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Audi S3Years to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 88 owner complaints and 12 safety recalls on record for the Audi S3.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints88Top: Air bagsSafety recalls122015–2024 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Audi S3 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the S3 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2024Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls2023Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2022Not rated–/1002 complaints · 7 recalls2021Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2020Not rated–/1001 complaint · 1 recall2019Not rated–/1002 complaints · 1 recall2018Not rated–/1005 complaints · 1 recall2017Not rated–/1009 complaints · 2 recalls2016Not rated–/10014 complaints · 3 recalls2015Not rated–/10053 complaints · 2 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Audi S3 problems

All model years combined: 88 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags491
Electrical system110
Fuel/propulsion system100
Power train100
Seats80
Seat belts70
Visibility/wiper50
Engine50
Structure20
7 other systems100
12 recalls

Audi S3 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

74%Other: labels22V-901 · 2023 · Dec 7, 2022 · 297 vehicles88%Back over prevention: display function22V-823 · 2022 · Nov 2, 2022 · 2,607 vehicles89%Back over prevention: display function22V-806 · 2022 · Oct 26, 2022 · 6,076 vehicles91%Air bags: frontal22V-652 · 2022 · Aug 29, 2022 · 4,117 vehicles62%Passenger side: inflator module22V-543 · 2016 · Jul 27, 2022 · 1,216 vehicles92%Seat belts: pretensioner22V-515 · 2022 · Jul 20, 2022 · 2,584 vehicles92%Child seat: vehicle latch anchor22V-224 · 2022 · Apr 6, 2022 · 466 vehicles93%Sensing system: camera21V-825 · 2022 · Oct 20, 2021 · 2,857 vehicles96%Seat belts21V-606 · 2021–2022 · Aug 5, 2021 · 45,496 vehicles67%Air bags: on-off switch assembly21V-198 · 2015–2020 · Mar 22, 2021 · 153,152 vehicles82%Sensor: occupant classification19V-474 · 2015–2016 · Jun 19, 2019 · 138,896 vehicles97%Sensor: occupant classification17V-196 · 2017 · Mar 22, 2017 · 11,618 vehicles
1 investigation

NHTSA investigations of the S3

  1. Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)RQ23007 · 2015–2020 · closed Jul 1, 2024
    Led to recall 24V-110