2012 Audi A3 problems
The 2012 Audi A3 has 48 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (65%) concerns air bags. Next are electrical system (12%) and lighting (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 48 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 65% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 0 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 64,000 miles 17 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 1 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 5 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 8 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 3 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 0 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 17 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 64,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2012 ranks 5th most-complained-about out of 12 model years of the Audi A3 with enough data (41 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
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…
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.
Traveling at speed on the interstate when the glow plug light warning indicator started flashing on the dash. Car instantly became inoperable. Luckily was approaching an exit and attempted to exit the interstate. The car died on the ramp and would not restart. Called a tow truck to haul the car to audi of lexington. Service examined the vehicle the next morning. To my witness, the fuel filter canister and the top side of the high pressure fuel pump appeared to be full of metal.
Takata recall. I got a letter from audi on 4/27/2106. The letter is attached. Please ignore my notes. It stated my car was being recalled due to a defective front airbag made by takata. Parts are unavailable and no knows when they will be. I called audi and they said they would not be providing rental cars to their customers. I called 2 dealers in columbus, ohio and they would not provide rental cars as this is a manufacturers defect. Meanwhile I am screwed.