KnownCarProblems2020 Audi Q3 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Audi Q3, most often about the electrical (33% of complaints, typically around 1,500 miles). It is the most complained-about Q3 model year since 2000 and has 3 recalls.
Most common 2020 Audi Q3 problems
Electrical
22 complaints · 33%Half of these problems showed up before 1,500 miles.
Car leased july 2020, has 1936 miles, check engine light came on 4/14/21, took to dealer , left for repair . Dealer states 'replace fuel pump module ' required . This car also had problem in march 2021 which I reported where car shut off while driving. Dealer said software update was required from recall that I had…
My 2020 Q3 purchased december 21, 2019 malfunctioned in the middle of an intersection january 22, 2020. It had 1400 miles on it. The steering wheel locked and I had no engine. I could not turn the steering wheel and it shut off the brake lights, which left me in a seriously unsafe situation. This was the third time it…
Engine
21 complaints · 32%Half of these problems showed up before 2,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine.
We were sitting on a freeway off ramp at a stop. When starting to move from a stop, the car shuddered and the console lit up and we were unable to move faster than 5 miles an hour to pull over to the side of the road. It was a miracle we were not rear ended. We had the car towed to the dealer and have been told this…
Drive system malfunction- 05dec2020 as I was driving on the city street (35mph) the speed stalled(decelerated) at 12mph, I pressed on the accelerator pedal all the way down in order to increase the speed but will not increase. I pulled to the side and stopped and then turned off the vehicle. I waited for about 5mins…
Other or unspecified
18 complaints · 27%Half of these problems showed up before 1,500 miles.
The presense front is does not work as designed. I have provided Audi with videos showing the presense not working at all under conditions they state it should and also did a test drive with the dealer who stated it was not working as designed but could not do anything since there are no codes. The videos show that I…
Truck reads faint or old lanes on the road & will often jerk the truck over to the old lane vs the actual lane that is being driven. When you try to take control its really hard as if the steering wheel locks. Recently the sensors for forward collision can sense pedestrians walking ahead of the truck a few feet away &…
Steering
11 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 500 miles.
While driving on roadway yesterday (10/29/2020) the vehicles engine and electrical system completely shut down without warning. Power steering went out. Was able to drift to side of road and restart. Went home and had car towed to valenti Audi, who determined there is a technical service bulletin for software update.…
My 2020 Q3 purchased december 21, 2019 malfunctioned in the middle of an intersection january 22, 2020. It had 1400 miles on it. The steering wheel locked and I had no engine. I could not turn the steering wheel and it shut off the brake lights, which left me in a seriously unsafe situation. This was the third time it…
Fuel system
10 complaints · 15%Half of these problems showed up before 2,000 miles.
Car leased july 2020, has 1936 miles, check engine light came on 4/14/21, took to dealer , left for repair . Dealer states 'replace fuel pump module ' required . This car also had problem in march 2021 which I reported where car shut off while driving. Dealer said software update was required from recall that I had…
While driving my 2 month old Audi Q3 this morning the car completely stalled while going approximately 40 MPH. I received an error message, drive line malfunction. The car would not respond at all after applying the accelerator. I was almost hit by 2 trucks!!! I then put the car in park and it was able to start it up.…
Speed control
6 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 1,500 miles.
On january 16, 2020, I was driving on a local street and started slowing down for a stop sign. I had forgotten to turn off the auto start/stop switch as is my usual practice, so I deactivated it before stopping. When I hit the switch, I got an error message telling me the cruise control was no longer available, the…
We were sitting on a freeway off ramp at a stop. When starting to move from a stop, the car shuddered and the console lit up and we were unable to move faster than 5 miles an hour to pull over to the side of the road. It was a miracle we were not rear ended. We had the car towed to the dealer and have been told this…
Transmission
6 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 2,000 miles.
Drive system malfunction- 05dec2020 as I was driving on the city street (35mph) the speed stalled(decelerated) at 12mph, I pressed on the accelerator pedal all the way down in order to increase the speed but will not increase. I pulled to the side and stopped and then turned off the vehicle. I waited for about 5mins…
My life was almost taken away by my cars engine failing in the middle of making a left turn on a 4-lane road where traffic is going 50 MPH. When it stalled, the engine just quit leaving only electrical (lights & media) working. I felt I was trapped as a car was headed right for me and I could not even increase speed…
Brakes
5 complaints · 8%I bought my 2020 Audi q# premium plus s line as a cpo from Audi of natick in natick mass 0n 9/26/2020. It had approximately 4500 miles on it when I took delivery of it. The car makes an unusual noise from the rear brakes whenever I use them. This is not normal and usually only happens when brake pads are worn to the…
The contact owns a 2020 Audi Q3. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH and while making a right turn, the vehicle stopped independently. The vehicle was placed in park however, was jerking. The braking system message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact called Audi rochester hills (45441…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2020 Audi Q3 recalls
Steering
Risk: A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed november 10, 2026. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48lg and 48vt. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on september 16, 2026.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 tiguan, 2018-2019 atlas, and 2019-2021 audi q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.
Brakes: pedals and linkages
Risk: A bent or detached brake pedal plate decreases the contact area for the driver's foot and increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the weld between the brake pedal and the brake pedal plate and, as necessary, replace the entire brake pedal, free of charge. The recall began january 12, 2021. Owners may contact audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46i7.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 audi q3 vehicles. The brake pedal plate can bend or detach under the pressure applied during sudden stopping.
Seats: critical fasteners
Risk: The incorrect bolt connection could fail, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolt connection and, as necessary, replace the seat structure, free of charge. The recall began november 10, 2020. Owners may contact audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72l4.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (audi) is recalling one 2020 audi q3 vehicle. The driver's seat frame may have incorrectly been bolted to the seat rail.
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.
Questions about the 2020 Audi Q3
- What are the most common problems with the 2020 Audi Q3?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (22 complaints, typically around 1,500 miles); engine (21 complaints, typically around 2,000 miles); other or unspecified (18 complaints, typically around 1,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2020 Audi Q3 have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 11, 2026 (steering). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2020 a bad year for the Audi Q3?
- It is the most complained-about Q3 model year since 2000, with 66 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.