30 of the 945 complaints filed about the Audi A3 are about the lighting — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2006.
30
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
1
Crashes
3
Fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
This vehicle was involved in a rear end collision in late 2025. The vehicle was just sold at auction with a clean title even though it has frame damage that is more than 100% of the cost of this vehicle. It is sold with a clean title and I am worried that a used car dealership will try to sell it with no accident history and clean title to an unsuspecting person.
NHTSA complaint #11714479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The headlight assembly failed and manufacturer accepts no responsibility and quoted astronomical repair cost. This should not have been an issue with such new components. I've seen many vehicles like mine with the same problem.
NHTSA complaint #11634359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The passenger side break light and signal stop working occasionally. I took it to a certified Audi service center, and they were able to fix the issue but reported that the central wire system that makes the break light and signal work are defective and that the issue will continue given that the cables may move every time I close and open and close my truck as the cables run through there. This is a mayor safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11580639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
appointment Aug2022 to take car for recall work of the PODS sensor mat & to update the PODS control module but was told the part was out of stock due to logistics. Why they scheduled appointment without confirming the part was in stock. I was then told before I left that there was a couple hundred cars needing this recall and that there would be a waiting list for recall work and that I would get a call to be put on a waiting list, never received a call. Then 6 months later in Feb 2023, I received another letter from Audi informing me again of the recall 69BY & a new recall item 24Wi. I called Audi & was told the part(s) were out of stock. I called today 16AUG2023 after waiting another six months & a service advisor informed me that the recall work was already performed on my vehicle. According to the invoice(s) from Audi of El Paso the recall work for PODS was completed on 05DEC2020 for Audi Action Code 69Z4 and 23AI . But according to a letter from Audi of America dated May 2021, it stated that a interim safety recall notice was issued but a recall repair is not yet available for Audi Action Code 69BY. It was still being under investigation and a solution was still being developed. In Dec 2021, I received a letter from Audi stating that there was a solution to fix the recall/defect 69BY & it says “to correct this defect, your authorized Audi dealer will replace the passenger occupant detention system (PODS) sensor mat & update the PODS control module.” I called Audi of El Paso after receiving the letter & was told part was on backorder due to demand. I inputted the VIN of my vehicle into Audi USA recall webpage [XXX] ). I also ran VIN into the NHTSA database. Both Audi & NHTSA state that recall(s) work 69BY & 24Wi on my vehicle have not been fixed. But according to Audi of El Paso all the recall work was done in 2020. Air bags turn off with wife in car have airbag problems since 2019. Current Mileage 34k INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11539014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The tail light bulbs melts plastic and can cause fire. My light indicator came on. When I checked the bulb, the internal structure was melted. I ordered exact model from a junk yard. When I received, I noticed it had the same issue and the internal structure was melting from heat of light bulb. Both Left and Right Tail light structures were melting. Potential fire hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11468825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH FRONT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRLS) FADING TO YELLOW COLOR. THE DRLS LOOK LIKE THEY ARE OFF WHEN DRIVING IN THE DAYTIME. THE LED STRIP IS ALSO FADED WHEN HEADLIGHT CONTROL IS SWITCHED TO ON. LIMITS VISIBILITY IN THE NIGHTTIME. THIS CONDITION OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, IN MOTION, AND AFTER MULTIPLE RESTARTS.
NHTSA complaint #11324382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
EVERY 2 MIN. HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF BY IT SELF FOR 2-3 SECONDS.. THEN TURN BACK ON.. PEOPLE ON FRONT OF YOU THINK THAT YOU HIGH BEAM THEM... BUT THE DANGER IS WHEN YOU DRIVE LIKE ON BRIDGE OR HIGHWAY WHERE NO STREET LIGHTS.. ROAD MAKING TURN.. AND YOUR HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF FOR COUPLE OF SECONDS.. AND THIS ON/OFF HEADLIGHTS THING GOING ON STOP.. DOESN'T MATTER IF VEHICLE IN MOTION.. PARKED OR EVEN ENGINE NOT RUNNING...
NHTSA complaint #11308302 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH EXTERIOR LIGHTING. I ALREADY REPLACED ONE OF THE REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS (NOT A BULB ISSUE) AND AM NOW EXPERIENCING REAR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT ISSUES WHERE THE TAIL LIGHT AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL CEASE WORKING DURING THE DRIVING PROCESS AND THEN START WORKING AT RANDOM. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SIMILAR ELECTRICAL ISSUE LIKE THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT. THE TAIL LIGHT & DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL FAILURE ARE DANGEROUS AS THE FAILURES OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN.
NHTSA complaint #11302182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF EXTERIOR LIGHTS TO INCLUDE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS DURING DRIVING. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS AT NIGHT. FAULT SEEMS TO BE (ENGINE) TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT (I.E. - DOES NOT SEEM TO OCCUR WHEN ENGINE BAY IS COLD). ISSUE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS (UNTIL THE PARTS IN THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION WERE REPLACED). THE PLASTIC HOUSING FOR A 30 AMPERE FUSE (POSITION F16) IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS PARTIALLY MELTING. THE MELTED FUSE RESIDUE WORKED ITSELF INTO THE FUSE BOX TERMINALS (CAUSING DAMAGE OF THE FUSE BOX) AND CAUSING A FAULTY CONNECTION WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE INTERMITTENT FAILURES OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES OF THE F16 (POSITION) 30 AMPERE FUSE SHOWING ITS PARTIALLY MELTED PLASTIC BODY AND THE FUSE HOLDER BLOCK (ALSO WITH PARTIALLY MELTED CONTACT POSITION / TERMINAL AREA). UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE FAULT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS A CURRENT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 13V569000 FOR A VW (A SISTER COMPANY OF AUDI) IN BOTH THE FUSE LOCATION AND ITS AFFECTS. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR VW AND AUDI TO USE SAME PARTS. FAILURE OF EXTERIOR LIGHTS (ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT) IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. INTERNET SEARCH SHOW MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME ISSUE FOR AUDI A3 (SIMILAR MODEL YEARS). OWNER HAS THE FAULTY PARTS (FOR YOUR INSPECTION IF NEED BE). THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #11217163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A3. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AT NIGHT, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING POWERED OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. IN ADDITION, MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND BOTH TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUDI OF MISSION VIEJO (LOCATED AT 28451 MARGUERITE PKWY, MISSION VIEJO, CA 92692, (949) 359-4053), WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PLASTIC BODY OF FUSE F16 MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
NHTSA complaint #11210671 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
SAME ISSUE AS THE VW TIGUAN. FUSE F16 IN THE FUSE BOX IN THE ENGINE BAY. VW ISSUED A RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #11142459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHT INTERNAL COIL THAT IS REPONSIBLE FOR HEADLIGHTS HIGHBEAM TO COME ON GOES BAD TO CAUSE THE HEADLIGHT TO STOP COMING ON. KNOWN PROBLEM IN AUDI A3 2006 HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY
NHTSA complaint #10945554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND MOVING A SHORT DISTANCE, THE DASH DISPLAY SHOWED MULTIPLE WARNINGS REGARDING THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS. APPROXIMATELY 12 EXTERIOR LIGHTS HAD ALL GONE OUT AT ONCE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON THE ISSUE I CHECKED THE FUSE BOX IN THE ENGINE BAY AND FUSE F16 (30A) HAD MELTED WITH RESIDUE ON THE CONTACT BUT NOT FAILED. THE CONTACT ON THE FUSE BOX ALSO HAD RESIDUE AND THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC WAS MELTED AS WELL. THE SAME EXACT ISSUE OCCURRED ON MY 2009-2011 VW TIGUAN AND A RECALL WAS ISSUED (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V569000 AND VW RECALL NUMBER: 97Z9/2V). THE PART RECALLED IN THE TIGUAN IS THE SAME EXACT PART USED IN THE 2012 AUDI A3 (PART #: 1K0937125D). AOA SHOULD RECALL THE PART AS WAS DONE BY VW. THERE ARE MULTIPLE SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE CAUSED BY THIS FAILURE SUCH AS LOSS OF EXTERIOR LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND POSSIBILITY OF FIRE CAUSED BY OVERHEATING. ATTACHED ARE PHOTOS OF THE MELTED FUSE AND FUSE BOX AS WELL AS THE VW TIGUAN RECALL NOTICE.
NHTSA complaint #10944962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND DRIVING ABOUT 50 FEET, THE VEHICLE DRIVER DISPLAY SCREEN SIGNALED THAT MULTIPLE EXTERIOR LIGHTS HAD FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. SENSING THAT MULTIPLE LIGHT BULBS WOULD NOT FAIL AT ONCE UNLESS THERE WAS A LARGER ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, I PROMPTLY MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE LOCAL AUDI SERVICE CENTER THE NEXT DAY. AFTER DIAGNOSIS BY AUDI TECHNICIANS, I LEARNED THAT THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD HAD MELTED DUE TO OVERLOAD OF CIRCUITS OR WIRING IN THE BOX. HAD I NOT TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR, THE OVERLOAD COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE BAY. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND FOUND OTHER OCCURRENCES EXPERIENCED BY VOLKSWAGEN/AUDI VEHICLE DRIVERS WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. PLEASE ADD THIS INCIDENT TO YOUR RECORD OF CASES. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #10853652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING MY LIGHTS WOULD RANDOMLY GO OUT BOTH DURING DAY AND NIGHT. DASH WARNING WOULD BE BULB OUT NEEDING REPLACING BUT NOTHING WAS EVER WRONG WITH THE BULBS OR TURN SIGNALS. ISSUE WAS INTERMITTENT AND WARNING WOULD GO AWAY ON IT'S OWN OR AFTER CAR RESTARTED. LATER WHEN DASH WARNING CAME ON AND STAYED ON I TOOK IT INTO SERVICE WHICH LATER WAS DIAGNOSED TO BE A MELTED FUSE BOX PANEL ON F16 & F17. BOTH FUSE SLOTS WERE MELTED ALONG WITH F16 FUSE (15AMP) AND BURN MARKS ALONG THE HOUSING. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED IT BUT WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY OR ACKNOWLEDGE THE KNOWN ISSUE WHICH WAS RECALLED ON VW SIDE BUT NOT BY AUDI. THE FUSEBOX IS 1K0937125D. AUDI OF AMERICA SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FROM WHEN THE SYMPTOMS STARTED, OR RECALLED THE PART AS WAS DONE ON VW SIDE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, AND POTENTIAL FIRE ISSUE WITH THE MELTING OF PANEL AND FUSE.
NHTSA complaint #10790335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A3. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND THE SERVICE VEHICLE SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED THAT A FUSE PANEL HAD OVERHEATED AND MELTED. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FUEL LEAKING WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
NHTSA complaint #10780706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FAULTY DESIGN IN AUDI A3 TAIL-LIGHTS CAUSE MELTING OF THE BRAKE LIGHT/TAIL-LIGHT HOUSING. MELTED COMPONENTS, DEFORM AND BREAK THE CONTINUITY OF THE CIRCUIT AND BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL. BULBS ARE GOOD, AND FUNCTIONAL, CIRCUIT IS AFFECTED (BULB HOLDERS MELT AND FAIL) CAUSING BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE. THIS HAPPENS UNDER ANY DRIVING CONDITION, INCLUDING DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10780097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PASSENGER HEADLIGHT, FOGLIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL BEGAN TO REPEATEDLY CYCLE OFF AND ON, THEN EVENTUALLY DIED. OPENING FUSE BOX IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT REVEALED A MELTED FUSE (F16). THIS SAME MELTED FUSE PROBLEM AFFECTS MULTIPLE OTHER VW AUTOMOBILES SUCH AS THE TIGUAN, JETTA, AND GOLF. THERE IS A RECALL OUT ON THE TIGUAN ONLY WHICH SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO OTHER MODELS USING THE SAME FUSE BOX, IRRESPECTIVE OF MAKE/MODEL.
NHTSA complaint #10711859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE F16 FUSE WHICH IS RECALLED ON THE VW SIDE MELTED, CAUSING THE SMELL OF BURNT PLASTIC AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT NIGHT. THE DEALER ON TOP IF THIS REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE, AND WILL NOT PROPERLY FIX THE CAR. I REPLACED THE FUSE WITH ANOTHER, THE RECALL ON THE VW SIDE IS 13V569000, AOA CLAIMS THEY DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM, VW REDESIGNED THE FUSE PANELS IN ITS 2012 GOLF/TIGUAN/JETTA, BUT THE AUDI A3 STILL USES THE EXACT SAME FUSE AND FUSE PANEL AS THE MODELS ON THE RECALL LIST AND TSB LIST.
NHTSA complaint #10682609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
RIGHT HEADLIGHT FLICKERS AND GOES OUT. CONSOLE MESSAGE: RIGHT HEADLIGHT DIPPED.
NHTSA complaint #10583580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.