2021 Audi Q3

The defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.

The risk

A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

The remedy

Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 208,724 vehicles across all model years covered

The defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Audi Q3 vehicles. The vent pipe within the fuel tank may have been damaged during fuel tank assembly.

The risk

A damaged vent pipe may allow fuel to spill out of the filler neck when the fuel cap is opened, increasing the risk of an injury.

The remedy

Dealers will inspect the internal vent pipe for damage and replace the charcoal canister and the fuel tank, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20DS.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 13,004 vehicles across all model years covered

The defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

The risk

An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

The remedy

Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 45,496 vehicles across all model years covered

crash · towed

I was driving down a one lane road in my car that is less than a month old, when all of a sudden my car aggressively veered to the right over the shoulder line, then it veered to the left over the yellow line and then the right again and it kept going over the line down a slight embankment into the woods about 30 feet. All the while the steering and brakes completely failed and would not work and the car was beeping. The only thing that stopped me was hitting a boulder. I kept trying to brake. My foot was pressed all the way down to the floor and it would not stop. It was terrifying. There was a witness who told me I must have had angels watching over me as I was not injured nor was anyone …

NHTSA complaint 11428430, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

towed · 94,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. The " Steering Failure " message was displayed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact's two minor children were seated in the rear seat of the vehicle during the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed with steering wheel sensor failure and steering wheel wiring harness failure. The contact was informed that the steering sensors and steering wheel wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The …

NHTSA complaint 11757395, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

67,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q3. The contact stated while attempting to refuel the vehicle, fuel spilled out of the filler neck and fell onto the ground. The vehicle was taken to dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V673000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered because the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

NHTSA complaint 11741834. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

I am reporting a recurring fuel system defect affecting my Audi Q3, consistent with Safety Recall 20YF – Suction Jet Pump. The problem began as difficulty refueling and now mirrors an identical issue I experienced with a previous Audi A3, which ultimately leaked fuel severely both while driving and when parked. That incident put me and my passengers in danger and caused breathing difficulties from fumes. The Q3 now shows the same early signs — gas pump shutoff, failed refueling attempts, and multiple $200 credit card holds at stations without fuel entering the tank. Audi replaced the tank in 2024, but the issue returned. This is not an ordinary maintenance issue — it is a serious safety …

NHTSA complaint 11664032, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

By the dome light, it leaks water when it is pouring rain very heavily. It also drips water by the passenger side shade visor. The dome lights will dim and get brighter consistently as it is dripping. the driver side headlight also gets foggy when it rains, which causes the one side of the vehicle not being able to see out from. The rain in the inside goes near the electrical outlets and sometimes gets into it, if i dont wipe the water away. At night time it is dangerous, with the lights dimming & getting brighter , while also leaking from the top as I have to dry it, try to turn the lights off and drive at the same time. No specific date this has occured, it has happened for approximately …

NHTSA complaint 11663688, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

The car stalled while driving. There were no warning lights or indicators before the failure. The car was unable to be restarted so it was towed to a mechanic. It was discovered the car was out of gas however the gauge read there was still a lot of gas in the tank. We then took the car to an Audi service center and they informed us it was one of the gas tank sensors that was faulty. They replaced the first sensor and charged us $1k and that didn’t fix the problem so they contacted Audi and were told it was a faulty second sensor inside the gas tank and the only fix is to replace the whole tank. We opted not to replace the tank at this time. After further research I found that the sensor we …

NHTSA complaint 11646861, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

My 2021 Audi Q3 SUV had been very dangerous to drive stalling, stopping on the highway and shuttering for about two weeks. While I was going about 70 miles an hour my vehicle stalled. It lead to me almost being killed and rear ended. My vehicle had been displaying a stop start malfunction code and check engine light. I contacted Audi USA Roadside Assistance. Paloma R. Said they would help and towed me to Audi of Jacksonville on Atlantic. I was told the diagnosis was $300 and it would go towards fixing the vehicle. However, my vehicle was not fixed properly with them charging me $300 separate from the repair. My total came to $855, they are a scam. Alex told me over the phone that the $300 …

NHTSA complaint 11642776, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.