Electrical System Problems of Audi A3 - part 2

Audi A3 owners have reported 70 problems related to electrical system (under the electrical system category). The most recently reported issues are listed below. Also please check out the statistics and reliability analysis of Audi A3 based on all problems reported for the A3.

36 Electrical System problem of the 2017 Audi A3

Failure Date: 01/25/2021

The vehicle was affected previously and confirmed fixed by Audi under recall 69z4 for the occupant sensor. The airbag, seatbelt, Audi presense error light will illuminate at times regardless of whether an occupant is sitting in the passenger seat going on and off sporadically while driving or stationary. The vehicle is eligible to be fixed under warranty, however it appears their original fix under the recall was not adequate in resolving the occupant airbag sensor light and poses a safety hazard to passengers if the airbag were to turn off while an accident occurred. After a recent diagnostic the codes that appeared are similar to what would occur prior to Audi's "fix" to the recall.

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37 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 01/14/2021

During cold ambient temperature when the engine is cold the vehicle activates an axillary cabin heater which fills the cabin with smoke and burning odor due to the heating element burning the housing and wiring inside the dash. This is a serious danger risking vehicle fire and health hazard for the operator and occupants of the vehicle. It appears multiple other Audi vehicles have a similar/same heating element that have the same issue. The 2015 a4 and q5 appear to have a recall for this issue.

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38 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 09/02/2020

My Audi A3 continually has a presence system fault when the car starts which indicates that the system is not functioning properly. As a result it turns off the passenger airbag even with the seat occupied which is a safety hazard. Audi has indicated that this is due to a faulty sensor. I have brought this issue to Audi. S attention for over four years with no resolution. This issue has continued despite a prior recall service on another connector with the pods system however immediately after that fix the isssue continued and Audi indicates it actually likes with a faulty sensor. This issue occurs randomly when the vehicle is started or while already driving, the error makes a loud noise and put an alert on the main dashboard which is unnerving and distracting while driving. I previously provided Audi pictures of the alert messages multiple times over several years with no resolution.

39 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 08/14/2020

Tl the contact owns a 2015 Audi A3. The contact stated that the passenger's side air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a false warning from the air bag system that deactivated the passenger's side air bag. The vehicle was taken to rusnak/pasadena Audi (267 w colorado blvd, pasadena, CA 91105, (626) 714-3159). The contact had not yet authorized the repairs for the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but had not yet responded to the vehicle owner. The failure mileage was 88,000.

40 Electrical System problem of the 2017 Audi A3

Failure Date: 08/01/2020

Passenger air bag off light will illuminate while passenger is seated. Numerous error codes will flash on dash. Car on highway, in motion. After a few minutes, light will turn off and error codes disappear.

41 Electrical System problem of the 2017 Audi A3

Failure Date: 07/31/2020

Regardless of front seat passenger presence: �passenger airbag off�, �seatbelt off�, and �pre sense off� warning messages illuminate at car start, restart, drive, park, restart, repeat. Unable to clear warnings. Also appears in vehicle dash warning system. Started noticing intermittently after airbag recall addressed, not sure if exact date. Now, the malfunction is constant.

42 Electrical System problem of the 2016 Audi A3

Failure Date: 07/14/2020

An improper electrical contact may cause the passenger occupant detection system (pods) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag. The dealership will say they fixed it but shortly after the passenger airbag and seatbelt sign goes off again beeping and advising you the passenger seatbelt is not on. When you have no passenger. This is a safety hazard and the dealership cannot fix the issue. They are incompetent and do not care about the safety of the vehicle drivers. If it is saying the airbag is off what will happen if there is an accident and the airbag doesn't go off due to this recall. This is negligence on the dealership/automaker.

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43 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 05/31/2020

For the last 4 days I have had someone get into my passenger seat and randomly while I'm driving and the car is in motion the airbag signal states � passenger airbag off� it flashes to notify me it has turned of. I completed research and found their is a recall on Audi vehicles for this complaint but only 2016 and a few other years. I believe this recall needs to be extended to 2015 as well.

44 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 05/25/2020

My 2015 Audi A3 has only 11,200 miles on it. The passenger bag safety light goes on and off intermittently, and has done for some time. The problem occurs mostly when someone is sitting in the seat, but occasionally it will occur when the passenger seat is unoccupied. The yellow dash light comes on near the passenger and the airbag light on the instrument panel illuminates. The information panel on the dash will simultaneously report "safety system: system fault! see owner's manual" and "passenger airbag off" and "Audi pre sense: system fault!". This fault occurred approximately 8-10 times during a 1,000 mile trip my wife and I took during memorial day weekend in 2020. I had my wife try adjusting the angle of the seat, raising the front portion higher to try to apply more body weight to the seat. My thinking was that it was a sensor issue. The system is designed to shut off if a passenger does not weigh enough for the airbag to safely deploy. The system fault acts like it detects some weight there, but not enough to engage the airbag safely. My best guess is that the weight sensor is not registering the weight correctly or maintaining a consistent reading that would keep the airbag engaged over time. The picture attached to this report were taken on may 25, 2020 during our trip, but this happens on a regular basis. After getting online to google for answers, I can see that many others are describing the same problem I am experiencing. I see that the 2015 model may have been left out of a recall to fix this issue and I would like to add my input to all others that this is a significant safety issue and should be reconsidered for model year 2015 Audi A3 sedans (and possibly other Audi models).

45 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 04/01/2020

Audi recall campaign 69z4 was supposed to fix the passenger occupant detection system malfunction by replacing a connector and harness. This has not fixed the issues. Many Audi customers saying the seat belt alarm and warning light still come on. Mine will not shut off until I plug the seat belt back in, but then my airbags turn on and off randomly even if there is an occupant in the passenger seat. This was the cheap fix. Audi acknowledges the issue with the actual pods sensor but makes customers pay $1,200 for the safety fix. This should have been part of the recall. Audi blames mine on the damage to the rear of the car, but the photos pre-date the damage to the rear bumper.

46 Electrical System problem of the 2020 Audi A3

Failure Date: 03/01/2020

The contact owns a 2020 Audi A3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would independently come to a complete stop as the the brake, air bag, and seat belt warning lights would appear on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that while her husband was driving the vehicle 35 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently as the steering wheel locked. The vehicle hit a railing and the airbags did not deploy upon impact. Her husband did not received any attention after the accident. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it remained in their possession. The contact also stated that the ecm module was defective and would not properly track her vehicle's mileage. Prior to the accident, the contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they offered no assistance for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure prior to the accident and was offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

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47 Electrical System problem of the 2008 Audi A3

Failure Date: 11/23/2019

The check engine light illuminated and has not been able to properly diagnose. More than one mechanic has told me the code p0171 that reads as the diagnostic does not correlate with my car as my car does not have a pcv valve. They have inspected the car to look for similar issues and have found none. Yet the check engine light remains illuminated. There was a recall reported 09/30/2009 on my type of car under campaign 09v377000 but my VIN is not showing as affected by that campaign even though the code that is coming up is a similar issue. I am extremely concerned about the safety of driving my car now. I can't not repair what I can not diagnose. I believe that I am affected by the recall.

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48 Electrical System problem of the 2011 Audi A3

Failure Date: 05/25/2019

Tl 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 electrical warning indicators illuminated and both turn signals, brake lights, and the passenger side headlight stopped working. The vehicle was taken to Audi of mission viejo (located at 28451 marguerite pkwy, mission viejo, CA 92692, (949) 359-4053), where it was diagnosed that the plastic body of fuse f16 melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

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49 Electrical System problem of the 2018 Audi A3

Failure Date: 05/01/2019

Appointment aug2022 to take car for recall work of the pods sensor mat & to update the pods control module but was told the part was out of stock due to logistics. Why they scheduled appointment without confirming the part was in stock. I was then told before I left that there was a couple hundred cars needing this recall and that there would be a waiting list for recall work and that I would get a call to be put on a waiting list, never received a call. Then 6 months later in Feb 2023, I received another letter from Audi informing me again of the recall 69by & a new recall item 24wi. I called Audi & was told the part(s) were out of stock. I called today 16aug2023 after waiting another six months & a service advisor informed me that the recall work was already performed on my vehicle. According to the invoice(s) from Audi of el paso the recall work for pods was completed on 05dec2020 for Audi action code 69z4 and 23ai . But according to a letter from Audi of America dated may 2021, it stated that a interim safety recall notice was issued but a recall repair is not yet available for Audi action code 69by. It was still being under investigation and a solution was still being developed. In Dec 2021, I received a letter from Audi stating that there was a solution to fix the recall/defect 69by & it says “to correct this defect, your authorized Audi dealer will replace the passenger occupant detention system (pods) sensor mat & update the pods control module. ” I called Audi of el paso after receiving the letter & was told part was on backorder due to demand. I inputted the VIN of my vehicle into Audi USA recall webpage (https://web. Audiusa. Com/recall/). I also ran VIN into the NHTSA database. Both Audi & NHTSA state that recall(s) work 69by & 24wi on my vehicle have not been fixed. But according to Audi of el paso all the recall work was done in 2020. Air bags turn off with wife in car have airbag problems since 2019. Current mileage 34k.

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50 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 01/14/2019

There is a recall on our daughters Audi A3 that we have been trying to have fixed for over 2 years. We call, we follow up and are consistently told there is no fix for the problem. The letters we continue to receive say it is about 4 hours of work on the pods system. I am tired of our college daughter paying for a known unsafe vehicle and am reaching out as we have exhausted all possibilities with Audi USA.

51 Electrical System problem of the 2016 Audi A3

Failure Date: 10/27/2018

Check engine light cuts on with overheating and eps error when starting car sometimes. When you shut off car it cuts off and returns to normal. It started last year and has continued, I was told it may be a sensor shortage.

52 Electrical System problem of the 2010 Audi A3

Failure Date: 10/10/2018

I have an Audi A3 manufactured in 2009 presenting severe issues with the abs control module. Audi has a recall for several Audi and vw models manufactured the same year, recall number 16v913000. Audi of America was notified however declined responsibility allegedly because my vehicle was not in the specified VIN range. Although my vehicle is presenting the same symptoms as those on the recall Audi is unwilling to accept responsibility. The experience was very unnerving as the car suddenly stopped while driving and suddenly accelerated. Fortunately the cars following behind were able to stop on time avoiding a serious accident. Aside from losing control of the vehicle, the steering loses position and the speedometer stops working. Furthermore the part needed for the repair has been superseded, this is very suspicious as to why there will be a new part number to replace the original if allegedly there's no problems with mine. . . ?.

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53 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 07/20/2018

While the radiator was being replaced due to cracks and leaking at 57,000 miles, my mechanic noticed the water pump assembly was melting. The top of the assembly was melting away and could cause a fire hazard. I contacted the dealer (mission viejo Audi) who stated there was no recall on the vehicle and since it was out of warranty, I was responsible for the issue. I showed the service technician the photos, and he indicated they could look at it but it would cost me a diagnostic fee of $160. It is evident the water pump needs to be replaced so not sure what needs to be diagnosed. Since there were no reported issues, he said I would ultimately be held responsible for repairs and replacement. I later talked to Audi corporate and was basically told the same thing and I would have to get it fixed. They did indicate there may be some 'minimal good will' fee adjustment based on the diagnosis from the dealer. They told me there have been no reported problems of this nature. A claim was filed with them. Since the diagnosis fee and cost of replacement from the dealer is significantly more than my mechanic charges, I may have to have him do the work as this appears to be a safety hazard to me. The dealer was not interested in addressing any potential safety problems. I am contacting you to see if there have been any complaints of this nature received and to document what I am experiencing in case other similar issues arise in the future. Photos are attached for reference and any assistance is appreciated. Thank you.

54 Electrical System problem of the 2006 Audi A3

Failure Date: 04/11/2018

The transmission stops working while driving ( as if it were in neutral). While driving up a bridge it just stopped working and started rolling backwards and now will not work at all . Its my understanding that Audi recalled this transmission in the uk.

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55 Electrical System problem of the 2012 Audi A3

Failure Date: 12/15/2017

1. Car slips on wet snow when applying brakes with brake assist on 2. 30 amp fuse for right side control module blows off every week after replacing to a black char.

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56 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 11/09/2017

While driving conti pro contact tires 225/40r/18 92hxl while driving 65 mph the front driver side thread seperated causing the tire to blow out. Losing control and almost crashing the vehicle. I was left strained until tow truck arrived at the scence.

57 Electrical System problem of the 2006 Audi A3

Failure Date: 06/28/2017

Loss of power at any time without warning the car will lose power while in motion, on a highway, just driving down a street or turning. Almost rear ended several times.

58 Electrical System problem of the 2012 Audi A3

Failure Date: 01/12/2017

After starting the car and moving a short distance, the dash display showed multiple warnings regarding the exterior lights. Approximately 12 exterior lights had all gone out at once. After some research on the issue I checked the fuse box in the engine bay and fuse f16 (30a) had melted with residue on the contact but not failed. The contact on the fuse box also had residue and the surrounding plastic was melted as well. The same exact issue occurred on my 2009-2011 vw tiguan and a recall was issued (NHTSA campaign number: 13v569000 and vw recall number: 97z9/2v). The part recalled in the tiguan is the same exact part used in the 2012 Audi A3 (part #: 1k0937125d). Aoa should recall the part as was done by vw. There are multiple safety issues that are caused by this failure such as loss of exterior lighting while driving at night and possibility of fire caused by overheating. Attached are photos of the melted fuse and fuse box as well as the vw tiguan recall notice.

59 Electrical System problem of the 2016 Audi A3

Failure Date: 01/11/2017

There is no warning, and no ignition lockout, when the etron power port door and cover is left open at the front of the car. (the power port is how to recharge the batteries in the car). This allows water to be forced into the high voltage electrical system when driving in the rain, which could trigger an electrical fire or malfuction in the system and possibly explode the lithium ion batteries that power the car. The problem was fixed on the 2017 model, but there is no solution (yet) for a 2016 etron according to dealer.

60 Electrical System problem of the 2016 Audi A3

Failure Date: 07/25/2016

Tl- the contact owned a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked they were informed that the vehicle was on fire. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was totaled. The the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and was not able to determine the vehicle failure. The vehicle replaced the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000. Gl.

61 Electrical System problem of the 2012 Audi A3

Failure Date: 11/04/2015

While driving my lights would randomly go out both during day and night. Dash warning would be bulb out needing replacing but nothing was ever wrong with the bulbs or turn signals. Issue was intermittent and warning would go away on it's own or after car restarted. Later when dash warning came on and stayed on I took it into service which later was diagnosed to be a melted fuse box panel on f16 & f17. Both fuse slots were melted along with f16 fuse (15amp) and burn marks along the housing. The dealership repaired it but would not cover the repair under warranty or acknowledge the known issue which was recalled on vw side but not by Audi. The fusebox is 1k0937125d. Audi of America should have had this covered under warranty from when the symptoms started, or recalled the part as was done on vw side. This is a safety issue due to lights while driving at night, and potential fire issue with the melting of panel and fuse.

62 Electrical System problem of the 2012 Audi A3

Failure Date: 07/01/2015

While driving at 50mph, an mil indicator illuminated on the dashboard. A consistent change in power or drivability was not experienced immediately, but intermittent moments of slight power loss were noticed (1 second drop in power) during both cruise or acceleration during the remaining drive home after the light illuminated. When I arrived home, I inspected the engine for any obvious signs such as disconnected or loose electrical connections, oil level, etc. I did find a pool of oil on top of the cylinder head pooling around the injector ports. This caused me great concern, so on July 3, I drove the vehicle to the nearest Audi dealership. After two days, an asst. Service manager called me to present a diagnosis that the exhaust flap, associated with the emissions system, required replacement and that a technical service bulletin was issued by Audi for this specific problem. The oil pooling on top of the engine was attributed to remnants from a previous service visit to this same dealership. The asst. Service manager reported that the oil was cleaned from top of engine and then the vehicle was test driven with no perceivable oil discharge occurring afterward. My concern is that the exhaust flap is an issue for all vehicles with the cbea engine type and should be replaced by Audi due to faulty quality. Being an emissions component, the quality of the emissions control must be impacted or at least detrimental to other components in the system which regulate the emission of noxious greenhouse gases. I am concerned that the drivability could suffer to a greater extent overtime if the emissions system becomes compromised by this faulty equipment. My hope is that Audi will open a campaign to replace this component for loyal customers and prolong the life of the tdi clean diesel and its remarkable reduced emissions technology.

63 Electrical System problem of the 2010 Audi A3

Failure Date: 04/08/2015

Passenger headlight, foglight and turn signal began to repeatedly cycle off and on, then eventually died. Opening fuse box in engine compartment revealed a melted fuse (f16). This same melted fuse problem affects multiple other vw automobiles such as the tiguan, jetta, and golf. There is a recall out on the tiguan only which should be expanded to other models using the same fuse box, irrespective of make/model.

64 Electrical System problem of the 2012 Audi A3

Failure Date: 02/06/2015

The f16 fuse which is recalled on the vw side melted, causing the smell of burnt plastic and exterior lights going out while driving on the interstate at night. The dealer on top if this refuses to acknowledge this issue, and will not properly fix the car. I replaced the fuse with another, the recall on the vw side is 13v569000, aoa claims they do not have this problem, vw redesigned the fuse panels in its 2012 golf/tiguan/jetta, but the Audi A3 still uses the exact same fuse and fuse panel as the models on the recall list and TSB list.

65 Electrical System problem of the 2015 Audi A3

Failure Date: 09/15/2014

Tl-the contact owns a 2015 Audi A3. The contact stated that while attempting to park, the vehicle accelerated independently and became difficult to brake. On another occasion, the contact the vehicle hesitate and felt as if it would stall. Also, the contact stated that the radio turned on independently and that the vehicle started without the key being inserted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the high idle rpm of the vehicle could be causing the failure. However, the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5. Pam.

66 Electrical System problem of the 2011 Audi A3

Failure Date: 06/17/2014

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.

67 Electrical System problem of the 2007 Audi A3

Failure Date: 09/06/2013

I was driving and the car wouldnt shift into 3rd gear so I was holding up traffic and struggled to get the car back home. I was told by dealer today I had two bad coils and the megatronic which controld the transmision was going out. I heard 2006 models had a recall on the megatronic but not 2007. I cant believe I need to spend $2500 on anew megatronic for a car that has less than 70k miles and I spent 4290 today for diagnostic, plugs, and coils. The previous 2002 Audi a4 I had had the same problem with the coils but they eventually issued the campaign and reimbursed me for the coils.

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68 Electrical System problem of the 2009 Audi A3

Failure Date: 01/08/2012

Purchased car in 2010 with around 10,000 miles on it. A few months after purchasing, check engine light would illuminate, vehicle would have a noticeable decrease in power and not accelerate over about 40mph. Sometimes after shutting car off and restarting problem would go away, other times it would not. Vehicle taken to Audi dealership car purchased from for repair and initially reported as sensor problem and repaired. Couple weeks after repair car would have same problem, so taken back to dealership and again repaired sensor(s). Within about the first year after purchasing, issue happened multiple (+/-5) times after dealership �repaired� what they thought was the problem at the particular time. After about 5/6 times of this happening dealership took a more in depth attempt at figuring out what problem really was, telling me they were working directly with Audi & their mechanics to find and fix the actual defect. Car was in shop for around 3 months for this repair, which they determined was electrical and decided to rewire the entire car. In the meantime, I moved out of state to start graduate school. I finally got it back a few months later after having to pay to ship it to me and for a rental while waiting. Within a few months, car once again had same exact problem. Took to new local dealership who also diagnosed issue as sensor(s) & �repaired� them. Continued to have same problem every few weeks, would take into dealer for repair, get it back, have problem, take to dealership, etc. Dealership would not address car overall being defective, they'd avoid contact, not return calls, hangup etc. Car eventually traded in for new make when warranty expired.

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69 Electrical System problem of the 2009 Audi A3

Failure Date: 04/02/2009

Problem is blinking headlights and interior lights when brakes applied. At night it is more pronounced and results in a flashing effect as brakes are used. Considered unsafe to be flashing lights at night. Have taken the car to dealer multiple times but they say it is within spec and all 2009 Audi A3 cars with halogen lamps exhibit this.

70 Electrical System problem of the 2006 Audi A3

Failure Date: 03/31/2009

The problem started with an intermittent right headlight tilt message. The right bulb was replaced per TSB 2013829/6 on 4/15/09 by the dealer under warranty. We have been having this problem on the left side for the past year or more. The left headlight now turns off intermittently after the dip warning light comes on. When the lights are turned off and on again, the light turns on. This is a safety issue as the left headlight shuts off randomly. We are out of warranty now and feel both headlights should have been repaired under the original TSB while the car was under warranty. The bulbs are xenon and very expensive. This problem appears to be a common problem with Audi's based on the service order and internet discussion groups.



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