
2010 Audi A3
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2010 Audi A3 has 60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is fuel system problems (33% of all complaints), specifically: 2010 audi a-3 tdi (diesel) stalled while driving on freeway. will not start. towed to stevens creek audi, ca. *tr.
60
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.8x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
FUEL SYSTEM
20 complaints- • 2010 AUDI A-3 TDI (DIESEL) STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. WILL NOT START. TOWED TO STEVENS CREEK AUDI, CA. *TR
- • DRIVING HOME AFTER DARK ON A LOCAL BOULEVARD AT ABOUT 45 MPH IN OUR AUDI A3 TDI. VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. ENGINE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. WAS ABLE TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP "E
- • DRIVING ON LOCAL STREET AT ~35MPH, CAR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, LOSS POWER, THEN STALLED. UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE. *TR
“2010 AUDI A-3 TDI (DIESEL) STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. WILL NOT START. TOWED TO STEVENS CREEK AUDI, CA. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
AIR BAGS
13 complaints- • TAKATA RECALL - TAKATA HAS REPORTED THAT THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG INFLATOR COULD POTENTIALLY RUPTURE IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS ARE DESIGNED TO DEPLOY. IN THE EVENT OF AN INFLATOR RUPTURE, METAL FRAGMENTS COULD PASS THROUGH THE AIRBAG CUSHION MATERIAL, WHICH MAY
- • TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V079000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE
- • TAKATA RECALL. AUDI HAS NOT NOTIFIED ME OF THE DEFECT, NOR HAS IT OFFERED TO CORRECT IT.
“TAKATA RECALL - TAKATA HAS REPORTED THAT THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG INFLATOR COULD POTENTIALLY RUPTURE IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS ARE DESIGNED TO DEPLOY. IN THE EVENT OF AN INFLATOR RUPTURE, METAL FRAGMENTS COULD PASS THROUGH THE AIRBAG CUSHION MATERIAL, WHICH MAY”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
11 complaints- • THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT SUDDEN, AND BRIEF LOSS OF ACCELERATION FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS HAPPEN TWICE. THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 2,000. ONE TIME THE POWER LOSS WAS FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I STARTED TO MOVE, THERE WAS A PAUSE AND QUICKLY THE POWER RETURNED. THE SAME BEHAVIOR HAPPENED PULL
- • 2010 AUDI A3 TDI HAS INTERMITTENT ACCELERATION PAUSING PROBLEMS. THE LACK OF POWER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED FROM A DEAD STOP AND WHILE MERGING INTO FREEWAY TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM IS RARE, BUT HAS BEEN A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED. *TR
- • THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM OF APPLYING GAS AND NOT MOVING; THE ENGINE REVS, BUT DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED FROM A FULL STOP OR ALMOST A FULL STOP, WHEN TRYING TO TURN ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WHILE CROSSING A BUSY INTERSECTION. ALMOST HAD TWO ACCIDENTS IN ONE DAY. AUDI DEALERS
“THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT SUDDEN, AND BRIEF LOSS OF ACCELERATION FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS HAPPEN TWICE. THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 2,000. ONE TIME THE POWER LOSS WAS FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I STARTED TO MOVE, THERE WAS A PAUSE AND QUICKLY THE POWER RETURNED. THE SAME BEHAVIOR HAPPENED PULL”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
6 complaints- • TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A3 QUATTRO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE; THE CONTACT HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS
- • THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT SUDDEN, AND BRIEF LOSS OF ACCELERATION FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS HAPPEN TWICE. THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 2,000. ONE TIME THE POWER LOSS WAS FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I STARTED TO MOVE, THERE WAS A PAUSE AND QUICKLY THE POWER RETURNED. THE SAME BEHAVIOR HAPPENED PULL
- • WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS, ENGINE LOST POWER AND STOPPED RUNNING SUDDENLY. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER A MINUTE OR SO AND CONTINUED MY TRIP TO WORK. CAR IS AN AUTOMATIC AND THE ENGINE JUST QUIT LIKE A MANUAL LEFT IN GEAR AT A STOP SIGN...A SHUDDER THEN NOTHING. NOT SURE IF RELEVANT, BU
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A3 QUATTRO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE; THE CONTACT HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TIRES
2 complaints- • TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A3 EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES, TIRE SIZE 225/14/18. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH APPROACHING A STOP SIGNAL, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR DISPLAYED A LOW PRESSURE READING. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF TH
- • 225/45zr1794w purchased at discount tire. TPMS system failed after tire installation. I told the technician and he reset the system. Five miles later TPMS indicator came on. Malfunction TPMS. I monitor the tire pressure periodically and the tires seemed fine. While driving on Florida 528 to the air
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A3 EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES, TIRE SIZE 225/14/18. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH APPROACHING A STOP SIGNAL, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR DISPLAYED A LOW PRESSURE READING. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF TH”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 60 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐FUEL SYSTEM: 2010 AUDI A-3 TDI (DIESEL) STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. WILL NOT START. TOWED TO STEVENS CREEK AUDI, CA. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐AIR BAGS: TAKATA RECALL - TAKATA HAS REPORTED THAT THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG INFLATOR COULD POTENTIALLY RUPTURE IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS ARE DESIGNED TO DEPLOY. IN THE EVENT OF AN INFLATOR RUPTURE, METAL FRAGMENTS COULD PASS THROUGH THE AIRBAG CUSHION MATERIAL, WHICH MAY
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT SUDDEN, AND BRIEF LOSS OF ACCELERATION FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS HAPPEN TWICE. THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 2,000. ONE TIME THE POWER LOSS WAS FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I STARTED TO MOVE, THERE WAS A PAUSE AND QUICKLY THE POWER RETURNED. THE SAME BEHAVIOR HAPPENED PULL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A3 QUATTRO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE; THE CONTACT HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Audi A3 — Year Comparison
How does 2010 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 60
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 1
- Injury reports
- 1
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2010 Audi A3