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U.S. public vehicle records

Audi S3 recalls by model year

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

88 owner complaints analyzed

12 distinct recall campaigns

45,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2015 to 2024 model years. Data snapshot: . 37 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2015
2
2016
3
2017
2
2018
1
2019
1
2020
1
2021
1
2022
7
2023
1
2024
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20152
20163
20172
20181
20191
20201
20211
20227
20231
20240

2015: 2; 2016: 3; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 7; 2023: 1; 2024: 0

Year-by-year records

Audi S3 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
2015532Not available
2016143+1
201792-1
201851-1
2019210
2020110
2021010
202227+6
202301-6
202420-1

Recall history

12 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

19V474000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification

Reported: 2019-06-19 (June 19, 2019) · Model years: 2015, 2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag.

Consequence: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69Z4.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
21V198000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger | Air Bags:On-Off Switch Assembly

Reported: 2021-03-22 (March 22, 2021) · Model years: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Audi S3 Sedan, A3 Sedan, 2016-2018 A3 Etron, 2017-2020 RS3 Sedan, and 2015-2019 A3 Cabriolet vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction and switch off the passenger air bag even when the seat is occupied.

Consequence: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and update the PODS control module, free of charge. Owners letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BY.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V543000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

Reported: 2022-07-27 (July 27, 2022) · Model years: 2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69DY and 61C1.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
17V196000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification

Reported: 2017-03-22 (March 22, 2017) · Model years: 2017

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi A3 and S3 Sedan vehicles. In a lower-speed crash situation, the air bag control unit software may deploy the passenger frontal air bag improperly if the front seat passenger is sitting on the edge of the seat or is laying in the seat with the seat reclined. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: If the air bag deploys with more force than intended, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control module software, free of charge. The recall began April 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q3.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
21V606000 · Seat Belts:Rear/Other:Retractor | Seat Belts

Reported: 2021-08-05 (August 5, 2021) · Model years: 2021, 2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

NHTSA campaign record ↗
21V825000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Reported: 2021-10-20 (October 20, 2021) · Model years: 2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8 and S8, 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, A4 Sedan, E-Tron GT, Q3, Q5, RS6 Avant, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RSQ8, SQ7, SQ8, and S3 Sedan vehicles. A software error may prevent the rear-view image from initially displaying when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: A rear-view camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment unit parameters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 9, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91CR.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V224000 · Child Seat:Vehicle Latch Anchor

Reported: 2022-04-06 (April 6, 2022) · Model years: 2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022 A3 Sedan and S3 Sedan vehicles. The child seat anchorage fitting sleeves are incorrectly marked with a different symbol than the one described in the owner's manual. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."

Consequence: An incorrectly marked child restraint anchorage may cause confusion during child seat installation, resulting in a child seat being improperly secured and increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace all four fitting sleeves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May24, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72M7.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V515000 · Seat Belts:Pretensioner

Reported: 2022-07-20 (July 20, 2022) · Model years: 2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Audi S3 and A3 sedans. The retention force of the seat belt tensioner on the driver and front passenger seats may be inadequate to properly restrain the occupants during a crash.

Consequence: Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 15, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 68i2.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V652000 · Air Bags:Frontal

Reported: 2022-08-29 (August 29, 2022) · Model years: 2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Audi S3, A3, and RS3 vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been folded incorrectly.

Consequence: An incorrectly folded air bag can tear, prohibiting it from deploying properly during a crash, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 13, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69DZ.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V806000 · Equipment:Electrical:Infotainment:Video (Touch)Screen/Monitor/Unit | Back Over Prevention:Display Function

Reported: 2022-10-26 (October 26, 2022) · Model years: 2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 AUDI A8, A6 Allroad, E-TRON Quattro, 2022 S3, RSQ8, RS7, RS6 Avant, Q8, Q7, Q3, E-TRON Sportback Quattro, S5 Cabriolet, E-TRON GT, S5 Sportback, A7, A6, A5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, A4, A4 Allroad, A3, S8, SQ7, SQ8, S6, and S4 vehicles. The infotainment main unit may become damaged internally when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display the next time the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the infotainment main unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91Ei.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V823000 · Back Over Prevention:Display Function

Reported: 2022-11-02 (November 2, 2022) · Model years: 2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Golf R A8, Audi S3, RS3 Sedan, Q4 E-Tron SUV, A3 Sedan, and 2022-2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI, and ID4 vehicles. The rearview camera image may be blank or unresponsive when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear or when the park function is manually activated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Audi owners February 14, 2023. Volkswagen owners will receive an owner notification letter once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Volkswagen) 91EK and (Audi) 91EL.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V901000 · Equipment:Other:Labels

Reported: 2022-12-07 (December 7, 2022) · Model years: 2023

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Audi S3, RS3, and A3 vehicles. The Safety Certification label on the B-pillar is missing weight capacity information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

Consequence: Missing weight information may result in unintentional overloading of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Audi dealers will install an overlay label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 27, 2023. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 50ZZ.

NHTSA campaign record ↗