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2016 Audi A3 Cabriolet Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Jun 26, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
42%
of 36 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2016 Audi A3 Cabriolet submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Jun 26, 2024

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3 Cabriolet. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was previously taken to the local dealer, where it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, Audi Richmond (12592 Broad St., Richmond, VA 23233), where it was determined that the module connected to the sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

NHTSA ID
11597002
Incident
Jun 10, 2024
Mileage
35,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 19, 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated the front passenger’s side air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11480115
Incident
Jul 1, 2021
Airbags
Filed Aug 12, 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11479028
Incident
Mar 22, 2021
Airbags
Filed Jul 8, 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to complete the recall repair. The contact stated that the warning message "System Failure - Replace Sensor" would illuminate and the seat belt chime reminder would engage whenever the front passenger’s seat was unoccupied and the seat belt was not buckled. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11472867
Incident
Jul 7, 2022
Mileage
42,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 6, 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11463661
Incident
Mar 22, 2021
Airbags
Filed Apr 8, 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer twice for regular maintenance and was notified both times that parts for the recall were not yet available. The contact also stated that the passenger’s side air bag light had illuminated on the instrument panel. The manufacturer had been notified of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11460153
Incident
Mar 1, 2021
Airbags
Filed Jan 3, 2022

The contact and his wife own a 2016 Audi A3. The contact had received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags). The dealer was contacted and informed that the parts remained unavailable despite the letter that stated otherwise. The contact also stated that the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) was inactive and that the passenger air bag warning light had illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11445944
Incident
Feb 1, 2021
Mileage
20,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 8, 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side air bag warning light was illuminated, and the State Inspector informed her that the vehicle would fail inspection if the recall repair was not completed. The dealer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID
11439790
Incident
May 22, 2021
Mileage
55,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 13, 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag warning light was illuminated. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID
11436608
Incident
Mar 30, 2021
Mileage
65,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 23, 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer informed the contact that parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID
11434060
Incident
Sep 22, 2021
AirbagsEngine
Filed Aug 31, 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 21V198000 (Air Bags) and 19V474000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who declined to repair the vehicle for unknown reasons however, the dealer received payment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the ignition coil needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available for NHTSA campaign number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) and Parts distribution disconnect for NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V474000 (Air Bags).

NHTSA ID
11431217
Incident
Jul 26, 2021
Mileage
84,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 5, 2021

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who stated the parts were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware if the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID
11427865
Incident
Apr 1, 2021
Airbags
Filed Sep 18, 2019

I HAVE A 2016 AUDI A3 THAT HAS A CURRENT RECALL ON THE (PODS) SYSTEM AND THE DEALER AND AUDI USA TELLS ME THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS AND HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT WILL BE AVAILABLE! I DRIVE AND PICK UP MY 15 YEAR OLD GRANDSON TO SCHOOL EACH DAY AND I AM FEAR-FULL AUDI MUST BE MADE TO COME UP WITH THE PARTS. WHAT GOOD IS A RECALL BY NHTSA IF NOTHING GETS COMPLETED??

NHTSA ID
11256484
Incident
Sep 18, 2019
Airbags
Filed Mar 11, 2019

VW BOUGHT BACK MY 2016 A3 TWO YEARS AGO BUT I'M STILL RECEIVING THE RECALL INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID
11185773
Incident
Feb 16, 2017
Mileage
32,000 mi
AirbagsFuel system
Filed May 9, 2017

WE RECEIVED TWO SAFETY RECALLS FROM AUDI: NHTSA RECALL #16V647 AND #16V642. WE WERE INFORMED BY AUDI THAT THE SERVICE WOULD HAVE TO BE COMPLETED BY AN AUTHORIZED AUDI DEALER. THE CLOSEST AUDI DEALER IS IN HONOLULU, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE US TO SHIP OUR CAR FROM MAUI. GIVEN THIS WAS AN AUDI RECALL, IT WAS MY EXPECTATION THAT THEY WOULD EITHER PAY THE COSTS OR AUTHORIZE THE WORK TO BE DONE ON MAUI BY THE VW DEALER, WHICH IS ONE OF AUDI'S SISTER COMPANIES. NEITHER RECALL HAS BEEN COMPLETED AS OF TODAY. SINCE THESE ARE SAFETY RECALLS, I WOULD FULLY EXPECT AUDI TO PAY FOR ALL COSTS AS WELL AS THE INCONVENIENCE OF NOT HAVING A CAR FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, DUE TO INTER-ISLAND SHIPPING SCHEDULES. ALTHOUGH AUDI CLAIMS THEY WOULD CONSIDER COMPENSATING US FOR OUT OF POCKET COSTS, BASED ON A RECENT REPAIR THAT IS COVERED BY OUR WARRANTY, I DO NOT TRUST THAT AUDI WILL COMPENSATE US. ON APRIL 25, 2017, THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG ALERT LIGHTS LIT UP FOR NO REASON. THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAID THAT WHEN BOTH LIGHTS ARE ON, THE OWNER SHOULD GET THE CAR TO A TECHNICIAN IMMEDIATELY. WE HAD THE CAR EVALUATED AND REPAIRED BY THE LOCAL VW DEALER, PAYING FOR IT OUT OF POCKET. ON MAY 1, I CONTACTED AUDICARE TO GET UNDERSTAND THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS. I WAS TOLD TO SEND IN THE WORK ORDER AND PROOF OF PAYMENT AND THEY WOULD PROCESS IT UNDER THE WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE CASE NUMBER THEY ASSIGNED US IS CASE NUMBER 170475720. COPIES ARE ATTACHED. TODAY, MAY 8, I CALLED AUDI TO CONFIRM RECEIPT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO COMPENSATE US. THEIR REASONING IS THAT BECAUSE THE WORK WAS NOT DONE BY AN AUDI TECHNICIAN, THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE COST. HOWEVER, GIVEN THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO A FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR, WE HAD TO GET THE CAR TO A TECHNICIAN IMMEDIATELY. GIVEN THIS WAS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE, THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD SHIP THE CAR TO AN AUDI DEALER ANYWAY.

NHTSA ID
10984399
Incident
Apr 25, 2017
Mileage
17,215 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .