Model year record

2016 Audi A3 Cabriolet

3 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 46 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 19V474000

Air bags: sensor: occupant classification

Component
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
138,896
Reported to NHTSA
2019-06-19
Owners notified
2019-09-12

Defect description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag.

Safety risk

A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69Z4.

Recall campaignNHTSA 16V647000

Fuel system, gasoline

Component
Fuel system, gasoline
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
110,042
Reported to NHTSA
2016-09-07
Owners notified
2016-10-31

Defect description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf, Golf SportWagen, GTI, Audi A3 sedan and A3 Cabriolet vehicles. Due to a problem with the suction pump inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system.

Safety risk

As fuel accumulates in the EVAP system, it may leak out through the charcoal canister filter element. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298, Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 20Y6 and 20Y5. This recall has been fully superseded by recall 24V-110.

Recall campaignNHTSA 16V642000

Exterior lighting

Component
Exterior lighting
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
79,895
Reported to NHTSA
2016-09-06
Owners notified
2016-11-01

Defect description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 TT roadster, A3 cabriolet, A3 sedan and A3 e-tron, 2016-2017 TT coupe, 2017 A4 sedan and Q7 and 2015-2017 Q3 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Safety risk

If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Audi will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97CB.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Air bags1520,000 mi
Engine619,878 mi
Fuel/propulsion system615,500 mi
Power train312,000 mi
Unknown or other317,215 mi
Electrical system245,000 mi
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel1147,000 mi
Electrical system: instrument panel: fuel gauge1
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system13 mi
Exterior lighting14,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline165,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap18,000 mi
Steering1147,000 mi
Structure: body132,000 mi
Tires1675 mi
Vehicle speed control120,200 mi
Wheels: rim163,000 mi

The 2015 model has about half as many complaints as this one. The 2017 model has about 1.5 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.