2011 Audi A3 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (20) · Fuel/Propulsion System (5) · Fuel System, Diesel (4)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Audi A3 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
25 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (4)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-12-04 · campaign 19V862000 · 226 vehicles
Defect: 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 2018-01-30 · campaign 18V082000 · 162,782 vehicles
Defect: 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 2016-02-10 · campaign 16V079000 · 151,767 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Fuel System, Diesel 2011-10-03 · campaign 11V490000 · 168,275 vehicles
Defect: VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL 2009-2012 JETTA AND JETTA SPORTWAGEN VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2008 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 AUDI A3 VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L TDI COMMON RAIL DIESEL ENGINE/CLEAN DIESEL ENGINE. THE FUEL INJECTION PULSES COULD COINCIDE WITH THE NATURAL FREQUENCY OF THE INJECTOR
Risk: DUE TO THE RESONANCE CONDITION, INJECTOR LINE NUMBER 2 COULD DEVELOP SMALL CRACKS WHICH COULD LEAD TO FUEL LEAKAGE. LEAKING FUEL IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.
Fix: VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED FUEL INJECTOR LINE FOR THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER ON CERTAIN VEHICLES AND WILL INSTALL VIBRATION DAMPERS ON ALL OF THE INJECTOR LINES. VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS TO HAVE THE VEHICLES REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
Service bulletins (853)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-25 · TSB_2052680_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
Steering 2026-09-22 · TSB_2074846_5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-09 · SM 39-2026 · Other
this special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-26 · TSB_2074436_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.
Service Brakes 2026-08-21 · TSB_2069904_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information for all models regarding brake sounds.
Service Brakes 2026-08-21 · TSB_2069078_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information on the zirconium insercts in the brake piston (ceramic brakes only).
Showing the 6 most recent of 853 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2023-03-29 · Electrical System“answering questions above: -body control module fuse, possibly engine comopartment fuse box itself -intermittent exterior lighting outages -no dealer / independent service center has inspected -not been inspected by anyone -no warnings, just bulb-out warnings once the issue started longform description: last week, i was experiencing intermitte…”
2021-07-21 · Steering“esp malfunctioned while driving on highway: tires braked several times rapidly on one side without warning, making car difficult to control. immediately took foot off gas and had to steer out of a small fishtail. at the time i was driving at normal speed, not cornering aggressively or anything, on a smooth dry road. in heavy traffic or on a wet roa…”
2021-07-20 · Air Bags“airbag warning light came on. dealer said passenger seat occupancy sensor must be replaced, at cost of $1500-3000 since it's 5 months past my warranty. numerous audi models from 2012 onward have a recall for this sensor, but not my 2011 model (yet). other automakers have extended their warranty for this safety-critical part -- bmw to 15 years, for …”
2020-01-05 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 70,000 mi“my son was driving my 2011 audi a3 tdi to the gym at night when he called me the car would not accelerate and had a warning light come on. i told him to google it and he found out it was a glow plug indicator. i told him to continue driving it in the limp mode. the car died while moving and my son was able to coast into a parking lot. this could of…”
2019-05-31 · Exterior Lighting · 68,630 mi“intermittent failure of exterior lights to include headlights, turn signal lights, and brake lights during driving. the first occurrence was at night. fault seems to be (engine) temperature dependent (i.e. - does not seem to occur when engine bay is cold). issue continued to occur intermittently for several days (until the parts in the following…”
2019-05-29 · Exterior Lighting · 75,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2011 audi a3. while driving 40 mph at night, the exterior lighting powered off intermittently. the contact coasted the vehicle over to the side of the road and powered off the engine. the vehicle was restarted and was able to drive normally. the failure recurred three times. in addition, multiple electrical warning indicators…”
2019-02-04 · Air Bags“tl* the contact owns a 2011 audi a3. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v082000 (air bags). the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. audi flatirons (13321 w midway blvd, broomfield, co 80020, (866) 604-3244) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not ava…”
2018-11-15 · Air Bags · 56,000 mi“takata recall. i have received numerous notices from audi and the secretary of state's office that my a3 is recalled for the airbag replacement. i have been trying to schedule this since june with audi of kalamazoo, my local dealer. they schedule appointments for this 6 weeks out. they have twice cancelled my appointment the day before the serv…”
2018-10-16 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2011 audi a3. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v082000 (air bags); however, the part needed for the repair was not available. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the contact called dch audi oxnard at (805) 288-7728 (lo…”
2018-10-15 · Air Bags“audi refuses to replace citing lack of parts yet keeps sending me notices to replace. this is wasting a lot of time for both parties.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.