Owners have filed 85 complaints on the Audi S3, covering 2015–2024. The system named most often is Air Bags (43 reports). Worst years by volume: 2015, 2016, 2017; cleanest: 2020, 2019, 2024. 1 reports describe a crash. On average the car was 4.8 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on Audi S3
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 85 S3 complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Air Bags 43 Read
I got into an accident and my air bags didn’t deploy
The contact owns a 2019 Audi S3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer informed the contact that the repair would take two days. The contact took the vehicle back to his residence as the dealer…
The contact owns a 2019 audi s3. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 19V474000 (air bags); however, the parts for the recall remedy were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to repair the vehicle. Audi arlington (3200 columbia pike,…
Electrical System 10 Read
Random Errors for front and rear sensors, ABS light for brake booster error and SOS failure
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…
Tail lights stopped working, the wire harness in the vehicle is known to get sheared due to a pinch point at the trunk hinge, this pinch point over a period of time will result in damage to the wire harness that controls the rear taillights as well as the opening and closing functions of the trunk. This is a known…
Power Train 9 Read
The car was put in Drive "D". As I roll out into traffic and start to accelerate, the car "bang" out of gear like it's in neutral, the revs climb, but the car doesn't accelerate and the "D" display disappeared from the instrument panel. The gear selector display on the instrument panel is now blank (instead of "D" if…
Car doesn't engage gear or "jumps" when reverse (r) is selected
Transmission failed after going over a small pothole at 20mph, after which engine revved up than slammed into high gear and jerked the car forward, car has been towed to dealership for inspection, transmission light came on
Fuel/propulsion System 7 Read
Having the same issue as the NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report, 24V-110. And, similar to NHTSA 16V647 associated with the Audi Safety Recall 20Y5 - Suction Pump. Apparently there is no recall for my S3, only the A3. Dealer has determined the suction pump and gas tank are faulty. (Inherit defect by manufacture?).…
While pumping gas, a strong odor is always present. While pumping gas the pump will stop multiple times before being filled in it's entirety, I can't hold depress gas pump handle I have to slowly fill car with gas or risk spilling fuel
The EVAP suction pump stopped working resulting in refueling issues. Fuel accumulates in the EVAP system and spills outside the vehicle
Visibility/wiper 4 Read
The contact owns a 2023 Audi S3. The contact stated while driving during rainy conditions, the wiper blades were making a loud sound and almost scratching the windshield, making visibility difficult and increasing the risk of a crash. A local dealer was contacted; however, the contact was advised that the failure was…
After purchasing a 2017 audi s3 I immediately encountered horrible chattering of the wiper blades in my very first drive in the rain. I have subsequently taken my car to the audi dealership to address this issue 10+ occasions. This chattering and skipping of the wiper blades is so bad that I and many other a3 / s3…
Sunroof Exploded while driving
Engine 4 Read
Very similar to the recall for the 2017-2018 audi a3, the engine completely shuts off while driving at slow speeds shortly after starting the car. The car starts normally, shifts into gear (drive or reverse) accelerates normally, before the engine dies (RPM gauge drops to 0). The car forces me to put it in park before…
The vehicle engine lost ignition power while driving, stranding the vehicle in traffic. Investigation by the dealer revealed that coolant entered the engine harness via electronic coolant valves and progressed to the gray t14 connector. Coolant was found at the valve connector source and in the engine harness…
2015 audi s3 water pump failed just after the warranty expired at 52k miles requiring $1500 in repairs. The water pump had been leaking through the weep hole for some time. Leak was discovered while car was stationary in garage. I would expect more from a quality perspective from a luxury brand like audi. The mechanic…
Structure 2 Read
I was driving on the freeway at 70 mph when my sunroof exploded for no apparent reason. I was very fortunate to have not had an accident as it sounded like a gun had gone off in my car. I spoke with my insurance agent and he told me to call audi because it is a known problem. Audi did fix the car which was had a ton…
Sunroof exploded while driving (car was not involved in any collision). Sunroof completely shattered into fragments
Wheels 1 Read
Background: bought it used with 19,660 miles. The car was still under warranty for one year after purchase date. Multiple problems arise in the next few months: 1. Coolant leak due to failed water pump. (note: replaced under dealer's 4year/ 50k miles new vehicle limited warranty). 2. Multiple failed wheel bearing (one…
S3 years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Electrical System,service Brakes,back Over Prevention | — | — | |
| 2020 | Unknown Or Other | — | — | |
| 2019 | Air Bags | — | — | |
| 2018 | Air Bags | — | — | |
| 2017 | Air Bags | — | — | |
| 2016 | Air Bags | — | — | |
| 2015 | Air Bags | 1 | — |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 44 |
| Average complaints per series | 1.9 |
| Worst single series | 8 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 4.8 years |
A model average of 1.9 hides a worst series at 8. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
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How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the S3?
By complaint volume, 2015, 2016, 2017 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which S3 years are the cleanest?
2020, 2019, 2024 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the Audi S3 have?
85 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 2015–2024. Of those, 1 describe a crash and 0 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.