2018 Audi A3 recalls & problems

Recent owner complaints

• May 21, 2026Engine
  Coolant Water Pump and Thermostat -- Coolant temperature indicator gauge runs from normal to high after about 10-15 miles drive. Coolant levels are good and no signs of leak. Engine light is activated along with warning messages. Engine Warning: Drive System Malfunction. Please call for service. The vehicle goes into "Limp Mode" and warns to not exceed 4,000 rpm. I am in the process of having this repaired by a mechanic. FYI--- There was a previous RECALL for this in 2017. Clearly the problem still occurs.
• Sep 6, 2025Tires
  225/45-R18 DOT(17/22) On September 6, 2025, I purchased a 2018 Audi A3 (VIN [VIN], 56,634 miles) delivered by Carvana. Within days, I had the vehicle inspected at multiple independent repair shops. Each shop documented that all four tires showed dry rot and cracking and advised immediate replacement due to risk of tire failure. On September 10, 2025, I contacted Carvana and followed their warranty claim process. After escalation, on September 18, 2025, I was informed that Carvana determined “the tires are not bad enough” and denied replacement. The vehicle was delivered with unsafe tires that pose a serious risk of blowout or loss of vehicle control, endangering both the driver and…
• Jul 10, 2025Engine
  Hello, I dropped my car off at Audi and Dominion in San Antonio Texas on Thursday July 10th for a repair this was a recall for the fuel pump system in something in the mechatronic controls. They had my car until Saturday I was informed that the repairs were done under warranty. Then on Saturday July 19th as I began to drive the vehicle a alert for my transmission malfunction appeared on my dashboard and I Lost first gear. I had my car taken to Audi on Dominion where I was informed by several service staff that this is a common malfunction after the last software update that was done the week prior and that it could take up to 48 hours to do the repair and recall warranty work on my vehicle.…
• Jun 9, 2025Air bags
  Audi had a recall on my 2018 A3 for a Passenger Occupant Detection System. in July 2023, Audi replaced the PODS Sensor mat. Recently, the same car has encountered the same issue. The PODS light indicates the airbag is off even if a passenger is sitting in the seat. There has been not repair work since July 2023, that would impact the PODS. And the warning lights reappeared after a period of normalcy. I feel this is an incomplete recall remedy and Audi is now wanting to charge me for the repair
• Jun 16, 2025Fuel/propulsion system
  My 2018 Audi A3 began having fuel-related issues after receiving the recall service for campaign 20YF (Suction Jet Pump Seal) at an authorized Audi dealership. I first took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, because the check engine light came on, and there was a strong fuel smell. Most concerning, fuel leaked heavily from the front part of the engine, posing an extreme fire risk. who performed a diagnostic and found the following faults: Cold start fuel pressure performance fault Fuel rail/system pressure too low Fuel rail pump control valve stuck open Injector 4 leaking fuel The mechanic replaced injector 4 and installed new seals. However, the fuel leak continued, so I decided to…
• May 1, 2025Power train
  I was driving on the freeway at 60 mph when I received a warning code of a transmission problem. The code said the car was driveable but I should take it in for service. About 1-2 minutes after that the car lost all power. Unfortunately I broke down in the left lane in a construction zone without a shoulder. The state patrol had to temporarily shut down all three lanes of the highway to push me out of the traffic lane I was blocking. That was unsafe for me and for the state patrol and for the tow truck driver. The car was up to date on all recommended service, had been acting normally until the moment it failed, had not given me any warnings and is only 6 years old. I had the car towed to…
• Oct 15, 2023Unknown or other
  Will be driving down the road and warning light comes on and car forces me to switch over to manual transmission in order to drive it. If I turn the vehicle off for a minute it will let me reset it to automatic, but then will switch back over to manual. Just wondering if the fuel leak pump that has been recalled is causing this problem.
• Nov 19, 2023 · 1 injuryElectrical system
  The vehicle pre-sense stopped the vehicle due to the detection of an object however, there was no object. This happened going forward and in reverse multiple times, causing the car to come to a sudden, abrupt stop even at speeds in excess of 30mph. This resulting in my teen daughter having bruising from the seat belt. The car was taken to the dealership and the dealership recalibrated the control unit. The vehicle continues to unnecessarily activate pre-sense when in reverse, and causes the car to come to an abrupt halt despite there being no object. The system may be responding to shadows. Numerous returns to the service department continue to yield “no codes”. The PODS system was…

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• RQ23007 · opened Dec 12, 2023 · closed Jul 1, 2024 · led to recall 24V110Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
  On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 passenger car vehicles. The recall remedy repair replaced SJP Version 1.0 with an improved version, Version 1.1. The SJP is designed to purge fuel from the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system. VW’s recall filing stated the SJP may have been damaged during assembly, which could potentially allow fuel to flow directly into the EVAP system. Over time, the fuel could accumulate in, and cause a leak from, the charcoal canister filter element. ODI received consumer…