2016 Audi A3 Recalls, Problems & Safety Rating

2016 Audi A3 recalls

Most common 2016 Audi A3 problems

Problem areas named in the 83 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.

Problem area	Reports
Air Bags	37
Electrical System	16
Fuel/Propulsion System	16
Engine	9
Unknown Or Other	9
Power Train	6
Engine And Engine Cooling	4
Fuel System, Gasoline	4
Tires	3
Seat Belts	2

What owners report

2026-10-14, Air Bags
My 2016 Audi A3 (VIN [XXX]) underwent Safety Recall 69BY on XXX, to correct a defect in the front passenger occupant detection system (PODS), including replacement of the occupant detection sensor. Less than two years later, the same safety-system malfunction returned. The vehicle intermittently displays "Safety system: system fault," "Audi pre sense: system fault," and "Passenger airbag off." These warnings appear unpredictably and sometimes clear temporarily before returning. This malfunction creates a serious safety risk because the vehicle may fail to recognize a front-seat passenger and disable the passenger airbag during a collision. We cannot safely use the front passenger seat. On XX

2026-10-12, Unknown Or Other
I was driving my vehicle on the [XXX] like normal and suddenly my car stopped accelerating at 70 MPH and displayed a message stating to stop vehicle, transmission malfunction. There were 2 cars that almost hit me while I was trying to get over to the side of the road due to the car barely having any power. The car also displayed a checked engine light and an eps warning. This all happened within one minute. I towed It to Rocco European garage in [XXX] where It was concluded that solenoid shift for the transmission has failed and is stuck. I was told that now the car isn’t technically drivable any longer distance and should have It towed again until it’s fixed to prevent further damage.

2026-07-21, Air Bags
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side air bag occupant sensor failed to identify a passenger seat in the seat. A dealer was contacted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that PODS had failed and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V474000 (AIR BAGS); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 44,000.

2026-04-09, Electrical System
Electrical problems and fuel leak

2026-01-30, Structure
This vehicle was involved in a rear end collision in late 2025. The vehicle was just sold at auction with a clean title even though it has frame damage that is more than 100% of the cost of this vehicle. It is sold with a clean title and I am worried that a used car dealership will try to sell it with no accident history and clean title to an unsuspecting person.

2016 Audi A3 questions

Does the 2016 Audi A3 have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for the 2016 Audi A3: Fuel Pump Seal Can Leak Fuel, Raising Fire Risk; Passenger Front Airbag May Explode or Deploy Improperly; Passenger Air Bag May Switch Off With Seat Occupied. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Audi A3?

Based on 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Air Bags (37), Electrical System (16), Fuel/Propulsion System (16).

How do I check if a recall on my 2016 Audi A3 has been fixed?

Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.