2009 Audi A3: complaints, problems and recalls

PROBLEM IS BLINKING HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. AT NIGHT IT IS MORE PRONOUNCED AND RESULTS IN A FLASHING EFFECT AS BRAKES ARE USED. CONSIDERED UNSAFE TO BE FLASHING LIGHTS AT NIGHT. HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES BUT THEY SAY IT IS WITHIN SPEC AND ALL 2009 AUDI A3 CARS WITH HALOGEN LAMPS EXHIBIT THIS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10268277 at NHTSA ↗

BRAND NEW 2009 AUDI A3 WITH 200 MILES COMPLETELY FAILED IN THE HIGHWAY IN LAS VEGAS, NV. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. I AM TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT AROUND 60/65 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION (DSG) STARTED MAKING CHUNK NOISES AND THE CAR STARTED TO JERK, THEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY!! NOT TO MENTION MY YOUNGEST SISTER (10 YEARS OLD) WAS WITH ME. I COULDN'T RESTART THE ENGINE AND I COULDN'T STEER AND/OR SHIFT WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE BREAK. I END…

Owner-reported narrative. 295 miles reported. Look up ODI 10281829 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE AN 2009 AUDI A3 2.0T WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AFTER ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE CARE THE TRANSMISSION STARTS EXHIBITING STRANGE BEHAVIOR. AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AFTER LETTING THE FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. IT MAKES A CLUNKING SOUND AND THE GEAR INDICATOR GOES FROM THE GEAR NUMBER DISPLAN TO P-R-N-D INDICATOR AND THEN BACK TO THE GEAR NUMBER DISPLAY. IF YOU LEAVE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR WILL REPEATEDLY JERK FORWARD. IF YOU SLOWLY ACCELERATE THE CAR IS EXTREMELY JERKY AND NOT SMOOTH LIKE IT…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293287 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH. THE FAILURE FELT AS IF THE BRAKES HAD ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL ABLE TO BE DRIVEN, BUT THE VEHICLE RAN WOULD DRIVE ROUGHLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10519534 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. MECHATRONIC CONTROLLER HAS GONE BAD. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DSG WILL NOT ENGAGE TO GO INTO REVERSE. TRANSMISSION ACTS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. WHEN PLACED IN PARK, IF AUTO IS ON AN INCLINE OF ANY SORT, THE VEHICLE WILL AND HAS ROLLED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES. THE CONCERN IS THAT IF THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE ON COMMAND, THE OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY AN ONCOMING MASS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 64,670 miles reported. Look up ODI 10553855 at NHTSA ↗

CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR, TRANSMISSION FROZE UP. ALL THE GEAR LIGHTS WERE FLASHING PRND. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALER. THEY STATED THAT THE MEGATRONIC TRANSMISSION MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE PART NEEDED TO COME FROM EUROPE. *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 61,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10579289 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING INTO A SMALL LOT TO PARK. FOOT ON BRAKE AND MOVING AT AT LOW SPEED CAME TO STOP AND AUTO SUDDENLY STARTED TO SPEED AND SOUNDED LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL. AUTO JUMPED A SMALL CURB AND WENT INTO SOME BUSHES. IN PAST WHEN DRIVING AUTO SHIFTED TO SPORT GEAR WITHOUT WARNING AND SLOWED DOWN. DEALER CHECKED AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM SIMILAR RECALL WITH 2009 A3 BUT NOT MY VIN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 41,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10619508 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING, ALL POWER TO THE ENGINE JUST SUDDENLY TURNS OFF WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES WHILE ON THE FREEWAY AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, AS A COUPLE SEMIS KEPT ME FROM PULLING OFF THE ROAD BEFORE LOSING SIGNIFICANT SPEED THAT CAUSE MERGING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT. UPON TRYING TO RESTART, ONE TIME THE CAR RESTARTED FINE WHILE ANOTHER IT TOOK NUMEROUS TRIES WITH A ESP FAULT ERROR RESULTING, THEN IT SUDDENLY WORKED FINE AGAIN, UNTIL IT HAPPENED ANOTHER TIME.

Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10816187 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-08-20 (August 20, 2009)

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2008 AND AUGUST 2009. THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED. WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALSELY DETECT A HIGH GEARBOX OIL TEMPERATURE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SELECTOR LEVER POSITION INDICATOR WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FLASH. IN ADDITION, THE "DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL" INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER TO APPLY THE BRAKES.

Consequence: THE ABRUPT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: VOLKSWAGEN WILL REPROGRAM THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WITH UPDATED SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2009-09-30 (September 30, 2009)

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 THROUGH 2010 AUDI A3, TT, AND TT ROADSTER PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 AND AUGUST 26, 2009. THE CLOSING FORCE OF AN INTERNAL SPRING OF THE FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE IS NOT ADEQUATE ENOUGH TO HOLD THE VALVE CLOSED UNDER EXTREME DRIVING CONDITIONS POSSIBLY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK.

Consequence: IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND AUDI DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE WITH AN IMPROVED VALVE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 16, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-253-2834.

Reported: 2016-02-10 (February 10, 2016)

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.

Reported: 2016-12-20 (December 20, 2016)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.

Consequence: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Reported: 2018-01-30 (January 30, 2018)

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 inflator to explode.

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 supersedes recall 16V-078.