Air Bags. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

43 reports

42,000 miles · Oct 7, 2014

EngineFuel/propulsion System

THE VEHICLE STARTED LOOSING POWER AND STALLING. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP. I TOOK THE CAR THE DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP THAT HAS DISINTEGRATED AND DAMAGED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10641900

61,000 miles · Sep 2, 2014

EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

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I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE NY STATE THRUWAY IN ALBANY AT 65-70 MILES AN HOUR. I REALIZED I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND SAW THAT THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I SLOWED DOWN AND TRIED TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT, BUT AS I SLOWED, THE CAR STALLED AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE WITH CARS PASSING ME ON EITHER SIDE AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART MY CAR. IT WAS SO SCARY. I COULDN'T GET OUT, I WAS ALONE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, I FELT MY LIFE WAS IN DANGER, UNABLE TO GET OUT OF MY CAR. I GOT MYSELF TOGETHER ENOUGH TO CALL AAA. THEY CALLED THE POLICE TO HELP ME WITH TRAFFIC. I WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DODGING CARS AND TRYING NOT TO GET HIT. AAA CAME 1 HOUR LATER; IT WAS 12:00PM, HOT AND HUMID ON THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY! THEY TOWED ME TO THE NEAREST AUDI DEALER WHICH WAS 20 MILES AWAY. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE EXTRA MILES. I AM 3 HOURS FROM HOME WITH NO IDEA WHAT I AM GOING TO DO. MY DAUGHTER HAD TO COME PICK ME UP AND DRIVE ME BACK HOME. NOW MY CAR IS IN ALBANY AND I AM IN MASSACHUSETTS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR OR HOW I AM GOING TO GET MY CAR BACK. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY, UNACCEPTABLE INCIDENT! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10630242

34,300 miles · Aug 26, 2014

Fuel System, Diesel

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MY A3 2011 AUDI 2.0 TDI DIESEL WOULD NOT START IN A PARKING LOT. NOT THE BATTERY: TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER IN HONOLULU,HI SAYS I NEED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM ( TANK,LINES, 2 FUEL PUMPS ) REPLACED DUE TO 'GLITTER LIKE' PARTICLES IN THE FUEL LINE. FUEL IS BEING SENT FOR ANALYSIS. I AM USING THE RECOMMENDED BRAND OF DIESEL FUEL ( SHELL ) . FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT MOVING. SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS LIST SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILURE. ALSO FORTUNATELY, IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10628306

48,500 miles · Jul 7, 2014

Fuel/propulsion System

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CAR STALLED DUE TO DEBRIS CLOGGING THE FUEL LINE AND FUEL COULD NOT GET TO THE ENGINE. I AM TOLD CAVITATION OCCURRED, RESULTING IN METAL SHARDS DAMAGING THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED REPLACEMENT AFTER THE TANK. DEALER CHALLENGED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE $10K REPAIR, SAYING THE STANDARD SERVICE ON THE FUEL FILTER DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN PERFORMED. THE WARRANTY GOES TO 50K MILES, CAR WAS AT 48.5K MILES. THE OWNER'S WARRANTY BOOKLET DID NOT HAVE THE SAME SERVICE AS THE DEALER SAID SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE--IT WAS A LESS FREQUENT INTERVAL. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10608493

37,000 miles · Jul 1, 2014

EngineFuel System, Diesel

FUEL PUMP IMPLODED AND SENT SHRAPNEL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM. EVERYTHING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607406

89,000 miles · Jun 17, 2014

Electrical System

SAME ISSUE AS CAMPAIGN 97Z9 ON THE VW TIGUAN WITH FUSE F16 ON THE FUSE PANEL IS MELTING. THE PART NUMBER IS THE SAME AS THE TIGUAN'S. 1K0937125D. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10598963

38,000 miles · Dec 23, 2013

Power Train

THE CAR IS JERKING IN BETWEEN 1ST AND SECOND GEAR. SEEMS THE TRANSMISSION CANT DECIDE TO STAY IN 1ST OR SECOND. ALSO- THE CAR SHIFTS DOWN TO 1ST INAPPROPRIATELY QUICKLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10557106

62,000 miles · Sep 19, 2013

Fuel System, Diesel

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I OWN AN AUDI A3 2011, TDI. I HAD TWO SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WITH THIS TDI. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WHEN THE CARS JUST PASSED THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF 50,000 MILES. I DROVE THIS CAR IN CITY STREET AND THE ?GLOW-PLUG? INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. I BARELY MADE IT TO THE AUDI SERVICE. THEY TOLD ME THAT I CONTAMINATED WITH UNLEADED FUEL. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT IS NOT THE CASE BECAUSE I ONLY USE ONE GAS STATION AND USUALLY, I USED THE SAME DIESEL PUMP. AFTER AUDI DEALER TALK TO THE AUDI OF AMERICA, THEY DECIDED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, APPROXIMATELY $8,000. THEN THIS IS THE SECOND SIMILAR INDECENT. I STARTED THE ENGINE AND HEAR UNUSUAL CLANKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR IN CITY STREET TO MY HOME. THEN SUDDENLY THE ?GLOW PLUG? LIGHTS MOMENTARILY FLASHES. THE ENGINE DIES IMMEDIATE RIGHT AFTER. I COAST THE CAR TO THE CURB. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER, AND AFTER A DAY, THE SERVICE MANAGER AGAIN TOLD ME THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED WITH UNLEADED FUEL. I ASSURED YOU THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE BECAUSE I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO DROVE THIS CAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT AUDI DID THE ANALYSIS AND IT INDICATED THAT THE FUEL GOT CONTAMINATED, BUT CONTINUED TO DENY THE ACCUSATION BECAUSE I AM VERY CAREFUL IN USING THE ?ULTRA-LOW SULFUR DIESEL? FOR MY CAR. THE FIRST INCIDENT I ONLY POUR MY DIESEL GAS FROM SHELL STATION, BUT SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT HAD HAPPENED, I CHANGED TO CHEVRON STATION. AFTER ONE WEEK, I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AND ASK HIM FOR THE ANALYSIS OF THE CONTAMINATION, AND HE SAID THAT HE HAD SENT TO AUDI IN GERMANY FOR REPORT. THEN I SAID I WANTED THE OLD INJECTION SYSTEM BACK SO I CAN DO AN INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS, HE ALSO TOLD ME HE SENT THE OLD PARTS BACK TO GERMANY FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. I SERIOUSLY DOUBTED THAT THE AUDI DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID ANY ANALYSIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10544337

33,500 miles · May 8, 2013

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ENGINE DANGEROUSLY AND WITHOUT PRIOR SYMTOMS LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY IN MORNING TRAFFIC; WOULD NOT START AGAIN. POWER LOSS EFFECTED BOTH THE BRAKING AND THE STEERING, MAKING DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHILE IT COASTED TO A STOP. CALLED #77 STATE POLICE IN VA, TRANSFERED TO FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE, OFFICER CALLED TOW SERVICE. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP (AUDI OF CHANTILLY). SERVICE DEPARTMENT FIRST SAID A POSSIBLE BAD FUEL FILTER, THEN SAID "NON-COMBUSTIBLE FUEL" AND THEN SAID "KEROSENE" IN THE TANK. SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER PROVIDED NO EMPERICAL EVIDENCE OF FUEL QUALITY AND REFUSED TO DO SO STATING "WE DON'T DO THAT." TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC; DAMAGE CONFIRMED. INDEPENDENT SHOP OWNER STATED THAT HIS CONTACT WITHIN AUDI CONFIRMED 5 CASES OF SUCH ISSUES. THIS BEING THE FIRST CASE WHERE AUDI AND THE DEALER DODGED THE WARRANTY. IT APPEARS THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR CANNOT HANDLE THE FULL VARIANCE OF FUELS THAT QUALIFY AS ASTM STANDARD SPECIFICATION FUELS. TRUE FOR BOTH Q7 AND A3 MODELS. THE FUEL INJECTOR BASICALLY DISINTEGRATED AND DESTROYED THE TURBO CHARGER. THE DIAGNOSTIC CANNOT CONTINUE UNTIL THE TURBO CHARGER IS REPLACED, BUT IT'S LIKELY THE ENGINE IS ALSO DAMAGED AND WILL NEED REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. AUDI OF CHANTILLY BLAMES ME AND "BAD FUEL" AS THE CAUSE WITHOUT CHEMICAL ANALYSIS ON THE FUEL. MECHANIC FLUSHED THE TANK WILL FRESH DIESEL, REMOVING WHATEVER FUEL WAS ORGINALLY IN THE TANK, AND ANY EVIDENCE OF BAD FUEL. VEHICLE DROVE 384 MILES ON THAT FUEL SINCE THE PREVIOUS FUEL. FUEL DISTRIBUTION MANAGER FOR THAT STATION CONFIRMED THERE IS NO KEROSENE ON SITE. CONTACTED AUDI OF AMERICA, CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE REPEATED WHAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID AND STATED "WE WILL NOT BE PROVIDING RESOURCES."

NHTSA ODI #10511167

17,000 miles · Aug 16, 2012

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI A3 TDI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE …

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NHTSA ODI #10471151

Official recalls

19V862000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Dec 4, 2019

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 after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

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, and 69Y5.

18V082000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jan 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 & remedy

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.

16V079000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Feb 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 & remedy

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.

11V490000 · Fuel System, Diesel

Oct 3, 2011

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 SEPTEMBER 2011, THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L TDI COMMON RAIL DIESEL ENGINE/CLEAN DIESEL ENGINE. THE FUEL INJECTION PULSES COULD COINCIDE WITH THE NATURAL FREQUENCY OF THE INJECTOR LINE #2, IN SPECIFIC LOAD AND RPM CONDITIONS. THIS RESONANCE CREATES ADDITIONAL STRESS IN THE FUEL LINE.

Consequence & remedy

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. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE11023 · Diesel Fuel Injector Line Leakage

Opened Aug 2, 2011 · Closed Dec 2, 2011

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Diesel

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 equipped with the 2.0L TDI Common Rail Clean Diesel engine (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-490).The recalled Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen vehicles were built from May 2008 through September 2011, the Golf vehicles were built from May 2009 through September 2011, and the Audi A3 vehicles were built from September 2009 through September 2011.According to Volkswagen, in U.S. applications of the above cited TDI vehicles including engine codes CJAA and CBEA, the fuel injection pulses could coincide with the natural frequency of the injector line #2 in specific load and RPM conditions.This resonance creates additional stress on the fuel line which a small number of parts (based on the statistic spread of line strength) cannot withstand over its lifetime.As a contributing factor, VW indicated that a supplier used tube material with scratch marks from a grinding process during certain production periods.Lines manufactured in these periods were installed in vehicles produced in the following 10 months:December 2008, January-February 2009, October 2009, March-April 2010 and September-December 2010.Injector lines using this material exhibit a significantly higher failure rate.Dealers will replace injector line #2 in all vehicles built in these months.In addition, as a precautionary measure, all recalled vehicles will have vibration dampers installed on all four fuel injector lines.Analysis of NHTSA complaints, VW complaints, VW field reports and warranty claims found allegations of injector line leakage in 443 subject vehicles.The leaking line was not identified in 62 of the vehicles.For the 381 that did provide information about which injector lines were leaking and/or replaced, 358 (94%) involved an injector line #2 leak/repair.Almost three-quarters of the injector line #2 leak/repair incident vehicles were built in the 10 months identified by VW, which accounted for approximately one-quarter of the recalled vehicles.The failure rate for injector line #2 in vehicles built in the 10 months affected by the supplier line scratching issue is 6.0 incidents per thousand vehicles (IPTV).The failure rate for injector line #2 in other production months of recalled vehicles is 0.8 IPTV.The leak/repair rates for the other injector lines are all well under 1 IPTV.The action taken by Volkswagen is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation. The agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

EA11003 · High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure

Opened Feb 7, 2011 · Closed Mar 27, 2015

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Diesel; Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump

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 Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information, field experience and test data for MY 2009 through 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject TDI Clean Diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pumps were designed, tested and approved for use in the United States market, with substantial design margins for fuels that are out of specification.Volkswagen believes that misfueling with gasoline is the primary cause of HPFP drivetrain failures in the field.Only the Q7 vehicles were built with misfuel protection devices.In May 2013 Volkswagen initiated a service campaign to install misfuel protection devices in all MY 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Golf and A3 vehicles.Volkswagen implemented misfuel protection devices in all of the subject models beginning in MY 2013. ODI?s analysis of HPFP drivetrain failure incidents indicates that most failures do not result in engine stall while driving and, when pump drivetrain failure does result in stall while driving, it is usually preceded by numerous warning symptoms (e.g., glow plug warning lamp, chime, limp mode, and driveability symptoms).The failure data for the subject vehicles show relatively low stalling rates (less than one percent at three years in service) for each of the pump designs used in the subject vehicles.There have been no reports of crashes, injuries or fatalities related to the alleged defect. Based on these facts, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.For additional information, see the closing report in the document file for EA11-003.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Fuel System, Diesel

Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump