What's Wrong with the 3rd Generation (2013–2020) A3?

A3 owners have made 33 complaints about the 2013–2020 model years. Using our PainRank™ system we've ranked it 35th out of 39 Audi generations in overall reliability, with real engine and transmission concerns.

Compare With Other A3 Generations

Common 2013-2020 Audi A3 Problems

Some of the worst issues 3rd generation A3 owners have to deal with.

  1. Busted Timing Chains

    Audi's EA888 2.0-liter engine has a history of tensioner problems in its timing chain. The loose chain is to blame for multiple occurances of catastrophic engine failure. Audi was forced to offer settlement offers, including an extended war…

    Continue reading article "Busted Timing Chains" View of engine timing chain

  2. Takata Recalls

    A large number of Audi vehicles have been recalled because they contain dangerous airbag inflators made by Takata. The shrapnel-hurling inflators have been recalled in over 37 million vehicles (and counting).

    Continue reading article "Takata Recalls" Test dummy getting hit by Takata airbag

  3. Sunroof Leaks

    Multiple defects with the sunroof drainage system are causing massive amounts of leak problems for Audi owners. The water is soaking headliners, creating unsafe amounts of condensation, and short circuiting sensitive electronic components. …

    Continue reading article "Sunroof Leaks" Poorly drawn blue box outlining damage made to the headliner from rain leaking in through the sunroof.

  4. Start-Stop Defects

    There are multiple problems with Audi's start-stop technology that outweigh the modest fuel efficiency gains. Owners complain that the system will shut off the power steering and brake systems at dangerous times and cause the accelerat The …

    Continue reading article "Start-Stop Defects" A tachometer with the red arrow pointing at the 'ready' position

  5. Cheating Diesel Emissions

    Audi was caught cheating on its diesel emissions with defeat devices. Twice. It started with the widespread dieselgate story for 2.0L 4-cylinder engines and was followed with a lesser known cheat for vehicles with the ZF 8-speed transmiss…

    Continue reading article "Cheating Diesel Emissions" Cloud of emissions from a tail pipe

What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

3rd Generation (2013–2020) A3 Key Numbers

  1. 8 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 33 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 35th in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 39 eligible generations.

Recent 3rd Generation (2013–2020) A3 News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. More than 171,000 Audi sedans have been recalled for shutting off the airbag when there's a passenger in the front seat.

    This should give pause to anyone wanting to call "shotgun" on your next road tripl especially considering this is the second time the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) has been recalled in some of these vehicles over the last couple years. …

    keep reading article "Audi Recalls 171,000 Vehicles for Passenger Airbag System Shutoffs"

  2. The lead plaintiff in a proposed leaky sunroof class-action has requested a voluntary dismissal of the entire case, without prejudice.

    This is New Jersey we're talking about here, so it's not out of bounds to think the plaintiff was told "that's a nice car you've got there, it'd be a shame if something happened to it." Or maybe they just a free fix under the table and that was good enough for them.…

    keep reading article "Audi Sunroof Lawsuit Suddenly Dropped by Lead Plaintiff 🤔"

  5. There's a serious defect with VW Group's panomaric sunroofs. So a class-action lawsuits wants to know when are they going to do something about it?

    The NJ based suit says a difference in the expansion rate between the plastic water channels and steel reinforcement plates may cause stress cracks to occur at the edges of the reinforcement plates, more than wide enough to let water seep in.…

    keep reading article "Lawsuit Claims Audi's Sunroofs Have Defective Drainage Systems"

  6. A sunroof class-action lawsuit has been proposed for all California Audi owners and lessees with defective, leaky panoramic sunroofs.

    It's widely believed that VW Group, parent company of Audi, used sunroof drainage systems with a serious defect. A difference in expansion rates is causing the plastic water channel to crack were it meets steel reiforcement plates. The water then heads through the crack and into the interior.…

    keep reading article "California Audi Owners Are Tired of Leaky Sunroofs Damaging their Interiors"

  7. A proposed class-action filed in the Easter District of NY is fed up with Audi (and it's parent company Volkswagen Group) denying warranty claims for leaky, panoramic sunroofs.

    The lawsuit lists a long line of TSBs that talk about problems with the sunroof drainage systems. They even give dealerships tips on how to repair the issue on unsold inventory, but they won't honor warranty claims asking for the same repair.…

    keep reading article "Audi's Warranty is Useless For Leaky Sunroofs, Says Lawsuit"

  9. Audi is recalling over 1,000 vehicles because of quick connectors that are supposed to hold fuel supply lines in place aren't doing their job.

    The detached lines will stop supplying fuel to the crankshaft and start depositing it onto hot engine surfaces. When flammable liquid meets something as hot as an exhaust manifold, things happen. Things you don’t want.…

    keep reading article "Quick Connecters Are Allowing Fuel Lines to Detach"

  10. When Volkswagen agreed to a multi-district settlement for selling polluting engines marketed as clean diesel,

    it did so knowing it’d have to pay billions of dollars to customers that owned or leased an affected vehicle when the news about the scandal broke.

    Some owners that had sold their affected vehicles before the news came out tried to file for compensation in court, but didn't get very far. That may be about to change due to an interesting court decision in California.…

    keep reading article "Judge's Decision May Open to the Door to New Diesel-Scandal Claims"

What A3 Owners Say About This Generation

Audi Thinks Excessive Oil Consumption is Fine

The dealer told me that everything is fine on my car and just topped off the oil. After 3 weeks I checked the oil level with the dipstick, the car has already used 1/3 of the oil. I drove the car back to the dealer again (it has already been 4 times!). They told me that the low oil light was not on, the car is fine.

2015 A3 Owner in IL