2015 Audi S3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S3 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Audi S3. That is the most of any S3 model year in the database (10 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (29 complaints, 55%), typically at around 52,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 53owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 Audi S3 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 | 29 | 55% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 17% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 11% | 49,250 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 9% | 32,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 8% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 8% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 Audi S3 recalls (2)
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.
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.
A non-serviceable, faulty rollover valve inside the gas tank is causing the vehicle to leak fuel (also fails to contain fuel in the event of a rollover - exacerbating fire hazards in the event of an accident). The solution is to tear apart the entire bottom of the car to replace the entire gas…
I am reporting a Safety Remedy Denial by Audi of America (Case #[XXX]) regarding a failed suction jet pump and charcoal canister in my 2015 Audi S3. This failure resulted in a fuel leak and strong fuel odor near the exhaust, creating an immediate fire hazard. â Although Audi issued a…
Gas pump shuts off and stops pumping fuel into my car with a loud hissing noise before it shuts down the pump. I can not properly fill my vehicle with gas. This is not a single incident it is an ongoing problem.
Unable to refuel car. Gas pump keeps clicking off and fuel backs up spilling out of fuel port. Mechanic tested fuel system and reported fuel tank has faulty jet pump seal. Mechanic says a recall was effected for certain audi models with this issue due emissions dangers and fire risk.
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…
Other Audi S3 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 S3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 S3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 S3 | 2 | 7 |
| 2021 S3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 S3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 S3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2018 S3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2017 S3 | 9 | 2 |
| 2016 S3 | 14 | 3 |
| 2015 | 53 | 2 |
See all Audi S3 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
Similar Audi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Audi S3?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 29 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Audi S3?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 Audi S3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other S3 model years, the 2015 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.