The Used Car Index

2016 Audi A3 problems

NHTSA lists 81 complaints for the 2016 Audi A3, 3 of them mention a crash and 2 mention a fire. 1 complaints mention an injury, with 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as AUDI A3.

At a glance

Complaints
81
With crash
3
With fire
2
With injury (complaints)
1
Injuries
1
Deaths
0
Recalls
3
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
261,257
Investigations
1
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
506

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
AIR BAGS3644.4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1619.8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1518.5%
ENGINE911.1%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER89.9%
POWER TRAIN67.4%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING44.9%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE44.9%
SEAT BELTS22.5%
SUSPENSION22.5%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
BACK OVER PREVENTIONREARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM12V/24V/48V BATTERY1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGCRITICAL FASTENERS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGENGINE1
LANE DEPARTUREBLIND SPOT DETECTION1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGESHOOD1
STRUCTUREBODY1
TIRESSIDEWALL1
TIRESTREAD/BELT1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
restraint or airbag2530.9%0.85
fluid or fuel leak1822.2%0.81
electrical electronic1417.3%0.83
unclear89.9%0.94
mechanical failure56.2%0.73
visibility or lighting56.2%0.91
loss of control22.5%0.82
structural or corrosion22.5%0.70
fire or overheating11.2%0.63
noise or comfort11.2%0.46
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate5365.4%0.82
low2328.4%0.63
high44.9%0.97
none11.2%1.00

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 81 tagged complaints of 81 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

3 recalls.

24V110000

Date: 2024-02-14. Systems: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.

Defect: 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 ev (excerpt)

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. (excerpt)

Remedy: 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 previ (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

22V543000

Date: 2022-07-27. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Defect: 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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

21V198000

Date: 2021-03-22. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Defect: 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.

Consequence: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 0 open.

RQ23007

Opened: 2023-12-12. Closed: 2024-07-01.

Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 V

Systems: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.

Linked campaign numbers: 24V110.

Manufacturer communications

506 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT128
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM103
UNKNOWN OR OTHER68
STRUCTURE41
SERVICE BRAKES34
SUSPENSION33
STEERING29
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING24

11038027

Date: 2026-09-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.

11038130

Date: 2026-09-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.

11038024

Date: 2026-09-22. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY/WIPER.

This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.

11038042

Date: 2026-09-22. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STEERING.

This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.

11038025

Date: 2026-09-15. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.

11038143

Date: 2026-09-09. Type: Other. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.

11038026

Date: 2026-09-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.

11038033

Date: 2026-09-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases.

11036917

Date: 2026-08-26. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.

11036907

Date: 2026-08-24. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SUSPENSION.

This bulletin provides informaiotn when there are rattling/grinding noises reported from the front end.

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
A381

Same model, other years

All model years | All Audi models

Other Audi models, 2016

Sources

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