2017 Audi A3

No clear pattern

0% of complaints about the 2017 Audi A3 arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2017 vehicle, but with only 75 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is air bags (16 complaints), typically at 4.7 yr or about 50,000 miles.

Complaints: 75
Median age at failure: 5.3 yr
Median mileage: 47,000 n=19
Crash / fire / tow: 5.3% of reports
Safety recalls: 2

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

24V110000 2024-02-14

Fuel system

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 the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

21V198000 2021-03-22

Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger

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.

A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

In owners’ own words

Fuel / propulsion mileage not reported 3.3 yr in service

WHEN DRIVING OFF AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CAR STARTS JERKING AND 'KNOCKING' AND STALLS/TURNS OFF. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERYDAY AS I REVERSE OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND DRIVE FORWARD. EXTREMELY UNSAFE! DOES NOT SHOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANY OTHER LIGHTS.

Fuel / propulsion 72,000 mi 2.4 yr in service

MY CAR AFTER STARTING (WITH ENGINE EITHER COOL OR WARM) WILL STALL AT TIMES WHEN I'M GOING2-3 MPH. I HAVE STALLED AT INTERSECTIONS. I GO TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND THE CAR WILL SPUTTER AND STALL. IT WILL THEN RESTART WITH A LITTLE DIFFICULTY THOUGH STARTS BACK UP. THERE ARE NO ICONS THAT ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD WITH ANY PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR BATTERY LIGHTS THAT ARE GOING OFF.

Fuel / propulsion 10,000 mi 4.5 yr in service

ENGINE STALLS WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN DANGEROUS. CAR HAS BEEN TO THE AUDI DEALER 3 TIMES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THAT CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. IT IS GOING IN FOR A 4TH TIME APRIL 12TH 2021. THIS ISSUE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER AND STALL AS YOU ARE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. HAPPENS DAILY.

Air bags 54,000 mi 3.8 yr in service

THE SEAT SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS FAULTY, CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO STATY ON WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE - THE "PRE-SENSE" LIGHT TO STAY ON - AND THE UN-BUCKLED SEAT BELT ALARM TO STAY GOING OFF. ALL WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE BRAND DEALERSHIP SAID AIRBAG MAYNOT DEPLOY WHILE SEAT SENSOR IS MALFUCTIONING. $1200 REPAIR.

Other A3 model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2017 Audi A3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other A3 model years

How to read this