NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2016–2018

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 4 owner complaints for the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, covering model years 2016 to 2018. The 2016 and 2017 model years drew the most complaints (2 each), and Electrical System is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Audi A3 Sportback e-tron VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

3 recall campaigns on file
4 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
3 model years with data (2016–2018)

most complaints: 2016, 2017 (2 for that model year)
top component: Electrical System (1 complaint)
latest recall 22V543000 (reported Jul 27, 2022)

0 complaints reporting a crash (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting an injury (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron complaints by model year

2 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2016 and 2017 model years share the highest count, 2 complaints each.

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
2016	2	0	0	0	0
2017	2	0	0	0	0
All model years	4	0	0	0	0

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Audi A3 Sportback e-tron components

top 4 · NHTSA categories

Electrical System is the component named most often, in 1 complaint (25.0% of all 4), followed by Tires (1) and Visibility/Wiper (1).

Components named most often in Audi A3 Sportback e-tron complaints (top 4)

Components named most often in Audi A3 Sportback e-tron complaints (top 4)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Electrical System	1	25.0%
Tires	1	25.0%
Visibility/Wiper	1	25.0%
Wheels	1	25.0%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron recalls

3 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name A3 Sportback e-tron, newest first. The 3 campaigns cover model years 2016 to 2018. The 2016 model year appears in the most campaigns (3).

3 recall campaigns

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron recall campaigns covering each model year
2016: 3 campaigns	2017: 2 campaigns	2018: 2 campaigns

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 22V543000
Reported Jul 27, 2022
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Model year 2016
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.
Consequence:
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69DY and 61C1.
Filed by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
NHTSA campaign 21V198000
Reported Mar 22, 2021
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger; Air Bags › On-Off Switch Assembly
Model years 2016–2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Audi S3 Sedan, A3 Sedan, 2016-2018 A3 Etron, 2017-2020 RS3 Sedan, and 2015-2019 A3 Cabriolet vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction and switch off the passenger air bag even when the seat is occupied.
Consequence:
A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and update the PODS control module, free of charge. Owners letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BY.
Filed by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
NHTSA campaign 19V474000
Reported Jun 19, 2019
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification
Model years 2016–2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag.
Consequence:
A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy:
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69Z4.
Filed by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron have?

NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recall campaigns for the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, covering model years 2016 to 2018. The most recent, 22V543000, was reported on July 27, 2022 and is filed under “Air bags”. The 2016 model year is covered by the most campaigns (3).

Which Audi A3 Sportback e-tron model year has the most complaints?

The 2016 and 2017 model years tie, with 2 complaints each out of 4. Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Audi A3 Sportback e-tron complaint?

Electrical System is the component named most often: 1 complaint, or 25.0% of all 4. Tires (1) and Visibility/Wiper (1) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Audi A3 Sportback e-tron?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Audi dealer.

How many Audi A3 Sportback e-tron complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 4 complaints, 0 report a crash, 0 a fire, 0 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Audi models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Audi VIN decoder with every Audi model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Audi A4 1995–2024 · 27 recalls · 2,893 complaints
Audi A6 1995–2026 · 54 recalls · 1,656 complaints
Audi Q5 2008–2026 · 33 recalls · 1,337 complaints
Audi Q7 2007–2026 · 32 recalls · 1,042 complaints
Audi A3 2001–2025 · 20 recalls · 728 complaints
Audi S4 1995–2022 · 15 recalls · 560 complaints
Audi A5 2008–2026 · 19 recalls · 325 complaints
Audi TT 2000–2023 · 12 recalls · 319 complaints

All Audi models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.