Audi A3 complaints by model year
895 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2020 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2019 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018 | 45 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 2017 | 69 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2016 | 117 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 2015 | 180 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 2013 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2012 | 43 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 2011 | 43 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2010 | 50 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2009 | 47 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2008 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2007 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 | 123 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 2004 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 2016–2026. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 51 | 29 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 22 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 15 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power train | 9 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or other | 11 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Audi A3 recalls (31)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one A3 model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24V251000 | Apr 3, 2024 | Front Passenger Air Bag May Deactivate | 2023 | 91.2% |
| 24V110000 | Feb 14, 2024 | Fuel Leak from Fuel Tank Suction Pump Failure | 2015–2020 | 56.9% |
| 22V901000 | Dec 7, 2022 | Missing Weight Capacity Information/Part 567 | 2023 | 82.5% |
| 22V823000 | Nov 2, 2022 | Inoperative Rearview Camera Display/FMVSS 111 | 2022 | 91.9% |
| 22V815000 | Oct 31, 2022 | Tire Pressure Loss Not Detected/FMVSS 138 | 2019, 2020 | 84.4% |
| 22V806000 | Oct 26, 2022 | Inoperative Rearview Camera Display/FMVSS 111 | 2022 | 93% |
| 22V652000 | Aug 29, 2022 | Front Passenger Air Bag May Not Deploy Properly | 2022 | 94.1% |
| 22V543000 | Jul 27, 2022 | Air Bag Inflator May Explode or Deploy Improperly | 2016 | 63.2% |
| 22V515000 | Jul 20, 2022 | Seat Belt Tensioners May Not Restrain Properly | 2022 | 94.4% |
| 22V224000 | Apr 6, 2022 | Incorrect Child Seat Anchorage Symbol/FMVSS 225 | 2022 | 95.7% |
| 21V825000 | Oct 20, 2021 | Rear-View Camera Image May Not Display/FMVSS 111 | 2022 | 97.9% |
| 21V198000 | Mar 22, 2021 | Passenger Air Bag May Deactivate | 2015–2020 | 72.6% |
| 19V862000 | Dec 4, 2019 | Driver Side Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2011, 2012, 2013 | 65% |
| 19V474000 | Jun 19, 2019 | Passenger Air Bag May Deactivate | 2015–2019 | 82.1% |
| 19V095000 | Feb 13, 2019 | Rear Center Headrests may Detach in a Crash | 2018 | 92.5% |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Crash-test stars by model year
| Model year | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Tested as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2019 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2018 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2017 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2016 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2015 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Source: NHTSA NCAP, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy by model year
EPA combined mpg range across engine and transmission configurations. Your mileage will vary. Source: EPA, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Where to next
Audi A3 FAQ
How many recalls has the Audi A3 had?
NHTSA lists 31 recall campaigns that cover at least one Audi A3 model year from 2001 to 2026. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Audi A3 year has the most complaints?
Among the last 15 model years with settled counts, the 2015 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (180) and the 2004 the fewest (6). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Audi A3 problems?
Across the 2016–2026 model years, owners most often name the air bags, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system in complaints filed with NHTSA.
What mpg does the Audi A3 get?
EPA rates the 2026 Audi A3 at 28 mpg combined, depending on engine and transmission.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.