Representative 2012 model. Photo: Thesupermat, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Recalls & complaints · NHTSA data

2013 Audi A3 recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint NHTSA has on file for the 2013 model year. Not every vehicle is affected by every campaign: check a specific car by VIN below.

Recall campaigns: 3
Park-it warnings: 0
Complaints: 20
Latest campaign: Dec 4, 2019

Recall summary by component3

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

Component	Campaigns	Latest	Campaign IDs
Air bags	3	Dec 4, 2019	19V862000 18V082000 16V079000

Safety recalls3

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

0Park-it warnings

0Fixable over the air

Dec 4, 2019Latest campaign


Dec 4, 201919V862000	Air bags: frontal driver side An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. DetailsHide details for campaign 19V862000 What's wrong 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. Risk An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Remedy 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. Campaign NHTSA 19V862000 · Dec 4, 2019
Jan 30, 201818V082000	Air bags: frontal driver side 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… DetailsHide details for campaign 18V082000 What's wrong 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. 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. Remedy 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. Campaign NHTSA 18V082000 · Jan 30, 2018
Feb 10, 201616V079000	Air bags: frontal driver side 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… DetailsHide details for campaign 16V079000 What's wrong 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. 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. Remedy 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. Campaign NHTSA 16V079000 · Feb 10, 2016

Dec 4, 201919V862000

Air bags: frontal driver side

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

DetailsHide details for campaign 19V862000

What's wrong: 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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign: NHTSA 19V862000 · Dec 4, 2019

Jan 30, 201818V082000

Air bags: frontal driver side

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…

DetailsHide details for campaign 18V082000

What's wrong: 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.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign: NHTSA 18V082000 · Jan 30, 2018

Feb 10, 201616V079000

Air bags: frontal driver side

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…

DetailsHide details for campaign 16V079000

What's wrong: 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.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign: NHTSA 16V079000 · Feb 10, 2016

To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Audi recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer (federal law; see limits).

Owner complaints by component20

NHTSA Complaints API · cached ≤24 h

20Complaints filed

0Involving a crash

0Involving a fire

0Injuries reported

Component	Complaints	%
Air bags	10	50
Engine	3	15
Fuel/propulsion system	3	15
Power train	2	10
Unknown or other	2	10
Engine and engine cooling	1	5
Exterior lighting	1	5
Visibility	1	5
Vehicle speed control	1	5
Fuel system	1	5
Diesel	1	5

An owner can tag several components, so percentages add up to more than 100. Complaints are unverified owner reports, de-duplicated by NHTSA ODI number.

Latest reports

Engine and engine cooling
“The contact owns a 2013 Audi A3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly went into LIMP Mode with the check engine warning light illuminated.”
Filed 03/16/2026 · ODI 11724757
Power train
“Car stalled in fast moving traffic, and then lurched forward. In the stall the car behind me almost ran into me. In the lurch, I almost rear ended someone. Fortunate that both times there was no collision.”
Filed 05/13/2022 · ODI 11464480
Exterior lighting
“Intermittent problems with exterior lighting. I already replaced one of the rear license plate lights (not a bulb issue) and am now experiencing rear passenger side tail light issues where the tail light and directional…”
Filed 01/27/2020 · ODI 11302182

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2013 Audi A3 recall questions

How many recalls does the 2013 Audi A3 have?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2013 Audi A3. The most recent, 19V862000 (reported December 4, 2019), concerns air bags. Not every vehicle is covered by every campaign; check a specific car by VIN.

What are the 2013 Audi A3 recalls for?

The largest group is air bags, with 3 campaigns. Each campaign below lists the defect, the risk and the free remedy.

What is the most common complaint about the 2013 Audi A3?

Air bags is the most-reported component, named in 10 complaints out of 20 filed with NHTSA (50%). Complaints are unverified owner reports.

How do I check if a recall is open on my 2013 Audi A3?

Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Audi recall lookup. That shows campaigns still unrepaired on that exact car. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised Audi dealer.

Check a specific Audi by VIN

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