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2020 Audi Q3

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

35 reports with mileage · 29 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Steering complaints

9 reports
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Mileage unknown · Nov 18, 2020
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

THE START STOP FEATURE NEEDS TO BE DEACTIVATED OTHERWISE THE WHEEL LOCKS UP ONCE STOPPED AND VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD ONCE FOOT RELEASES OFF BRAKE. THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED AND RPM DIAL LIT UP AND ENGINE WAS REVVING ONCE START STOP WAS DEACTIVATED. CAR HAD TO BE PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. STARTED AGAIN TO MOVE. CLOCK CHANGED TI…

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THE START STOP FEATURE NEEDS TO BE DEACTIVATED OTHERWISE THE WHEEL LOCKS UP ONCE STOPPED AND VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD ONCE FOOT RELEASES OFF BRAKE. THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED AND RPM DIAL LIT UP AND ENGINE WAS REVVING ONCE START STOP WAS DEACTIVATED. CAR HAD TO BE PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. STARTED AGAIN TO MOVE. CLOCK CHANGED TIME ON ITS OWN. INTERIOR READING LIGHTS CAME ON SPONTANEOUSLY NUMEROUS TIMES. CAR WE T TO SERVICE AT DEALER AND WAS TOLD SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR START STOP. GOING BACK IN NOW FOR ENGINE REACTION TO START STOP DEACTIVATION, CLOCK, LIGHTS. STILL NO SOFTWARE UPDATE AVAILABLE. BOUGHT CAR NEW MARCH 2020. ALL EVENTS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING OR WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. ALL HAPPENED ON STREETS BOTH DRIVING STRAIGHT AND TURNING.

NHTSA ODI #11375280

1,000 miles · Oct 30, 2020
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

WHILE DRIVING ON ROADWAY YESTERDAY (10/29/2020) THE VEHICLES ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. POWER STEERING WENT OUT. WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO SIDE OF ROAD AND RESTART. WENT HOME AND HAD CAR TOWED TO VALENTI AUDI, WHO DETERMINED THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR SOFTWARE UPDATE. NOT A R…

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WHILE DRIVING ON ROADWAY YESTERDAY (10/29/2020) THE VEHICLES ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. POWER STEERING WENT OUT. WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO SIDE OF ROAD AND RESTART. WENT HOME AND HAD CAR TOWED TO VALENTI AUDI, WHO DETERMINED THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR SOFTWARE UPDATE. NOT A RECALL! RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND OTHERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS! TSB PRINTOUT IS IN VEHICLE AND WILL BE RETURNED TO ME AT SALISBURY CT. HOWEVER, NHTSA MUST ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS.

NHTSA ODI #11372375

2,600 miles · Apr 17, 2020
Steering

HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE LANE ASSIST HAS SUDDENLY TURNED THE CAR INTO ANOTHER LANE, OFTEN FOLLOWING A CRACK IN THE ROAD. HAVE NEARLY HAD ACCIDENT RELATED TO THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALERSHIP NOT HELPFUL, DECLARING THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING FINE. PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY 16 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER...BECAUSE OF THE EX…

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HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE LANE ASSIST HAS SUDDENLY TURNED THE CAR INTO ANOTHER LANE, OFTEN FOLLOWING A CRACK IN THE ROAD. HAVE NEARLY HAD ACCIDENT RELATED TO THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALERSHIP NOT HELPFUL, DECLARING THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING FINE. PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY 16 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER...BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA SAFETY FEATURES. VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS MALFUNCTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11321422

350 miles · Mar 12, 2020
Steering

THERE IS A 3-4 SECOND DELAY IN THE STEERING ASSIST AFTER ENGINE RESTARTS FROM A START/STOP EVENT. (AUTO START/STOP FEATURE) I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I EXPECTED THE POWER STEERING TO BE ACTIVE WHILE THE CAR IS ON. I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN ON A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN I LET GO OF THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE ST…

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THERE IS A 3-4 SECOND DELAY IN THE STEERING ASSIST AFTER ENGINE RESTARTS FROM A START/STOP EVENT. (AUTO START/STOP FEATURE) I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I EXPECTED THE POWER STEERING TO BE ACTIVE WHILE THE CAR IS ON. I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN ON A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN I LET GO OF THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE STARTED AND CAR STARTED MOVING FORWARD. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN MY STEERING WHEEL SO THE CAR WENT FORWARD AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN THE NEXT LANE OVER. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THAT AUDI KNEW ABOUT THIS AND STATED THAT THIS IS WITHIN SPECIFICATION. (ATTACHED THEIR INTERNAL TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE) MEANWHILE MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A WEEK, I HAD A LOANER AUDI SQ5 THAT DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. NOR ANY OF THE CARS I'VE EVER DRIVEN BEFORE. I EVEN SHOWED THIS ISSUE TO A FEW OF MY FRIENDS AND EVEN THEY AGREED THAT THIS WAS NOT SAFE. WHAT'S EVEN MORE UPSETTING IS THAT AUDI'S RESPONSE WAS "AUDI TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RECOMMENDS TURNING OFF START/STOP SYSTEM TO AVOID STEERING CONCERN" SO WHY WOULD I PAY FOR A FEATURE THAT I AM NOT ABLE TO USE AND IF I DO USE THE FEATURE, I'M ENDANGERING MYSELF AS WELL AS OTHERS ON THE ROAD? (THIS IS ALSO INCLUDED IN MY ATTACHMENTS.) I DO HOME SOMEONE CAN HELP ME BECAUSE AUDI WILL NOT.

NHTSA ODI #11317773

1,400 miles · Feb 9, 2020
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemSteering

MY 2020 Q3 PURCHASED DECEMBER 21, 2019 MALFUNCTIONED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION JANUARY 22, 2020. IT HAD 1400 MILES ON IT. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I HAD NO ENGINE. I COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT SHUT OFF THE BRAKE LIGHTS, WHICH LEFT ME IN A SERIOUSLY UNSAFE SITUATION. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED. …

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MY 2020 Q3 PURCHASED DECEMBER 21, 2019 MALFUNCTIONED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION JANUARY 22, 2020. IT HAD 1400 MILES ON IT. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I HAD NO ENGINE. I COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT SHUT OFF THE BRAKE LIGHTS, WHICH LEFT ME IN A SERIOUSLY UNSAFE SITUATION. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED. THE OTHER TWO INSTANCES HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT. I THOUGHT I HAD DONE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE START/STOP. MY DEALERSHIP HAS DISMISSED MY SAFETY CONCERNS AND HAVE OFFERED NO RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, OTHER THAN DISENGAGE THE START/STOP EVERY TIME I GET IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE OF WHEN THIS WOULD BE FIXED AND WAS TOLD IT COULD BE MONTHS TO GET THE PARTS. THERE WAS ALSO NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITH THE START/STOP ALREADY DISENGAGED. I AM DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING LEAVING MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS AT RISK.

NHTSA ODI #11308010

150 miles · Jan 21, 2020
Steering

I BOUGHT MY AUDI Q3 ON DECEMBER 21 AND ON DECEMBER 22 I STARTED NOTICING ISSUES WITH THE STEERING, SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE AUTO STOP/START FUNCTION. NOW, AS DETAILED BELOW, I DID NOT HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH MY PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, SO WHEN I STARTED TO NOTICE THE SLOW BELABORED TURNING, I THOUGHT THAT I WAS MAKING…

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I BOUGHT MY AUDI Q3 ON DECEMBER 21 AND ON DECEMBER 22 I STARTED NOTICING ISSUES WITH THE STEERING, SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE AUTO STOP/START FUNCTION. NOW, AS DETAILED BELOW, I DID NOT HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH MY PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, SO WHEN I STARTED TO NOTICE THE SLOW BELABORED TURNING, I THOUGHT THAT I WAS MAKING MORE OUT OF IT BECAUSE I HAD SUCH A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE AT THE DEALERSHIP. AND, I WISH THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE MORE, THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP NOT ONLY BECAME MORE FREQUENT, BUT ALSO MORE AGGRESSIVE, WHERE IT WENT FROM A SHORT SPLIT-SECOND DELAY TO A DELAYS THAT LASTED MANY SECONDS. THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND TERRIFYING. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WHERE I WAS TRYING TO TURN LEFT, AND THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING FORWARD BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WASN'T ENGAGING - THIS OCCURRED AS TRAFFIC WAS COMING TOWARDS ME, ONE OF WHICH HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS SLAMMING INTO ME IN THE INTERSECTION. OBVIOUSLY, MY NEXT STEP WAS TO BRING THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE CLEAR DEFECT. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE MY SURPRISE, HORROR, AND DISMAY, WHEN DAYS LATER I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TELLING ME THAT NOT ONLY DID AUDI KNOW ABOUT THE DEFECT, BUT THAT TO THEM IT WASN'T A DEFECT AT ALL BUT AN ADEQUATELY PERFORMING 'SLIGHT DELAY.' OF ALL THE RESPONSES THAT I COULD HAVE IMAGINED, THAT WAS THE ONE THAT NEVER CROSSED MY MIND BECAUSE THAT WOULD ME THAT AUDI WAS WILLFULLY IGNORING THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE DID HIS BEST TO SHOW ME WORK AROUNDS FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT AS I SAID TO HIM, STEERING YOUR CAR WHILE DRIVING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE TO BE 'WORKED AROUND.' THERE SHOULDN'T NEED TO BE A WORK AROUND WHERE SAFETY IS CONCERNED. THE UNSAFE DELAY HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR.

NHTSA ODI #11300896

200 miles · Dec 3, 2019
Fuel/propulsion SystemSteering

VEHICLE MISFIRES/ STUTTERS RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF. DRIVER HAS TO MANUALLY RESTART CAR. THIS CAN BE HAZARDOUS WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AS THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF. NOT SURE IF THIS IS A FUEL INJECTION ISSUE. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN TWICE WHILE ASCENDING A HILL. I PICKED UP MY NEW CAR ON 10/22/2019, SINCE 11/02/20…

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VEHICLE MISFIRES/ STUTTERS RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF. DRIVER HAS TO MANUALLY RESTART CAR. THIS CAN BE HAZARDOUS WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AS THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF. NOT SURE IF THIS IS A FUEL INJECTION ISSUE. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN TWICE WHILE ASCENDING A HILL. I PICKED UP MY NEW CAR ON 10/22/2019, SINCE 11/02/2019, I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE 5 TIMES. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP TWICE FOR THIS ISSUE AND CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 11/25/2019. THE CAR IS NOT STORING ANY FAULTS. VEHICLE ALSO RECOGNIZES ROAD REPAIR SEALANT AS A TRAFFIC LANE AND WILL TAKE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. YOU HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL TO COMMAND CONTROL OF THE STEERING. LASTLY, WHEN USING THESE AUTO START/STOP FUNCTION, AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE THE STEERING LOCKS AND YOU HAVE TO WRESTLE FOR CONTROL OF THE WHEEL.

NHTSA ODI #11286753

85 miles · Nov 3, 2019
Electrical SystemSteering

THE LANE-DEPARTURE ASSIST DOES NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THE TAR LINES ON THE ROAD AS NON-LINES. THE LANE DEPARTURE ASSIST ALMOST PULLED ME INTO A GUARD RAIL ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN EXITING!!! THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND IS TERRIFYING! IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF STRENGTH TO OBTAIN CONTROL BACK FROM THE CAR!! IT IS ALSO VERY …

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THE LANE-DEPARTURE ASSIST DOES NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THE TAR LINES ON THE ROAD AS NON-LINES. THE LANE DEPARTURE ASSIST ALMOST PULLED ME INTO A GUARD RAIL ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN EXITING!!! THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND IS TERRIFYING! IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF STRENGTH TO OBTAIN CONTROL BACK FROM THE CAR!! IT IS ALSO VERY HARD TO STEER WHEN THE LANE ASSIST TAKES OVER AND DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO VEER OUT OF THE WAY WHEN SOMEONE SWERVED INTO YOUR LANE! AGAIN, IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF STRENGTH TO WRESTLE BACK CONTROL FROM THE CAR! PLEASE HELP! THESE ASSIST FEATURES ARE A HAZARD TO NORMAL DRIVING! IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THESE FLAWS, I WOULD HAD NEVER LEASED THE CAR. I AM NOT STUCK IN A DANGEROUS CAR FOR 3 YEARS! HELP OTHERS! PLEASE!!

NHTSA ODI #11277933

100 miles · Nov 3, 2019
Electrical SystemSteering

WHEN THE AUTO START-STOP FUNCTION ACTIVATES (TURNING THE ENGINE OFF), THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. THE CAR CAN CONTINUE TO ROLL WHEN YOU LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO START MOVING AGAIN, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINS LOCKED NOT ALLOWING YOU TO STEER THE CAR WHEN NECESSARY. I ALMOST GOT HIT BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT IS VERY SCARY NOT…

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WHEN THE AUTO START-STOP FUNCTION ACTIVATES (TURNING THE ENGINE OFF), THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. THE CAR CAN CONTINUE TO ROLL WHEN YOU LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO START MOVING AGAIN, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINS LOCKED NOT ALLOWING YOU TO STEER THE CAR WHEN NECESSARY. I ALMOST GOT HIT BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT IS VERY SCARY NOT TO BE ABLE TO STEER OUT OF THE WAY WHEN NECESSARY!!! THIS IS HORRIBLE FUNCTION OF THE CAR WHICH CAN CAUSE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS!!

NHTSA ODI #11277932

Official recalls

3

26V590000 · Steering

Sep 11, 2026

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.

20V786000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages

Dec 16, 2020

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Audi Q3 vehicles. The brake pedal plate can bend or detach under the pressure applied during sudden stopping.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A bent or detached brake pedal plate decreases the contact area for the driver's foot and increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the weld between the brake pedal and the brake pedal plate and, as necessary, replace the entire brake pedal, free of charge. The recall began January 12, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46i7.

20V644000 · Seats; Seats:critical Fasteners

Oct 19, 2020

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling one 2020 Audi Q3 vehicle. The driver's seat frame may have incorrectly been bolted to the seat rail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The incorrect bolt connection could fail, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolt connection and, as necessary, replace the seat structure, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72L4.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Seats:critical Fasteners

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling one 2020 Audi Q3 vehicle. The driver's seat frame may have incorrectly been bolted to the seat rail.

Consequence: The incorrect bolt connection could fail, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolt connection and, as necessary, replace the seat structure, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72L4.

Seats

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling one 2020 Audi Q3 vehicle. The driver's seat frame may have incorrectly been bolted to the seat rail.

Consequence: The incorrect bolt connection could fail, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolt connection and, as necessary, replace the seat structure, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72L4.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.