2016 Audi A3 problems and complaints
Owners have filed 114 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Audi A3. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (52), Electrical System (19), Fuel/Propulsion System (17).
Key takeaways
- 114 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 3 involve a crash, 4 a fire, 1 reported injury.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 52 | 46% |
| Electrical System | 19 | 17% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 17 | 15% |
| Engine | 14 | 12% |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 | 11% |
| Power Train | 9 | 8% |
| Fuel System | 5 | 4% |
| Gasoline | 5 | 4% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4 | 4% |
| Tires | 4 | 4% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 3 | 3% |
| Seats | 2 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Audi A3 C AWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2016 Audi A3 C FWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2016 Audi A3 C FWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2016 Audi A3 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Electrical System,air Bags,seats - filed 2026-10-14
My 2016 Audi A3 (VIN [XXX]) underwent Safety Recall 69BY on XXX, to correct a defect in the front passenger occupant detection system (PODS), including replacement of the occupant detection sensor. Less than two years later, the same safety-system malfunction returned. The vehicle intermittently displays "Safety system...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2026-10-12
I was driving my vehicle on the [XXX] like normal and suddenly my car stopped accelerating at 70 MPH and displayed a message stating to stop vehicle, transmission malfunction. There were 2 cars that almost hit me while I was trying to get over to the side of the road due to the car barely having any power. The car also...
Engine And Engine Cooling,air Bags - filed 2026-07-21
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 was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that PODS had failed and needed t...
Diagnose it yourself
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
More for the 2016 Audi A3
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.