2016 Audi A3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A3 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Audi A3. That ranks 3rd out of 23 A3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (36 complaints, 44%), typically at around 44,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 82owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 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 | 36 | 44% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 16 | 20% | 68,409 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 18% | 77,259 | — | — |
| Engine | 9 | 11% | 74,517 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 9 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 5% | 61,047 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 5% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 31,300 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Audi A3 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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 previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.
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.
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.
I was driving my vehicle on the [XXX] like normal and suddenly my car stopped accelerating at 70 MPH and displayed a message stating to stop vehicle, transmission malfunction. There were 2 cars that almost hit me while I was trying to get over to the side of the road due to the car barely having…
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that the front passengerâs side air bag occupant sensor failed to identify a passenger seat in the seat. A dealer was contacted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that PODS…
Electrical problems and fuel leak
This vehicle was involved in a rear end collision in late 2025. The vehicle was just sold at auction with a clean title even though it has frame damage that is more than 100% of the cost of this vehicle. It is sold with a clean title and I am worried that a used car dealership will try to sell it…
Fuel leaked all my garage almost causing a fire in my home while i was sleeping. I have had the fuel tank replaced 3 times. And i had to pay out of pocket to have it replaced because audi would not replace the recall of it so i am reaching out to you so you can reach out to audi about not standing…
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 | 82 | 3 |
| 2015 A3 | 93 | 2 |
| 2013 A3 | 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 2016 Audi A3?
Owners most often report air bags, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 36 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Audi A3?
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 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other A3 model years, the 2016 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.