2018 AUDI Q3 Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

6 complaints

Heard a loud exploding sound while driving down the street. Quickly realized that the sunroof exploded and shattered on it own. No impact and nothing fell on it. Just a random explosion. Called local Audi dealership and they have heard of this issue in Audis, but that there is no active recall.

Oct 27, 2023

Center sliding armrest defective. Cover under the armrest that pops in the tubes came off maki g the armrest lose and exposing the metal tubes. Internet search mentions it’s a common issue and nothing has been resolved

Jun 30, 2022

Panoramic sunroof exploded today while driving at highway speeds. Broken glass gave way. Car was not struck by any objects before the glass failed. There were no warnings. Have not yet taken the car to a dealer or service provider. Though it did not happen to me, there’s danger from the explosion itself and from the glass entering the cabin.

May 26, 2022

DRIVING DURING THE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK I HEARD THIS EXPLOSION AND A SOUND BEHIND. WHEN I PULLED OFF I NOTICED MY MOONROOF WAS SHATTERED. JUST ABOUT TO FELL OFF OR BLOW AWAY. NO OBJECT HAD HIT THE CAR. IT WAS SIMPLY A HUGE EXPLOSION.

Dec 29, 2019

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT DUSK AT 50MPH WHEN THE SUNROOF IN MY Q3 SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED INTO A MILLION PIECES AND RAINED GLASS DOWN ON ME. I WAS UNHARMED AND ABLE TO EXIT, BUT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT AS IT WAS A TREMENDOUSLY LOUD AND STARTLING EVENT. AUDI DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO PROJECTILE THAT CAUSED THE BREAKAGE AND ARE REPLACING IT AS BEING "UNDER WARRANTY".

Nov 03, 2018

+ 1 more complaint for this component

ENGINE

4 complaints

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed as a carbon build-up in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

Jul 12, 2024

My daughter was driving with her brother and a friend and stopped at an intersection on red signal. The car stopped and would not start. Definitely the safety of the passengers and the people behind were put at risk because of stalled car due to engine failure at a busy intersection. It is a 2018 model and followed the Audi's recommended maintenance schedule. Check engine light was on few days before and diagnosed to be a failure of a sensor by an independent service center and was waiting to get the part. After the incident the car was towed to the dealership and they have diagnosed to be low engine compression and needs engine replacement.

May 15, 2023

The vehicle is burning and consuming too much oil too quickly between oil changes. Oil pressure light keeps turning off and on even when there is oil. Vehicle has been serviced and worked on by Audi dealership. Currently vehicle is at Audi for exact same issues after Audi claimed to fix it. Vehicle had to be taken back to the dealer for repairs within 30 minutes after picking up the vehicle from dealership for the same light. Paid $2300 for the first time I took the car in for repairs and I had to take it back cause nothing was fixed

Oct 16, 2022

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q3. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact was assisted by a Police Officer to move the vehicle out of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed but was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,600.

Mar 07, 2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

4 complaints

The entire air conditioning system had to be replaced at the tune of $2422. The car is only 5 1/2 years old and it was not covered under warranty. I have researched this issue online and there are numerous people complaining about this very same issue. Why haven't a recall been campaigned? air /heat air compressor, condenser and A/C kit had to be replaced.

Feb 02, 2024

My 2018 Audi Q3 had a defective clock spring which caused the buttons on the steering wheel to not work and the airbag to not work. This is apparently a known issue with certain volkswagen manufactured clock springs and there is a recall on the VW cars and not on the Audi.

May 23, 2023

CPO with 20k miles that I bought back on August 25, 2021 from Audi. It is equipped with push/start. Vehicle won't start. I have tried to use both key-fob with fresh brand new battery. Did not work I even checked to see if the battery was good. Still it won't start. I ran my scanner got a U0101 Loss communication to TCM (Transmission Control Module). I had Audi came with a flat bed to pick up the vehicle on January 24, 2022 (Vehicle have around 26k miles). Just Last Friday February 4, 2022 Audi dealership in Rockville, Maryland text my wife said they need to get in contact with the Audi in Germany. This whole time they DID NOT get us a loaner or a rental to use. It's hard to communicate with the service provider.

Feb 07, 2022

BACK UP CAMERA WON'T WORK WHEN CAR TRANSMISSION IS IN REVERSE, NOR WHEN MANUALLY PRESSING PARK ASSIST BUTTON. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS BEFORE BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE, TODAY BACK UP CAMERA WAS COMPLETELY DISABLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING WHEN PUTTING TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE.

Sep 24, 2019

AIR BAGS

2 complaints

Steering wheel clicking and accessories and functions not working along with airbag (malfunction) light illuminated on 2018 Audi Q3 with 66,000 miles.

Feb 03, 2024

noticed a clicking sound in the steering column that was intermittent; after a week, the airbag light lit up and stayed lit ... per the manual, contacted Audi immediately for service. Was told it was a "clock spring module" and that it would take a few weeks for the part to come in. I was also told that the airbag would likely not activate in a crash ... they could not guarantee it would also not automatically just deploy. It has now been over 2 months and the service department at Audi has told me that they have no idea when that part will be available. additionally, none of the other buttons on the steering column are active now.

Dec 28, 2021

POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

In 2020, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. extended the warranty on its transfer case for 2011 - 2018 Porsche Cayenne and Macan models. This was in response to what one article described as “[m]any Porsche Cayenne and Macan owners have experienced recurring problems with their 4wd transfer case. We have the issues and the symptoms, such as vibrations under acceleration, highlighted in our common problems section.” Porsche and Audi share vehicle architecture for SUV models. In an April 2017 press release, Porsche touted the fact that Audi and Porsche share architecture with respect to the two brands’ SUVs noting “Audi, VW and Porsche have worked together successfully for many years in the area of SUVs, and with the new development cooperation, Porsche and Audi are positioning themselves for the next decade. In the coming months, joint teams will prepare the specific areas of cooperation and define the roadmap as far as 2025. The focus is on the joint development of shared vehicle architectures, modules and components.” My 2018 Audi experiences a “jerk” during gear shifts feeling like an interruption during acceleration with a slight vibration. This jerky shifting is especially prominent when driving uphill. The issue persists today despite two service professionals trying to diagnose and correct the issue. I cannot speak to the safety risks this issue may present to myself and my passengers other than to say the “jerking” and surprise hard-shift may cause passengers to react in an unsafe manner when traveling at high-speeds. I am submitting this matter as I believe the issue that existed with the Porsche SUVs that motivated Volkswagen, i.e., the Parent Company’s, decision to extend the transfer case warranty, exists with the same model year Audis and may present a safety risk. More Audi’s exist than Porsche models making it more expensive for Volkswagen to correct this for Audi. Correcting this for only high-end models and not lower-end is worth reviewing.

Nov 13, 2023

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

1 complaint

My car stalled. I could not moved the car. Mobile Mechanic came saw the alternator belt was broke. He repaired the Belt and Alternator. When he started the car, smoke and loud squeal came from engine. He immediately shut it off. The car has less than 60k miles. I have not driven the car as much due to travel.

Jul 08, 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q3. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the steering wheel hand activated controls ceased functioning. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to control of the vehicle however, the contact was unsure if the air bags would deploy in the event of a crash. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become constant with the air bag warning light remaining illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

Jun 14, 2023

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q3. The contact stated that on numerous occasions, the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The contact then stated that while driving at undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the gas cylinder, fuel needed to be flushed and two unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel needed to be flushed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,352.

Feb 27, 2023

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS

1 complaint

The steering wheel started to make a weird noise while turning the airbag light then came on the steering wheel buttons stopped working. Took the car to dealer and the clock spring was defective non working. This is a safety issue I paid 821.57 to fix this issue out of pocket. My car only has 50 k in mileage and the airbag would have not deployed if I was in an accident. This sounds like a safety issue needing a recall for this vehicle

Nov 25, 2022

TIRES

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q3 equipped with Continental tires, Tire Line: ContiproContact, Tire Size: P225/40R/19, DOT Number: AF5WWA46 1717. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the tire pressure monitor indicated that the driver’s side rear tire pressure was low. The contact also had heard a humming noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact pulled off the road into a service station and noticed that the rear driver’s side tire only had 20 PSI. The contact inflated the tire to 35 PSI and continued to his destination. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer who reported that while dismounting the tire, the inner sidewall had a 3-inch gash large enough that the technician could fit his hand through the gash. The tire was replaced. The passenger’s side rear tire was inspected and showed a 10-inch gash that had separated from the inner sidewall. The tire was also replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 33,000. The tire failure mileage was unknown.

Nov 18, 2022

SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF AUDI Q3 HAS POOR QUALITY BREAK PADS AND ROTORS, IF YOU LIVE NEAR THE OCEAN LIKE ME IN MIAMI BEACH, THE BREAKES GET DAMAGED AT ONLY 8,000 MILES INTERVALS AND THEY CAN FAIL CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, AND THEY HAVE FULLY WASHED THEIR HANDS. THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AND HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF RETAINING CLASS ACTION COUNSEL TO PURSUE CLASS ACTION LITIGATION.

Jan 19, 2021

WHEELS

1 complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 AUDI Q3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE DIMENSION OF THE TIRES PERTAINING TO A CASTER DIAGNOSIS. THE COLOR GREEN DISPLAYED IF THE TIRES WERE BALANCED AND ALIGNED CORRECTLY WHEN INSTALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE INSPECTION CASTER TESTING REMAINED IN THE RED WITHIN LESS THAN 100 MILES OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS WERE CONTACTED: AUDI NORTH AUSTIN (12971 POND SPRINGS RD, AUSTIN, TX 78729, (844) 473-2985) AUDI DOMINION (21105 I-10, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78257, 1-(888) 478-2089), AND AUDI NORTH PARK (15670 I-35, SELMA, TX 78154, (210) 960-6000). THE DEALERS SERVICED THE VEHICLE, BUT FAILED TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT SOLUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN SAFELY DUE TO SEVERAL ALIGNMENTS, TIRE SERVICING, AND TIRE REPLACEMENTS. TWO DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT TIRE TECHNICIANS PROVIDED FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND DETERMINED THAT THE CASTER WAS NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER AS PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. *BF *TR

Jun 14, 2019

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4.5/5.0

40 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2018 AUDI Q3 have?

The 2018 AUDI Q3 currently has 24 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2018 AUDI Q3?

The most common problems reported for the 2018 AUDI Q3 are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2018 AUDI Q3 problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2018 AUDI Q3 comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.