Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Audi A3 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
LOSS OF POWER AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER WHILE IN MOTION, ON A HIGHWAY, JUST DRIVING DOWN A STREET OR TURNING. ALMOST REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES.
RANDOM LOSS OF POWER, THE TRANSMISSION WILL RANDOMLY SLIP WHILE THE CAR IS IN REVERSE FROM A PARKED POSITION. IT WILL ALSO SLIP RANDOMLY WHILE IN FORWARD MOTION AND DURING TURNING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN BEING REAR ENDED. PLEASE HELP! LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS 1/15/2017.
2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN JUST A FEW DAYS. I WANT TO START DOCUMENTING EVERY TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. I WAS PULLING INTO FAST MOVING TRAFFIC FROM A SIDE STREET. I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE CAR HESITATED PUTTING ME INTO THE WAY OF ON COMING TRAFFIC AT 50 MPH. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I WAS ACCELERATING TRYING TO REACH 50 MPH COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED ONLY GOING ABOUT 10 MPH.
FROM A STOPPED POSITION ON A SIDE STREET IN A LEFT HAND TURN LANE I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE THEN IMMEDIATELY HAD A LOSS OF POWER IN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A MAJOR STREET. THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD THEN HESITATED. IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT CAN SURPRISE PEOPLE AND CAUSE CARS TO CRASH INTO ME. IT HAS DONE THIS A FEW OTHER TIMES. I FEEL GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
WHEN DRIVING, PRNDS FLASHES AND CAR GOES INTO LIMP MODE (LOSES POWER). MUST STOP CAR AND TURN OFF. AFTER TURNING ON AGAIN, WILL DRIVE AND WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.
NO ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED YET, BUT IS ONE JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND AFTER A ROLL STOP. THE ACCELERATOR HAS TO BE COMPLETELY DEPRESS AND WAIT A FEW SECONDS IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START ROLLING. IF I WOULD NEED TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AFTER A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION THERE IS A GREAT RISK OF A CRASH SINCE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO EQUALIZE THE SPEED OF INCOMING TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO AFFECT MANY, MANY OF THESE VEHICLES YEAR AND MODEL ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS FORUMS. OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW AND AUDI HAVE DISREGARDED THE COMPLAINTS. ACCORDING TO OWNER'S FORUMS THE MECHATRONIX UNIT INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION IS AT FAULT, AND A SIMPLE SOFTWARE REFLASH FROM AUDI WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS QUITE SIMILAR TO THE IGNITION PROBLEM RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN GM VEHICLES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND THE SELECTOR LEVER ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE SIDE, THE ENGINE STALLED, AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V333000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
TODAY MY AUDI A3 2.0T WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. WE WERE MERGING FROM I-80 TO I-55. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY INDICATOR LIGHTS WE LOST POWER. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND THE SHIFTER IN D-DRIVE BUT NO POWER WAS GOING TO THE WHEELS. WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC ON THE RAMP BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL WITH THE CAR BEHIND US ALMOST HITTING US. THE CAR EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM ABOUT A HALF HOUR BEFORE AT A GAS STOP BUT I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THE CAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE DASH INDICATORS FLASHED DNRS WHEN WE TRIED TO MOVE AGAIN. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK I LOOKED UP RECALLS AND IT SEEMS THE 2007-2009 A3 HAVE RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE AS DO OTHER AUDI MODELS WITH THE SAME DSG TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS LISTED HERE FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. WHY IS NOT THE 2006 RECALLED AS WELL? THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT PUT MY WIFE AND I IN HARMS WAY. EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. *TR
AN INTERRUPTION OF MOTIVE POWER . THE DASH GEAR POSITION INDICATOR (PRNDS) FLASHING. *TR
REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE09035, RECALL NUMBER: 09V333000 I HAD EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE OCCUR ON MY 2006 AUDI A3. THIS A3 HAS A 2.0T ENGINE AND 6 SPEED DSG TRANSMISSION. TODAY WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN ON A VERY BUSY STREET, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITH NO WARNING DOWNSHIFTED AND THEN ALL PRNDS LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH. I WAS STUCK IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND GOT INTO THE CENTER LANE WHERE I EVENTUALLY MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. IT APPEARED TO HAVE ONLY ONE FORWARD GEAR (1ST). I HAD TO DRIVE IT HOME 20 MILES AWAY WITH NO REVERSE AT 15 MPH AND 3500 RPM. I HAVE KEPT THE CAR WELL MAINTAINED AND IT WAS ONLY DEALER MAINTAINED UNTIL RECENTLY. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS RIDICULOUS. HAD I BEEN GOING FASTER, I WOULD HAVE LIKELY HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE DOWNSHIFT WAS ABRUPT AND CAUSED A VIOLENT JERKING IN THE CAR. THE CAR HAS NOT DISPLAYED ANY EVIDENCE OF HARDER SHIFTING OVER TIME. THIS IS THE SAME GEARBOX SYSTEM AS IN THE RECALLED LATER MODEL YEARS. THE RECALL MUST BE ADJUSTED TO INCLUDE EARLIER MODELS WITH THE SAME SYSTEM. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC DEFECT. I HAVE FOUND THIS ISSUE ACROSS NUMEROUS AUDI OWNER FORUM WEBSITES COVERING WIDER MODEL YEARS THAN LISTED ON THIS RECALL. I CONTACTED AUDI OF AMERICA AND THEY SAID THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY; TOO BAD. THE CLOSEST DEALER IS 150 MILES AWAY. I REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE. *TR
2006 AUDI A3 2.0T WITH DSG. TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING SOMETIMES ON ACCELERATION, SOMETIMES WITH STEADY DRIVING. STEPPED ON ACCELERATOR AT STOP LIGHT AND TRANSMISSION ENGAGED FOR ABOUT 5 FEET, THEN CAR LURCHED TO A STOP, THEN TRANSMISSION CAUGHT AND IT ACCELERATED FORWARD AGAIN. ISSUE REPEATED TWO MORE TIMES WITHIN THE HOUR. TODAY I WAS CRUISING AT A STEADY 70 MPH, 6TH GEAR, ABOUT 2800 RPM, AND THE TRANSMISSION LET GO AND RPMS DROPPED TO ABOUT 2200 BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN AT 2800 RPM. HAPPENED ONCE PER MILE AFTER THAT, AND THEN TWICE AGAIN ON SURFACE STREETS IN 4TH GEAR. APPEARS TO MATCH EXACTLY THE SYMPTOMS OWNERS EXPERIENCE WITH RECALLED 2007-2010 VEHICLES WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION. *TR
REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE09035, RECALL NUMBER: 09V333000 I HAD EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE OCCUR ON MY 2006 AUDI A3. THIS A3 HAS A 2.0T ENGINE AND 6 SPEED DSG TRANSMISSION. TODAY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITH NO WARNING DOWNSHIFTED AND THEN ALL PRNDS LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH. I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. IT APPEARED TO HAVE ONLY ONE FORWARD GEAR (3RD). I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO A PLACE FOR TOWING. EVEN REVERSE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THIS TRANSMISSION WAS RECENTLY SERVICED. I HAVE KEPT THE CAR WELL MAINTAINED AND IT WAS ONLY DEALER MAINTAINED UNTIL RECENTLY. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS RIDICULOUS. HAD THE TRAFFIC NOT BEEN LIGHT, I WOULD HAVE LIKELY HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE DOWNSHIFT WAS ABRUPT AND CAUSED A VIOLENT JERKING IN THE CAR. THE CAR HAS NOT DISPLAYED ANY EVIDENCE OF HARDER SHIFTING OVER TIME. THIS IS THE SAME GEARBOX SYSTEM AS IN THE RECALLED MODEL YEARS. THE RECALL MUST BE ADJUSTED TO INCLUDE EARLIER MODELS WITH THE SAME SYSTEM. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC DEFECT. I HAVE FOUND THIS ISSUE ACROSS NUMEROUS AUDI OWNER FORUM WEBSITES COVERING WIDER MODEL YEARS THAN LISTED ON THIS RECALL. I REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE. *TR
VEHICLE GOES OUT OF GEARS WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FOR ABOUT 20MINS IN HOT WEATHER, THIS WAS GOING ABOUT 70 MPH. THE "PRNDS" LIGHT FLASH FOR A QUICK SECOND AND BACK INTO GEAR AGAIN. I HAVE VARIOUS ISSUES WITH HARSH SHIFTS UP AND DOWN, ESPECIALLY IN THE LOWER GEARS. WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP THE VEHICLE HAS A HOT TIME GOING IN TO SECOND GEAR AND SOMETIME FIRST. IT MAKES A VERY NOTICEABLE CLUNK SOUND WHEN IT DOES. FROM A STOP, GIVING JUST A BIT OF GAS AND THE CAR DON'T SEEM TO MOVE THEN IT WILL SURGE UNTIL THE SPEED COMES UP. WHILE GETTING UP TO SPEED IT WILL TRY TO GET INTO THE HIGHEST GEAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, I WOULD BE IN 6TH GEAR WHILE ONLY GOING 35MPH. THERE ARE SOME SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVED AND THAT IS WHY I'M TAKING THE TIME TO FILE. *TR
WHEN COMING SLOWLY TO A STOP THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SURGE FORWARD. TRAVELING SLOWLY FORWARD OR REVERSE WILL ALSO CAUSE UNEXPECTED SURGES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JUMP ABNORMALLY BEFORE STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE MECHATRONIC UNIT FOR THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE MECHATRONIC UNIT WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 91,000. UPDATED 10/22/13 *CN
I HAVE AN AUDI A3 2006. SEVERAL YEARS AGO (END OF 2009/BEGINNING OF 2010), I STARTED FEELING AND HEARING A CLUNKING NOISE AND THE CAR WOULD LUNGE FORWARD A FEW INCHES WHEN APPROACHING STOP SIGNS OR RED LIGHTS AND DOWNSHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. THIS WOULD HAPPEN PERIODICALLY AND HAS BEEN INCREASING IN STRENGTH. I WAS TOLD BY AUDI THAT IT WAS A DUE TO A FAULTY MECHATRONIC SYSTEM, WHICH IS LIKE THE BRAINS OF THE CAR. AUDI SERVICE QUOTED ME A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2500 TO REPLACE THE MECHATRONIC SYSTEM. I HAVE READ ON MANY FORUMS THAT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO MANY AUDI A3 OWNERS AND THAT THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. GIVEN THE FREQUENCY OF THE ISSUE, I THINK THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY AUDI AND RECALLED. *TR
MY VEHICLE FAILED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS - FAILED TO MOVE ON A STOP SIGN - MOVED VERY WEAKLY WHEN TAKING A LEFT TURN WHILE IN THE CENTER TURN LANE. CARS WERE COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND I BARELY MISSED HAVING AN ACCIDENT. - VEHICLE WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND COMPLETELY FAILED TO MOVE WHILE STILL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WHEN THIS HAPPENED "PRNDS" FLASHED ON THE DASH. - I HAVE THE VIDEO OF THE PROBLEM WHEN IT HAPPENED. THIS PROBLEM IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND AUDI HAS RECALLED MANY CARS (2007 ONWARDS), BUT MY CAR WASN'T RECALLED. THE RECALL NOTICE FROM AUDI IS IN 2009 AND MY CAR WAS NOT IN IT. WHY IS THAT? HOW DOES AUDI DECIDE WHICH CARS TO INCLUDE IN THE RECALL? I THINK THAT PROCESS IS COMPLETELY FLAWED. I BELIEVE AUDI CUT CORNERS AND DID NOT RECALL ALL THE CARS THEY SHOULD HAVE. JUST ENOUGH TO CALM PEOPLE DOWN AS THIS PROBLEM WAS ALSO SHOWN ON TV NEWS. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY THE DEALER BY CHANGING THE "MECHATRONICS UNIT" OF MY CAR. THIS FIX IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THEY DID FOR 2007 YEAR MODELS, SO WHY WAS 2006 NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL NOTICE OF AUG 2009. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE STILL MANY CARS ON THE STREET THAT STILL HAS THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM, JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. NHTSA SHOULD USE ALL ITS POWER TO RESTART THIS INVESTIGATION AND MAKE AUDI WORK RESPONSIBLY TOWARDS FIXING THIS ISSUE. *TR
AFTER THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN, AND I TRIED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE AGAIN, ITS RESPONSE WAS VERY WEAK AS IF IT HAD LOST POWER. COUPLE OF TIMES EARLIER, THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO ENGAGE INTO REVERSE GEAR, STRANDING ME IN A PARKING LOT FOR A WHILE. ON SHOWING THE DEALER, THE FAULT WAS IN THE MECHTRONICS UNIT OF THE DSG (DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX). AUDI HAS RECALLED CARS FROM YEAR 2007 ONWARDS FOR THIS ISSUE, CLAIMING THAT 2006 AND BEFORE ARE NOT AFFECTED. THIS IS NOT THE CASE AS IT HAS HAPPENED WITH MY CAR, WHICH IS A 2006. THE SYMPTOMS AND FAILED UNIT ARE EXACTLY THE SAME, WITH THE SAME RESOLUTION PROPOSED BY THE DEALER AS THEY WOULD FOR 2007 YEAR ONWARD MODELS. AT THE TIME OF WRITING THIS COMPLAINT, AUDI HAS REFUSED RESPONSIBILITY AND ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. I THINK THIS IS SERIOUS OVERSIGHT THAT AUDI IS UNWILLING TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY NHTSA'S HELP. THE EXACT SYMPTOMS ARE ALSO MENTIONED IN THIS NEWS ARTICLE HTTP://WWW.AUTOINSANE.COM/2009/08/28/NEWS/RECALLS-TSBS/VOLKSWAGEN-RECALLS-53300-NEW-VEHICLES-ANNOUNCES-SERVICE-PROGRAM-TO-ADDRESS-DSG-COMPLAINTS/
THE VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL AND WAS NOT RESPONSIVE TO ACCELERATION. IT DANGEROUSLY LOST ALMOST ALL OF ITS POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE NEXT DAY IT FAILED TO START. THE PROBLEM IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT AUDI HAS PUBLISHED IN THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN 15 07 02 FOR REPLACEMENT OF INTAKE CAMSHAFT AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FOLLOWER. AUDI IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING AND WORKMANSHIP. FAILED COMPONENTS: 1) INTAKE CAMSHAFT 2) FOLLOWER AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP
MY AUDI A3 DYNAMIC SHIFT GEARBOX, HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES FROM ABOUT 30K MILES, WHICH IN THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE ESCALATED TO A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE GEARBOX. DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE AUDI SERVICE AT 48000 MILES, ABOUT: JERKINESS WHILE SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR; LACK OF ADEQUATE ACCELERATION WHEN STARTING FROM A COMPLETE STOP; CAR DIES WHEN STOPPING ON INTERSECTIONS WHILE DRIVING IN CITY CONDITIONS; SHIFTING TO INCORRECT (NEUTRAL) GEAR WHILE OPERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS; AUDI DOES NOT WANT TO COVER THE REPAIR COSTS UNDER WARRANTY, AND IT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT IT HAS SHOWN NEGLIGENCE IN DIAGNOSTIC THE PROBLEM, PRIOR TO A COMPLETE MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IS SERVICE AWAITING A REPLACEMENT OF THE DSG (MECHATRONIC AND GEARBOX) WHICH ARE ESTIMATED TO COST AT ABOUT 7000 - 10000 DOLLARS. ACCORDING TO THE FACTS AND MY SERVICE RECORDS, IT IS MY BELIEVE THAT AUDI SHOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
WAS A NORMAL DAY OF DRIVING, CAR WAS WARMING UP. I LIVE IN FLORIDA SO IT WARMS UP PRETTY QUICKLY. I WAS PULLING OUT ONTO 4TH STREET WHEN I GAVE THE CAR A LOT OF GAS, BUT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOTHING. IT JUST REVVED UP AND THEN AFTER ABOUT 1 OR 2 SECONDS, THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOWLY ACCELERATE. AFTER THIS 1-3 SECOND DELAY, THE CAR WAS DRIVING LIKE NORMAL. BUT THE INITIAL HESITATION ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE REAR ENDED BECAUSE I WAS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. MY DSG HAS NO FAULT CODES, YET IT HESITATES AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES SCARES ME. MY OTHER COMPLAINT HAS TO DO WITH IT HESITATING AND JERKING IN REVERSE. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BACK INTO STUFF. REVERSE IS VERY INCONSISTENT. MY FINAL COMPLAINT IS IN REGARD TO THE FUEL PUMP SYSTEM. THE FUEL PUMP USES A CAM FOLLOWER. THESE CAM FOLLOWERS WEAR OUT, AND CAN CAUSE FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP SYSTEM. MY FUEL PUMP FAILED UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS REPLACED. LESS THAN 10,000 MILES LATER I INSPECTED MY NEW PUMP AND FOLLOWER AND FOUND EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE FACE OF THE CAM FOLLOWER. THIS IS UNHEARD OF WITH A CAR LIKE THIS. WHEN THE CAM FOLLOWER FAILS, THE FUEL SYSTEM FAILS - HOW CAN VW/AUDI MANUFACTURE SOMETHING THIS UNRELIABLE. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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