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Audi · NHTSA safety record

2016 Audi S3

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 14 safety complaints about the 2016 Audi S3 with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the air bags.

The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 11 complaints, 79% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 44,000 miles, the median across the 8 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers December 2019 to March 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

14 complaints on file

14

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
AIR BAGS 11 · 79%
SEATS 4 · 29%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 · 14%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 · 7%
ENGINE 1 · 7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 · 7%
SEAT BELTS 1 · 7%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 · 7%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 14.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 7.

8 6 4 2
19 20 21 23 24 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2019 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2016 Audi S3, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR AWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 10.9%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

22V543000 · July 27, 2022

The defect
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.
The 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.
The remedy
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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 1,216 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

21V198000 · March 22, 2021

The defect
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.
The risk
A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy
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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 153,152 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

19V474000 · June 19, 2019

The defect
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.
The risk
A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy
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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 138,896 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations

1 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

RQ23007

Closed recall query · opened December 12, 2023 · closed July 1, 2024 · led to recall 24V110

the gasoline fuel system

On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 passenger car vehicles. The recall remedy repair replaced SJP Version 1.0 with an improved version, Version 1.1. The SJP is designed to purge fuel from the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system. VW’s recall filing stated the SJP may have been damaged during assembly, which could potentially allow fuel to flow directly into the EVAP system. Over time, the fuel could accumulate in, and cause a leak from, the charcoal canister filter element. ODI received consumer complaints of SJP failure leading to a fuel leak, refueling spit back, refueling shutoff, and/or fuel odor in vehicles previously repaired under recall 16V-647. Additional complaints alleging SJP failure leading to the previously stated outcomes were received in vehicles outside the scope of recall 16V-647, including MY 2016-2020 VW Golf and Audi A3 vehicles. VW issued recall 24V-110 on February 14, 2024, to address issues with SJPs Versions 1.0 and 1.1. The recall remedy replaces the SJP Version 1.0 or 1.1 with an improved version, Version 2.0. Recall 24V-110 covers certain MY 2015-2020 VW Golf (including Golf GTI), 2015-2020 Audi A3, and 2019-2020 VW Jetta GLI vehicles, including vehicle previously repaired under 16V-647. Vehicle owners were notified of this recall in April 2024 and VW’s projected date for owner notification of recall remedy availability is August 2024. In view of the recall being conducted by VW, ODI is closing this Recall Query (RQ). The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
Sunroof Exploded while driving

NHTSA complaint 11727853. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
N/A

NHTSA complaint 11710500. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
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 also damaged my vehicles door trim and stole money from my glove box(my fault for leaving money inside). Filed a complaint on the dealers website and was never reached out to. This is why safety recall remains open on my vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11582791. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
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.

NHTSA complaint 11431235. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

50,000 miles

CAR HAD NO ISSUES PRIOR TO RECALL 69Z4. AFTER AUDI DEALERSHIP PERFORMED WORK TO SATISFY RECALL 69Z4 (NHTSA 19V474), THE AFFECTED SYSTEM (PODS) NOW DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. THIS RENDERS THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG INOPERABLE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS OCCUPIED. AUDI WILL NOT COVER THE ADDITIONAL REPAIR TO THE SYSTEM THAT WAS PERFECTLY FUNCTIONAL UNTIL THEIR RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AFFECTING SIMILAR A3/S3 MODEL YEARS.

NHTSA complaint 11388170. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

35,000 miles

POD WHICH CONTROLS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG

NHTSA complaint 11384161. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Audi S3

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2017 9 2 —
2015 53 2 —

Other 2016 Audi models

A3 81 Q5 77 A6 51 A3 Cabriolet 36 Q3 28 S6 19 A4 Allroad 15 A7 15

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Audi on this site — 155 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst