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NHTSA-Verified · Common Problems

2016 Audi A3
Common Problems

Ranked from 44 federal NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

1
Safety
4
High severity
6
Medium
1 problem on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

11 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Air Bag Warning Light Illumination

    12complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    Passenger-side air bag warning light illuminates without a collision.

    $100–$250est. professional diagnosis · 1–2 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  2. 2

    Recall Issues with Air Bag System

    12complaints
    High severityElectrical

    Recall for air bag system not being resolved despite multiple attempts.

  3. 3

    Passenger Airbag Malfunction

    8complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    The passenger airbag does not deploy correctly and the warning light remains on.

  4. 4

    Electrical System Malfunction

    7complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    Check engine light and various electrical errors occur frequently.

  5. 5

    Transmission Failure

    4complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The transmission malfunctions, leading to stalling and loss of power.

    $2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  6. 6

    Fuel System Malfunction

    3complaints
    Medium severityFuel system

    Fuel system malfunctions, including fuel leaks and misfires, causing vehicle instability.

    Related recall: 24V110000

  7. 7

    EVAP System Leak

    2complaints
    Medium severityFuel system

    There is a leak in the EVAP system, causing fuel to spill out of the vehicle.

    $100–$600est. evap system repair · 0.5–3 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

    Related recall: 24V110000

  8. 8

    Fuel Tank Leaking

    2complaints
    High severityFuel system

    Fuel leaks from the fuel tank, posing a fire hazard.

    $300–$1,200est. fuel line/tank repair · 2–6 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

    Related recall: 24V110000

  9. 9

    Reverse Movement Issues

    2complaints
    Medium severityOther

    Vehicle moves forward instead of reversing when placed in reverse gear.

  10. 10

    Steering Wheel Shaking

    2complaints
    High severitySteering

    Steering wheel shakes violently at high speeds, causing loss of control.

  11. 11

    Tire blowout

    2complaints
    Medium severitySuspension

    Tires, including OEM Continental ProContact, blow out at low speeds on potholes.

Other years & sources

2015 Audi A3All NHTSA complaints for this vehicle →

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.