Overall rating (best variant)
Safety ratings
2018 Audi S3 4 DR AWD
- Lane departure warningOptional
- Forward collision warningStandard
- Electronic stability controlStandard
Crash test videos & photos
No public crash-test footage is available for this vehicle.
Recalls (1)
- AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGERCampaign 21V198000 · 22/03/2021
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.
Owner complaints
Most-reported areas
- POWER TRAIN2
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
- AIR BAGS1
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
- VISIBILITY/WIPER1
Read individual complaints (5 most recent)
These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.
- 12/27/2018· POWER TRAIN
CAR DOESN'T ENGAGE GEAR OR "JUMPS" WHEN REVERSE (R) IS SELECTED.
- 10/25/2024· FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
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 by manufacture?). Audi is not acknowledging any upcoming recall but may try to help through their assistance program.
- 06/08/2022· POWER TRAIN
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 (instead of "D" if it was in gear or "N" if it was out of gear). I have to pull to the side of the road and stop and the "D" reappeared and then all seems to be fine again. This has happened twice in the last two months. I had a local mechanic scan the vehicle for transmission fault, but found nothing was stored.
- 06/07/2022· AIR BAGS
Audi will not fix the problem.
- 01/09/2019· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER
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 NORTH AMERICA (THROUGH ITS DEALER) HAS: 1) SOLD US A BRAND NEW CAR WITH FIRE HAZARD IN ITS FUEL LINES ON AUG 13, 2018 2) FAILED TO NOTIFY US TO DATE (JAN 09, 2019) REGARDING RECALL CODE 20BK DEALING WITH FAULTY FUEL LINES