2015 Audi A3 Electrical System

Smelt like something was burning and the smell was coming out of vents. Looked online and found that people have been having issues with the auxiliary heater for the HVAC to help the car warm up faster. I check mine and found that the connector was staring to melt. Seems like it could be a potential fire hazard if not caught soon enough.

Gear Shift Micro Switch This is a documented issue recalled for VW and Audi vehicles between 2015-2019. VW recalled all and still is fixing the issue in cars from those years, yet AUDI decided to just offer an extended warranty to those cars for that specific issue. Who is responsible VW or AUDI. If Audi is owned by VW and the issue is in both types of cars made by them, why aren't AUDI vehicles included to the recall and repair.

The Auxiliary PTC Electric Cabin Heater fails and causes an overheat/fire condition. We own a 2015 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus sedan. This vehicle has a diesel engine. Audi fitted A3 models that have a diesel engine with an auxiliary electric cabin air heater. This heater helps to warm the cabin and provide defrost capabilities on days when the temperature is below 7 degrees C. This heater in our vehicle failed due to melting at the wiring harness connection lugs. This melting caused an overheating condition to occur. On cold days we would notice a terrible burning plastic, rubber smell coming from the air vents inside the cabin. Once the car was warmed up and the electric heater was disabled by the cars ECU (computer) the smell gradually went away. The process was repeated the next day, but the smell was worse. We took the vehicle to Zimbrick European Audi in Madison, WI. They found the electrical issue with the Auxiliary Electric Cabin Air heater. In researching this issue we found there are MANY user reports of the same failure on Volkswagon Audi Group vehicles. Audi issued a safety recall for the SAME problem on Audi A4, A5 and Q5 vehicles under Audi Safety Recall Code : 80C5 with the NHTSA document number being: RCRIT-17V622-6265.pdf This very same problem currently affects my Audi A3 TDI. I have found numerous other people reporting the same issue with VW Golf TDI models, VW Passat TDI models and Jetta TDI models. Examples are located here: https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/burning-smell-from-heat.513304/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6tEwBzZIxs The problem is most likely the same materials defects that occurred with the Audi A4, A5 and Q5 models. The third party supplier of the Auxiliary Electric Cabin Air Heaters used TIN for some of the components. These substandard components lead to product failure and ultimately thermal overload, melting plastic/rubber and potentially a fire.

The contact owns a 2015 Audi A3. The contact stated that she was able to remove the key from the ignition switch even though the gear selector was not in the PARK position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer installed a microswitch. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall for the failure because it was not a safety hazard. The failure mileage was 49,154.

During cold ambient temperature when the engine is cold the vehicle activates an axillary cabin heater which fills the cabin with smoke and burning odor due to the heating element burning the housing and wiring inside the dash. This is a serious danger risking vehicle fire and health hazard for the operator and occupants of the vehicle. It appears multiple other Audi vehicles have a similar/same heating element that have the same issue. The 2015 A4 and Q5 appear to have a recall for this issue.

2015 AUDI A3 ,18000 MILES, O2 SENSOR BANKJ 1(AFTER THE ENGINE) WAS CHANGE BANK 2 CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST NOT CHANGE BUT KEEP GOING BACK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NEED HELP.

WHILE THE RADIATOR WAS BEING REPLACED DUE TO CRACKS AND LEAKING AT 57,000 MILES, MY MECHANIC NOTICED THE WATER PUMP ASSEMBLY WAS MELTING. THE TOP OF THE ASSEMBLY WAS MELTING AWAY AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE HAZARD. I CONTACTED THE DEALER (MISSION VIEJO AUDI) WHO STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE AND SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ISSUE. I SHOWED THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THE PHOTOS, AND HE INDICATED THEY COULD LOOK AT IT BUT IT WOULD COST ME A DIAGNOSTIC FEE OF $160. IT IS EVIDENT THE WATER PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED SO NOT SURE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DIAGNOSED. SINCE THERE WERE NO REPORTED ISSUES, HE SAID I WOULD ULTIMATELY BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT. I LATER TALKED TO AUDI CORPORATE AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD THE SAME THING AND I WOULD HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. THEY DID INDICATE THERE MAY BE SOME 'MINIMAL GOOD WILL' FEE ADJUSTMENT BASED ON THE DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTED PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE. A CLAIM WAS FILED WITH THEM. SINCE THE DIAGNOSIS FEE AND COST OF REPLACEMENT FROM THE DEALER IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN MY MECHANIC CHARGES, I MAY HAVE TO HAVE HIM DO THE WORK AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD TO ME. THE DEALER WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEMS. I AM CONTACTING YOU TO SEE IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE RECEIVED AND TO DOCUMENT WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING IN CASE OTHER SIMILAR ISSUES ARISE IN THE FUTURE. PHOTOS ARE ATTACHED FOR REFERENCE AND ANY ASSISTANCE IS APPRECIATED. THANK YOU

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO BRAKE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE HESITATE AND FELT AS IF IT WOULD STALL. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIO TURNED ON INDEPENDENTLY AND THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED WITHOUT THE KEY BEING INSERTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HIGH IDLE RPM OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE CAUSING THE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.