Regardless of front seat passenger presence: 'passenger airbag off', 'seatbelt off', and 'pre sense off' warning messages illuminate at car start, restart, drive, park, restart, repeat. Unable to clear warnings. Also appears in vehicle dash warning system. Started noticing intermittently after airbag recall addressed, not sure if exact date. Now, the malfunction is constant.
2017 Audi A3 electrical problems
moderate 8 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
8
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
When does it fail?
Of the 8 electrical complaints filed for the 2017 Audi A3, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 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
Among the 8 model years of Audi A3 in our records for electrical problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Electrical accounts for 22% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 4 categories tracked.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Passenger air bag light intermittently comes on after starts. Car has been showing exact symptoms from the PODS recall since I bought it in May, and I’ve tried to have this fixed by 3 separate Audi dealerships, and none of them have been able to fix it. At this point, this recall has now been active for over a year and a half, and I think it is absolutely ridiculous to have a non-functioning…
Passenger air bag off light will illuminate while passenger is seated. Numerous error codes will flash on dash. Car on highway, in motion.after a few minutes, light will turn off and error codes disappear.
Had electrical trouble with your 2017 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 electrical problem on the 2017 Audi A3?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 8 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 8 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 40,223 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 $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2017/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.