2013 Audi A3 Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2013 Audi A3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly went into LIMP Mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the glow plugs failed to function and became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to several dealers, where it was diagnosed with exhaust system failure. The contact was informed that the exhaust system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

NHTSA ID

11724757

Incident

Mar 16, 2026

Mileage

128,000 mi

Car stalled in fast moving traffic, and then lurched forward. In the stall the car behind me almost ran into me. In the lurch, I almost rear ended someone. Fortunate that both times there was no collision. Took the vehicle to Audi and the car has been diagnosed with failed mechatronic - a $4,000 repair. It was shared that this is a known issue with Audi for my model year (faulty mechatronic), and as such has been recalled in several countries, but not the US. I called Audi USA and was informed that yes it is a known issue and has been recalled in other countries, but that NHTSA has not required Audi USA to open a recall here, and so they can't help me. I'm asking for some assistance. Thank you very much

NHTSA ID

11464480

Incident

Apr 29, 2022

INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH EXTERIOR LIGHTING. I ALREADY REPLACED ONE OF THE REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS (NOT A BULB ISSUE) AND AM NOW EXPERIENCING REAR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT ISSUES WHERE THE TAIL LIGHT AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL CEASE WORKING DURING THE DRIVING PROCESS AND THEN START WORKING AT RANDOM. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SIMILAR ELECTRICAL ISSUE LIKE THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT. THE TAIL LIGHT & DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL FAILURE ARE DANGEROUS AS THE FAILURES OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN.

NHTSA ID

11302182

Incident

Jan 18, 2020

Mileage

58,800 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A3. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUDI TEMECULA (40955 TEMECULA CENTER DR, TEMECULA, CA 92591, (951) 200-8100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DPS FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 190810653. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,500.

NHTSA ID

11287569

Incident

Sep 30, 2019

Mileage

69,500 mi

TAKATA RECALL - DEALER INFORMED ME THE RECALL PART HAS BEEN UNAVAILABLE FOR 1 YEAR AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNAVAILABLE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 2 - 6 MONTHS. NO RECALL MAINTENCE IS ABLE TO BE SCHEDULED. THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL IS DEATH TO THE DRIVER. UNACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA ID

11156765

Incident

Dec 7, 2018

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V084000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER (AUDI MINNEAPOLIS, 9393 WYZATA BLVD, GOLDEN VALLEY, MN 55426) CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11140822

Incident

Feb 12, 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (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. ROYAL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP (1525 HOWARD STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, (415) 241-8100) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL AND STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11140631

Incident

May 1, 2018

TAKATA INFLATOR REPLACEMENT ISSUE ON 12/31/2017 I WAS DRIVING IN LOS ANGELES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WHEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS A HISSING NOISE AND SOME KIND OF PARTICULATE MATTER SPEWED FROM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN WHERE THERE IS A JOIN WITH THE WHEEL. THIS WAS DIRECTED AT MY FACE FOR 10-15 SECONDS WHICH I BREATHED IN AS I WAS DRIVING. I AM ALSO "CONCERNED" ABOUT THE NATURE AND CONTENTS OF THE PARTICULATE MATTER, AND, THAT THE AIRBAG MIGHT NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN AN ACCIDENT OR THAT IT MIGHT INFLATE WITHOUT ANY REASON OF ITS OWN ACCORD. *TT *TR

NHTSA ID

11060844

Incident

Dec 31, 2017

Mileage

31,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V079000 (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

10972287

Incident

Feb 9, 2016

WE HAVE NOT YET HEARD FROM AUDI OR TAKATA WHEN THIS RECALL WILL BE PERFORMED. BECAUSE THIS CAR IS DRIVEN BY TEENAGERS, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED AND ANXIOUS TO GET THIS RECALL DONE. PLEASE ADVISE. THANKS, NICK P.S. NOTE THAT THE CAR WAS PURCHASED USED AND WAS FIRST REGISTERED AND DRIVEN IN NEW JERSEY FROM 2013-2016

NHTSA ID

10959844

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

TAKATA RECALL- 16V079 RECALL DATE: FEBRUARY 9, 2016 MY VEHICLE IS ALMOST 4 YEARS OLD AND NO DUE DILIGENCE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO REMEDY THIS UNSAFE AND POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE AIRBAG.

NHTSA ID

10913886

Incident

Oct 5, 2016

NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET, BUT MY AIRBAG WAS RECALLED 6 MONTHS AGO AND I HAVEN'T BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY FIX AVAILABLE. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA ID

10898569

Incident

Feb 9, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V079000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN APRIL OF 2016. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 10/04/16*LJ UPDATED 09/1/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10898218

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A3. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE PANORAMIC SUN ROOF FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,580.

NHTSA ID

10896973

Incident

Aug 17, 2016

Mileage

51,580 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10851228

Incident

Mar 23, 2016

2013 AUDI A3 TDI., SERVICED FOR 65K MAINTENANCE 10/31/15. NEXT DAY , THE CAR BEGAN ABRUPTLY LOOSING FORWARD MOMENTUM UNDER ACCELERATION, AND DIED IN AN INTERSECTION. TOWED TO AUDI, AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS BAD DIESEL. THEY FLUSHED THE DIESEL AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. (KROGER DENIED MY BAD DIESEL CLAIM.) ON 11/2/15, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SAME ISSUES. DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS THE ENGINE SPEED SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. ONE MONTH LATER, 11/6/15, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, WITH THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT FLASHING. THIS TIME THE DEALER SAID IT IS WAS THROTTLE SENSOR FAULT. THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PART, AND TOLD ME IT WAS 'SAFE TO DRIVE'. IN THE TIME BETWEEN, I WOULD REGULARLY EXPERIENCE THE LOSS OF FORWARD MOMENTUM WHILE ACCELERATING UP HILLS. I HAD THE WORK DONE 1/7/16. 9 DAYS LATER AFTER THE THROTTLE SENSOR REPLACEMENT, SATURDAY, 1/16/16, WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE CAR BEGAN UNEXPECTEDLY LOSING ACCELERATION IN AN EXTREME FASHION, AND STALLED OUT TWICE WITHIN A 15 MINUTE DRIVE. IT HAD BEEN SUDDENLY AND BRIEFLY LOSING ACCELERATION WHEN ACCELERATING WHILE GOING UPHILL FOR SEVERAL DAYS. IT ALSO STALLED OUT WHILE ACCELERATING INTO AN INTERSECTION (EXTREMELY DANGEROUS) AND WHILE PARKING. I HAD AN ERROR # P2101, AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH WHILE GOING UPHILL UNTIL I STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR. ON 1/18 (MONDAY) I TOOK MY CAR INTO AUDI SERVICE. THEY HAVE HAD IT UNTIL NOW, 2/9/16, AND HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE COMPUTER, AND IT HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE. THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A SOLUTION. THEY NOW SAY THAT THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THIS IS A CONCERNING SAFETY ISSUE, GIVEN THE ABRUPT DROP IN ACCELERATION GOING UPHILL, THE LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND THE MULTIPLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

10825149

Incident

Nov 1, 2015

Mileage

65,000 mi

PURCHASED USED 2013 AUDI A3 TDI 3 MONTHS AGO. ONLY USE DIESEL FUEL. DRIVING ONTO I80 WEST WHEN I HEARD/FELT CAR HICCUP, LOST POWER. COASTED TO STOP SIGN, TRIED MULTIPLE TIME BUT WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT FUEL PUMP (HPFP) HAD COME APART SPEWING METAL SHARDS INTO SYSTEM AND THAT ENTIRE SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. RESEARCH SHOWING DOCUMENTED FAILURES IN VW TDI (SAME ENGINE) HPFP IN 2010, 2011 AND 2012. IS SYSTEM SAFE? *TR

NHTSA ID

10643331

Incident

Oct 4, 2014

Mileage

31,000 mi

WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT, I FELT WHAT I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS A "CLUNK" AND THE BATTERY LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED. THE CAR HAD STALLED, AND I HAD TO RESTART THE CAR ENTIRELY IN ORDER TO CONTINUE ON MY WAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510472

Incident

May 2, 2013

Mileage

5,111 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN SEATTLE'S NOTORIOUS STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, MY A3 TDI, HAS STALLED. IT ACTS AS IF I HAVE "DROPPED" THE CLUTCH, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE BEING AN AUTOMATIC!!. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ON TWO OCCASIONS. THERE IS LESS THAN 5K MILES ON MY NEW CAR. BOTH TIME IT HAS GONE IMMEDIATELY INTO UNIVERSITY AUDI. FIRST TIME, NO ANSWERS. STILL WAITING ON DIAGNOSTICS FROM TODAY'S EPISODES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10500063

Incident

Feb 25, 2013

Mileage

2,300 mi

AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 18 MILES, TOOK AN EXIT AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN I ENTERED THE INTERSECTION AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE RIGHT AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10479505

Incident

Oct 9, 2012

Mileage

1,420 mi