2016 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A3 Sportback E-Tron years
- Not enough data 1st of 3 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron. That is the most of any A3 Sportback E-Tron model year in the database (3 years). The most reported problem area is tires (1 complaints, 50%), typically at around 2,500 miles. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 2owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 1 | 50% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 50% | 10,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2016 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger; air bags:on-off switch assembly
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
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.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Audi etron sunroof exploded while driving. While futzing with the windows trying to stop the "woop woop woop" air pressure thing that happens when the windows are partially open, the sunroof exploded out of the car. Sounded like a gunshot, happened in a split second, scared the bejesus out of me…
CONTINENTAL PROCONTACT 225/45R17 91H DOT [redacted] RIGHT FRONT TIRE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT AFTER GOING OVER SMALL DRIVEWAY CURB AT VERY LOW SPEED VEHICLE 2016 AUDI A3 ETRON
Other Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 A3 Sportback E-Tron | 0 | 2 |
| 2017 A3 Sportback E-Tron | 2 | 2 |
| 2016 | 2 | 3 |
See all Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
Similar Audi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron?
Owners most often report tires, visibility/wiper problems. The top one, tires, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other A3 Sportback E-Tron model years, the 2016 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.