AI Damage2017 Audi A3: common problems
Owners of the 2017 Audi A3 filed 36 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. The maker issued 582 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 36
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 582
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 42% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 28% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 28% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 19% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 8% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
- Air bags: 15 complaints (42% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 9.
- Electrical system: 10 complaints (28% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 129.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 10 complaints (28% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Engine: 7 complaints (19% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 21.
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 42.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 1.4 L · plug-in hybrid · turbo · 4 cyl
- dual-clutch (DCT), 6-speed
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 36 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Electrical system | 10 | 0 | 129 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 10 | 0 | 7 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 42 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 46 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 151 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 39 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 37 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The Vehicle Electrical System Control Module J519 had a fault that prevented using many vehicle functions - no interior lights, no heated seats, dashboard and navigation screen too dim to read in daylight.
Car throws P2884 and the internal combustion motor will not start. The issue is gone into detail here: [XXX] recommendation is swapping out mechatronic unit for the upgraded unit. Since the unit is prone to failure this really should be a recall. It happens on all cars 2016/2017 years right around 60k miles.
The passenger side break light and signal stop working occasionally. I took it to a certified Audi service center, and they were able to fix the issue but reported that the central wire system that makes the break light and signal work are defective and that the issue will continue given that the cables may move every…
Panoramic sunroof spontaneously shattered while driving under normal conditions. This happened while I was driving on a freeway. Luckily I maintained my composure and safely drove home with broken glass all over myself. My car insurance paid for most of my sunroof replacement.
Directed us not to drive as it was a fire danger and said that we should send to Audi to see if they would cover this under warranty as it was a major emissions and safety problem. Towed [dealer] [dealer] dealer indicated this sounded like exactly what had happened for a recall issued for 2016 A3s.
There have been no prior warning messages regarding this issue. I purchased this vehicle from Audi Dealership in Van Nuys, CA in November 2020. I have had this vehicle less than 3 years & as of now , it has less than 35,000 miles on it.
Audi issued a recall/reimbursement for transmission failure. Mine failed. Car stopped in the middle of roadway. I had transmission repaired before recall was issued. I have attempeted reimbursement and am denied by audi due to my vehicle being a theft recovery.
While driving on highway 59 my vehicle began to jerk. I tried to accelerate and the vehicle would ramp but not move fast. My check engine light came on as well as the error code “transmission malfunction you continue to drive until engine is off.” After getting out of Houston, Texas rush hour traffic, I had my vehicle…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,004 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 48% most complained about).
On average one model year of the A3 has 19 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 36, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided
- This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has…
This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
- This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel
- This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations
- This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases
- This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer
- This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the…
This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.
- This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped
- This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning
- This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels
- This service information TSB provides warranty coverage information for vehicles with a broken sunroof panel
- This bulletin provides information about leather care and seat repair
NHTSA lists 582 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Audi A3?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 36. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (22%), stalls while driving (14%), airbag warning light (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 Audi A3?
NHTSA lists 582 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2017 Audi A3 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2017 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.