Audi A3

Where it stands out against its peers

• Air bags: more complaints than 97% of 2015 cars — 47% of its 178 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 10%.
• Gasoline: more complaints than 99% of 2015 cars — 8% of its 178 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 1%.
• Fuel system: more complaints than 97% of 2015 cars — 8% of its 178 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 1%.
• Seat belts: more complaints than 98% of 2015 cars — 7% of its 178 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 2%.
• Seats: more complaints than 92% of 2015 cars — 6% of its 178 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 2%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• AIR BAGS — 55 owners reported this
• FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE — 14 owners reported this
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 14 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS — 9 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 8 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 8 owners reported this
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 6 owners reported this
• AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS — 4 owners reported this
• AIR BAGS,SEATS — 4 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN — 4 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE — 4 owners reported this
• AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — 3 owners reported this
• ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 3 owners reported this
• WHEELS — 3 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

22% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 11V490000

  DUE TO THE RESONANCE CONDITION, INJECTOR LINE NUMBER 2 COULD DEVELOP SMALL CRACKS WHICH COULD LEAD TO FUEL LEAKAGE. LEAKING FUEL IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.

  VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED FUEL INJECTOR LINE FOR THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER ON CERTAIN VEHICLES AND WILL INSTALL VIBRATION DAMPERS ON ALL OF THE INJECTOR LINES. VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS TO HAVE THE VEHICLES REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

• 16V079000

  In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

• 18V082000

  In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

  Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.

• 19V862000

  An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.

• 21V198000

  A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

  Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and update the PODS control module, free of charge. Owners letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BY.

• 21V825000

  A rear-view camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will update the infotainment unit parameters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 9, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91CR.

• 22V224000

  An incorrectly marked child restraint anchorage may cause confusion during child seat installation, resulting in a child seat being improperly secured and increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

  Dealers will replace all four fitting sleeves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May24, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72M7.

• 22V515000

  Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.

  Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 15, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 68i2.

6 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

  Recall query, opened December 2023, closed July 2024.

• Diesel Fuel Injector Line Leakage

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2011, closed December 2011.

  Became recall 11V490000.

• High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2011, closed March 2015.

• High Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (HPFP)

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2010, closed February 2011.

• Vehicle stall/loss motive power

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 2009, closed November 2009.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Audi filed 147 bulletins about the 2026 A3.

• Electrical system: 65
• Structure: 9
• Engine: 8
• Service brakes: 7
• Suspension: 6
• Visibility/wiper: 6
• Steering: 5
• Wheels: 5
• Fuel/propulsion system: 4
• Power train: 2
• Other: 30

• This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00. · August 2026
• This Pending Service Solution (PSS) requests that technicians enter a record in the PSS database in instances when the sterring wheel pulsates/vibrates when driving around corners. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides information when DTC B105A1A, B103E25 is stored in 0017; fuel tank level implausible. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides information when DTC B105A1A, B103E25 is stored in 0017; fuel tank level implausible. · August 2026
• This service information TSB provides warranty coverage information for vehicles with a broken sunroof panel. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides informatoinw hent here are scratches or a coating on the cover of the instrument cluster, or particles inside of the housing. · August 2026
• This bulleitn provides informaiton when there is louver broken on the air vent for chest. · August 2026
• Summary of all Vin-4-Pin topics for June Check engine light after charging - P0E5E00 Rattle noise from sound generator Vehicle sound malfunction warning Oil leak from oil filter drain off valve… · August 2026

139 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.