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2013 Audi A3
Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.
20 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 20, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Buy-rated alternatives from this era
Other 2011–2015 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2013 Audi A3.
Why caution?
3 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical). Confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.
Airbags problems dominate (50% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#217 of 428Among the 2013 models with a matured record, the 2013 Audi A3 ranks #217, scoring higher than 16% of them. See the 2013 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2013 Audi A3, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (10)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Airbags
50%10 complaints
“TAKATA RECALL - DEALER INFORMED ME THE RECALL PART HAS BEEN UNAVAILABLE FOR 1 YEAR AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNAVAILABLE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 2 - 6 MONTHS. NO RECALL MAINTE…”
Engine
15%3 complaints
“AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 18 MILES, TOOK AN EXIT AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN I ENTERED THE INTERSECTION AND THE ENGINE…”
Fuel system
15%3 complaints
“WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT, I FELT WHAT I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS A "CLUNK" AND THE BATTERY LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED. THE CAR HAD STALLED, AND I HAD…”
Transmission & drivetrain
10%2 complaints
“WHILE DRIVING IN SEATTLE'S NOTORIOUS STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, MY A3 TDI, HAS STALLED. IT ACTS AS IF I HAVE "DROPPED" THE CLUTCH, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE BEING AN AUTOMATIC!!. …”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Air Bags · 19V862000
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: 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.
Air Bags · 18V082000
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: 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.
Air Bags · 16V079000
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2006 Volkswagen Passat sedans and wagons, 2005-2013 Audi A3, and 2006-2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: 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.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Audi before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 Audi A3. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report airbags problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any airbags symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2013 Audi A3 beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2013? See how every A3 model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2013 Audi A3 against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.