Most common 2008 Audi A3 problems
Share of the 43 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Audi A3 complaints by model year
Best A3 years: 2019, 2013, 2020. Years to avoid: 2016, 2015, 2006. Compare all years →
2008 Audi A3 recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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.
Remedy: 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.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2010 Audi a3, tt, and tt roadster passenger vehicles manufactured between September 29, 2005 and August 26, 2009. The closing force of an internal spring of the fuel tank ventilation valve is not adequate enough to hold the valve closed under extreme driving conditions…
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and Audi dealers will replace the fuel tank ventilation valve with an improved valve free of charge. The safety recall began on November 16, 2009. Owners May contact Audi at 1-800-253-2834.
What 2008 Audi A3 owners say
Air bags all 24 →
Takata recall: I received the attached notice from Audi of America, inc., dated April 2016, and stating that my vehicle contains a Takata frontal airbag inflator that "could potentially rupture if the vehicle is involved in a crash where the frontal airbags are designed to deploy. In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, which May result in serious injury or death to vehicle occupants." the notice states that replacement parts are not available. I recently serviced my car, and again the dealer informed me that replacement parts are not available. I called Audi USA today and they said that Takata has not made replacement parts available at this time and they have no timeline for supplying the parts. …
Takata recall I received notice in January of 2019 that my vehicle was having a second recall on the Takata airbags. I immediately attempted to have the repair done at my local dealership; I could not get through. I then contacted Audi corporate, who said they left the local dealershiop messages on my behalf; again no response. After calling multiple other dealerships in my state, one a little over an hour from me actually replied to my messages. It took until June to get this recall completed. Neither Audi USA nor it's local dealers seem to care about performing a safety recall in a timely manner.
Transmission & drivetrain
While driving at highway speeds the transmission shifts into neutral loosing the ability to power the vehicle almost causing a multi-vehicle crash. The dealer reports that it is the s-tronic transmission control box causing the issue. The incident has happened twice now with the second time with a near miss almost causing a crash. This control module failed in our vehicle at 34,000 miles (estimate) covered under warranty and now again at 83,000 miles. I have contacted Audi and I am not receiving any assistance for an issue that is clearly a safety item - loosing power at highway speeds which could result in a serious accident with a fatality or injury. This vehicle should have been included in the recall to replace the module with a known good module. Instead, it appears that the first module replacement did not include whatever fix they had done. …
My 2008 Audi A3 2.0t dsg (direct shift gearbox) has been having abrupt shifting and hesitation. The three main times issues occur are: 1.) moving from a stop, either in forward or reverse. With light throttle input, similar to in parking situations or slow moving stop/go traffic, the car/transmission feels like it's not engaged and then suddenly engages and lurches forward/backwards. This is when I feel the car is most likely to cause an accident. 2.) when slowing down to a stop (such as at a stop light/sign or for traffic), there is an abrupt thud which appears to be when the car is downshifting automatically into 2nd gear. This feels like it's doing damage to the car. …
2008 Audi A3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 29 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 29 / 24 |
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Audi A3 a good car?
Based on 43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 A3 rates average: 16% fewer complaints than a typical year of the A3 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Audi A3?
The air bags — 24 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (13) and engine & cooling (2).
How many recalls does the 2008 Audi A3 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2008 Audi A3, the most recent from January 30, 2018 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Audi A3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019, 2013 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2016, 2015 and 2006. See the full Audi A3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Audi A3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 25,000 miles; 60% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.