

- Sharon, MA, USA

problem #1

Jan 112017

A3

  • miles
There is no warning, and no ignition lockout, when the etron power port door and cover is left open at the front of the car. (the power port is how to recharge the batteries in the car). This allows water to be forced into the high voltage electrical system when driving in the rain, which could trigger an electrical fire or malfuction in the system and possibly explode the lithium ion batteries that power the car. The problem was fixed on the 2017 model, but there is no solution (yet) for a 2016 etron according to dealer.

- Tampa, FL, USA