2018 Audi A3 Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: May 21, 2026 · Filed: June 18, 2026

Coolant Water Pump and Thermostat -- Coolant temperature indicator gauge runs from normal to high after about 10-15 miles drive. Coolant levels are good and no signs of leak. Engine light is activated along with warning messages. Engine Warning: Drive System Malfunction. Please call for service. The vehicle goes into "Limp Mode" and warns to not exceed 4,000 rpm. I am in the process of having this repaired by a mechanic. FYI--- There was a previous RECALL for this in 2017. Clearly the problem still occurs.

Incident: September 6, 2025 · Filed: September 21, 2025

225/45-R18 DOT(17/22) On September 6, 2025, I purchased a 2018 Audi A3 (VIN [VIN], 56,634 miles) delivered by Carvana. Within days, I had the vehicle inspected at multiple independent repair shops. Each shop documented that all four tires showed dry rot and cracking and advised immediate replacement due to risk of tire failure. On September 10, 2025, I contacted Carvana and followed their warranty claim process. After escalation, on September 18, 2025, I was informed that Carvana determined “the tires are not bad enough” and denied replacement. The vehicle was delivered with unsafe tires that pose a serious risk of blowout or loss of vehicle control, endangering both the driver and others on the road. DOT date codes and photos of the cracks confirm the condition of the tires at the time of delivery. This complaint is being filed so NHTSA is aware of the issue and to request investigation into Carvana’s sale of vehicles with dry-rotted, unsafe tires.

Incident: July 10, 2025 · Filed: July 23, 2025

Hello, I dropped my car off at Audi and Dominion in San Antonio Texas on Thursday July 10th for a repair this was a recall for the fuel pump system in something in the mechatronic controls. They had my car until Saturday I was informed that the repairs were done under warranty. Then on Saturday July 19th as I began to drive the vehicle a alert for my transmission malfunction appeared on my dashboard and I Lost first gear. I had my car taken to Audi on Dominion where I was informed by several service staff that this is a common malfunction after the last software update that was done the week prior and that it could take up to 48 hours to do the repair and recall warranty work on my vehicle. Audi on Dominion has had my vehicle for 5 days and has not given me an answer as to know whether or not the repairs will be approved as this is covered under my extended warranty. My car was working perfectly fine until I was forced to take it in for this recall of which Audi has failed to provide a loaner vehicle or give accurate information as to whether or not the repairs will be covered. I have been informed that I will be responsible for the cost of the repairs. These repairs are only brought upon due to Audis forcing me to bring the car in for the recall repair as it would have voided out the rest of my vehicles warranty. As of today I am still without a vehicle and without an answer from Audi. I have tried reaching out to Audi of America without any response.

Incident: June 9, 2025 · Filed: June 23, 2025

Audi had a recall on my 2018 A3 for a Passenger Occupant Detection System. in July 2023, Audi replaced the PODS Sensor mat. Recently, the same car has encountered the same issue. The PODS light indicates the airbag is off even if a passenger is sitting in the seat. There has been not repair work since July 2023, that would impact the PODS. And the warning lights reappeared after a period of normalcy. I feel this is an incomplete recall remedy and Audi is now wanting to charge me for the repair

Incident: June 16, 2025 · Filed: June 20, 2025

My 2018 Audi A3 began having fuel-related issues after receiving the recall service for campaign 20YF (Suction Jet Pump Seal) at an authorized Audi dealership. I first took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, because the check engine light came on, and there was a strong fuel smell. Most concerning, fuel leaked heavily from the front part of the engine, posing an extreme fire risk. who performed a diagnostic and found the following faults: Cold start fuel pressure performance fault Fuel rail/system pressure too low Fuel rail pump control valve stuck open Injector 4 leaking fuel The mechanic replaced injector 4 and installed new seals. However, the fuel leak continued, so I decided to take the car back to the Audi dealership, since they had previously performed recall work on the vehicle. I was concerned that the fuel leak might be related to the recall. The dealership told me the issue was not related to the recall and required a new in-depth diagnostic, which I would have to pay for. I accepted, and they charged me $876 for a deeper inspection. After their diagnosis, they said the only issue was that the previous mechanic had installed the seals incorrectly. They replaced the seals again and charged me for the repair. When I picked up the vehicle, the check engine light was still on. I immediately reported it to the dealership, and they asked me to return the car, saying the light should not be on. Once I brought it back, they told me it was now a new issue unrelated to their work, and that I would need to pay for another diagnostic. I believe this ongoing problem is directly related to the fuel system recall or to the dealership’s repair, and I feel that I am being charged repeatedly for an issue that was never fully resolved. Despite my efforts to follow Audi’s process, I am being held financially responsible for what I believe is a safety-related failure that began after the recall was performed.

Incident: May 1, 2025 · Filed: May 20, 2025

I was driving on the freeway at 60 mph when I received a warning code of a transmission problem. The code said the car was driveable but I should take it in for service. About 1-2 minutes after that the car lost all power. Unfortunately I broke down in the left lane in a construction zone without a shoulder. The state patrol had to temporarily shut down all three lanes of the highway to push me out of the traffic lane I was blocking. That was unsafe for me and for the state patrol and for the tow truck driver. The car was up to date on all recommended service, had been acting normally until the moment it failed, had not given me any warnings and is only 6 years old. I had the car towed to the dealer and the dealer reported that the Mechatronic unit (transmission computer) failed. Replacing the Mechatronic took a week and cost $5000.

Incident: November 19, 2023 · Filed: April 12, 2024

The vehicle pre-sense stopped the vehicle due to the detection of an object however, there was no object. This happened going forward and in reverse multiple times, causing the car to come to a sudden, abrupt stop even at speeds in excess of 30mph. This resulting in my teen daughter having bruising from the seat belt. The car was taken to the dealership and the dealership recalibrated the control unit. The vehicle continues to unnecessarily activate pre-sense when in reverse, and causes the car to come to an abrupt halt despite there being no object. The system may be responding to shadows. Numerous returns to the service department continue to yield “no codes”. The PODS system was recalled and this is a related system.

Incident: March 10, 2024 · Filed: March 27, 2024

About once per month my car will rev when the accelerator is pushed but the car will not proceed. On MULTIPLE occasions this has put the SAFETY of myself and other road users at SIGNIFICANT RISK. This is because I'll be attempting to pull into traffic and the car will FAIL TO PROCEED. This is a known issue documented by Audi in TSB # [XXX] [XXX] ). I've described the issue before to my dealership but only found out about the fix myself via researching on NHTSA's site. Further, this should CLEARLY BE A RECALL - the vehicle does not move when it is needed. Audi should not be charging customers for this update and it should be applied to ALL effected vehicles. Happy to provide any additional information needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: December 21, 2023 · Filed: December 21, 2023

My Audi a3 got the recall for PODS done 5/2022 which the sensors and air bag in the passenger side weren’t working and I got the same lights come up 2 weeks ago. My Dealership says since this was a recalled item and is a massive safety concern and should be covered by AUDI USA. Instead they want to charge me $1400. I have 3 kids and one sits in the front, and need my car to take them to school and so forth so big safety feature I need. This is a huge safety issue and Audi needs to take accountability

Incident: March 10, 2023 · Filed: November 13, 2023

Transmission module! Started jerking when switching gears, to not switching gears at all and this happened while driving so I was on the road stalled with no gear changes! Car is inoperable, due to this and it’s still being paid for yet not able to be driven from practically the day I bought it! The manufacturer knows this is an issue and we are still out here in unsafe non gear changing cars! Very dangerous