Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Audi a3. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 16v079000 (air bags) and stated that the part needed was unavailable to perform the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.....updated 02/06/17 *bf updated 09/08/2017 *js
2011 Audi A3 airbags problems
moderate 20 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
20
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
When does it fail?
Of the 20 airbags complaints filed for the 2011 Audi A3, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Airbags accounts for 48% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 5 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
Takata recall. I have received numerous notices from Audi and the secretary of state's office that my a3 is recalled for the airbag replacement. I have been trying to schedule this since june with Audi of kalamazoo, my local dealer. They schedule appointments for this 6 weeks out. They have twice cancelled my appointment the day before the service saying that they can't get the parts. I have…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Audi a3. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 18v082000 (air bags); however, the part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called dch Audi oxnard at (805) 288-7728 (located at 1600 ventura blvd, oxnard, ca 93036) and…
Audi refuses to replace citing lack of parts yet keeps sending me notices to replace. This is wasting a lot of time for both parties.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Audi a3. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 18v082000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Audi stevens creek (3350 stevens creek blvd, san jose, ca 95117, (408) 244-5400) was contacted and confirmed…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Audi a3. The contact received notification if NHTSA campaign number: 16v079000 (air bags). The contact stated that the parts needed for the recall remedy were still not available and that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.…
Takata recall. No remedy available apparently.
Takata recall
Takata airbag I am writing to express my great concern about this potentially lethal issue with my car. This recall is open since february 2016 and yet nothing has been done to rectify this. I am forced to drive a potentially lethally harmful vehicle over the lack of ability by the manufacturer to remedy the airbag inflator. I understand the involved concerns of the survivability of takata -…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Audi a3. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v079000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called keyes Audi (5239 van nuys blvd, los angeles, ca, (818) 528-5931) and was informed that the…
Had airbags trouble with your 2011 Audi A3?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2011 Audi A3?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 20 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 20 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 64,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Audi/A3.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.