2015 Audi S3: complaints, problems and recalls

HIGHWAY DRIVING AND CAR FELT AS IF IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. SEVERAL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR WAS ONLY ABLE TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND AVOID A DISASTER AND / OR ACCIDENT. HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID NOTHING TO THE CAR AFTER TWO DAYS. HAD MY CAR TOWED TO ANOTHER AUDI DEALERSHIP AND THEY ALSO DID NOTHING. AUDI OF AMERICA WAS NO HELP AS WELL.

Owner-reported narrative. 56,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10983595 at NHTSA ↗

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING (CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY COLLISION). SUNROOF COMPLETELY SHATTERED INTO FRAGMENTS.

Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11047212 at NHTSA ↗

MY CAR'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT ABRUPTLY DEVELOPED A SENSOR FAILURE. THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT IS LIT, SIGNALING THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN JUNE 2018 ON 140K AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MODEL HAS YET TO BE INCLUDED, AND THERE ARE LIKELY MORE CARS WITH SIMILAR MALFUNCTION.

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11138921 at NHTSA ↗

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR SRS AIRBAG LIGHT WARNING COMES UP WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A SEATED PASSENGER. PASSENGER IS NOT BEING DETECTED AND AIRBAG STAYS OFF. HAPPENS WHEN STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. VEHICLE IS ALWAYS GIVING WARNING SOUNDS THAT SEAT BELT IS NOT FASTENED. ISSUE TESTED BY DEALER. SEEMS TO BE COMMON KNOWN ISSUE WITH RECENT AUDI'S. OTHERS TO HAVE REPORTED SAME ISSUE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11176262 at NHTSA ↗

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 THAT COMPLETED THE REPAIR SPECIALIZED IN AUDI AND VOLKSWAGENS AND TOLD ME HE REPLACES 2-3 WATER PUMPS A WEEK ON AUDI AND VOLKSWAGEN CARS WITH THIS SAME ENGINE. LIKE I SAID, I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED BETTER QUALITY THAN A PLASTIC WATE…

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11186594 at NHTSA ↗

MY PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED COMING IN RANDOMLY. I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE SENSOR THAT SEES IF A SMALL CHILD IS IN THE SEAT, IN WHICH CASE IT TURNS OFF THE AIRBAG. BUT, WHEN NO ONE IS IN THE SEAT, I GET AN ALERT EVERY TIME I START THE CAR, AND IT BEEPS FOR MINUTES. PLUS, I THINK ITS TELLING ME THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF WRECKED! MY CAR IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY (4.5 YEARS OLD, 39K MILES)

Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11222241 at NHTSA ↗

PASSENGER AIR BAG IS CONSTANTLY TURNING ITSELF OFF. SOMETIMES WHEN SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT, SOMETIMES IF NOTHING IS IN THE SEAT. I CAN EVEN HAVE IT TRIP IF I PLACE AN IPAD OR EVEN A TO-GO BACK OF FOOD. VERY ANNOYING. MENTIONED IT TWICE TO DEALERSHIPS, BUT WAS ALWAYS TOLD "IT MIGHT BE WET" OR "EVERYTHING FOUND IN ORDER" EVEN THOUGH MY VCDS IS LOGGING ALL OF THESE ERRORS. DOESN'T MATTER IF THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR MOVING. IT WILL CYCLE BETWEEN THINKING SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT AND SOMEONE ISN'T. BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS. NOT EXACTLY THRILLED ABOUT L…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11229469 at NHTSA ↗

I AM WRITING IN REGARDS TO A SAFETY ISSUE I RECENTLY BECAME AWARE OF AFTER VISITING MY AUDI DEALERSHIP. WITH APPROXIMATELY 47,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER I NOTICED A BEEPING NOISE. I HAD MY CAR INSPECTED AND THERE WERE NO RESULTS AT THAT TIME. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS THE SOUND RETURNED. I WENT TO AUDI TYSONS CORNER AND MY SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THEY DISCOVERED A TROUBLE CODE, B116229-SELECT LEVER PARK POSITION LOCK SWITCH IMPLAUSIBLE SIGNAL INTERMITTENT. MR. MICHAUD ADVISED THAT I SHOULD CONTACT AUDI USA AS THE REPAIR, WHICH I…

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11253777 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2019-06-19 (June 19, 2019)

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.

Reported: 2021-03-22 (March 22, 2021)

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.