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2017 Audi A3 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2017 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.
- 3safety recalls
- 63owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 13%fail the UK MOT
63 complaints, against an average of 45 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 2017 Audi A3?
The components named most often in the 63 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2017 Audi A3 owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 63 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the airbag light on in my 2017 Audi A3?13 owners · 20.6% · Recall 21V198000
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2017 Audi A3?8 owners · 12.7%
- Why does my 2017 Audi A3 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?6 owners · 9.5%
- Why does my 2017 Audi A3 idle rough, misfire or hesitate?3 owners · 4.8%
- Has the 2017 Audi A3 had transmission failures?3 owners · 4.8%
Has the 2017 Audi A3 been recalled?
3 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: 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.
Is the 2017 Audi A3 recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSARear hub carriers not manufactured to correct standard
Risk: The hardening process for the rear wheel bearing housings may not have been correctly performed. In the worst case this could lead to a fractured housing. Should a fractured housing occur there would be abnormal noises bad tyre wear and a theoretical possibility of wheel loss.
Fix: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace the right and left rear wheel bearing housings.
EU Safety GateThe adhesive attaching the windscreen is not sufficiently secure.In the event of an accident, the protective effect of the passenger airbag could be compromised.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe fatigue strength of the rear axle stub may be insufficient.This could result in failure of the rear axle stub with consequent loss of control of the vehicle.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2017 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 2017, 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 2017 Audi A3 owners report?
12 of the 63 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.
The Vehicle Electrical System Control Module J519 had a fault that prevented using many vehicle functions - no interior lights, no heated seats, dashboard and navigation screen too dim to read in daylight.
Car throws P2884 and the internal combustion motor will not start. The issue is gone into detail here: [XXX] recommendation is swapping out mechatronic unit for the upgraded unit. Since the unit is prone to failure this really should be a recall. It happens on all cars 2016/2017 years right around 60k miles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Passenger airbags, and emergency braking have been failing, i would have to be aware in advance if my vehicle needs to be checked, my safety and my passengers safety is in danger because incase i need to brake quickly but dont have the reaction time to do so i will crash since emergency brake doesnt work, and my passengers would be at high risk because of failing airbags, im unsure if the problem has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, the problem has not yet been inspected there were other symptoms like my sensors going off or the car telling me some…
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.
The vehicle cabin started to smell like gas and the car would not accept fuel into the tank. Took to Audi/VW independent repair shop where they indicated fuel jet pump in gas tank was not working properly and that it had flooded various components with fuel (charcoal cannister, etc.). Directed us not to drive as it was a fire danger and said that we should send to Audi to see if they would cover this under warranty as it was a major emissions and safety problem. Towed to Audi dealer in Dallas. Dallas Audi dealer indicated this sounded like exactly what had happened for a recall issued for 2016…
The high voltage battery no longer charges to full. Only 7 out of 8 possible indicator bars are illuminated, the car now only shows 17-20 miles available. When I purchased the car 3 years ago, it showed 28-29 miles available. Car was at Audi dealership, got tested, Audi says it's within tolerance. I disagree, 30% to 40% of the capacity is lost so far. There are many more owners that are reporting the same issue on the Facebook Audi A3 group.
“Transmission Malfunction/no reverse gear. Okay to continue driving” comes on constantly the past 2 years now. I’ve only had this vehicle 3 years. Yes , it is available for inspection. This puts my safety and the safety of my other passengers at risk because my vehicle will abruptly slow down in fast flowing traffic and it will uncontrollably accelerate when it’s time to come to complete stops. A local mechanic used a sensor to check for faulty defects and confirmed that my transmission is having sensor issues. There has never been any warning lamps , regarding this problem. There have been no…
2017 Audi A3 Etron Sportsback- Engine light turned on at 50k, when scanned for errors no codes. Then around 55k miles started to stall when slowing down or at a full stop. The car must be turned off then immediately go into drive. Felt very dangerous when driving in high traffic areas and areas with many stop lights/signs. Car error say Transmission Malfunction first then says something about Limited Power. We had changed ATF and filter, still had issues. Then it started to not allow to go into reverse. Issues were intermittently happening then became more constant. Finally towed to Audi…
Car has constant pedal sensor issue. Audi is refusing to look at the car because the car keeps stating it has fixed the issue. This has become quite a problem for my family the car will abruptly stopped while driving and stay stuck in 2nd gear. Once the car sits it will resets, it will then drive normal but after a certain amount of miles it will do the same thing again.
The thermostat housing on the 2.0t ea888 gen 3 engines keeps leaking after being replaced, VW has made multiple revisions and it still leaks I’m only at 41k miles.
The front-passenger airbag deactivated while my father was riding in the car and the corresponding warning light came on. The error first occurred prior to the Mar 2021 Recall. I notified Audi multiple times that my vehicle had this problem, but Audi has not repaired it or offered me an alternative option.
The contact owns a 2017 Audi A3. The contact stated that the front driver’s side seat belt buckle locking mechanism malfunctioned, and the seat belt could not be securely latched. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the seat belt needed to be replaced. The failure was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.
2017 Audi A3: questions owners ask
Is the 2017 Audi A3 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 63 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Audi A3; the most common categories were air bags (28, 44.4%), electrical system (12, 19%), engine (12, 19%). There are 3 safety recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Audi A3?
Across 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are air bags (44.4% of complaints), electrical system (19% of complaints), engine (19% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (17.5% of complaints), power train (14.3% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2017 Audi A3 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2017 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 2017 Audi A3?
13 of the 63 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Audi A3 (20.6%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. 2 related recalls exist: campaign 21V198000 (air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger). The fix: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and update the PODS control module, free of charge. One owner wrote: "Sensor in seat, has illuminated airbag light on dash and says airbag is off for passenger, sest belt light is illuminated even though no one is sitting in the seat, have to have sent belt clipped in to have warning light stop chiming Have contacted dealership…" (NHTSA complaint 11469068, June 2022). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2017 Audi A3?
8 of the 63 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Audi A3 (12.7%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "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! does not show check engine light or any other lights." (NHTSA complaint 11290248, December 2019). 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 2017 Audi A3 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
6 of the 63 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Audi A3 (9.5%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Engine stalls while accelerating from a stop. this condition has been dangerous. car has been to the audi dealer 3 times to remedy the problem. that cannot diagnose the issue. it is going in for a 4th time april 12th 2021. this issue is extremely dangerous." (NHTSA complaint 11403263, March 2021). 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 2017 Audi A3 idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
3 of the 63 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Audi A3 (4.8%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "My car after starting (with engine either cool or warm) will stall at times when i'm going2-3 mph. i have stalled at intersections. i go to put my foot on the gas and the car will sputter and stall." (NHTSA complaint 11308609, February 2020). 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.
Has the 2017 Audi A3 had transmission failures?
3 of the 63 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Audi A3 (4.8%) describe transmission failure, slipping or a replaced transmission. One owner wrote: "This concerns a recall issued. Audi issued a recall/reimbursement for transmission failure. Mine failed. Car stopped in the middle of roadway. I had transmission repaired before recall was issued." (NHTSA complaint 11534031, July 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.
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), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2017 only; combines NHTSA's entries for A3 and A3 SPORTBACK E-TRON.