Total Complaints
2 filings
AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON · model year
2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON
2 NHTSA complaints, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2017AUDIA3 SPORTBACK E-TRON carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2017 A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by wheels (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 2017 A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 - Not rated
· Front: Not Rated/5
· Side: Not Rated/5
· Rollover: Not Rated/5
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
Recalls (1)
19V47400019/06/2019
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and de
Recent Complaints
20190613WHEELS
RIGHT FRONT TIRE FLATTENED TWICE IN 6 MONTHS, FROM SLOW DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD. IN THE PRIOR 7 YEARS WITH ANOTHER CAR, THIS NEVER HAPPENED. DEALER DENIES ANY PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR 6 MONTHS; I CANNOT RISK BEING STRANDED ON A REMOTE ROAD, AT NIGHT, WITH NO CELL SERVICE AGAIN.
Mileage: 5,634
20170908ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT A DANGEROUS DEFICIENCY IN THE PORTABLE EVSE/CHARGER FOR OUR A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON. IT GETS VERY HOT DURING STANDARD 12- VOLT CHARGING AND IT MIGHT CAUSE A FIRE. I DISCOVERED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THAT ITS OPERATING RANGE HAS A MAXIMUM OF 95 DEGREES F. OUR AVERAGE SUMMER TEMPERATURE IN THE CALIFORNIA CENTRAL VALLEY IS REGULARLY ABOVE 95F. IT IS ALSO REGULARLY EXCEEDED IN MANY OTHER US STATES, PLUS THE MIDDLE EAST WHERE AUDI SELLS MANY OF THEIR E-TRONS. OUR PERMANENT EVSE IN OUR GARAGE IS A HIGHER AMPERAGE RATED EVSE AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THIS LIMITATION. HERE IS AUDI'S REPLY TO MY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON THIS DEFICIENCY IN THEIR PORTABLE EVSE: "IT APPEARS THE CREATORS OF THE EVSE CHARGER ARE CONSIDERED A TRADE SECRET AND WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THE PORTABLE CHARGER OPERATING TEMPERATURE IS ONLY UP TO 95, AS IT HAS NO VENTING OR COOLING UNLIKE LARGER UNITS. DUE TO THE FACT THAT WEATHER TEMPE
Mileage: 4,400
Compare 2017AUDIA3 SPORTBACK E-TRON to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON have?▼
The 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON?▼
The 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON?▼
Yes, the 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON?▼
The most-complained component for the 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include WHEELS.
Is the 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2017 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON; 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.