2016 Audi A3. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Engines and drivetrains 3
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4L 4-cyl turbo plug-in hybrid | Auto (AM-S6) | FWD | 33 / 37 / 35 | Premium | $2,200 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | Auto (AM-S6) | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 | Regular | $2,300 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Auto (AM-S6) | AWD | 24 / 33 / 27 | Regular | $2,300 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 19,900 and 65,000 miles. Median 41,300, from 51 complaints with a mileage.
| System | Median | Middle half | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 40,000 | 32,000–57,500 | 22 |
| Fuel or ev drive system | 18,700 | 12,600–65,400 | 6 |
| Electrical | 77,300 | 59,200–99,000 | 6 |
| Engine | 39,800 | 18,500–81,000 | 10 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 65,000 | 24,600–93,500 | 5 |
Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.
Complaints by system
| System | Share of complaints |
|---|---|
| Fuel or ev drive system | 27% |
| Airbags | 18% |
| Engine | 18% |
| Transmission & drivetrain | 14% |
| Electrical | 14% |
One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.
Severity, all complaints
| Total | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Tows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 135 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 6
24V110000 Feb 2024 Fuel System, Gasoline
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.
Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy. Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. 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 VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previ
22V543000 Jul 2022 Air Bags / Frontal / Passenger Side / Inflator Module
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy. Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69DY and 61C1.
21V198000 Mar 2021 Air Bags / Sensor / Occupant Classification / Front Passenger
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Audi S3 Sedan, A3 Sedan, 2016-2018 A3 Etron, 2017-2020 RS3 Sedan, and 2015-2019 A3 Cabriolet vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction and switch off the passenger air bag even when the seat is occupied.
Risk. A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy. 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.
19V474000 Jun 2019 Air Bags / Sensor / Occupant Classification
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag.
Risk. A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69Z4.
16V647000 Sep 2016 Fuel System, Gasoline
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf, Golf SportWagen, GTI, Audi A3 sedan and A3 Cabriolet vehicles. Due to a problem with the suction pump inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system.
Risk. As fuel accumulates in the EVAP system, it may leak out through the charcoal canister filter element. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298, Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 20Y6 and 20Y5. This recall has been fully superseded by recall 24V-110.
16V642000 Sep 2016 Electrical System / Software
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 TT roadster, A3 cabriolet, A3 sedan and A3 e-tron, 2016-2017 TT coupe, 2017 A4 sedan and Q7 and 2015-2017 Q3 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk. If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97CB.
NHTSA investigations
| Status | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed | Fuel leak due to suction jet pump failure within fuel tank (remedy effectiveness of recall 16v647) | 2023 | 2024 |
Manufacturer communications 856
Audi filed 856 service communications for this car with NHTSA.
- This bulletin contains instructions for using the UV additive to find engine oil leaks
- This condition may be caused when the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal are depressed…
- This Document informs dealers on the new oil consumption & piston fracture warranty extension…
Crash ratings by version
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi A3 C AWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Audi A3 C FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Audi A3 C FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Audi A3 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Audi A3 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| A3 Sportback e-tron FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
Safety equipment
| Electronic stability | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Optional | Optional |
Nearby model years
Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Updated
Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
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