Most common 2001 Audi TT problems
Share of the 120 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Audi TT complaints by model year
Best TT years: 2016, 2005, 2003. Years to avoid: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2000. Compare all years →
2001 Audi TT recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2000-2001 Audi TT Coupe, TT Roadster, 2000-2002 A4, and S4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver Air Bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver frontal airbag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 TT Roadster, 2000 TT Coupe, 1999 Audi A8, 1998-2000 Audi A6, and 1999-2000 Audi A4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator when the parts become available, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed September 21, 2021.
Suspension › Rear
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Moisture could enter the rear track control arm's mounting bushing and bolt combination and cause corrosion.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the track control arms. Owner notification began April 12, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
What 2001 Audi TT owners say
Electrical system all 71 →
On our Audi TT 2001 convertible, the electrical outlets underneath the dashboard caught on fire. The fire department was called and after an investigation, found no known cause of fire. Also, prior to this fire, the tip of the spark plug fell into the engine cylinder block, causing us the owners to pay in full for a new engine head to be replaced....lots of money (approximately $8000). We replaced it through a well known professional Audi shop auto haus munich in san diego. Hazardous lights needed to be replaced professionally because it interfered with the signal lights. Much money & time spent, and many headaches experienced while owning this beautiful yet troublesome car.
Headlights just stopped working again for the umpteenth time. Park light and high beams work fine. This is a reoccurring problem with the low beams. Can be driving along fine and cut car off and start back up and low beams just won't come on. If it was 1 at a time I could see it as being no problem but they both stop working at the same time. Keep replacing switch and headlights...thinking this would alleviate problem to no avail. See this is an ongoing problem with Audi owners. Also see that it's a recall on the newer models but not the late models.
Fuel & propulsion system
Electrical issue with gauge cluster, fuel gauge inaccurate (runs out of gas in middle of hwy), low oil pressure light comes on (manual says to stop immediately when light comes on), air bag light comes on! Everything I have read states these are all problems with the gauge cluster (cost over $1000 to have replaced!) Audi USA knows about problem but refuses to do anything about it. Audi has a recall in the uk for this problem, why not here in the U.S. ?? This is a serious safety issue!
The fuel sending unit can often report incorrect information, causing owners to occasionally run out of gas without prior notice. Fuel gauge has a tendency to jump from full to empty within minutes. Audi has already recalled their a6 model for the same defect, yet does not want to recall the TT even though they share the same part number for the fuel sending unit and exhibit the same problem.
Engine & cooling
On our Audi TT 2001 convertible, the electrical outlets underneath the dashboard caught on fire. The fire department was called and after an investigation, found no known cause of fire. Also, prior to this fire, the tip of the spark plug fell into the engine cylinder block, causing us the owners to pay in full for a new engine head to be replaced....lots of money (approximately $8000). We replaced it through a well known professional Audi shop auto haus munich in san diego. Hazardous lights needed to be replaced professionally because it interfered with the signal lights. Much money & time spent, and many headaches experienced while owning this beautiful yet troublesome car.
(1) events leading up to the failure of my timing belt were normal driving conditions, ie no sounds, smells, or visual damage. (2) on 01/15/2007, my timing belt broke while driving. The consequences are damage to the cylinder head, as well as other parts of the engine. (3) last year, Audi changed the time/mileage needed in order to change timing belt from 106,000(as stated in the owner manual, of the Audi TT) to 60,000-70,000, according to an employee, I spoke with. I asked the dealership if any notices; mail, e-mail, or phone, were sent out, and their response was, "no. Because many customer have been having problems with timing belts breaking at an early stage, we let them know as they come in for service." I filed a complaint with the department of consumer affairs on, 1/19/2007. …
2001 Audi TT engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Audi TT a good car?
Based on 120 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 TT rates avoid: 7.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the TT at the same age. It is one of the TT years we suggest avoiding. 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 2001 Audi TT?
The electrical system — 71 complaints, 59% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument cluster/panel. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (10) and engine & cooling (10).
How many recalls does the 2001 Audi TT have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2001 Audi TT, the most recent from June 23, 2021 (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 TT?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016, 2005 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2000. See the full Audi TT years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Audi TT problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 45% 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.