Airbag complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts are not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the issue and informed the contact that the remedy was not available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated and the warning message "Air Bag Off" would illuminate though there was a passenger in the front passenger's seat. Additionally, the contact stated that the front passenger's seat belt chime reminder would engage while driving with no passenger in the front passenger's seat. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2017 Audi A3. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated and the message "Air Bag Malfunction. Please Seek Audi Dealer" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring intermittently. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags). However, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the failure was associated with the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to complete the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 21V198000 (Air Bags) and 19V474000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who declined to repair the vehicle for unknown reasons however, the dealer received payment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the ignition coil needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000. …
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to complete the recall repair. The contact stated that the warning message "System Failure - Replace Sensor" would illuminate and the seat belt chime reminder would engage whenever the front passenger's seat was unoccupied and the seat belt was not buckled. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2015 Audi A3. The contact stated that the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) had failed to operate with a passenger seated in the front passenger's seat. The contact then received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that an interim repair could be performed on the vehicle however, due to previous poor service, the contact decided not to have the recall repaired at that dealer. The contact then took the vehicle to Audi Gilbert (3235 S Gilbert Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85297) where they informed him that they would have to scan the vehicle prior to having the interim repair performed. The contact notified manufacturer and the manufacturer spoke with the dealer. …
The contact owns a 2015 Audi A3. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH with her son sitting in the front passenger's side seat, the passenger's side air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the recall repair was not completed as the contact left with the vehicle to pick up her son from school. The contact stated that the dealer refused to honor the manufacturer's vehicle rental assistance offer. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Related recalls (2)
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi A3 and S3 Sedan vehicles. In a lower-speed crash situation, the air bag control unit software may deploy the passenger frontal air bag improperly if the front seat passenger is sitting on the edge of the seat or is laying in the seat with the seat…
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control module software, free of charge. The recall began April 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Frequently asked questions
Which Audi A3 Cabriolet years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2015 (38), 2016 (15), 2017 (13) and 2018 (7) model years. Airbag complaints make up 44% of all complaints for the 2015.
Is there a recall for Audi A3 Cabriolet airbag problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 19V-474 (occupant classification, Jun 19, 2019); 17V-196 (occupant classification, Mar 22, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Audi A3 Cabriolet airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles; 48% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the sensor › occupant classification (1 mentions), followed by the sensor › occupant classification › front passenger (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.