Model year
2018 Audi A3
NHTSA lists 2 recalls and 33 complaints for the 2018 Audi A3 (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). NHTSA also lists 7 recalls and 12 complaints under A3 CABRIOLET, A3 ETRON, and A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON. Those counts are separate from the numbers above. The components listed on the most complaints are AIR BAGS (17), FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (5), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (4). NHTSA lists 1 investigation. NHTSA rated 2 variants 5 stars overall. EPA rates it 25–36 mpg combined and 41 kWh/100 mi depending on configuration (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $2,300–$2,700, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2006 123 complaints
- 2007 52 complaints
- 2008 43 complaints
- 2009 47 complaints
- 2010 50 complaints
- 2011 43 complaints
- 2012 43 complaints
- 2013 20 complaints
- 2015 93 complaints
- 2016 83 complaints
- 2017 44 complaints
- 2018 33 complaints
- 2019 10 complaints
- 2020 16 complaints
- 2022 9 complaints
- 2023 7 complaints
- 2024 2 complaints
- 2025 5 complaints
- 2026 2 complaints
- 2027 0 complaints
Recalls
24V110000 · Feb 14, 2024
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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…
21V198000 · Mar 22, 2021
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER; AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
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…
Complaints
33 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 1, fire flag on 0, injury field 2, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Other NHTSA names
These names matched the same EPA model but are not included in the headline counts above.
| Name | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| A3 CABRIOLET | 5 | 12 |
| A3 ETRON | 0 | 0 |
| A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON | 2 | 0 |
Investigations
| Action | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| RQ23007 | Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647) · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY; FUEL… | Dec 12, 2023 | Jul 1, 2024 |
Safety ratings
| Variant | Overall | Front | Side | Pole | Rollover | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR AWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.109 | NHTSA photo |
| 4 DR FWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.109 | NHTSA photo |
| C AWD | Not rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated · possibility 0 | — |
| C FWD | Not rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated · possibility 0 | — |
| Sportback e-tron FWD | Not rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated · possibility 0 | — |
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A3 · 2L · Automatic (AM-S7) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 35 | 29 | — | — | $2,300 |
| A3 Cabriolet · 2L · Automatic (AM-S7) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 33 | 28 | — | — | $2,400 |
| A3 Cabriolet quattro · 2L · Automatic (AM-S6) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 30 | 25 | — | — | $2,700 |
| A3 quattro · 2L · Automatic (AM-S6) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 24 | 31 | 27 | — | — | $2,500 |
| A3 e-tron · 1.4L · Automatic (AM-S6) · Front-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline · Plug-in Hybrid | 34 | 39 | 36 | 41.0 | 400 | $2,300 |
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Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2018 Audi A3 at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.