2016 AUDI A3 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
111
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
9
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2016 AUDI A3
The 2016 AUDI A3 has received a total of 111 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 4 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER. 9 technical service bulletins have been issued by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Air Bags (35 complaints), Fuelpropulsion System (15 complaints), and Electrical System (13 complaints).
Recalls for the 2016 AUDI A3
NHTSA has recorded 4 recalls for the 2016 AUDI A3, potentially affecting up to 568,777 vehicles.
Recall 24V110000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
| 261,257 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into...
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
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 Volkswagen customer service...
View full details →Recall 22V543000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 1,216 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
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 service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69DY and...
View full details →Recall 21V198000 — AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
| 153,152 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
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 this recall is 69BY.
View full details →Recall 21V198000 — AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
| 153,152 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
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 this recall is 69BY.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2016 AUDI A3
111 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 AUDI A3. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasoline | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention Rearview System Braking | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System12v24v48v Battery | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control Esc | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingcritical Fasteners | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingengineoillubricationsealsgaskets | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Latcheslockslinkageshoodlatch | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tiressidewall | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tirestreadbelt | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
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 vehicle. It is sold with a clean title and I am worried that a used car dealership will try to sell it with no accident history and clean title to an unsuspecting person.
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 vehicle. It is sold with a clean title and I am worried that a used car dealership will try to sell it with no accident history and clean title to an unsuspecting person.
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 vehicle. It is sold with a clean title and I am worried that a used car dealership will try to sell it with no accident history and clean title to an unsuspecting person.
FUEL LEAKED ALL MY GARAGE ALMOST CAUSING A FIRE IN MY HOME WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. I HAVE HAD THE FUEL TANK REPLACED 3 TIMES. AND I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE IT REPLACED BECAUSE AUDI WOULD NOT REPLACE THE RECALL OF IT SO I AM REACHING OUT TO YOU SO YOU CAN REACH OUT TO AUDI ABOUT NOT STANDING BY THE RECALL PROCEDURE!
My 2016 Audi A3 Sportsback E-tron vehicle was parked at my house. When I went to start it the engine did nothing, no power. The message “Driver System Fault” and a red triangle with a red ! in the middle was displayed on the instrument panel. I was unable to start or operate the vehicle. I called AAA and they towed the vehicle to a Recharge Hybrid pump location near my house. I tired to charge the battery and it would just turn off. Then I called AAA again and they towed my car back to my house and checked the small 12 volt battery to see if that was the problem, they determined that the 12 volt battery still had 75% life in it. They were unable to get my vehicle started. The same message is still on the dashboard “Driver System Fault." The failure mileage is approximately 81,567. I want to know before I call the Dealer and get it towed again if this issue is the Hybrid High-Voltage Battery or the housing bonded seam could have lead to corrosion the service recall from a while ago. Service Action Code 93D2
Safety Rating for the 2016 AUDI A3
The 2016 AUDI A3 received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2016 AUDI A3
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. has issued 9 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2016 AUDI A3. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
A6922762065720_1 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
This bulletin recommends installing a felt mat to mitigate noises caused by the front seat belt rubbing the seat cover.
A4021292047758_7 — SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER
This bulletin contains instructions for proper lubrication of the shock absorber to prevent cracking noises or spring jumps when steering.
A8021112062583_1 — EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains instructions for addressing an insufficient or uneven heating performance from the HVAC system.
A4020202047758_6 — STEERING
This bulletin contains instructions for proper lubrication of the shock absorber to prevent cracking noises or spring jumps when steering.
A402018204342410 — SUSPENSION:FRONT
Thos bulletin contains repair information for when there is a creaking or squeaking noise from the front of the vehicle. This only occurs on uneven roads.
A9720742043968_5 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin provides instructions for replacing damaged rear lid wiring harnesses.
A9120562045723_4 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
This bulletin provides update information for when there are no online services provided by the SIM card in the vehicle.
A9119162042506_8 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This technical service bulletin explains how to determine the status of activation keys (that affect the function of Audi drive select, cruise control, navigation, Bluetooth, smartphone interface and voice recognition), and how to update them.
37 14 30 2003658 — ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC):CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
This condition may be caused when the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal are depressed simultaneously. Drivers who drive with their left foot resting on the brake pedal are prone to experience this condition. With the introduction of Electronic Power Control (EPC) (no accelerator cable) to fuel injection systems, an...
NHTSA Investigations for the 2016 AUDI A3
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the AUDI A3
- 2011 AUDI A3 — 51 complaints
- 2012 AUDI A3 — 48 complaints
- 2013 AUDI A3 — 24 complaints
- 2014 AUDI A3 — 0 complaints
- 2015 AUDI A3 — 125 complaints
- 2016 AUDI A3 (current)
- 2017 AUDI A3 — 74 complaints
- 2018 AUDI A3 — 46 complaints
- 2019 AUDI A3 — 15 complaints
- 2020 AUDI A3 — 18 complaints
- 2021 AUDI A3 — 0 complaints