12 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
This recall covers certain Volkswagen Tiguan and Atlas SUVs, along with related Audi Q3 vehicles. A bolt that attaches the steering rack to the subframe can corrode, or rust, and break over time. If that bolt breaks, the steering rack housing itself can break as well, affecting the steering system on these vehicles. The bolt involved is located on the right side of the steering rack.
Audi is recalling certain Q3 vehicles because incorrect software may let someone close the sunroof remotely from too far away to see it clearly. The vehicles do not meet the federal safety requirement listed in the notice for power-operated windows. Dealers will update the sunroof software and the owner's manual. Both updates are free.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Tiguan and Arteon vehicles and certain Audi Q3 vehicles. The control unit that runs the backup camera can hit an error when the vehicle is started, and when that happens the rearview camera image does not show up the way it should. Because of this, these vehicles do not meet the federal government's rear visibility safety standard. Dealers will install updated software for the camera control unit free of charge.
An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the occupant detection system may loosen. If it loosens, the system can deactivate the front passenger air bag, meaning the air bag would not be active for that seat.
Your vehicle's tire pressure monitoring system is supposed to warn you when tire pressure gets too low. In these vehicles, if all four tires lose air pressure at the same time, the system may not detect this quickly enough to warn you. This means you might not get a timely alert if every tire loses pressure at once. Dealers will fix the problem by updating the tire pressure monitoring software at no cost.
Volkswagen is recalling certain 2021 and 2022 Audi Q3 vehicles. A vent pipe inside the fuel tank may have been damaged while the tank was being assembled. If that pipe is damaged, gasoline can spill out of the filler neck when someone opens the fuel cap. Dealers will inspect the vent pipe inside the tank and, if it is damaged, replace the charcoal canister and the fuel tank, all free of charge. Notification letters were mailed November 1, 2022.
Volkswagen and Audi are recalling certain 2021 and 2022 cars and SUVs because of a problem with the rear seat belts. The part of the belt that locks it in place for a child seat may switch off too early, so the child seat may not be held securely. Because of this, the vehicles do not meet the federal rule on protecting people in a crash. Dealers will check the middle rear seat belts and replace them if needed.
A part in the steering system, called a circlip, was not installed correctly at the factory because of an issue with another part, the belt pulley. This means the circlip may not properly hold the steering rack in place. If it comes loose, it can catch on nearby parts and cause the steering wheel to lock up while you are driving, making the vehicle hard or impossible to steer.
Some Audi Q3 vehicles have a brake pedal plate, the part the driver presses to brake, that can bend or come loose when pressed hard during sudden stopping. If the plate bends or detaches, there is less surface area for the driver's foot to press against, making it harder to apply the brakes fully and consistently, which can affect how well the vehicle responds when the driver needs to stop.
The driver's seat frame in this vehicle may not have been bolted to the seat rail correctly. If this bolt connection fails, the seat may not stay securely attached. This increases the risk of injury to the driver if the vehicle is in a crash. To fix this, dealers will inspect the bolt connection and, if necessary, replace the seat structure, free of charge.
On some 2019 Audi Q3 vehicles, the front passenger airbag may not properly deploy through the tear seam in the instrument panel in front of the passenger seat.
Some Audi Q3 vehicles with LED headlights may have a front turn signal that stops working without alerting the driver. Normally a dashboard indicator would let the driver know a turn signal isn't working, but on these vehicles that warning may not appear. Because the driver isn't told the signal has failed, they may turn or change lanes without a working signal, which increases the risk of a crash.
Recalls and NHTSA owner complaints for each model year, side by side. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and better-selling or older years naturally collect more — read this as a record, not a ranking.
| Model year | Recalls | High / critical | Do-not-drive / park-outside | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 64 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NHTSA lists 12 safety recalls covering the 2018–2026 Audi Q3. 8 of them are rated high or critical on this site. The most recent is "Volkswagen Atlas And Tiguan Steering Bolt May Break" (NHTSA campaign 26V590000), reported Sep 11, 2026.
The 2019 Audi Q3 has the most, with 4 recalls. The 2018 model year has the fewest of the years we cover, with 1. Newer model years have had less time to collect recalls, so a low count on a recent year is not a guarantee.
No. None of the 12 Audi Q3 recalls on file carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory from NHTSA.
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall often applies to only some vehicles of a model year, and the VIN lookup shows the ones still unrepaired on your car. Recall repairs are free at any franchised Audi dealer, including for second owners.
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: