2016 Audi S3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S3 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Audi S3. That ranks 2nd out of 10 S3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (11 complaints, 79%), typically at around 38,000 miles. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 14owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 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 | 11 | 79% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 29% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 7% | 59,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 7% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Audi S3 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
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.
Sunroof Exploded while driving
N/a
Received notice for safety recall to have PODs system repaired or replaced free of charge by Audi. Took my vehicle in for the recall. Audi wanted to charge me to complete this safety recall and refused to complete the recall if I didn't pay. This was bluegrass motorsports in Louisville ky. They…
Where do I start? We have taken this car into the Audi dealership four times due to the engine. Overheating and being almost stranded in the middle of nowhere with it because oil was needing to be added to the engine all the time and after charging us hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do to plug…
1. PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS BEEN OFF FOR 2 WEEKS. 2. oN THE iNFORMATION SCREEN THERE HAS BEEN A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION EVER SINCE. 3. CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN FOR REPAIR TO DEALERSHIP FOR 3 TIMES AND THE ISSUE KEEPS COMING BACK.
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 | 14 | 3 |
| 2015 S3 | 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 2016 Audi S3?
Owners most often report air bags, seats, unknown or other problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 11 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Audi S3?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 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 2016 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.