This vehicle was involved in a rear end collision in late 2025. The vehicle was just sold at auction with a clean title even though it has frame damage that is more than 100% of the cost of this vehicle. It is sold with a clean title and I am worried that a used car dealership will try to sell it with no accident history and clean title to an unsuspecting person.
Lights
Audi A3 Lighting problems by year
36 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Audi A3's lights. Headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals and interior lighting failures.
Lighting complaints by model year
Latest A3 lighting complaints
The headlight assembly failed and manufacturer accepts no responsibility and quoted astronomical repair cost. This should not have been an issue with such new components. I've seen many vehicles like mine with the same problem.
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 time I close and open and close my truck as the cables run through there. This is a mayor safety issue.
appointment Aug2022 to take car for recall work of the PODS sensor mat & to update the PODS control module but was told the part was out of stock due to logistics. Why they scheduled appointment without confirming the part was in stock. I was then told before I left that there was a couple hundred cars needing this recall and that there would be a waiting list for recall work and that I would get a call to be put on a waiting list, never received a call. Then 6 months later in Feb 2023, I received another letter...
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from Audi informing me again of the recall 69BY & a new recall item 24Wi. I called Audi & was told the part(s) were out of stock. I called today 16AUG2023 after waiting another six months & a service advisor informed me that the recall work was already performed on my vehicle. According to the invoice(s) from Audi of El Paso the recall work for PODS was completed on 05DEC2020 for Audi Action Code 69Z4 and 23AI . But according to a letter from Audi of America dated May 2021, it stated that a interim safety recall notice was issued but a recall repair is not yet available for Audi Action Code 69BY. It was still being under investigation and a solution was still being developed. In Dec 2021, I received a letter from Audi stating that there was a solution to fix the recall/defect 69BY & it says "to correct this defect, your authorized Audi dealer will replace the passenger occupant detention system (PODS) sensor mat & update the PODS control module." I called Audi of El Paso after receiving the letter & was told part was on backorder due to demand. I inputted the VIN of my vehicle into Audi USA recall webpage [[redacted]] ). I also ran VIN into the NHTSA database. Both Audi & NHTSA state that recall(s) work 69BY & 24Wi on my vehicle have not been fixed. But according to Audi of El Paso all the recall work was done in 2020. Air bags turn off with wife in car have airbag problems since 2019. Current Mileage 34k INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The tail light bulbs melts plastic and can cause fire. My light indicator came on. When I checked the bulb, the internal structure was melted. I ordered exact model from a junk yard. When I received, I noticed it had the same issue and the internal structure was melting from heat of light bulb. Both Left and Right Tail light structures were melting. Potential fire hazard.
Both front daytime running lights (drls) fading to yellow color. The drls look like they are off when driving in the daytime. The led strip is also faded when headlight control is switched to on. Limits visibility in the nighttime. This condition occurs when the car is parked, in motion, and after multiple restarts. *Tr
Every 2 min. Headlights turn off by it self for 2-3 seconds.. Then turn back on.. People on front of you think that you high beam them... But the danger is when you drive like on bridge or highway where no street lights.. Road making turn.. And your headlights turn off for couple of seconds.. And this on/off headlights thing going on stop.. Doesn't matter if vehicle in motion.. Parked or even engine not running...
Intermittent problems with exterior lighting. I already replaced one of the rear license plate lights (not a bulb issue) and am now experiencing rear passenger side tail light issues where the tail light and directional signal cease working during the driving process and then start working at random. This appears to be a similar electrical issue like the license plate light. The tail light & directional signal failure are dangerous as the failures occur without warning while the car is being driven.
Intermittent failure of exterior lights to include headlights, turn signal lights, and brake lights during driving. The first occurrence was at night. Fault seems to be (engine) temperature dependent (i.E. - Does not seem to occur when engine bay is cold). Issue continued to occur intermittently for several days (until the parts in the following description were replaced). The plastic housing for a 30 ampere fuse (position f16) in the engine compartment was partially melting. The melted fuse residue worked...
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itself into the fuse box terminals (causing damage of the fuse box) and causing a faulty connection which in turn caused the intermittent failures of the exterior lights. I have attached pictures of the f16 (position) 30 ampere fuse showing its partially melted plastic body and the fuse holder block (also with partially melted contact position / terminal area). Upon further investigation, the fault is exactly the same as a current nhtsa campaign id 13v569000 for a vw (a sister company of audi) in both the fuse location and its affects. It's not uncommon for vw and audi to use same parts. Failure of exterior lights (especially at night) is extremely hazardous. Internet search show multiple occurrences of the same issue for audi a3 (similar model years). Owner has the faulty parts (for your inspection if need be). Thank you.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 audi a3. While driving 40 mph at night, the exterior lighting powered off intermittently. The contact coasted the vehicle over to the side of the road and powered off the engine. The vehicle was restarted and was able to drive normally. The failure recurred three times. In addition, multiple electrical warning indicators illuminated and both turn signals, brake lights, and the passenger side headlight stopped working. The vehicle was taken to audi of mission viejo (located at 28451...
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marguerite pkwy, mission viejo, ca 92692, (949) 359-4053), where it was diagnosed that the plastic body of fuse f16 melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Same issue as the vw tiguan. Fuse f16 in the fuse box in the engine bay. Vw issued a recall.
Due to condensation/fogging, front headlight projection is reduced to less than half. This is a safety issue driving at night time.
A-recall suction pump smell inside car leak vap system gas a-recall side marker lights
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
After starting the car and moving a short distance, the dash display showed multiple warnings regarding the exterior lights. Approximately 12 exterior lights had all gone out at once. After some research on the issue I checked the fuse box in the engine bay and fuse f16 (30a) had melted with residue on the contact but not failed. The contact on the fuse box also had residue and the surrounding plastic was melted as well. The same exact issue occurred on my 2009-2011 vw tiguan and a recall was issued (nhtsa campaign...
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number: 13v569000 and vw recall number: 97z9/2v). The part recalled in the tiguan is the same exact part used in the 2012 audi a3 (part #: 1k0937125d). Aoa should recall the part as was done by vw. There are multiple safety issues that are caused by this failure such as loss of exterior lighting while driving at night and possibility of fire caused by overheating. Attached are photos of the melted fuse and fuse box as well as the vw tiguan recall notice. *Tr
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data