YearToAvoid

2019 Audi Q3 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

10/100

#10 most-complained of 11 Q3 years

The 2019 Audi Q3 has a complaint index of 10, the lowest of any year in this model's data, and ranks Best among 11 model years. It has 10 complaints, 4 recalls, and no crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths reported.

Complaints
10
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 27 hwy

Top 2019 Audi Q3 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System3 (30%)
  2. Engine3 (30%)
  3. Fuel System2 (20%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (10%)
  5. Other1 (10%)
  6. Steering1 (10%)
  7. Structure & Body1 (10%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain1 (10%)

What owners report

  • Power steering assist can drop out for one to two seconds after auto start/stop reactivates the engine, leaving the driver briefly without steering control.
  • Touchscreen and reverse camera go blank or become unresponsive for several minutes, sometimes while the vehicle is in motion.
  • Vehicle can suddenly slow to a crawl with a dash message to call service, with gas pedal and brakes not responding, forcing use of the emergency park button.
  • Fuel pump fails intermittently while driving, causing the engine to stall and the check engine light to appear, then clearing on its own after the car sits.
  • Audi Pre Sense system triggers unnecessary automatic emergency braking and seatbelt tightening with no vehicle or obstacle nearby.
  • Sunroof leaks let water drip inside onto seats, the gear shift, and the floorboard, with owners reporting mold in the roof lining.
2019 Audi Q3 complaints: complaints filed per month3Jan 2020Jun 2020Jan 2021Jul 2022Feb 2023
13 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2020 to Apr 2025; peak Nov 2020 (3).

2019 Audi Q3 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V590000Sep 11, 2026Steering208,724 vehicles

    Steering

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.

    Risk: A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 22V815000Oct 31, 2022Suspension, Wheels & Tires296,044 vehicles

    Tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

    Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.

  3. NHTSA 21V027000Jan 27, 2021Steering1 vehicles

    Steering:critical fasteners

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling one 2019 Audi Q3 vehicle. Production deviation in the belt pully can prevent the circlip from properly engaging the steering rack.

    Risk: The circlip can detach and catch on surrounding components, causing the steering system to lock and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Audi will notify the owner, and a dealer will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall was completed February 28, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 48P7.

See all 4 recalls for the 2019 Audi Q3 →

2019 Audi Q3 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,950
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
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.

2019 compared with other Q3 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Best08323
2018Caution5026123
2019Best1010422
2020Avoid9065322
2021Caution7015324

All Audi Q3 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Audi Q3 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2019 Q3 has a complaint index of 10, the lowest among the 11 model years tracked, earning a Best verdict relative to other Q3 years.
What problems does the 2019 Audi Q3 have?
NHTSA lists 10 complaints, with the Electrical System and Engine each accounting for 30% of them (3 complaints each), followed by Fuel System at 20%.
Does the 2019 Audi Q3 have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2019 Q3, covering steering rack mounting bolts, TPMS software, a steering rack circlip issue, and a passenger airbag deployment problem.
Which Audi Q3 model years should I avoid?
Among the years with data, 2020, 2022, and 2024 carry Avoid verdicts with complaint indexes of 90, 80, and 100, while 2019 and 2017 rank Best with indexes of 10 and 0.
What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Audi Q3?
The EPA rates the 2019 Q3 at 22 mpg combined (19 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950.

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.