2016 Audi A3 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 2016 Audi A3, and owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 2016 Audi A3
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Fuel system, gasoline
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…
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…
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Inflator module (air bags)
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.
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…
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Air bags: front passenger and on-off switch assembly (air bags)
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.
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…
81 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2016 Audi A3 have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 58,143 miles. Complaints peaked in 2021 with 18 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side air bag occupant sensor failed to identify a passenger seat in the seat. A dealer was contacted. No warning light wa”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 21, 2026 · Air bags
“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 vehic”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 30, 2026 · Structure
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2016 Audi A3 (A3 Cabriolet, A3 Cabriolet quattro, A3 e-tron, A3 e-tron ultra, …). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26–39 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 23–37 / 32–41 |
| Fuel | Premium and Electricity, Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars, Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.4/1.8/2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM-S6) |
Compare Audi A3 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Audi A3 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 Audi A3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 Audi A3 | 0 | 2 |
| 2004 Audi A3 | 0 | 6 |
| 2005 Audi A3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 Audi A3 | 4 | 123 |
| 2007 Audi A3 | 3 | 52 |
| 2008 Audi A3 | 3 | 43 |
| 2009 Audi A3 | 5 | 47 |
| 2010 Audi A3 | 5 | 50 |
| 2011 Audi A3 | 4 | 43 |
| 2012 Audi A3 | 4 | 43 |
| 2013 Audi A3 | 3 | 20 |
| 2015 Audi A3 | 2 | 93 |
| 2016 Audi A3 | 3 | 81 |
| 2017 Audi A3 | 2 | 44 |
| 2018 Audi A3 | 2 | 33 |
| 2019 Audi A3 | 3 | 10 |
| 2020 Audi A3 | 3 | 16 |
| 2022 Audi A3 | 6 | 9 |
| 2023 Audi A3 | 2 | 7 |
| 2024 Audi A3 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 Audi A3 | 0 | 5 |
| 2026 Audi A3 | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2016 Audi A3
How do I know if my 2016 Audi A3 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2016 Audi A3; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Audi dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 21V198000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Audi models
- A42,895 complaints
- A61,658 complaints
- Q51,342 complaints
- Q71,047 complaints
- S4588 complaints
- A5325 complaints
- TT319 complaints
- A4 Allroad252 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.