KnownCarProblems2011 Audi A3 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Audi A3, most often about the air bags (47% of complaints, typically around 48,000 miles). It is 9th of 22 A3 model years by number of complaints and has 4 recalls.
Most common 2011 Audi A3 problems
Air bags
20 complaints · 47%Half of these problems showed up before 48,000 miles.
Takata recall. A recall was issued in february 2016 for my vehicle. I was notified by Audi of the recall in april. I contacted the dealer then and was told there were no parts available. I contacted Audi west houston again on june 27, 2016 and was told the only remedy to me was a discount on a new car. I was told this…
Takata recall. I have received numerous notices from Audi and the secretary of state's office that my A3 is recalled for the airbag replacement. I have been trying to schedule this since june with Audi of kalamazoo, my local dealer. They schedule appointments for this 6 weeks out. They have twice cancelled my…
Fuel system
10 complaints · 23%Half of these problems showed up before 49,500 miles.
Car stalled due to debris clogging the fuel line and fuel could not get to the engine. I am told cavitation occurred, resulting in metal shards damaging the fuel delivery system. Entire fuel system needed replacement after the tank. Dealer challenged warranty coverage for the $10k repair, saying the standard service…
I was at the tail end of a 400 mile trip-all freeway driving. After exiting the freeway, the car was slowly losing power. The glow plug light came on. Car stalled after 1/2 mile. I tried to restart it. It would not start. The glow plug and check engine light were on. Towed to dealership to find the high pressure fuel…
Engine
6 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 46,000 miles.
The vehicle started loosing power and stalling. The engine light came up. I took the car the dealer. They diagnosed the problem as a high-pressure fuel pump that has disintegrated and damaged the entire fuel system.
I was at the tail end of a 400 mile trip-all freeway driving. After exiting the freeway, the car was slowly losing power. The glow plug light came on. Car stalled after 1/2 mile. I tried to restart it. It would not start. The glow plug and check engine light were on. Towed to dealership to find the high pressure fuel…
Electrical
4 complaints · 9%Same issue as campaign 97z9 on the vw tiguan with fuse f16 on the fuse panel is melting. The part number is the same as the tiguan's. 1k0937125d.
The contact owns a 2011 Audi A3. While driving at various speeds, the headlights suddenly shut off and the service vehicle sensor light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered that a fuse panel had overheated and melted. The contact also indicated that the vehicle experienced fuel…
Transmission
3 complaints · 7%Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
The car is jerking in between 1st and second gear. Seems the transmission cant decide to stay in 1st or second. Also- the car shifts down to 1st inappropriately quickly.
Vehicle does not switch gears properly. Once drive gear is selected then the gear indicator flashes (ex. The d flashes or p flashes). Vehicle does not switch gears until 5500 RPM is reached. And vehicle does not engage r gear once car has been in drive. Have to turn vehicle off and back on to get to r. Vehicle is…
Lights
3 complaints · 7%The contact owns a 2011 Audi A3. While driving at various speeds, the headlights suddenly shut off and the service vehicle sensor light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered that a fuse panel had overheated and melted. The contact also indicated that the vehicle experienced fuel…
The contact owns a 2011 Audi A3. While driving 40 MPH at night, the exterior lighting powered off intermittently. The contact coasted the vehicle over to the side of the road and powered off the engine. The vehicle was restarted and was able to drive normally. The failure recurred three times. In addition, multiple…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2011 Audi A3 recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began december 20, 2019. 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 69r6, 69q8, 69q9, and 69y5.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 passat, 2011-2014 golf a6, and 2011-2013 audi a3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began february 23, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69r6. Note: this recall partially supersedes recall 16v-078.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 audi a3, 2007-2009 a4 cabriolet and s4 cabriolet, 2008 rs4 cabriolet, 2009-2012 q5, and 2010-2012 audi a5 cabriolet and s5 cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began march 2017. Volkswagen owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2006 volkswagen passat sedans and wagons, 2005-2013 audi a3, and 2006-2009 audi a4 cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Fuel system: fuel system, diesel
Risk: Due to the resonance condition, injector line number 2 could develop small cracks which could lead to fuel leakage. Leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source, may lead to a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will install an improved fuel injector line for the number 2 cylinder on certain vehicles and will install vibration dampers on all of the injector lines. Volkswagen and audi will notify owners to have the vehicles repaired free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during november 2011. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen is recalling certain model 2009-2012 jetta and jetta sportwagen vehicles, manufactured from may 2008 through september 2011, model year 2010-2012 volkswagen golf vehicles, manufactured from may 2009 through september 2011, and model year 2010-2012 audi a3 vehicles, manufactured from september 2009 through september 2011, that are equipped with a 2.0l tdi common rail diesel engine/clean diesel engine. The fuel injection pulses could coincide with the natural frequency of the injector line #2, in specific load and RPM conditions. This resonance creates additional stress in the fuel line.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Diesel fuel injector line leakage
Summary
By letter dated october 3, 2011, volkswagen group of america, inc. (vw) notified the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) that it will conduct a safety recall to address a defect in approximately 168,275 model year (my) 2009-2012 volkswagen jetta, jetta sportwagen, golf, and audi a3 vehicles equipped with the 2.0l tdi common rail clean diesel engine (NHTSA recall no. 11v-490).the recalled jetta and jetta sportwagen vehicles were built from may 2008 through september 2011, the golf vehicles were built from may 2009 through september 2011, and the audi a3 vehicles were built from september 2009 through september 2011.according to volkswagen, in u.s. Applications of the above
High-pressure fuel pump failure
Summary
The office of defects investgation (odi) opened ea11-003 on february 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to odi and volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (hpfp) failures in model year (my) 2009 through 2010 volkswagen jetta and golf and audi a3 tdi vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by volkswagen as part of its response to pe10-034.during ea11-003, odi analyzed design information, field experience and test data for my 2009 through 2012 volkswagen jetta, golf and touareg and audi a3 and q7 vehicles equipped with tdi engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject tdi clean diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pum
Questions about the 2011 Audi A3
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Audi A3?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (20 complaints, typically around 48,000 miles); fuel system (10 complaints, typically around 49,500 miles); engine (6 complaints, typically around 46,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2011 Audi A3 have?
- 4 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from December 4, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2011 a bad year for the Audi A3?
- It is 9th of 22 A3 model years by number of complaints, with 43 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.