2018 Audi RS 3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RS 3 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Audi RS 3. That is the most of any RS 3 model year in the database (8 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (5 complaints, 38%), typically at around 27,669 miles. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 13owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Audi RS 3 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 5 | 38% | 27,669 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 31% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 15% | 2,900 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 15% | 13,338 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 8% | 13,338 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 8% | 2,900 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 8% | 2,900 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Audi RS 3 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger; air bags:on-off switch assembly
Problem: 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.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: 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.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: 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.
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A3 sedan and RS3 vehicles. The latching pins for the center rear seat head restraint may be missing.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the head restraint may detach and cause injury to the vehicle occupants.
Fix: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the head restraints, replacing any that are missing pins, free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72I8.
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.
Risk: If the guide sleeves are incorrectly welded, in the event of a crash, the rear seat head restraints may have reduced stability, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners, and dealers will inspect the guide sleeves for incorrect welds, replacing the rear seat frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72H8 (VW) and 72H9(Audi).
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647) (RQ23007) — opened Dec 12, 2023, closed Jul 1, 2024, led to recall 24V110.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Fuel tank may fail or charcoal canister within. Causing you not to be able to fill up the car and if it overflows itâll spill. Coolant will also miraculously evaporate, even while car is sitting due to [XXX] water pump. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5…
I attempted to add gas to a 3/4 full fuel tank (given that I had a long drive that day and needed a full tank). Fuel would not enter the tank, no matter how slow I seemed to pump the gas. I had filled up a few days prior and driven the car about 100 miles since. After calling the dealer and taking…
For several months each time I refuel my vehicle, I experience fuel spit back and refueling shutoff at any rate of fuel delivery. I have also experienced a strong fuel odor in my garage immediately after refueling which persists for a week or more. I am concerned that a fuel leak near a hot exhaust…
Water pump failure at 27,500 miles. Causing coolant leak that progressively got worse. The seal or pump itself failed and is letting coolant escape
The suction pump located in the fuel tank failed, causing fuel to back up into the evaporation canister and out of the vent tube in the rear passenger wheel well, which is a potential fire hazard. This is the exact same part a recall was issued for in NHTSA campaign numbers 16V647 VW and 16V647 Audi
Other Audi RS 3 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 RS 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 RS 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 RS 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 RS 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 2020 RS 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 RS 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 2018 | 13 | 4 |
| 2017 RS 3 | 1 | 2 |
See all Audi RS 3 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi RS 3?
Owners most often report air bags, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Audi RS 3?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Audi RS 3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RS 3 model years, the 2018 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.