2012 Audi A3 problems and recalls

72% of owner complaints on the 2012 Audi A3 related to the Air Bags (31 of 43).

43
Complaints
4
Recalls
1
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
0
Injuries
53.8
Severity index

Severity index 53.8 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 53.8p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 85 of 130 by severity index among 2012 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 35% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2012 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Air BagsAir Bags: 31 complaints (72.1%)31 72%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 6 complaints (14.0%)6 14%Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 5 complaints (11.6%)5 12%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 4 complaints (9.3%)4 9%Electronic Stability Co…Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1 complaints (2.3%)1 2%Service BrakesService Brakes: 1 complaints (2.3%)1 2%HydraulicHydraulic: 1 complaints (2.3%)1 2%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
AIR BAGS3172.1%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM614.0%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING511.6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM49.3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)12.3%
SERVICE BRAKES12.3%
HYDRAULIC12.3%

Complaints filed per year

06132013: 12014: 12015: 52016: 132017: 122018: 72019: 22022: 2131415161317181922
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20131
20141
20155
201613
201712
20187
20192
20222
Filings in 2018 to 2022 ran 0.4x those in 2015 to 2017 (11 against 30).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
18V08200030/01/2018AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen 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
16V07900010/02/2016AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen 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 inflat
11V49000003/10/2011FUEL SYSTEM, DIESELVOLKSWAGEN 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, MAN
19V86200004/12/2019AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen 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

Other Audi A3 model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 8 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.