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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags56
  2. Power train37
  3. Exterior lighting10
  4. Electrical system6
  5. Fuel/propulsion system5
  6. Fuel system, gasoline5
  7. Suspension4
  8. Engine and engine cooling4
  9. Engine3
  10. Vehicle speed control2
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  12. Seat belts1
  13. Latches/locks/linkages1
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20061
20071
20085
200911
201012
201112
20123
20137
20145
20155
201618
201721
201814
20191
20202
20212
20220
20230
20243

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.

03 —Owner reports

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 29, 2024Air bagsODI 11611582

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2017Power train, Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11002964

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 16, 2017Exterior lightingODI 10945554

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 15, 2018Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11085169

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 9, 2021Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11407165

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2011Fuel system, gasolineODI 10427701
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.