How many open recalls are there on the 2012 Audi A3?

There are 4 active NHTSA recall campaigns on file for the 2012 Audi A3. 3 of those are classified critical based on reported deaths, fires, or crash outcomes.

Are recall repairs free?

Yes. Federal law requires manufacturers to remedy any safety recall at no cost to the owner, regardless of warranty status, mileage, or whether you are the original owner. The dealership performs the work and bills the manufacturer. You should never pay out of pocket for a recall repair.

How do I check if a specific recall has been performed on my Audi?

Run your VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls or use the VIN decoder at the top of this page. The federal system shows the completion status of every safety recall on your specific vehicle, including campaigns the original owner may have addressed before you bought it.

How long do I have to claim a recall repair?

Most safety recalls have no expiration date — manufacturers must honor them indefinitely. A small subset of voluntary service campaigns and "customer satisfaction programs" do expire, typically 7-10 years from issue date. The campaigns listed on this page are full safety recalls; if your vehicle is covered, you can claim the repair at any time.

What if my dealer says they can't fix the recall?

Two situations: (1) parts shortage — manufacturers sometimes issue recalls before remedy parts are available; you may have to wait, but the dealer should give you a written acknowledgment that your vehicle is on the list. (2) Dealer error — if the dealer claims your VIN doesn't qualify when NHTSA's system says it does, escalate to NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline (1-888-327-4236). NHTSA can compel the manufacturer to honor the campaign.

When was the most recent recall on this vehicle issued?

The most recent recall in our records was campaign 18V082000, dated 2018-01-30. The oldest active campaign on file dates to 2011-10-03.

ProblemsByVin Recalls / 2012-AUDI-A3

4 active campaigns

2012 Audi A3 recalls

Every active NHTSA recall campaign for this vehicle, ranked by severity. Each entry shows the consequence if left unfixed and the manufacturer's prescribed remedy.

Critical

Severe

Moderate

Recall timeline

When were recalls issued for the 2012 Audi A3? Recalls span 2011 to 2019. No new campaigns in over five years — issues appear settled.

Critical Severe Moderate

Embed this recall timeline

Free to use on your site, post, or video — just keep the "Source" credit line below the chart. Preview the widget →

<iframe src="https://problemsbyvin.com/embed/recall-timeline/2012-audi-a3/" width="100%" height="340" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:8px;max-width:640px" title="2012 Audi A3 recall timeline" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<p style="font:12px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#64748b;max-width:640px;margin:6px 0 0">Source: <a href="https://problemsbyvin.com/2012-audi-a3/recalls/" style="color:#b8540a;font-weight:600">2012 Audi A3 recall timeline — ProblemsByVin</a></p>

critical NHTSA 19V862000 December 4, 2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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.

critical NHTSA 18V082000 January 30, 2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

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.

Fix: 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.

critical NHTSA 16V079000 February 10, 2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

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.

Fix: 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.

severe NHTSA 11V490000 October 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

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.

Fix: 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.

← Back to 2012 Audi A3 overview

Recall data sourced from the NHTSA recallsByVehicle public API. Each campaign number above links to the official federal record; you can also verify the full recall history at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Audi/A3. Campaign numbers, consequences, and remedies are reproduced from the official record. Manufacturers are required to provide the remedy free of charge for safety recalls — contact your nearest dealer with the campaign number to schedule the repair.