MODELYEARINDEX

Which Audi A3 years to avoid

Across 10 scored model years, the 2015, 2017 and 2010 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Audi A3 Full report
F
Grade 2010–2020
2015 vs model median 2.6×
Model median3× median
Airbags & Restraints 16
Fuel System 12
Engine 9
Avoid

2015 · 2017

Best

2019 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.38× 30 D
2011
0.81× 18 C
2012
0.89× 18 C
2013
0.76× 16 B
2015
2.62× 73 F
2016
1.38× 33 C
2017
1.69× 43 D
2018
1.11× 32 C
2019
0.53× 15 B
2020
0.57× 15 B
2022 P
0.36× 12 B
2023 P
0.43× 10 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2015 F 73 reports · median 25,581 mi

  1. Airbags & Restraints 16

    There is a white/chalk outline of the passenger airbag, my vehicle only has 500 miles on it, not sure if the there is a air bag or inflator issue or a material defect. Dealership is saying this is normal. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Fuel System 12

    The car lost power while moving in highway traffic. Totally loss of power. Unable to restart. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Engine 9

    I bought a brand new 2.0 audi a3 from the dealer this may. I got a low oil warning with only 2700 miles on the car, and the oil is dark and dirty compare to the loner car I got. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
2017 D 43 reports · median 35,334 mi

  1. Airbags & Restraints 15

    The shoulder strap of the front seat belt is a few inches from my body when fastened. I AM tall and skinny so this may not be an issue with other body types. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 9

    The contact owns a 2017 audi a3. While driving unknown speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (crown audi located at 19940 US highway 19 n clearwater, fl 33764… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Fuel System 6

    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! owner complaint filed with NHTSA

The best year for the A3

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2019 is the best-scoring A3 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 79.3 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2019 0.53× 15 B
2020 0.57× 15 B
2013 0.76× 16 B

Recalls

18 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
22V815000 TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS 2019, 2020 296,044
24V110000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2015–2020 261,257
11V490000 FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL 2010–2012 168,275
18V082000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2013 162,782
21V198000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER 2015–2020 153,152
16V079000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2013 151,767
09V333000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 2010 16,000
09V377000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY 2010 10,200
22V806000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:VIDEO (TOUCH)SCREEN/MONITOR/UNIT 2022 6,076
22V652000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 2022 4,117
21V825000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2022 2,857
22V823000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION 2022 2,607

+ 6 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2015 were reported at a median of 25,581 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Audi A3 years should you avoid?
2015, 2017, 2010 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Audi A3 model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Audi A3?
2019 is the best-scoring Audi A3 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 79.3 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Audi A3 have?
18 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Audi A3 model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2015 A3
Complaints in window
73
Severity-weighted
97
Model median (weighted)
37
vs model median
2.62×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
2
Open investigations
0
Score 29.5 F