2011 Audi A3 problems and complaints

Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Audi A3. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (20), Fuel/Propulsion System (6), Engine (6).

Key takeaways

  • 42 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
  • 0 involve a crash, 1 a fire, 0 reported injuries.
  • Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
Complaints by component
ComponentComplaintsShare
Air Bags2048%
Fuel/Propulsion System614%
Engine614%
Electrical System410%
Fuel System410%
Diesel410%
Exterior Lighting37%
Power Train37%
Steering12%
Structure12%
Vehicle Speed Control12%
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility12%

One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

NHTSA 5-Star crash ratings
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
2011 Audi A3 4 DR AWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated
2011 Audi A3 4 DR FWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated

Latest complaints, as filed

Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.

Electrical System - filed 2023-03-29

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,...

Steering - filed 2021-07-21

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...

Air Bags - filed 2021-07-20

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...

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More for the 2011 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.