YearToAvoid

2011 Audi A3 Airbags Problems

Airbags account for 20 of 43 complaints (47%) on the 2011 Audi A3, mostly Takata inflator recall cases. Median mileage at failure is 48,000. No crashes, fires, or injuries were reported, and three recalls (16V079000, 18V082000, 19V862000) cover the airbags.

Airbags complaints
20
47% of 43
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
48,000 mi
Related recalls
3

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report receiving Takata recall notices (campaign 16V079000) but being told replacement inflator parts were unavailable for extended periods.
  • Some drivers describe keeping the car parked or avoiding use out of fear the driver's frontal airbag inflator could rupture during deployment.
  • Multiple contacts say dealers could not give a timeline for the recall repair despite repeated calls to service departments.
  • One owner reported a reduced trade-in value tied to the unresolved Takata recall status.
  • A later notice under campaign 18V082000 repeated the same parts-unavailability problem for some owners already waiting under the earlier campaign.

When 2011 Audi A3 airbag complaints were filed

First complaint May 2, 2016, latest Jul 20, 2021.

2011 Audi A3 airbags complaints: complaints filed per month3May 2016Aug 2016Dec 2016Mar 2017Jul 2017Oct 2018Feb 2019
20 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2016 to Jul 2021; peak Aug 2016 (3).

Airbags recalls for the 2011 Audi A3

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

Airbags complaints by A3 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201013 (26%)
  2. 201120 (47%)
  3. 201231 (72%)
  4. 201310 (50%)
  5. 201545 (49%)
  6. 201636 (44%)
  7. 201716 (36%)
  8. 201817 (52%)
  9. 20193 (30%)
  10. 20209 (56%)
  11. 20223 (33%)
  12. 20230 (0%)
  13. 20240 (0%)
  14. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does the 2011 Audi A3 have?
NHTSA lists 20 airbag complaints out of 43 total complaints for the 2011 Audi A3, or 47% of all complaints for that year.
Is there an airbag recall for the 2011 Audi A3?
Yes. NHTSA lists three airbag recalls affecting this year: campaigns 16V079000, 18V082000, and 19V862000, all involving Takata driver's frontal airbag inflator replacement.
Did the airbag issue cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA records show 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries linked to these airbag complaints on the 2011 Audi A3.
At what mileage do airbag problems typically appear?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for airbag complaints on the 2011 Audi A3 is 48,000 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.