2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A3 Cabriolet years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 4th of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet. That ranks 4th out of 5 A3 Cabriolet model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (7 complaints, 58%). There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 12owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 7 | 58% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 8% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 8% | 2,400 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 8% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 8% | 8,101 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet vehicles. The fuel hose quick connector may detach from the fuel supply line in the engine bay, resulting in a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the engine compartment can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the fuel line connection, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20BK.
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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).
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647) (RQ23007) — opened Dec 12, 2023, closed Jul 1, 2024, led to recall 24V110.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A3. The contact stated after parking the vehicle, a bystander alerted the contact that there was fuel leaking from the rear passenger's side near the fuel tank. The contact drove the vehicle to a gas station and was unable to refuel the vehicle. The check engine warning…
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A3. The contact stated while driving in a parking lot, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the battery was drained, and the vehicle failed to restart. The contact jumpstarted the vehicle. The battery was replaced. Several unknown warning lights were…
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had…
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A3. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer informed the contact that the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount…
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that…
Other Audi A3 Cabriolet years
← 2017 A3 Cabriolet · 2019 A3 Cabriolet →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 A3 Cabriolet | 4 | 1 |
| 2018 | 12 | 5 |
| 2017 A3 Cabriolet | 25 | 3 |
| 2016 A3 Cabriolet | 36 | 3 |
| 2015 A3 Cabriolet | 87 | 5 |
See all Audi A3 Cabriolet problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
Similar Audi models
Embed this 2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, exterior lighting problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 7 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Audi A3 Cabriolet a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other A3 Cabriolet model years, the 2018 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.