2013 Audi A3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A3 years
- Fewer complaints than other years 12th of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Audi A3. That ranks 12th out of 23 A3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (10 complaints, 50%), typically at around 40,500 miles. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 20owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Audi A3 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 | 10 | 50% | 40,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 15% | 2,300 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 15% | 5,111 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 10% | 2,300 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% | 128,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 5% | 58,800 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 5% | 2,300 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 5% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 5% | 51,580 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Audi A3 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. 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 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2006 Volkswagen Passat sedans and wagons, 2005-2013 Audi A3, and 2006-2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
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.
The contact owns a 2013 Audi A3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly went into LIMP Mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the glow plugs failed to function and became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to…
Car stalled in fast moving traffic, and then lurched forward. In the stall the car behind me almost ran into me. In the lurch, I almost rear ended someone. Fortunate that both times there was no collision. Took the vehicle to Audi and the car has been diagnosed with failed mechatronic - a $4,000…
Intermittent problems with exterior lighting. I already replaced one of the rear license plate lights (not a bulb issue) and am now experiencing rear passenger side tail light issues where the tail light and directional signal cease working during the driving process and then start working at…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A3. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUDI TEMECULA (40955 TEMECULA CENTER DR, TEMECULA, CA 92591, [redacted]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DPS FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE…
Takata recall - dealer informed me the recall part has been unavailable for 1 year and will continue to be unavailable for an additional 2 - 6 months. No recall maintence is able to be scheduled. The risk associated with this recall is death to the driver. Unacceptable.
Other Audi A3 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 A3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 A3 | 5 | 0 |
| 2024 A3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 A3 | 7 | 2 |
| 2022 A3 | 9 | 6 |
| 2020 A3 | 16 | 3 |
| 2019 A3 | 10 | 3 |
| 2018 A3 | 33 | 2 |
| 2017 A3 | 44 | 2 |
| 2016 A3 | 82 | 3 |
| 2015 A3 | 93 | 2 |
| 2013 | 20 | 3 |
| 2012 A3 | 43 | 4 |
| 2011 A3 | 43 | 4 |
| 2010 A3 | 50 | 5 |
| 2009 A3 | 47 | 5 |
| 2008 A3 | 43 | 3 |
| 2007 A3 | 52 | 3 |
| 2006 A3 | 123 | 4 |
| 2005 A3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 A3 | 6 | 0 |
| 2003 A3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2001 A3 | 1 | 0 |
See all Audi A3 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 2013 Audi A3?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Audi A3?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Audi A3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other A3 model years, the 2013 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.