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Audi Q3 1.4 TFSI Sport Edition common faults.

2011–2015, SUV, petrol, 150 HP.

The fault list covers: CHPB, CZDA, CZEA engine, MQ350 transmission.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

2 fault write-ups. 1 important. No recall on the list.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

1 important faults

expensive1

EA211 (1.0 to 1.5 TSI): water pump and thermostat module leak

expensive

In the EA211 the water pump and the thermostat are one plastic module, and the pump is driven not by the timing belt but by a separate toothed belt behind the exhaust camshaft. There are usually two problems with it: the plastic housing warps or cracks (slow coolant loss, a sweet smell, rising temperature), or the drive belt ages (a chirping noise, then an engine left with no cooling). The housing is particularly sensitive if oil reaches it: for example from a leaking crankcase ventilation. The module has to be replaced whole: dismantling it warps it in itself.

What to check

  • Check the level in the expansion tank, and ask whether it needs topping up
  • After a cold start smell the engine bay: a sweet smell means coolant
  • Look for dried, whitish pink deposits on the exhaust side of the cylinder head
2 more steps in the write-up

comfort1

Infotainment that freezes, false warnings

comfort

The most common complaint on the Q3 is the infotainment system: the touchscreen does not respond, dash warnings flicker, the system freezes, or a sensor is faulty. One survey found a fault of this kind on 44 per cent of Q3 cars, and half of the repairs spent more than a week in the workshop. A software update fixes many cases and the update is free, so before you buy, ask whether the latest version is installed.

What to check

  • Leave the system running for the whole test drive and watch for freezing
  • Try the parking sensors and the driver assistance systems
  • Restart the car several times: a fault after a cold start is characteristic
2 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Audi Q3 1.4 TFSI Sport Edition

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

Faults of this model

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Engine and transmission

3 engines · 1 transmissions

CHPB · 1.4 TFSI

110 kW (150 HP) · petrol

MQ350 · 6-speed manual

manual · 6 speed

Torque limit400 Nm
MakerVolkswagen

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it. More than one engine code is possible. The fault list shows the faults of each.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
Sport Edition
Body
SUV
Fuel
petrol
Transmission
manual
Engine size
1395 cc
Power
110 kW (150 HP)
Drive
FWD
Production
2011–2015

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years

  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years

  • Engine oil and oil filter

    • LongLife30,000 km or 2 years(valid only with LongLife-approved oil)
    • 15,000 km or 1 year

  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)

  • Coolant (antifreeze) change

    • first: 193,000 km or 10 years, then 97,000 km or 5 years(G13 / G12++: first change at 120,000 miles or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles or 5 years)

  • Spark plugs, petrol

    • 60,000 km or 6 years
All 8U versions

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms