The Lemon Index2018 Audi A3. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 2,900 and 23,000 miles. Median 10,000, from 11 complaints with a mileage.
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 |
|---|---|
| Airbags | 67% |
| Fuel system | 10% |
| Tires | 10% |
| Electrical | 7% |
| Engine | 7% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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.
19V095000 Feb 2019 Seats / Mid/Rear Assembly
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A3 sedan and RS3 vehicles. The latching pins for the center rear seat head restraint may be missing.
Risk. In the event of a crash, the head restraint may detach and cause injury to the vehicle occupants.
Remedy. Audi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the head restraints, replacing any that are missing pins, free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72I8.
18V803000 Nov 2018 Seats / Mid/Rear Assembly
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.
Risk. If the guide sleeves are incorrectly welded, in the event of a crash, the rear seat head restraints may have reduced stability, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy. Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners, and dealers will inspect the guide sleeves for incorrect welds, replacing the rear seat frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. 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 72H8 (VW) and 72H9(Audi).
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 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Audi A3 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Audi A3 Sportback e-tron FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
Engines and drivetrains 5
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4L 4-cyl turbo plug-in hybrid | Auto (AM-S6) | FWD | 34 / 39 / 36 | Premium | $2,150 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Auto (AM-S7) | FWD | 26 / 35 / 29 | Regular | $2,150 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Auto (AM-S7) | AWD | 22 / 28 / 25 | Premium | $3,100 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Auto (AM-S6) | AWD | 22 / 30 / 25 | Regular | $2,500 |
| 2.5L 5-cyl turbo | Auto (AM-S7) | AWD | 19 / 28 / 22 | Premium | $3,500 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
YouTube repair topics
196 videos about the 2015–2020 Audi A3, 45.8M views.
| Topic | Videos | Views |
|---|---|---|
| Oil changes & service | 7 | 1.2M |
| Gauges, lights & wiring | 2 | 646K |
| Cooling system | 3 | 425K |
| Transmission & shifter | 1 | 193K |
| Infotainment, battery & electrical | 2 | 169K |
| Timing chain & engine | 2 | 152K |
| Heat, A/C & blend door | 1 | 140K |
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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