2015 Audi A3 Cabriolet Electrical Problems

The contact owns a 2015 Audi A3. The contact stated that she was able to remove the key from the ignition switch even though the gear selector was not in the PARK position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer installed a microswitch. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall for the failure because it was not a safety hazard. The failure mileage was 49,154.

NHTSA ID

11448322

Incident

Dec 7, 2021

Mileage

49,154 mi

AUDI RECENTLY HAD A RECALL (#69Z4) TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE WITH THEIR PODS SENSOR SYSTEM. AUDI CLAIMED THE FIX AS A REVISED WIRING CONNECTION AND CABLE ROUTING. MY A3 EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SYMPTOMS AND ISSUES THE RECALL COVERED. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR HOWEVER IMMEDIACY AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR THE ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. DEALER SAYS IT IS ACTUALLY AN ISSUE WITH THE PODS SENSOR ITSELF BUT THAT THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THIS UNDER WARRANTY. I CALLED AUDI USA WHO CLAIMS THE SAME. IT APPEARS THEIR FIX IS NOT ROBUST ENOUGH TO FIX THE ACTUAL PROBLEM BUT THEY WILL NOT CORRECT IT FURTHER. AS IT STANDS NOW MY CAR STILL WILL NOT ALLOW THE AIRBAG TO WORK PROPERLY WHILE A PASSENGER IS THERE OR NOT. AIRBAG WARNING GOES OFF CONSTANTLY AND "AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED NEARLY ALL THE TIME BUT WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO ON AND OFF AT RANDOM TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11269196

Incident

Oct 8, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HER HUSBAND WHO OWNS A 2015 AUDI A3. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MARCH OF 2019. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE CLOSER TO THE CURB. WHEN THE DRIVER SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. IT TOOK THE DRIVER EXCESSIVE STRENGTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN AND CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT CRASHED INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS IN SHOCK. THE DAY BEFORE THE CRASH, THE RADIO STATIONS INDEPENDENTLY MIXED UP ON THEIR OWN AND THERE WAS A LOT OF STATIC. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CALLED AND NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY. AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE SOMEONE INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ID

11253010

Incident

Aug 29, 2019

Mileage

36,000 mi

"PODS RECALL" WE TOOK OUR CAR IN FOR INSPECTION AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO THE AIR BAG NEEDS TO BE BEEFED UP BECAUSE WITHOUT THE RIGHT WIRING CONNECTION IT WILL CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEM IF ACCIDENT OCCURS. THIS HASN'T HIT THE RECALL LIST YET BUT IT'S COMING. IF THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE WHY CANT THEY JUST GO AHEAD AND FIX THE RECALL BEFORE HAND. THEY ARE WANTING US TO PAY $1100 DOLLARS TO FIX AN ISSUE THAT IS SOON TO BE AN UP AND COMING RECALL, BASED ON WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING FROM THE MANUFACTURER ITSELF. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR THIS RECALL TO GO INTO THE WORKS, MANY DEATHS OR EVEN A LAWSUIT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FIX PROBLEM BEFORE HAND. I KNOW MANY OF THESE MONEY COMPANIES ARE TRYING TO SAVE A DOLLAR BUT IS IT WORTH THE COST OF A LOVED ONE JUST TO SAVE A BUCK. WE ARE ALL TRYING TO SAVE A BUCK I GET IT, BUT THIS IS THE COMPANIES REPUTATION ON THE LINE. YOU MAKE A PRODUCT YOU SHOULD WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL AND BE SAFE. IF CONSUMERS KNOW YOU PUT OUT A GOOD PRODUCT AND YOUR CONTINUOUSLY ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCT PEOPLE WILL STAND BY YOU. IT SHOULDNT GET TO THE POINT OF PEOPLE LOSING A LIFE OR GETTING SERIOUSLY INJURED TO FIX A ISSUE YOU COULD AVOID.

NHTSA ID

11230719

Incident

Jul 8, 2019

WHILE DRIVING CONTI PRO CONTACT TIRES 225/40R/18 92HXL WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE THREAD SEPERATED CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. LOSING CONTROL AND ALMOST CRASHING THE VEHICLE. I WAS LEFT STRAINED UNTIL TOW TRUCK ARRIVED AT THE SCENCE.

NHTSA ID

11207059

Incident

Nov 9, 2017

Mileage

10,000 mi

WHILE THE RADIATOR WAS BEING REPLACED DUE TO CRACKS AND LEAKING AT 57,000 MILES, MY MECHANIC NOTICED THE WATER PUMP ASSEMBLY WAS MELTING. THE TOP OF THE ASSEMBLY WAS MELTING AWAY AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE HAZARD. I CONTACTED THE DEALER (MISSION VIEJO AUDI) WHO STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE AND SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ISSUE. I SHOWED THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THE PHOTOS, AND HE INDICATED THEY COULD LOOK AT IT BUT IT WOULD COST ME A DIAGNOSTIC FEE OF $160. IT IS EVIDENT THE WATER PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED SO NOT SURE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DIAGNOSED. SINCE THERE WERE NO REPORTED ISSUES, HE SAID I WOULD ULTIMATELY BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT. I LATER TALKED TO AUDI CORPORATE AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD THE SAME THING AND I WOULD HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. THEY DID INDICATE THERE MAY BE SOME 'MINIMAL GOOD WILL' FEE ADJUSTMENT BASED ON THE DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTED PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE. A CLAIM WAS FILED WITH THEM. SINCE THE DIAGNOSIS FEE AND COST OF REPLACEMENT FROM THE DEALER IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN MY MECHANIC CHARGES, I MAY HAVE TO HAVE HIM DO THE WORK AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD TO ME. THE DEALER WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEMS. I AM CONTACTING YOU TO SEE IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE RECEIVED AND TO DOCUMENT WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING IN CASE OTHER SIMILAR ISSUES ARISE IN THE FUTURE. PHOTOS ARE ATTACHED FOR REFERENCE AND ANY ASSISTANCE IS APPRECIATED. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID

11113153

Incident

Jul 20, 2018

Mileage

57,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE/ EPC- BOTH LIGHTS HAVE SIGNALED A DOZEN TIMES. THE FIRST FEW TIMES THE DEALERSHIP CALLED THEM "MISFIRES". EVENTUALLY THE CAR "SYMPTOMS" STARTED TO PROGRESS: WHEN CAR IS IDLING, CAR STARTS TO ACT LIKE IT IS ABOUT TO STALL. THEN IT PROGRESSED TO HARD/JERKY SHIFTS INTO 1ST OR 2ND GEAR. NOW EVEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS IT STARTS ACTING UP- GIVING THE FEELING THAT THE CAR MAY STALL. THIS IS A DAILY ISSUE. TWICE NOW CAR HAS FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHILE ENTERING HIGHWAY. THE WORST SITUATION OCCURRED WHEN CAR WAS BUCKING AND REFUSING TO GO INTO 2ND GEAR. I HAD TO PULL OVER, ON THE ON-RAMP, TURN OFF CAR AND RESTART. DASH LIGHTS FADE LIGHT/DARK CONSTANTLY. ORIGINALLY I THOUGHT IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC FEATURE, GOING FROM DAY TO NIGHT TIME LIGHTS. LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IT HAS INCREASED W/ FREQUENCY & CANNOT BE CONNECTED TO CHANGE DAY/NIGHT LIGHT SETTING CHANGE. KEY FOB DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, CAR STALLED ON HIGHWAY. I RESTARTED CAR USING EMERGENCY PROCEDURE (ALIGNING KEY FOB NEXT TO KEY SYMBOL ON DRIVE SHAFT)- THIS IS MEANT TO KEEP CAR RUNNING EVEN W/ DEAD KEY BATTERY. CAR SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK- WHO THEN LOADED MY CAR WHILE RUNNING BECAUSE IT STALLED ON HIM TOO. DID I MENTION THE 4 DAYS PRIOR MY CAR HAD BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP - SO EITHER WARNING SIGN DIDN'T CORRECTLY NOTIFY OR THEY JUST IGNORED IT. FIXED IGNITION COIL, SPARK PLUGS CURRENT DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSTIC: FAULT TO BAD INJECTOR SOMEHOW NONE OF THE RECALLS THAT APPLY TO 2015 A3S APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE DECRIPTIONS APPLY TO CAR ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

10993707

Incident

Jun 6, 2017

Mileage

45,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO BRAKE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE HESITATE AND FELT AS IF IT WOULD STALL. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIO TURNED ON INDEPENDENTLY AND THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED WITHOUT THE KEY BEING INSERTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HIGH IDLE RPM OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE CAUSING THE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.

NHTSA ID

10695495

Incident

Sep 15, 2014

Mileage

5 mi