Short answer
Among Audi Q3 model years through 2024, 2018 and 2023 have the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (1) and 2022 has the most (5). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Audi Q3: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 12 (2015–2026)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 19
- Fewest recalls
- 2018 and 2023 (1)
- Most recalls
- 2022 (5)
- Most recalled system
- Exterior lighting (6)
- 5-star overall rating
- 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2 more years
Audi Q3 Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Recent: still collecting recalls | 1 | Not rated | Visibility |
| 2025 Recent: still collecting recalls | 1 | 5 stars | Back over prevention |
| 2024 | 2 | 5 stars | Air bags, Back over prevention |
| 2023 | 1 | Not rated | Air bags |
| 2022 | 5 | Not rated | Back over prevention, Equipment, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2021 | 3 | 5 stars | Fuel system, gasoline, Seat belts, Steering |
| 2020 | 3 | 5 stars | Seats, Service brakes, hydraulic, Steering |
| 2019 | 4 | 5 stars | Steering, Air bags, Tires |
| 2018 | 1 | Not rated | Exterior lighting |
| 2017 | 3 | Not rated | Exterior lighting, Forward collision avoidance |
| 2016 | 3 | Not rated | Exterior lighting, Forward collision avoidance |
| 2015 | 2 | Not rated | Exterior lighting, Visibility |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20261 recall
- 20251 recall
- 20242 recalls
- 20231 recall
- 20225 recalls
- 20213 recalls
- 20203 recalls
- 20194 recalls
- 20181 recall
- 20173 recalls
- 20163 recalls
- 20152 recalls
Audi Q3: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Audi Q3 recalls are exterior lighting (6), back over prevention (4), steering (4), air bags (3) and visibility (3). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA has an overall star rating for 5 of these 12 model years, and 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2 more years earned 5 stars. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.
FAQ: Audi Q3 Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Audi Q3?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2018 and 2023 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 1 each.
Which Audi Q3 model years have the most recalls?
2022 has the most, with 5 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "Q3", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy