2015 Audi A3

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2015 Audi A3 has 131 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (35% of all complaints), specifically: there was recently a pods recall for the wiring harness going to the occupant detection sensor the recall did not fix the issues for many people. car will randomly think someone is setting in the passenger seat and activate airbag and cause the seatbelt light to chime constantly while driving causin.

131

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

46 complaints

35%

• THERE WAS RECENTLY A PODS RECALL FOR THE WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES FOR MANY PEOPLE. CAR WILL RANDOMLY THINK SOMEONE IS SETTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND ACTIVATE AIRBAG AND CAUSE THE SEATBELT LIGHT TO CHIME CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING CAUSIN
• MY CAR KEEPS HAVING A SAFETY SYSTEM FAULT. THERE ARE TWO ERRORS: 1. THE "PAASENGER AIRBAG OFF" INDICATOR STAYS ON EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT 2. BUCKLE SEATBELT SIGN IS ON WHEN THERE IS NO PASSENGER I TOOK MY CAR FOR A RECALL BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE OF THE AIRBAG B
• AUDI HAS A RECALL TO FIX THE WIRING IN THE PODS SYSTEM, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE COMPONENTS TO DETECT AND PROTECT A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT EXISTS. THE RECALL DOES NOT FIX THE SENSOR ITSELF WHICH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN EXISTING FAILURE ISSUE. KNOWING THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AUDI HAS YET TO RECALL THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THERE WAS RECENTLY A PODS RECALL FOR THE WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES FOR MANY PEOPLE. CAR WILL RANDOMLY THINK SOMEONE IS SETTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND ACTIVATE AIRBAG AND CAUSE THE SEATBELT LIGHT TO CHIME CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING CAUSIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

20 complaints

15%

• THERE WAS RECENTLY A PODS RECALL FOR THE WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES FOR MANY PEOPLE. CAR WILL RANDOMLY THINK SOMEONE IS SETTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND ACTIVATE AIRBAG AND CAUSE THE SEATBELT LIGHT TO CHIME CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING CAUSIN
• THERE WAS RECENTLY A PODS RECALL FOR THE WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES FOR MANY PEOPLE. CAR WILL RANDOMLY THINK SOMEONE IS SETTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND ACTIVATE AIRBAG AND CAUSE THE SEATBELT LIGHT TO CHIME CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING CAUSIN
• MY CAR KEEPS HAVING A SAFETY SYSTEM FAULT. THERE ARE TWO ERRORS: 1. THE "PAASENGER AIRBAG OFF" INDICATOR STAYS ON EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT 2. BUCKLE SEATBELT SIGN IS ON WHEN THERE IS NO PASSENGER I TOOK MY CAR FOR A RECALL BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE OF THE AIRBAG B

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

18 complaints

14%

• CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN OCTOBER 2020 CAR WAS SLOW TO TAKE OFF FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND SEEMED TO TAKE TIME TO SHIFT GEARS. TOOK TO AUDI MECHANIC AND HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP -W/THERMOSTAT HOUSING & INTAKE MANIFOLD. NOW I'M APRIL 2021 CAR IS BACK IN SHOP BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR
• When pumping gas, it only allows for less than 5 consecutive seconds until the nozzle clicks off. It is soon followed by gas spilling out of the filler neck. Also accompanied by a rough running vehicle plus misfires. The vapor canister, along with the leak detection pump have already been replaced.
• I experienced issues putting fuel in my vehicle. The pump would shut off as if the tank were full after putting only a few dollars in the tank. At one point gas backed up and spalshed onto my hand and cloths, down the side of my vehicle onto the ground. Prior to this I noticed my vehicle hesitating

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN OCTOBER 2020 CAR WAS SLOW TO TAKE OFF FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND SEEMED TO TAKE TIME TO SHIFT GEARS. TOOK TO AUDI MECHANIC AND HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP -W/THERMOSTAT HOUSING & INTAKE MANIFOLD. NOW I'M APRIL 2021 CAR IS BACK IN SHOP BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

17 complaints

13%

• AUDI RECALL CAMPAIGN 69Z4 WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX THE PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM MALFUNCTION BY REPLACING A CONNECTOR AND HARNESS. THIS HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUES. MANY AUDI CUSTOMERS SAYING THE SEAT BELT ALARM AND WARNING LIGHT STILL COME ON. MINE WILL NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL I PLUG THE SEAT BELT BAC
• FOR THE LAST 4 DAYS I HAVE HAD SOMEONE GET INTO MY PASSENGER SEAT AND RANDOMLY WHILE I'M DRIVING AND THE CAR IS IN MOTION THE AIRBAG SIGNAL STATES ' PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF' IT FLASHES TO NOTIFY ME IT HAS TURNED OF. I COMPLETED RESEARCH AND FOUND THEIR IS A RECALL ON AUDI VEHICLES FOR THIS COMPLAINT BU
• MY 2015 AUDI A3 HAS ONLY 11,200 MILES ON IT. THE PASSENGER BAG SAFETY LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, AND HAS DONE FOR SOME TIME. THE PROBLEM OCCURS MOSTLY WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT, BUT OCCASIONALLY IT WILL OCCUR WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED. THE YELLOW DASH LIGHT COMES ON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“AUDI RECALL CAMPAIGN 69Z4 WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX THE PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM MALFUNCTION BY REPLACING A CONNECTOR AND HARNESS. THIS HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUES. MANY AUDI CUSTOMERS SAYING THE SEAT BELT ALARM AND WARNING LIGHT STILL COME ON. MINE WILL NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL I PLUG THE SEAT BELT BAC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

9 complaints

• THE WATER PUMP/THERMOSTAT HOUSING IS LEAKING COOLANT OUT OF THE ENGINE. THIS OCCURS ON NEARLY ALL MQB CHASSIS VW/AUDI'S WITH THE EA888 GEN 3 2.0 TFSI ENGINE. IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE.
• AFTER RECENT CAR INSPECTION DUE TO RECALL FOR PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION I WAS INFORMED THAT WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 55 000 MILES ON IT. OTHER AUDI MODELS APPEAR TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND THEY HAVE BEEN RECALLED, HOWEVER NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR
• CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN OCTOBER 2020 CAR WAS SLOW TO TAKE OFF FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND SEEMED TO TAKE TIME TO SHIFT GEARS. TOOK TO AUDI MECHANIC AND HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP -W/THERMOSTAT HOUSING & INTAKE MANIFOLD. NOW I'M APRIL 2021 CAR IS BACK IN SHOP BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE WATER PUMP/THERMOSTAT HOUSING IS LEAKING COOLANT OUT OF THE ENGINE. THIS OCCURS ON NEARLY ALL MQB CHASSIS VW/AUDI'S WITH THE EA888 GEN 3 2.0 TFSI ENGINE. IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 131 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: THERE WAS RECENTLY A PODS RECALL FOR THE WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES FOR MANY PEOPLE. CAR WILL RANDOMLY THINK SOMEONE IS SETTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND ACTIVATE AIRBAG AND CAUSE THE SEATBELT LIGHT TO CHIME CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING CAUSIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: THERE WAS RECENTLY A PODS RECALL FOR THE WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES FOR MANY PEOPLE. CAR WILL RANDOMLY THINK SOMEONE IS SETTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND ACTIVATE AIRBAG AND CAUSE THE SEATBELT LIGHT TO CHIME CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING CAUSIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN OCTOBER 2020 CAR WAS SLOW TO TAKE OFF FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND SEEMED TO TAKE TIME TO SHIFT GEARS. TOOK TO AUDI MECHANIC AND HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP -W/THERMOSTAT HOUSING & INTAKE MANIFOLD. NOW I'M APRIL 2021 CAR IS BACK IN SHOP BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: AUDI RECALL CAMPAIGN 69Z4 WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX THE PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM MALFUNCTION BY REPLACING A CONNECTOR AND HARNESS. THIS HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUES. MANY AUDI CUSTOMERS SAYING THE SEAT BELT ALARM AND WARNING LIGHT STILL COME ON. MINE WILL NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL I PLUG THE SEAT BELT BAC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)