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2016 Audi A3 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2016 Audi A3 has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 4safety recalls
- 114owner complaints
- 3crash reports
- 4fire reports
- 15%fail the UK MOT
114 complaints, against an average of 40 for the other 10 Audi A3 model years.
Every Audi A3 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2016 Audi A3?
The components named most often in the 114 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2016 Audi A3 owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 114 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
Has the 2016 Audi A3 been recalled?
4 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
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 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.
Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69DY and 61C1.
Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification: Front Passenger 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 even when the seat is occupied.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and update the PODS control module, free of charge. Owners letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BY.
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 deactivate the passenger air bag.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69Z4.
How often does the 2016 Audi A3 fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2016, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2016 Audi A3 owners report?
12 of the 114 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
My 2016 Audi A3 (VIN [XXX]) underwent Safety Recall 69BY on XXX, to correct a defect in the front passenger occupant detection system (PODS), including replacement of the occupant detection sensor. Less than two years later, the same safety-system malfunction returned. The vehicle intermittently displays "Safety system: system fault," "Audi pre sense: system fault," and "Passenger airbag off." These warnings appear unpredictably and sometimes clear temporarily before returning. This malfunction creates a serious safety risk because the vehicle may fail to recognize a front-seat passenger and…
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side air bag occupant sensor failed to identify a passenger seat in the seat. A dealer was contacted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that PODS had failed and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V474000 (AIR BAGS); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was repaired…
FUEL LEAKED ALL MY GARAGE ALMOST CAUSING A FIRE IN MY HOME WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. I HAVE HAD THE FUEL TANK REPLACED 3 TIMES. AND I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE IT REPLACED BECAUSE AUDI WOULD NOT REPLACE THE RECALL OF IT SO I AM REACHING OUT TO YOU SO YOU CAN REACH OUT TO AUDI ABOUT NOT STANDING BY THE RECALL PROCEDURE!
My 2016 Audi A3 Sportsback E-tron vehicle was parked at my house. When I went to start it the engine did nothing, no power. The message “Driver System Fault” and a red triangle with a red ! in the middle was displayed on the instrument panel. I was unable to start or operate the vehicle. I called AAA and they towed the vehicle to a Recharge Hybrid pump location near my house. I tired to charge the battery and it would just turn off. Then I called AAA again and they towed my car back to my house and checked the small 12 volt battery to see if that was the problem, they determined that the 12…
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked with the engine running, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of motive power. During the failure, the message “Driver System Fault” was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact was unable to restart or operate the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Hybrid battery had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
Passenger airbag not activated when passenger is seated
Mechatronics unit failed, stalled on freeway nearly caused an accident behind me.
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle hesitated while starting. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure persisted before starting. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was an engine misfire and a leak in the fuel pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V647000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The…
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that while refueling the vehicle, fuel started leaking from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was sputtering while being started. The failure occurred intermittently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact removed the EVAP hose and became aware that the hose was filled with gasoline. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The dealer confirmed that there were no recalls on the…
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine and low oil warning lights illuminated. The contact also became aware that there was fuel leaking from the charcoal canister. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the evaporative emissions and charcoal canister needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the…
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Power Train system failed also engine light is now on How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Me and my toddler were in the vehicle when it started to jerk in bad traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the mechanic said this is a serious problem and i should be concerned. He stated i should not drive my vehicle. It was inspected by a certified mechanic. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the…
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated while driving at unknown speed the message, "Oil Level Sensor System Fault" was displayed. The message was display on several occasions while the contact was driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the mechanic stated that several fault codes were displayed. The mechanic informed the contact that replacing the sensor might fix the failure and the part was replaced. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to stall, and the message was displayed again. The contact stated that…
2016 Audi A3: questions owners ask
Is the 2016 Audi A3 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 114 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Audi A3; the most common categories were air bags (52, 45.6%), electrical system (19, 16.7%), fuel/propulsion system (17, 14.9%). There are 4 safety recalls. 3 complaints mention a crash, 4 mention a fire, 1 injury was reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Audi A3?
Across 114 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are air bags (45.6% of complaints), electrical system (16.7% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (14.9% of complaints), engine (12.3% of complaints), power train (7.9% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2016 Audi A3 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2016 Audi A3; the most recent (campaign 24V110000, 2024-02-14) concerns Fuel System, Gasoline. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the airbag light on in my 2016 Audi A3?
20 of the 114 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Audi A3 (17.5%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. 3 related recalls exist: campaign 22V543000 (air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module). The fix: Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. One owner wrote: "I've been told by the dealer that a fix for the PODS system recall is still not available. This is after almost a year and a half of the issue being known." (NHTSA complaint 11491529, October 2022). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2016 Audi A3 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
9 of the 114 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Audi A3 (7.9%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "I was entering the interstate and accelerating to merge with the traffic. When I reached about 70 mph the car stalled and a message appeared, transmission faulty, no reverse, safe to continue to drive. The car was drivable at a low speed and a high rpm." (NHTSA complaint 11554170, November 2023). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2016 Audi A3 smell of fuel or gas?
5 of the 114 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Audi A3 (4.4%) describe a fuel or gasoline smell, or a fuel leak. One owner wrote: "Upon parking in my garage, the vehicle leaked fuel from the rear-wheel on passenger side. There were no warning lights to indicate the fuel line or other component was compromised or malfunction." (NHTSA complaint 11470551, June 2022). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own A3
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2016 only; combines NHTSA's entries for A3 and A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON.