2018 Audi S3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S3 years
- Not enough data 4th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Audi S3. That ranks 4th out of 10 S3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel/propulsion system (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 2,000 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 5owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 40% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 40% | 10,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 20% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 20% | 2,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Audi S3 recalls (1)
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.
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.
Having the same issue as the NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report, 24V-110. And, similar to NHTSA 16V647 associated with the Audi Safety Recall 20Y5 - Suction Pump. Apparently there is no recall for my S3, only the A3. Dealer has determined the suction pump and gas tank are faulty. (Inherit defect…
The car was put in Drive "D". As I roll out into traffic and start to accelerate, the car "bang" out of gear like it's in neutral, the revs climb, but the car doesn't accelerate and the "D" display disappeared from the instrument panel. The gear selector display on the instrument panel is now blank…
Audi will not fix the problem.
A) audi of central houston sold us 2018 s3 on aug13, 2018 with: 1) delaminating windshield creating a major safety hazard 2) defective wiper function nb: windshield was replacement on dec 31, 2019 when we had actually requested replacement of the vehicle with another brand new vehicle b) audi of…
Car doesn't engage gear or "jumps" when reverse (r) is selected.
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 | 5 | 1 |
| 2017 S3 | 9 | 2 |
| 2016 S3 | 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 2018 Audi S3?
Owners most often report fuel/propulsion system, power train, air bags problems. The top one, fuel/propulsion system, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Audi S3?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 has too little data to compare, 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.