2011 Audi A3 Recalls & Complaints

Incident: March 22, 2023 · Filed: March 29, 2023

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, I was experiencing intermittent light outages on the right side of my car (2011 audi a3 TDI) . It started wednesday 3/22, during my morning commute to work, when I was exiting highway and turned on my right turn signal all the exterior lights on the right side of my car started flickering, and stopped. Same thing happened the next morning, except worse, applying my brakes would disable my right headlight. I stopped driving until the weekend when I drove over to get my car scanned for errors by a buddy of mine who has a diagnostic tool. It pointed to the body control module. With the car on, he gave the body control module fuse a light wiggle, and smoke started pouring out. He turned the car off and took out the fuse, one of the contacts melted into two pieces, and the plastic housing the fuse is full of bubbles. It seems that the engine fuse box for this car is poorly designed, and audi knows this as they've updated the part, but no recall was started. A recall was initiated for a similar issue on Tiguans manufactured around the same time (Recall no. 13V569000). Crazy to think that while I was driving around, there could have been smoke pouring out of my engine compartment fuse box, seems pretty dangerous. And I'm not the only one as people online call this the "infamous audi/vw melted fuse box issue".

Incident: October 3, 2020 · Filed: July 21, 2021

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 heavy traffic or on a wet road this could have resulted in a crash. On just a couple occasions shortly before this occurred, while going around corners at highway or near-highway speeds there was a sensation that the steering direction suddenly "slipped" a notch, with a sort of thunk from the tires. At the time I attributed it to unseen road bumps, but after experiencing the more serious failure I realized it was the same asymmetrical braking just on a smaller scale. No warning lights gave any indicator of this dangerous sensor fault. During the most serious incident, the ESP light flickered briefly but that is the only time any lights appeared at all. I would expect this system to "fail safe" by deactivating, rather staying active and risking loss of control. Dealer garage said the problem "might" be the ESP sensor yaw rate sensor (G202) but can't guarantee that will fix it. I found several reports online of others experiencing loss of control due to Audi A3 ESP malfunction: 1) https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/esp-driving-me-nuts.225172/ 2) https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/yaw-sensor-g202-replacement-location.350445/ 3) http://www.vask.org.nz/index.php?topic=41577.0

Incident: August 1, 2017 · Filed: July 20, 2021

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 part -- BMW to 15 years, for example. Technicians could not tell me if the sensor error means all airbags are disabled, passenger airbag only is disabled, or passenger airbag is always-on (dangerous for children).

Incident: January 3, 2020 · Filed: January 5, 2020

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2011 AUDI A3 TDI TO THE GYM AT NIGHT WHEN HE CALLED ME THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND HAD A WARNING LIGHT COME ON. I TOLD HIM TO GOOGLE IT AND HE FOUND OUT IT WAS A GLOW PLUG INDICATOR. I TOLD HIM TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT IN THE LIMP MODE. THE CAR DIED WHILE MOVING AND MY SON WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A PARKING LOT. THIS COULD OF BEEN A DIFFERENT STORY ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. I HAD TO PICK HIM UP AND HAD THE CAR TOWED IN THE MORNING. TO FIND OUT THIS CAR IS NOTORIOUS FOR CATASTROPHIC HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. WHEN I SAY CATASTROPHIC, METAL IS SHREDDED AND GOES INTO THE INJECTORS AND CONTAMINATES EVERYTHING THAT CARRIES FUEL. IT IS ABOUT A 7K TO 8K REPAIR. I HAVE USED NOTHING BUT LOW SULFUR DIESEL. IT'S RIDICULOUS A RECALL HASN'T BEEN ISSUED TO PREVENT THIS ISSUE. SINCE THIS HAPPENED I HAVE FOUND COMPLAINTS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET.

Incident: May 27, 2019 · Filed: May 31, 2019

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF EXTERIOR LIGHTS TO INCLUDE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS DURING DRIVING. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS AT NIGHT. FAULT SEEMS TO BE (ENGINE) TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT (I.E. - DOES NOT SEEM TO OCCUR WHEN ENGINE BAY IS COLD). ISSUE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS (UNTIL THE PARTS IN THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION WERE REPLACED). THE PLASTIC HOUSING FOR A 30 AMPERE FUSE (POSITION F16) IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS PARTIALLY MELTING. THE MELTED FUSE RESIDUE WORKED ITSELF INTO THE FUSE BOX TERMINALS (CAUSING DAMAGE OF THE FUSE BOX) AND CAUSING A FAULTY CONNECTION WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE INTERMITTENT FAILURES OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES OF THE F16 (POSITION) 30 AMPERE FUSE SHOWING ITS PARTIALLY MELTED PLASTIC BODY AND THE FUSE HOLDER BLOCK (ALSO WITH PARTIALLY MELTED CONTACT POSITION / TERMINAL AREA). UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE FAULT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS A CURRENT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 13V569000 FOR A VW (A SISTER COMPANY OF AUDI) IN BOTH THE FUSE LOCATION AND ITS AFFECTS. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR VW AND AUDI TO USE SAME PARTS. FAILURE OF EXTERIOR LIGHTS (ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT) IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. INTERNET SEARCH SHOW MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME ISSUE FOR AUDI A3 (SIMILAR MODEL YEARS). OWNER HAS THE FAULTY PARTS (FOR YOUR INSPECTION IF NEED BE). THANK YOU.

Incident: May 25, 2019 · Filed: May 29, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A3. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AT NIGHT, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING POWERED OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. IN ADDITION, MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND BOTH TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUDI OF MISSION VIEJO (LOCATED AT 28451 MARGUERITE PKWY, MISSION VIEJO, CA 92692, (949) 359-4053), WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PLASTIC BODY OF FUSE F16 MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

Incident: February 1, 2019 · Filed: February 4, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI FLATIRONS (13321 W MIDWAY BLVD, BROOMFIELD, CO 80020, (866) 604-3244) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Incident: November 14, 2018 · Filed: November 15, 2018

TAKATA RECALL. I HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS NOTICES FROM AUDI AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE THAT MY A3 IS RECALLED FOR THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SCHEDULE THIS SINCE JUNE WITH AUDI OF KALAMAZOO, MY LOCAL DEALER. THEY SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS FOR THIS 6 WEEKS OUT. THEY HAVE TWICE CANCELLED MY APPOINTMENT THE DAY BEFORE THE SERVICE SAYING THAT THEY CAN'T GET THE PARTS. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ANOTHER DEALER WHO REPORT THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD SUCH TROUBLE GETTING THE PARTS. AUDI OF KALAMAZOO'S DELAY TACTICS HAVE UNNECESSARILY PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK.

Incident: October 10, 2017 · Filed: October 16, 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED DCH AUDI OXNARD AT (805) 288-7728 (LOCATED AT 1600 VENTURA BLVD, OXNARD, CA 93036) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Incident: February 1, 2018 · Filed: October 15, 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI STEVENS CREEK (3350 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95117, (408) 244-5400) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.