Problems · NHTSA complaints
2006 Audi A3 problems
Owners filed 123 complaints about the 2006 Audi A3 with NHTSA between Jul 2006 and Aug 2024. The most-cited component is air bags (56).
Complaints
123
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags56
- Power train37
- Exterior lighting10
- Electrical system6
- Fuel/propulsion system5
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Suspension4
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Engine3
- Vehicle speed control2
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Seat belts1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Steering1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
1
5
11
12
12
3
7
5
5
18
21
14
1
2
2
0
0
3
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 11 |
| 2010 | 12 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 18 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
56 reports3 crashes3 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2006 Audi A3. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, he heard an abnormal rattling sound coming from the passenger’s side of the dashboard where the air bag was located. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer and was informed that parts were not available for repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V082000 (Air Bags); for the driver's side air bag, but the passenger’s side air bag was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.”
Power train
37 reports
“LOSS OF POWER AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER WHILE IN MOTION, ON A HIGHWAY, JUST DRIVING DOWN A STREET OR TURNING. ALMOST REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES.”
Exterior lighting
10 reports
“HEADLIGHT INTERNAL COIL THAT IS REPONSIBLE FOR HEADLIGHTS HIGHBEAM TO COME ON GOES BAD TO CAUSE THE HEADLIGHT TO STOP COMING ON. KNOWN PROBLEM IN AUDI A3 2006 HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY”
Electrical system
6 reports
“THE TRANSMISSION STOPS WORKING WHILE DRIVING ( AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL). WHILE DRIVING UP A BRIDGE IT JUST STOPPED WORKING AND STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS AND NOW WILL NOT WORK AT ALL .ITS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AUDI RECALLED THIS TRANSMISSION IN THE UK.”
Fuel/propulsion system
5 reports
“OWNER OF AUDI A3 2006 2.0TFSI. RECENTLY GOT THE PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT INDICATES THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM LEAK. THE CAR WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED FOR US, BUT ITS NOW ACTIVE IN EUROPE. ALREADY SEEN SOME CAR REPAIR CENTERS, BUT NONE COULD FIX THE ENGINE CHECK PROBLEM. TODAY, I READ INFORMATION FROM OFFICIAL AUDI SITES. "FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY RECALL' ENGINE CHECK LIGHT SHOWED UP WHEN I WAS DRIVING HIGHWAY, FIRST, COMPUTER TOLD ME TO CLOSE FUEL CAP, WHICH WAS FULLY CLOSED, AFTER FUEL CAP LOGO WENT AWAY, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STARTED TO BLINKING AND THE MOTOR STARTED TO SHAKE BADLY AND I NEEDED TO DO EMERGENCY STOP. I THINK ITS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AROUND WHEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STILL SHOWS UP.”
Fuel system, gasoline
5 reports1 related recall
“THIS IS VERY KNOW PROBLEM WITH VW/AUDI 2.0T ENGINES THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF BEFORE IT HAPPENED TO ME. BASICALLY CAMSHAFT FOLLOWER BROKE CAUSING DAMAGE TO HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND CAMSHAFT. THE CAM SHAFT FOLLOWER IS TOO WEAK AND IT BRAKES TOO OFTEN FOR SOME OTHER PEOPLE. THERE IS TON OF COMPLAINS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT TJIS SPEVIFIC PROBLEM. NOW THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IS ON BACK ORDER SINCE JULY AND NO ONE KNOWS WHEN IT WILL BE AVAILABLE. I'M STOCK WITHOUT A CAR AND NO ONE CAN HELP OR EVEN TELL ME WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. AUDI IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I CAN DO. PLEASE HELP! *TT”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.