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Your vehicleHome›Audi›Q3› 2019
Audi · Compact SUV

2019 Audi Q3

Gas
Compact Cars
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
71 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical 4
Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 10
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 22 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2019 Audi Q3 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV. The most efficient version, the Q3 quattro, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 10 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Audi Q3 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Audi Q3 · Photo: Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Q3 quattroGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo192722$3,050

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41414.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Q3 quattro7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower228 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: S Line quattro Premium Plus, S Line quattro Prestige, quattro Premium). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length176.4 in
Width (body, without mirrors)73.2 in
Height63.8 in
Wheelbase105.5 in
Track, front62.2 in
Track, rear62.2 in
Curb weight3,384 lb

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2019 Q3
Other years The 2027 Q3 Recalls Audi recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2019 Audi Q3 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

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Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Steering

48LG, 48VT
208,724 vehicles
Problem 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. Risk A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFDealer notice PDF
NHTSA campaign 26V590000 reported Sep 11, 2026 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Tires

AU:45J7,VW:45J6,45J8
296,044 vehicles 84% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems." Risk An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 22V815000 reported Oct 31, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Steering

48P7
1 vehicles 100% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling one 2019 Audi Q3 vehicle. Production deviation in the belt pully can prevent the circlip from properly engaging the steering rack. Risk The circlip can detach and catch on surrounding components, causing the steering system to lock and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Audi will notify the owner, and a dealer will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall was completed February 28, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 48P7.
NHTSA campaign 21V027000 reported Jan 27, 2021 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

70H7
3,024 vehicles 100% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q3 vehicles. The passenger air bag may not properly deploy through the instrument panel tear seam. Risk In the event of a crash, the passenger air bag may not properly deploy and inflate, and small plastic parts may enter the cabin, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the instrument panel and replace it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 10, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 70H7.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V273000 reported May 13, 2020 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Q3

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2019 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Audi publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Audi’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2019 Audi Q3, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2019 Audi Q3

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Q3 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
10complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

17 per 10,000 built · Audi reported 5,925 Q3 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2020: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 1

Most-cited components

Electrical System 3
Engine 2
Fuel/Propulsion System 2
Forward Collision Avoidance 2
Steering 1
Power Train 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2019 Audi Q3. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving while it was raining, the contact felt water dripping on her. The contact stated had observed water dripping from the sunroof panel in three places to the gear shift, and the passenger’s and driver’s seats and the floorboard.
Structure at 56,000 miles Apr 24, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11656567
After multiple attempts to have my 2019 Audi Q3 repaired the vehicle is still sitting at Audi of Columbia with the following issues (leaking water, drainage system is compromised, mold in the roof lining, sunroof is leaking)
Exterior Lighting Feb 11, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11506722
Vehicle stalls even while actively engaged in driving. Audi diagnosed performing as designed and advised nothing that they can do until diagnosed as “not performing as designed”. Poses imminent crash issue as vehicle will stall at any time. Please investigate. I am terrified to drive the car from place to place
Fuel/Propulsion System Nov 18, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11494165
While driving, Audi Pre sense warning illuminated on dash, then emergency braking occurred while seatbelt tightened. There were no other cars around (neither in front or on the side) I did not hit anything in the street. Safety put at risk from unnecessary braking. Thankfully no cars were behind me.
Forward Collision Avoidance Jul 15, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11474208
While on the road, on the first month of driving the car august/september 2019, the car slowed down to 2-5 MPH with a note on the dash screen to call service. I crawled the car to the side of the road. Gas pedal and breaks not working, pulling the emergency park button to stop the car.
Electrical System Nov 23, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11375993
The car had automatically shut off several times. This past time (which is why i'm reporting it) I was driving to my office that is less than 1.5 miles from house and I was going through a 4 way intersection and the car completed shut off, steering wheel locked , brake and accelerator pedals locked.
Engine at 6,200 miles Feb 26, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11311716

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Audi itself: 2 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 34 per 100,000 built. Every Q3 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 857
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 842 service bulletins, 12 others, 2 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Structure, Engine.

  • TSB_2083409_1 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
  • TSB_2052680_2 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
  • TSB_2074846_5 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Steering
  • This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
  • TSB_2020552_15 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Visibility/Wiper
  • This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
  • TSB_2078648_4 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Structure — Body
  • This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel.
  • TSB_2068573_6 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Electrical System
  • This bulletin provides information when the rear parking sensor sometimes does not work, rear parking sensor loose, rear parking sensor fault message.
  • TSB_2030471_9 Service bulletin
    2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
  • 2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Audi Q3 failed the emissions check on 0.86% of first inspections — lower than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.7% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%).

New York inspections 0.86%

failed emissions

232 initial inspections of 224 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2019 Q3Every 2019 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check0.86%2.7%232
Failed the safety inspection1.7%1.7%232
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0%0.20%232
Miles driven a year8,0139,904odometer at inspection
Average odometer58,66672,084odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2019 vehicle” is every 2019 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Q3 by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A 0 0 24 mpg2026 A 1 6 25 mpg2025 A 1 4 25 mpg2024 B 2 18 25 mpg2023 A 1 2 25 mpg2022 C 5 34 26 mpg2021 C 3 15 25 mpg2020 C 3 66 22 mpg2019 this page C 4 10 22 mpg2018 A 1 26 23 mpg2017 B 3 8 23 mpg2016 B 3 28 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2019 Q3

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2019 Audi Q3 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2019 Audi Q3, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 21V027000, covering Steering. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2019 Audi Q3?

NHTSA gave the 2019 Audi Q3 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (71/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Audi Q3?

For the 2019 Audi Q3, the best EPA combined figure is 22 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2019 Audi Q3?

Transport Canada measured it at 176.4 in long, 73.2 in wide (body, without mirrors), 63.8 in tall, on a 105.5 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,384 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2019 Audi Q3?

Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Audi Q3, most often about electrical system, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2019 Audi Q3?

The EPA smog rating for the 2019 Audi Q3 is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2019 Audi Q3?

The manufacturer has filed 857 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2019 Audi Q3, most often covering equipment, electrical system, unknown or other. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2019 Audi Q3 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Audi Q3 failed the emissions check on 0.86% of first inspections — lower than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.7% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations1 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates1 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints10NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings1 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins857NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA9 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2027 Q3 The Q3 model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Audi recall on file All campaigns filed against Audi vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Q3 by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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