The 2012 Audi A3 has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 483,050 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
AIR BAGS19V8620002019-12-04226 affected
Defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring…
Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9,…
AIR BAGS18V0820002018-01-30162,782 affected
Defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the…
Consequence
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially…
AIR BAGS16V0790002016-02-10151,767 affected
Defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2006 Volkswagen Passat sedans and wagons, 2005-2013 Audi A3, and 2006-2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL 2009-2012 JETTA AND JETTA SPORTWAGEN VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2008 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 AUDI A3 VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH…
Consequence
DUE TO THE RESONANCE CONDITION, INJECTOR LINE NUMBER 2 COULD DEVELOP SMALL CRACKS WHICH COULD LEAD TO FUEL LEAKAGE. LEAKING FUEL IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.
Remedy
VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED FUEL INJECTOR LINE FOR THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER ON CERTAIN VEHICLES AND WILL INSTALL VIBRATION DAMPERS ON ALL OF THE INJECTOR LINES. VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS TO HAVE THE VEHICLES REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. …
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
31
1crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
6
2fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
5
2fires
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
4
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
1
Total complaints48
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“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.…”
“Air bag came on in dash. Even though the air bag was recalled and fixed by dealer”
“Tl* the contact owns a 2012 audi a3. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v079000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Audi carlsbad (5425…”
“Takata recall I received recall information for the takata airbag in my vehicle. - I called audi stevens creek [REDACTED] as instructed to schedule repair - audi said they are not doing the repair as no airbags have been provided by audi america - there is no eta when repair may be done the…”
“Carbon buildup on fuel injectors after 60k, dealership is denying extended warranty coverage. It's common issue with di engines, the manufacturer should be responsible for the maintenance.”
“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 audi a3. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 18v082000 (air bags) and stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to repair the vehicle. The dealer (rusnak pasadena audi, 267 w colorado boulevard,…”
“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 audi a3. Upon attempting to register the vehicle with the department of motor vehicles in california, the contact was made aware of nhtsa campaign number: 18v082000 (air bags). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the…”
“1.car slips on wet snow when applying brakes with brake assist on 2. 30 amp fuse for right side control module blows off every week after replacing to a black char”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA11003 Opened 2011-02-07 · closed 2015-03-27
High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure
The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by…
InvestigationEA11003 Opened 2011-02-07 · closed 2015-03-27
High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure
The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by…
InvestigationPE11023 Opened 2011-08-02 · closed 2011-12-02
Diesel Fuel Injector Line Leakage
By letter dated October 3, 2011, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it will conduct a safety recall to address a defect in approximately 168,275 model year (MY) 2009-2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen, Golf, and Audi A3 vehicles…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2012 Audi A3 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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