CarBrief

NHTSA has 180 owner complaints for the 2015 Audi A3, more than any other A3 model year in our data[1][2]. Air bag reports lead the list[3], and seven recalls are on file[2].

180owner complaints[1]
7recalls[2]
26–35MPG combined (EPA)[4]
5★NHTSA overall rating[5]

Most reported problems

Owners filed 180 complaints with NHTSA for this model year[1]. One mentions a crash. None mention a fire, an injury or a death[1]. These are unverified owner reports, and one complaint can name several components.

Component groups with the most complaints include:

Component group Complaints
Air bags[3] 83
Electrical system[6] 25
Fuel/propulsion system[7] 22
Engine[8] 20
Fuel system, gasoline[9] 16
Seat belts[10] 12
Power train[11] 10

Air bags. In a sample of 12 air bag complaints we read, 8 describe a passenger seat sensor fault, a passenger air bag warning light or a passenger air bag that switched itself off. The median mileage at failure for this group is 52,500[3]. This lines up with two recalls on the passenger occupant detection system, covered below.

Electrical system. In a sample of 12 complaints we read, 6 describe the same passenger occupant detection trouble[6]. Some of those owners say the problem came back after the recall repair[6].

Fuel and propulsion. In a sample of 12 complaints, 6 describe a failing fuel pump, stalling or a car that would not start[7]. Another 5 describe trouble filling the tank or an unfinished fuel recall[7]. The median mileage at failure is 52,123[7].

Engine. In a sample of 12 complaints, 5 describe a loss of power, stalling or the engine shutting off[8]. Two mention low oil or oil use, and two mention coolant leaking near the water pump[8]. The median mileage at failure is 43,670[8].

These samples are small. They show what owners describe, not how often it happens.

Recalls

NHTSA lists seven recalls for the 2015 A3, newest first[2]. Each recall below says the dealer repair is free. Ask a dealer whether each recall was done on a specific car.

Fuel economy

EPA lists these ratings. All gasoline versions take premium fuel[19][20][21][22].

Version City / highway / combined MPG Annual fuel cost
A3 quattro, 2.0L turbo, all-wheel drive[19] 24 / 33 / 27 $3,050
A3, 1.8L turbo, front-wheel drive[20] 23 / 33 / 27 $3,050
A3 Cabriolet quattro, 2.0L turbo, all-wheel drive[21] 23 / 32 / 26 $3,150
A3 Cabriolet, 1.8L turbo, front-wheel drive[22] 24 / 35 / 28 $2,950
A3, 2.0L turbo diesel, front-wheel drive[4] 31 / 41 / 35 $2,750

All five are listed as Automatic (AM-S6). Annual cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new.

Safety ratings

NHTSA rated the 4-door A3, in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive, 5 stars overall[5][23]. Frontal crash got 4 stars, side crash 5 stars and rollover 4 stars[5][23]. Rollover risk is 10.9%[5][23]. The C AWD and C FWD versions are not rated[24][25].

Engine and size

EPA test cars with the 1.8L 4-cylinder are rated 170 hp[26]. The 2.0L 4-cylinder is rated 220 hp[27].

Dimensions below are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

Variant Length Width Height Wheelbase Curb weight
Cabriolet[28] 175 in 71 in 54 in 102 in 3,583 lb
Sedan 1.8 TFSI/2.0TDI[29] 176 in 71 in 56 in 104 in 3,175 lb
Sedan 2.0 TFSI[30] 176 in 71 in 56 in 104 in 3,362 lb

How 2015 compares with other years

2006: 123 complaints, 4 recalls20062007: 52 complaints, 3 recalls2008: 43 complaints, 3 recalls20082009: 48 complaints, 5 recalls2010: 50 complaints, 5 recalls20102011: 43 complaints, 4 recalls2012: 43 complaints, 4 recalls20122013: 20 complaints, 3 recalls2015: 180 complaints, 7 recalls18020152016: 121 complaints, 6 recalls2017: 71 complaints, 5 recalls20172018: 45 complaints, 7 recalls2019: 15 complaints, 4 recalls20192020: 17 complaints, 3 recalls2022: 9 complaints, 6 recalls20222023: 7 complaints, 2 recalls2024: 2 complaints, 0 recalls20242025: 5 complaints, 0 recalls2026: 2 complaints, 0 recalls2026
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each A3 model year. The 2015 is highlighted[2].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
20061234
2007523
2008433
2009485
2010505
2011434
2012434
2013203
20151807
20161216
2017715
2018457
2019154
2020173
202296
202372
202420
202550
202620

NHTSA's counts for each A3 model year in our data put 2015 at the top for complaints, with 180[2]. The next highest are 2006 with 123 and 2016 with 121[2]. For recalls, 2015 has 7, the same as 2018[2].

Later years have fewer complaints, for example 71 for 2017 and 15 for 2019[2]. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and 2014 and 2021 do not appear in the data, so read this as a rough guide only.

Should you buy a used 2015 A3?

The 2015 A3 has a heavy complaint record next to other A3 years, and air bag reports are the biggest part of it[3][2]. The 4-door versions earned 5 stars overall from NHTSA[5][23]. Before buying, ask a dealer whether each recall was done on the specific car. The passenger air bag sensor recalls and the fuel tank pump recall are the ones to confirm[12][13][14]. Some owners in our sample say the sensor trouble returned after a repair, so test that the passenger air bag light behaves[6]. Drop or merge one sentence so the verdict has at most 5.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Audi A3?
Air bags lead the NHTSA complaint list with 83 of 180 complaints, then electrical system with 25 and fuel/propulsion with 22[1][3][6][7].
How many recalls does the 2015 Audi A3 have?
NHTSA lists seven, covering the passenger air bag sensor, the fuel tank pump, the fuel pump, a seat cover, and a label[12][13][14][15][16][17][18].
What is the gas mileage of a 2015 Audi A3?
EPA combined ratings are 26 to 28 MPG for the gasoline versions and 35 MPG for the diesel[19][20][21][22][4].
How safe is the 2015 Audi A3?
The 4-door versions got 5 stars overall from NHTSA[5][23]. The C AWD and C FWD versions are not rated[24][25].
Is 2015 a bad year for the Audi A3?
It has the most complaints, 180, of any A3 year in our data[2]. It ties 2018 for the most recalls at 7[2]. Counts are not adjusted for sales.

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 180 owner complaints on file for the 2015 Audi A3 (1 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. Owner complaints and recalls for every Audi A3 model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  3. 83 complaints name the air bags component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 52,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  4. EPA rating for A3, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Diesel, Front-Wheel Drive: 31 city / 41 highway / 35 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,750. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  5. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
  6. 25 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 45,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  7. 22 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 52,123). NHTSA vehicle records
  8. 20 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 43,670). NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 16 complaints name the fuel system, gasoline component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 78,891). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 12 complaints name the seat belts component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 48,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 10 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 8,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. Recall 24V110, filed February 14, 2024: Fuel System, Gasoline. NHTSA recall database
  13. Recall 21V198, filed March 22, 2021: Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger. NHTSA recall database
  14. Recall 19V474, filed June 19, 2019: Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification. NHTSA recall database
  15. Recall 17V280, filed April 26, 2017: Equipment › Other › Labels. NHTSA recall database
  16. Recall 16V647, filed September 7, 2016: Fuel System, Gasoline. NHTSA recall database
  17. Recall 15V824, filed December 8, 2015: Seats. NHTSA recall database
  18. Recall 15V229, filed April 17, 2015: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
  19. EPA rating for A3 quattro, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Premium, All-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 33 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  20. EPA rating for A3, 1.8L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 33 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  21. EPA rating for A3 Cabriolet quattro, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Premium, All-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 32 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,150. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  22. EPA rating for A3 Cabriolet, 1.8L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 35 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  23. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
  24. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, C AWD: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
  25. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, C FWD: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
  26. EPA Test Car List, 2015 Audi A3 with 1.8L 4-cylinder: rated 170 hp. www.epa.gov
  27. EPA Test Car List, 2015 Audi A3 with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 220 hp. www.epa.gov
  28. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, A3 CABRIOLET: length 175 in, width 71 in, height 54 in, wheelbase 102 in, curb weight 3,583 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  29. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, A3 SEDAN 1.8 TFSI/2.0TDI: length 176 in, width 71 in, height 56 in, wheelbase 104 in, curb weight 3,175 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  30. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, A3 SEDAN 2.0 TFSI: length 176 in, width 71 in, height 56 in, wheelbase 104 in, curb weight 3,362 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.