This page covers 4 recalls, 43 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2017 Audi A3.
29 mpg combined
8.1 L/100km
Subcompact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted.
For the 2017 Audi A3, the heaviest complaint volume centers on the fuel and propulsion system, followed by electrical issues. On the fuel side, owners report warning lights appearing at highway speeds alongside a noticeable gasoline smell inside the cabin, sometimes accompanied by the engine being limited in RPM. A recurring powertrain complaint involves a fault code that prevents the combustion engine from starting, which owners tie to the mechatronic unit, a pattern several describe appearing around 60,000 miles. Electrical complaints focus on the body control module failing in ways that knock out interior lighting, heated seats, and leave the dashboard and navigation screen too dim to read in daylight. Airbag complaints make up the third-largest group, with owners reporting warning indicators for the passenger airbag system alongside automatic emergency braking that they say stops functioning reliably.
43
Total Complaints
1
Crash-Related
2
With Injuries
By System
The 2017 Audi A3 has 4 recalls, the most serious being an engine stall risk at startup or low RPMs where the engine can lose power unexpectedly, raising the risk of a crash.
A separate fuel system recall affects front-wheel drive models: a fuel leak can develop and, near an ignition source, create a fire risk. On the safety equipment side, the passenger seat occupant detection system can malfunction and switch off the passenger airbag even when someone is sitting there, leaving that occupant without airbag protection in a crash. There is also a compliance recall involving the speedometer display: when the distance setting is switched from kilometers to miles, the gauge shows only mph and drops the km/h reading, which does not meet Canadian display requirements but has no effect on vehicle safety.
At a glance
What can fail
A faulty seal on the suction pump inside the fuel tank allows fuel to flow into the emissions control system and potentially leak from the charcoal canister.
What the fix does
The suction pump will be replaced at no cost.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger air bag detection system may malfunction and turn off the passenger air bag even when someone is sitting in that seat.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the detection sensor mat and reprogram the detection control module at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When you change the distance display from kilometers to miles, the speedometer only shows speed in mph. Canadian rules require it to show km/h or both km/h and mph.
What the fix does
Volkswagen updated new vehicle speedometers to display both mph and km/h when distance display is set to miles.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
During engine start-up or low RPMs, the air/fuel mixture control may not work reliably. This can cause the engine to misread conditions as the flywheel rotates, resulting in loss of power.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a software update to improve engine control stability during start-up and low RPM operation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
