The Used Car Index

2021 Audi Q3 problems

NHTSA lists 15 complaints for the 2021 Audi Q3, 2 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 1 complaints mention an injury, with 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as AUDI Q3.

At a glance

Complaints
15
With crash
2
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
1
Injuries
2
Deaths
0
Recalls
3
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
208,724
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
870

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
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM426.7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM320.0%
ENGINE320.0%
SEAT BELTS213.3%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER213.3%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING16.7%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE16.7%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE16.7%
LANE DEPARTURE16.7%
SEATS16.7%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEAUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING1
LANE DEPARTUREASSIST1
STRUCTUREBODY1

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
electrical electronic533.3%0.82
fluid or fuel leak213.3%0.89
loss of control213.3%0.99
mechanical failure213.3%0.76
restraint or airbag16.7%1.00
structural or corrosion16.7%0.51
unclear16.7%1.00
visibility or lighting16.7%0.27
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate960.0%0.88
high320.0%0.87
low213.3%0.59
none16.7%1.00

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 15 tagged complaints of 15 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.

26V590000

Date: 2026-09-11. Systems: STEERING.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.

Consequence: A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

22V673000

Date: 2022-09-08. Systems: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Audi Q3 vehicles. The vent pipe within the fuel tank may have been damaged during fuel tank assembly.

Consequence: A damaged vent pipe may allow fuel to spill out of the filler neck when the fuel cap is opened, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the internal vent pipe for damage and replace the charcoal canister and the fuel tank, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20DS.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

21V606000

Date: 2021-08-05. Systems: SEAT BELTS.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, (excerpt)

Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash. (excerpt)

Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi). (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

870 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM254
EQUIPMENT217
STRUCTURE105
UNKNOWN OR OTHER96
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING50
SUSPENSION43
STEERING39
VISIBILITY38

11038131

Date: 2026-09-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

This TSB prvoides informaiton when there is a distance warning + ACC is not available/Audi pre sense fault; DTC U101400, B203200.

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.

11038032

Date: 2026-09-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

This bulletin provides information when the rear parking sensor sometimes does not work, rear parking sensor loose, rear parking sensor fault message.

11038056

Date: 2026-09-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel.

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.

11038039

Date: 2026-09-14. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

This bulletin provides information when there are stails/marks on the sill panel trim.

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.

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
Q315

Same model, other years

All model years | All Audi models

Other Audi models, 2021

Sources

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