The Lemon Index

All cars · Audi A3 · 2017

2017 Audi A3. Advanced data.

The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.

Lemon Index83100 = average car
Complaints23NHTSA, first 3 years
Sold23,610U.S. model year
Per 100K sold97complaints
Year rank#3 of 3#1 = fewest complaints

Engines and drivetrains 3

EngineTransmissionDriveCity / hwy / combinedFuelFuel cost/yr
1.4L 4-cyl turbo plug-in hybridAuto (AM-S6)FWD33 / 36 / 34Premium$2,300
2.0L 4-cyl turboAuto (AM-S7)FWD26 / 35 / 29Regular$2,150
2.0L 4-cyl turboAuto (AM-S6)AWD21 / 28 / 24Premium$3,200

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 7,300 and 53,000 miles. Median 37,500, from 32 complaints with a mileage.

SystemMedianMiddle halfComplaints
Airbags47,20028,000–54,80012
Fuel or ev drive system47,0006,400–61,0005
Engine9,5004,200–53,2006
Electrical25,7003,600–47,5005

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

SystemShare of complaints
Engine30%
Airbags26%
Fuel or ev drive system17%
Electrical17%
Wipers & visibility13%

One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.

Severity, all complaints

TotalCrashesFiresInjuriesDeathsTows
8110202

As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.

Recall campaigns 5

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 17V508000 Aug 2017 Engine And Engine Cooling / Engine

    Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet and A3 Sedan vehicles. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) software may misinterpret the flywheel rotation on engine start-up as a "knocking" condition, and the adjusted air/fuel mixture may result in an engine stall.

    Risk. An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU software, free of charge. The recall began September 19, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24DF.

  • 17V196000 Mar 2017 Air Bags / Sensor / Occupant Classification

    Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi A3 and S3 Sedan vehicles. In a lower-speed crash situation, the air bag control unit software may deploy the passenger frontal air bag improperly if the front seat passenger is sitting on the edge of the seat or is laying in the seat with the seat reclined. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk. If the air bag deploys with more force than intended, it can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control module software, free of charge. The recall began April 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q3.

NHTSA investigations

StatusSubjectOpenedClosed
ClosedFuel leak due to suction jet pump failure within fuel tank (remedy effectiveness of recall 16v647)20232024

Manufacturer communications 873

Audi filed 873 service communications for this car with NHTSA.

  • This bulletin contains instructions for submitting a PSS for when there are no faults, oil…
  • This bulletin contains instructions for using the UV additive to find engine oil leaks
  • This bulletin advises to install a damper weight on the shaft of the front driver's side axle…

Crash ratings by version

VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Audi A3 C FWDnot ratednot ratednot ratednot rated
Audi A3 C FWDnot ratednot ratednot ratednot rated
Audi A3 C AWDnot ratednot ratednot ratednot rated
Audi A3 C AWDnot ratednot ratednot ratednot rated
Audi A3 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Audi A3 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆

Safety equipment

Electronic stabilityForward collision warningLane departure warning
StandardOptionalOptional

Nearby model years

YearLemon IndexComplaintsSoldTop system
2015824758,234Airbags
2016542231,538Fuel or ev drive system
2017832323,610Engine

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

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