2015 Audi S3 Airbags Problems

When driving, without AND more importantly, WITH, a passenger in the front passenger seat, the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) light goes on and indicates that the passenger air bag has been deactivated. I looked on line and saw that Audi has already recalled certain 2015-2019 Audi A3 Sedans but apparently my car is not part of the initial recall. I think the recall is BIGGER than Audi estimated and that my car should also be part of the recall. I plan to take to Audi to repair.

NHTSA ID

11605361

Incident

Jul 15, 2024

I have had a passenger airbag recall since 2021, and I have tried to schedule the maintenance for that recall several times, but each of the 5 times that I’ve tried, the Audi dealership (in Glenwood Springs, CO) says they don’t have the parts in stock. Each time that happens, I’m told I’ve been put on the list for the next parts shipment. I am so tired of waiting, while in the meantime, my passengers are considered unsafe in this vehicle. I need to have this repaired soon, please. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11504086

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

I got into an accident and my air bags didn’t deploy

NHTSA ID

11494186

Incident

Nov 17, 2022

The contact owns a 2015 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11490200

Incident

Mar 22, 2021

A recall for my car's PODS system has been in place since March of 2021 but Audi continues to inform me that the part is not available to fix the recall. It has been a year and a half since the recall and the passenger airbag in my car continues to turn on and off randomly. I feel that it's completely unacceptable to have to wait this long for a fix. I just spoke with my dealership today (Audi of Westwood, Massachusetts) and they again informed me that there are no parts available to complete the repair. I find this unacceptable and am filing this complaint.

NHTSA ID

11482560

Incident

Sep 2, 2022

I had scheduled with the dealership to have the PODS recall fix completed. While waiting for the scheduled date my vehicle began showing symptoms described in the recall and they were sporadic just as described in the recall and only lasted a few seconds. The dealer called and cancelled my appointment as there are no parts available and they do not know when the recall parts will become available again. Then in early August things got worse than described in the recall campaign. Now I get the same Audi pre sense error on the dash when starting the vehicle and the airbag is disabled. The front passenger airbag has been disabled since early August and is never enabled if there is a passenger or not. I called dealer and was still told that they do not know when parts will be available. Called Audi and was told the same information as in the recall to read the owner manual and avoid the front passenger seat. There is no way to use the front passenger seat safely as the airbags are disabled and no one can tell me when I may be able to get it fixed. For my family we need to use every seat in the car so there is no way to not have someone in the front passenger seat. I would like Audi to fix the issue or at the least give a date of when it would be able to fix the vehicle. I need Audi to respond so that I know if I need to make decision to sell the vehicle for my families safety.

NHTSA ID

11481928

Incident

Aug 2, 2022

Audi has had a safety recall on this vehicle since I purchased the car in June 2019. In 2019 and early 2020, there were no issues. About two years into owning the vehicle, I started experiencing faults, error codes, and safety lights on my dash due to issues with the passenger seat air bag. I brought the vehicle to Audi Burlington in MA and they said that the issues I was having was due to the recall but there was no fix. In January of 2022, I received a letter saying that there was fix for the recall. I called to schedule an appointment and they were booked 6 months out due to part availability. I made my appointment for June 6th, first available. A few weeks before my appointment, I received a letter saying Audi of America was stopping the fix due to part availability and not to bring my car in to my appointment. This recall is preventing me from passing state inspection and is a safety issue for any passengers in the car.

NHTSA ID

11466835

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

The contact's husband owns a 2015 Audi S3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal beeping sound would emit from the passenger’s side occupant detection system while the passenger’s side seat was vacant. The passenger’s side air bag warning light would remain illuminated at start-up. The contact stated that she would either buckle the seat belt or place a heavy object in the passenger’s seat to stop the beeping. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed her that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part was not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11439882

Incident

Feb 1, 2021

Audi issued a recall in March 2020. Seven months later, they still say that they have no solution. This is a major passenger safety issue and could result in serious injury or death. Seven months with no solution should not be accepted by NHTSA and we request that you take further enforcement action with Audi to achieve a fix quickly. They do not appear to feel pressure to act and issuing a recall without then rapidly achieving and implementing a fix makes a mockery of the NHTSA recall process.

NHTSA ID

11436282

Incident

Oct 11, 2021

The contact owns a 2015 Audi S3. The contact stated while his wife was driving 50 MPH, the airbag warning light and the seat belt warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer informed the contact that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provide no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts are not available.

NHTSA ID

11429482

Incident

May 1, 2021

Mileage

100,000 mi

Passenger side air bag light came on and off even with not passenger on the vehicle PODS

NHTSA ID

11427654

Incident

May 12, 2021

Passenger Air bag light that indicates it is OFF and pre sense safety system failure . This has been occurring for years on my 2015 A3 . How long does the manufacture have to repair said problem ?

NHTSA ID

11425218

Incident

Jul 16, 2021

THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR IS FAULTY. I SEE EVERYONE ELSE HAS THE SAME ISSUE BUT WHEN I TYPE IN MY VIN IT SAYS IT IS NOT RECALLED? THEY WANTED $1000 TO FIX IT BUT IT ISN'T MY FAULT AND I HOPE TO SEE THEM OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKE AND FIX OUR AIRBAGS. ONLINE IT SAYS MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED AND FIXED FOR FREE BUT WHEN I CHECKED THEIR SITE 2015 AUDI S3 ISN'T COVERED, HOWEVER, ON THIS SITE, IT WILL SAY IT IS BUT WHEN I TYPE IN VIN NOTHING.

NHTSA ID

11389144

Incident

Dec 10, 2020

I GOT A PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF PROBLEM ON THE SECOND YEAR, AND KEEP GOING BACK TO DEALERSHIP TO CHECK THE PROBLEM UNTIL I GOT A RECALL NOTICE. AFTER HAVING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR REPAIRED RECALL, THE CAR STILL COMES UP THE SAME PROBLEM PLUS THE PASSENGER SEATBELT OFF LIGHT UP. THE AUDI DEALERSHIP NOW TELL ME THAT THE PODS SENSOR IS FAULTY AND LET ME PAY FOR ITS SAFETY PROBLEMS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAVE IT DONE WITH MY CAR AFTER RECALL, AND I FEEL REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH AUDI RIGHT NOW.

NHTSA ID

11384201

Incident

Dec 1, 2020

Mileage

20,000 mi

REGARDING: NHTSA CAMPAIGN# 19V474000 RECALL# 69Z4 VEHICLE WAS TAKING INTO AUDI DEALERSHIP IN CUYAHOGA FALLS OH AND COMPLETED THE SAFETY RECALL FIX. 11 MONTHS LATER, THE PODS SYSTEM INDICATED ANOTHER CIRCUIT FAILURE. TAKE BACK INTO SAME DEALERSHIP AND CONFIRMED SAME SAFETY RECALL FAILURE. WOULD NOT HONOR THE 12MTH/12K WARRANTY AS I WAS ABOUT 5K MILES PAST. THEY WANT ABOUT $700 TO FIX. I AM DECIDING NOT TO HAVE THEM FIX IT. I HAVE HEARD THIS PROBLEM KEEPS HAPPENING. SO RIGHT NOW I HAVE NO PASSENGER AIR BAGS AND LOOKING FOR A WAY TO BYPASS THE PODS CIRCUIT TO STAY ON ALWAYS I GUESS.

NHTSA ID

11377277

Incident

Nov 30, 2020

Mileage

112,000 mi

I HAD THE PODS RECALL 19V47400 DONE AND NOTICED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON SAYING AUDI PRE SENSE SYSTEM FAULT, AND SAFETY SYSTEM: SYSTEM FAULT, WHERE THE PASSENGER SEAT WILL THINK SOMEONE IS IN IT AND THEN WHEN SOMEONE IS IN IT, THE AIRBAG WILL STAY OFF AND OCCASIONALLY COME ON BUT TURN BACK OFF QUICKLY AFTER, ALL WHILE THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND ERRORS STAY ON THE DASH

NHTSA ID

11376283

Incident

Sep 26, 2020

Mileage

58,450 mi

AFTER HAVING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR REPAIRED PER RECALL CAMPAIGN 19V474000, I STARTED GETTING PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNINGS AGAIN. THE AUDI DEALERSHIP NOW SAYS THE PODS SENSOR IN THE SEAT ITSELF IS FAULTY, AND REQUIRES A >$1,700 REPAIR. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF TIMES THIS EXACTLY PROBLEM - HAVING THE PODS SENSOR FAIL AFTER HAVING THE RECALL ADDRESSED - HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE NHTSA AND ON AUDI FORUMS, IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE LIKELY EITHER ASSOCIATED WITH OR TRIGGERED BY THE RECALL ITSELF. IT LOOKS LIKE AUDI IS TRYING TO GET AWAY WITH A "CHEAP" FIX VIA THE RECALL, WHEN THERE IS A BROADER MORE EXPENSIVE ISSUE GOING ON.

NHTSA ID

11372739

Incident

Nov 2, 2020

AUDI RECALL 69Z4 MESSED UP MY PASSENGER AIRBAG AND SEATBELT WARNING SIGN. HAD NO ISSUE UNTIL AFTER THE RECALL, SO I CALLED AUDI IMMEDIATELY AFTER AND THEY CLAIMED I HAD TO REPLACE SOME SENSOR THAT HAD 'NOTHING' TO DO WITH THE SENSOR THEY 'FIXED' FROM THE RECALL. WHEN THE CAR STARTS THE PASSENGER SEATBELT WARNING SIGN KEEPS BLINKING WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON WHEN THERE IS NO PASSENGER. WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER AND THE CAR STARTS THERE IS NO SEATBELT WARNING SIGN AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF. THESE ISSUES NEVER EXISTED UNTIL AFTER THE RECALL AND AUDI IS CHARGING $1200 TO REPLACE THE SENSOR THAT SHOULD NOT BE A WEAR-AND-TEAR PRODUCT.

NHTSA ID

11366953

Incident

Dec 16, 2019

Mileage

45,000 mi

THE PASSENGER BAG SAFETY LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, AND HAS DONE FOR SOME TIME. THE PROBLEM OCCURS SOMETIMES WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT, BUT MOSTLY IT WILL OCCUR WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED. THE YELLOW DASH LIGHT COMES ON NEAR THE PASSENGER AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATES. THE INFORMATION PANEL ON THE DASH WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY REPORT "SAFETY SYSTEM: SYSTEM FAULT! SEE OWNER'S MANUAL" AND "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" AND "AUDI PRE SENSE: SYSTEM FAULT!" THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN RIGHT AFTER THE RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WIRING . I WAS ONLY 2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE AUDI DEALERSHIP WHEN IT STARTED. DEALER SAID IT WAS UNRELATED TO THE RECALL AND $980 TO FIX IT.

NHTSA ID

11363660

Incident

Oct 5, 2020

Mileage

86,000 mi

THE PODS SENSOR IN THE ACTUAL PASSENGER SEAT IS FAULTY ON ALL AUDI A3/S3/RS3 MODELS AND WILL SHUT OFF THE AIRBAG WHILE DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THIS ISSUE IS NOT DUE TO THE CURRENT RECALL ON THE HARNESS BUT THE ACTUAL SEAT SENSOR. IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE THAT THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR.

NHTSA ID

11352039

Incident

Aug 28, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 AUDI S3. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V474000 (AIR BAGS), HOWEVER A FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE AIR BAGS WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER AUDI OF HUNTINGTON LOCATED AT 363 E. JERICHO TURNPIKE, HUNTINGTON STATION, NY 11746, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE PODS (PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM) SYSTEM REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

NHTSA ID

11349009

Incident

Sep 20, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY VEHICLE HAD A PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL PERFORMED REGARDING A FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR THAT WOULD INADVERTENTLY DISABLE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WHILE THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED, HOWEVER THE ISSUE HAS RETURNED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS STATED THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER THE ENTIRE PODS UNIT AND ONLY COVERS A PORTION OF IT, AND THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

11330184

Incident

Jun 20, 2020

Mileage

98,000 mi

THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY DETECTION SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS IS EVEN AFTER THE RECENT RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE. AUDI STATES THAT THIS IS JUST WEAR AND TEAR ON THE CAR AND SAY IT WILL COST $1300 TO FIX. IN THE MEANTIME, THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND AIRBAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING.

NHTSA ID

11309055

Incident

Nov 21, 2018

THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SEATBELT SENSOR GOING OFF IF THERE WAS NO PASSENGER ON SEAT AND PASSENGER AIRBAG BEING OFF DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING ON THE SEAT. (CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V474000) I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE RECALL WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FAULTY WIRE/CONNECTOR AND EXCHANGED IT FOR A MORE STURDY CONNECTOR. THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS AFTER TAKING IT IN AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN RANDOMLY GOING TO WORK, AND SINCE THEN HAS NOT GONE AWAY! THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON AND THE SEATBELT ALARM GOES OFF EVEN IF THERE IS NO PASSENGER, IF THERE IS A PASSENGER, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL OFF. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT'S NOT THE WIRE/CONNECTOR AND THEY WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SENSOR SYSTEM ON THE SEAT WHICH THE WARRANTY IS NOT GOING TO COVER SINCE THEY DON'T COVER SAFETY THINGS WHICH NOW THEY WILL CHARGE AROUND 1000 DOLLARS. I WENT AHEAD WITH THE REPAIR BECAUSE THIS IS A LIABILITY ISSUE, AND I CANNOT HAVE PASSENGERS IN MY VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SAYING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF EVEN IF A PERSON IS SITTING THERE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AS THE FAULTY WIRE/CONNECTOR REPLACEMENT IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX AND THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SENSOR SYSTEM IN THE SEAT TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED! THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11302584

Incident

Jan 18, 2020

AUDI RELEASED A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE AIRBAGS ON MY VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD THE SAFETY RECALL PERFORMED TWICE AND I AM STILL GETTING THE SAME AIRBAG ERRORS. AUDI HAS NOT ADMITTED THAT THEY ARE NOT SURE WHAT IS CAUSING THE ISSUE AGAIN DESPITE REPLACING PARTS THAT WERE SUPPOSEDLY GOING TO FIX THE ISSUE. NOW I HAVE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH NO AIRBAGS WHEN THE ERROR COMES ON, WHICH IS EVERY TIME I START THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11277533

Incident

Nov 1, 2019