Reliability & cost of ownership
Audi S3 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Audi S3? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Audi S3 problems by model year
19 recall entries across 9 model years and 88 owner complaints across 10 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining model year — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 S3 | Not confirmed | 2 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2023 S3 | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2022 S3 | 7 | 2 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2021 S3 | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2020 S3 | 1 | 1 | 5.0 | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2019 S3 | 1 | 2 | 5.0 | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2018 S3 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2017 S3 | 2 | 9 | 5.0 | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2016 S3 | 3 | 14 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2015 S3 | 2 | 53 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Audi S3, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- air bags49 complaints
- electrical system11 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system10 complaints
- power train10 complaints
- seats8 complaints
- seat belts7 complaints
- unknown or other6 complaints
- visibility/wiper5 complaints