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AUDI · vehicle model

AUDI A3

918 NHTSA complaints and 20 safety recalls across model years 2001–2025.

Complaints
918
Recalls
20
Model years
21

The AUDIA3 appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 918 consumer safety complaints and 20 recall campaigns across 21 model years (2001–2025). That averages roughly 44 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 9 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
20254
20241
20236
202211
202018
201915
201846
201773
2016111
2015125
201324
201248
201151
201060
200966
200846
200763
2006140
20047
20032
20011

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 374 in 2017-2021 to 254 in 2022-2026, a fall of 32.1%. That is the 50th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

2
’03
5
’04
1
’06
2
’07
9
’08
32
’09
31
’10
28
’11
12
’12
23
’13
34
’14
23
’15
88
’16
83
’17
75
’18
26
’19
88
’20
102
’21
99
’22
40
’23
57
’24
51
’25
7
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare AUDIA3 to Similar Vehicles

AUDIA3 vs HYUNDAIKONA → AUDIA3 vs PONTIACTORRENT → AUDIA3 vs CHEVROLETUPLANDER → AUDIA3 vs CHEVROLETCAPRICE →

NHTSA Investigations

EA22001Engineering AnalysisClosed2022-04-04

Engine Stall - Turbo Failure

PE21009Preliminary EvaluationClosed2021-03-29

Engine Stall - Turbo Failure

EA04017Engineering AnalysisClosed2004-06-30

STUCK-OPEN THROTTLE

PE04023Preliminary EvaluationClosed2004-03-05

STUCK-OPEN THROTTLE

EA03025Engineering AnalysisClosed2003-11-25

DRIVERS SIDE DASH FIRE

PE03035Preliminary EvaluationClosed2003-07-25

DRIVERS SIDE DASHBOARD FIRE

DP87007Defect PetitionClosed1986-12-16

1980 AUDI 5000 SUDDEN ACCELERATION

DP87002Defect PetitionClosed1986-10-30

1979-86 AUDI 4000 SUDDEN ACCELERATION

EA85037Engineering AnalysisClosed1985-07-31

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the AUDI A3?▼
The AUDI A3 has received 918 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 2001 to 2025, with 20 recalls. That averages about 44 complaints per model year.
What years of AUDI A3 are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the AUDI A3 from 2001 to 2025 (21 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the AUDI A3 have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many AUDI A3 model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common AUDI A3 complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the AUDI A3 are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my AUDI A3 has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. AUDI A3 totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.