10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
21,885 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Audi Q3 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2016 Audi Q3 Owner Comments

problem #9

Aug 122024

Q3

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My Audi Q3 was in repair at Audi Spokane WA for an issue with the steering wheel, horn and airbag. I had it inspected at a shop in Moscow ID who diagnosed the damage as the Wheel Clock Spring. Lux Auto Hause advised that I contact Audi Dealership and stated the clock spring is under warranty. I made the next available appt with the dealership because Audi required my vehicle to be inspected at the dealership in Spokane WA before covering a warranty repair. The dealership is approximately 150 miles away and Audi stated in their letter that my Q3 had to meet qualifying factors for the warranty repair which were passenger airbag light that stays on and steering wheel controls not working. Audi covered the warranty repair and returned my Q3 with the steering wheel controls broken and Audi damaged my cruise control. I could hear plastic pieces in my vehicle steering wheel. I requested that they reinspect the supposed repair and waited for another 4 hours at the dealership. Audi did nothing about the damage and insisted it is damage from something else. Audi stated 2 times-??we cleared the passenger airbag light which seemed to be their only concern. Audi left me with my vehicle seriously damaged, they did not repair the steering wheel or the hand controls and damaged my ability to drive my Audi with the cruise control. I filed a complaint with Audi in MI and they did not initiate a repair for the damage they caused my Audi Q3. When I attempted to provide the diagnostic from Lux Auto Hause that proved my cruise control did not have an error code prior to being at Audi- they ignored me. Lux Auto Hause is 1 of 2 Authorized European repairers in my area. I have had successful repairs completed there and can-??t understand why Audi would be negligent when I can prove the damage didn-??t exist prior to the clock spring breaking. My Audi Q3 steering, hand controls and after being at the dealer-my cruise control. Is this something the NHTSA can investigate?

- Lewiston , ID, USA

problem #8

Jun 052022

Q3

  • miles
My vehicle's Airbag clock spring control unit has failed and does not work. This happened in June 2022. This part controls my airbag, my horn, vehicle display unit and other functions like the radio controls along with navigation. I had this confirmed by my local car repair shop. There is currently an air bag warning light illuminated which has been on consistently since June 2022. My horn does not work and has not worked since June 2022. Just prior to this failure the steering wheel made a plastic like crinkling noise. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Audi Services has indicated in email and over the phone that this part is indefinitely on back order. Without this fixed the car will not pass my state's inspection requirements. I have also been informed that this clock spring control unit is the same part used in the recall that VW Tiguans currently have.

- Stowe, VT, USA

problem #7

Nov 012021

Q3

  • miles
My rear lights are not working properly. I had a malfunction warning and for the right rear light. Which is making all the lights not functioning. It almost had me rear ended.

- Anacortes, WA, USA

problem #6

Aug 142020

Q3

  • 40,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Continue to malfunction while driving. Light, brake, seat light, system light, tire pressure light, steering light, everything is malfunction including the battery lifht, light, ut wouldn't start, had the battery replace and all the lights still on on the vehicle. Afaid to drive it that it could catch on fire with the electrical system malfunction. Would not start sitting had to jump it to get home.

- Stuart, FL, USA

problem #5

Oct 212019

Q3

  • 77,000 miles
I was driving and smelled fire/smoke from the dashboard. There was the start of a fire and smoke started coming out from behind the mmi screen. The connection for phone got choppy but did not go out completely.

- Barnegat, NJ, USA

problem #4

Nov 012017

Q3

  • 43,300 miles
The radio to the vehicle becomes non-operational intermittently, I.e. this has taken place in the past two consecutive days. Start the car in the morning, and noticed no radio, and loss of volume control. After a period of time, the radio becomes functional, and the volume control is enabled. This has not taken place when I bought the car new from the dealership, however recently it has become an annoyance, and distracting. The vehicle in question is parked nightly in a garage, and this occurs when starting the car in a stationary position, and continues during backup out of the driveway, and moving forward onto the street.

- Templeton, CA, USA

problem #3

Oct 022017

Q3

  • 18,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The electrical system has failed twice with no warning. The car had to towed to the dealership the first time to have the battery replaced. The second time we could jump it and drive it there and they replaced the battery again. The dealership advised that there is a known electrical short or current leakage affecting Q3S. I brought my concern to Audi but they refused to do anything about it. The first time it happened it had been parked overnight in my garage and would not start. The second time it happened after it had been driven during the day. Both incidents were in atlanta, Georgia. The car is 2 years and 2 months old.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #2

Feb 082017

Q3

  • 18,648 miles
Today Wednesday, February 8, 2017, at approximately 11:00 hrs. I hit the button to power down the driver side window. The window recessed into the driver side panels, however the window reset itself to the top of the window electronically moving up and down without any prompting on my part. I tested all the other windows that function correctly. However, the driver side window continued to operate independently on its own without any prompting from me. This issue continued for over 2 min. I had to literally, pull over off the road and place the vehicle in park and turn off the engine. After a few minutes I engaged the vehicles start button. I again rolled up the window, this time without any malfunctions.

- Templeton, CA, USA

problem #1

Oct 032016

Q3

  • 20 miles
Backup camera and alarm system failed to activate resulting in back-up collision with another car, no personal injuries. Owner was not warned about delays in camera/alarm activation at dealer orientation. Owners manual provides no such warnings. P 87 of manual, last item under "infotainment system" mentions possible delay in camera activation. No warning at all about delay in backup alarm activation. Vehicle was stationary at parking lot exit gate. Driver looked over shoulder and in mirrors, saw nothing, engaged reverse, saw blank screen, no warning alarm, backed into another car which was below visibility but directly in range of backup camera and alarm, which activated on impact. Dealer repaired my car as courtesy. Audi Corp claimed no product defect despite facts as above, supported by documentation including statement by driver my car and other car. Actual defects as established are : delays in activation of back up camera and alarm system, and failure to warn owner/driver by dealer and owners manual. Dealer was responsive. Audi Corp reaction was similar to that of parent VW of na with emission control issue, denying defect util confronted with conclusive proof. Dangers to cars or children behind backing vehicle are obvious given reasonable relianace on backup camera/alarm. Driver was used to a VW jetta (same Corp product) for which camera and alarm systems activate immediately when car placed in reverse.

- Orange, CA, USA

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