There are 3 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2009 Audi A3in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AUDI / VW HAD A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ON THIS CARS TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. MINE BROKE AT 95000 MILES. SO I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER AUDI OWNERS THAT DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS HAPPENED. THIS IS COSTING ME OVER 1000$. AND SHOULD OF BEEN A FULL RECALL, NOT THIS OTHER BS. IT IS LEAVING US HIGH AND DRY. I HOPE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THANKS
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.
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 ENDED UP IN A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY HOPED NO ONE WOULD HIT ME AND THANK GOD IT DIDN'T. I THEN QUICKLY SHIFT THE GEAR BACK TO "P" AND FORTUNATELY THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN SO I COULD GET OUT OF THIS HELL ZONE. THIS IS TRULY UNBELIEVABLE FOR A NEW VEHICLE WITH 200 MILES. IF THIS DOES NOT PUT MY AND MY LOVE ONES IN DANGEROUS, I AM IN SERIOUS CONCERN OF THE MANUFACTURERS MOST BASIS HUMAN INTENTIONS. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026