2011 Audi A3 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
46/100
#8 most-complained of 14 A3 years
The 2011 Audi A3 shows 43 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls, with a complaint index of 46 and a rank of 8 out of 14 model years, earning a 'Good' verdict relative to other A3 years. Airbags and fuel system issues are the top reported problem areas.
- Complaints
- 43
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 21.5 city / 29 hwy
Top 2011 Audi A3 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags20 (47%)
- Fuel System10 (23%)
- Engine6 (14%)
- Electrical System5 (12%)
- Transmission & Powertrain3 (7%)
- Other2 (5%)
- Steering1 (2%)
- Structure & Body1 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report the fuel pump failing and sending metal shrapnel or shards through the fuel delivery system, sometimes requiring full fuel system replacement.
- Some describe the car stalling at highway speeds after the glow plug light flashed, then being unable to restart in traffic.
- Others report 'glitter like' particles or debris clogging the fuel line, causing stalling and the need to replace the tank, lines, and pumps.
- A fuse panel (fuse F16) was reported to overheat and melt, cutting the headlights off suddenly while driving.
- Owners of the DSG transmission report the car briefly slipping into neutral with the tachometer spiking, then re-engaging after downshifting.
- Some describe the transmission jerking or hesitating between 1st and 2nd gear, shifting down inappropriately quickly.
2011 Audi A3 recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V862000Dec 4, 2019Airbags226 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
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.
- NHTSA 18V082000Jan 30, 2018Airbags162,782 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
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.
- NHTSA 16V079000Feb 10, 2016Airbags151,767 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
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.
2011 Audi A3 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21.5 MPG
- Highway
- 29 MPG
- Combined
- 24 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,300
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2011 compared with other A3 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Audi A3 reliable compared to other A3 years?
- The 2011 A3 has a complaint index of 46 and ranks 8th out of 14 model years tracked, earning a 'Good' verdict relative to other A3 years. It has fewer complaints than 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
- What are the most common problems on the 2011 Audi A3?
- NHTSA data shows Airbags account for 47% of complaints (20 of 43), followed by Fuel System at 23% (10 complaints) and Engine at 14% (6 complaints).
- Does the 2011 Audi A3 have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2011 A3, three involving airbag inflator replacement and one involving a fuel injector line on related VW Group vehicles.
- At what mileage do 2011 Audi A3 problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure across all complaints is 50,100 miles, though the Fuel System problem area shows a median of 49,300 miles and Transmission & Powertrain shows 38,000 miles.