The Lemon Index2019 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 5,500 and 13,500 miles. Median 12,946, from 6 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 | 79% |
| Electrical | 14% |
| Seats | 14% |
| Fuel system | 7% |
| Wipers & visibility | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 4
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
22V815000 Oct 2022 Tires / Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk. An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
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.
Crash ratings by version
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi A3 C FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Audi A3 C AWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Audi A3 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Audi A3 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Audi A3 Sportback e-tron FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Audi A3 Sportback e-tron FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
Engines and drivetrains 4
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 / 29 / 25 | Premium | $3,100 |
| 2.5L 5-cyl turbo | Auto (AM-S7) | AWD | 19 / 28 / 22 | Premium | $3,500 |
| 2.9L 6-cyl turbo | Auto (S8) | AWD | 18 / 27 / 21 | Premium | $3,700 |
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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