2015 Audi S3 Owner Complaints

A non-serviceable, faulty rollover valve inside the gas tank is causing the vehicle to leak fuel (also fails to contain fuel in the event of a rollover - exacerbating fire hazards in the event of an accident). The solution is to tear apart the entire bottom of the car to replace the entire gas tank. A $6,000 repair according to the Audi dealership - two local shops quoted $4,000. There are no warning messages. Discovered when I exited the vehicle to strong smell of gasoline as maybe a gallon had spilled outside the vehicle. Dealership was aware of the issue.

NHTSA ID

11754006

Incident

Jul 17, 2026

I am reporting a Safety Remedy Denial by Audi of America (Case #[XXX]) regarding a failed suction jet pump and charcoal canister in my 2015 Audi S3. This failure resulted in a fuel leak and strong fuel odor near the exhaust, creating an immediate fire hazard. ​ Although Audi issued a 15-year/150,000-mile warranty extension ([XXX]) for the 8V chassis A3 population, they are denying coverage for my S3 variant. This is in direct contradiction to Audi's own TSB 2068171/5, which explicitly states the A3 model group 'includes S and RS versions.' ​ The dealership (Audi Rancho Mirage, RO# [XXX]) confirmed the failure of the suction jet pump (Version 1.0/1.1) but refused the safety repair at no cost because the 'U49 Warranty Key' was not in their digital system. This component is part of NHTSA Recall 24V-110 and Investigation RQ23007. Audi is failing to honor federal safety protections for the S3 variant of the 8V chassis. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11727270

Incident

Mar 24, 2026

Gas pump shuts off and stops pumping fuel into my car with a loud hissing noise before it shuts down the pump. I can not properly fill my vehicle with gas. This is not a single incident it is an ongoing problem.

NHTSA ID

11726120

Incident

Mar 20, 2026

Unable to refuel car. Gas pump keeps clicking off and fuel backs up spilling out of fuel port. Mechanic tested fuel system and reported fuel tank has faulty jet pump seal. Mechanic says a recall was effected for certain audi models with this issue due emissions dangers and fire risk.

NHTSA ID

11719022

Incident

Feb 11, 2026

Tail lights stopped working, the wire harness in the vehicle is known to get sheared due to a pinch point at the trunk hinge, this pinch point over a period of time will result in damage to the wire harness that controls the rear taillights as well as the opening and closing functions of the trunk. This is a known issue, with a TSB having been release, replacement is only offered if the damage is noticed during warranty period. This damage is hidden behind the trunk lining and can go unseen until the damage is done.

NHTSA ID

11626458

Incident

Sep 11, 2024

Gear Shift Micro Switch This is a documented issue recalled for VW and Audi vehicles between 2015-2019. VW recalled all and still is fixing the issue in cars from those years, yet AUDI decided to just offer an extended warranty to those cars for that specific issue. Who is responsible VW or AUDI. If Audi is owned by VW and the issue is in both types of cars made by them, why aren't AUDI vehicles included to the recall and repair.

NHTSA ID

11626453

Incident

Nov 20, 2024

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

While pumping gas, a strong odor is always present. While pumping gas the pump will stop multiple times before being filled in it's entirety, I can't hold depress gas pump handle I have to slowly fill car with gas or risk spilling fuel.

NHTSA ID

11561473

Incident

Mar 1, 2023

The EVAP suction pump stopped working resulting in refueling issues. Fuel accumulates in the EVAP system and spills outside the vehicle

NHTSA ID

11526561

Incident

Jun 9, 2023

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

Fuel tanks suction pump fails and will not allow you to fill the tank with gas. It will fill a vary small amount of gas then start draining it out onto the ground by the wheel well. If the exhaust is hot it could potentially catch fire

NHTSA ID

11494004

Incident

Nov 14, 2022

Defroster flap motor keeps going out with code. Been looking up ways to fix and seems like it is a problem a lot of owners have with the 8v vehicles. Cannot see at all through windshield even with max defrost on. Can feel no air through vents.

NHTSA ID

11493721

Incident

Nov 15, 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

Fault water pump/thermostat causing overheating and breakdowns. Known issue in other models with the same motor, yet no recall issued for the A3/S3 models with the 2.0 motor

NHTSA ID

11479581

Incident

Aug 16, 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

Tire size is 225/40R18XL Driving east on US Highway 64 from Washington, NC to Raleigh, NC the low pressure alarm for passenger rear tire went off. 15-20 minutes later the tire blew out. We stopped to change to our spare and found that the inner side wall was blown out. This is the second tire in two months to do this.

NHTSA ID

11436796

Incident

Oct 13, 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

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The component that malfunctioned was with the electrical system. It was the Shift Lever Microswitch. It is not available for inspection because the car has been repaired. 2. How was the safety or safety of others put at risk? There was a build-up of silicate on the Shift Lever Micro Switch contacts. This build up may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "P” Park position. My safety and the safety of any passengers was at risk because if the ignition key is removed without the shift lever being in "P" Park position, there is a risk that the vehicle may roll away, resulting in a crash that could injure people and damage property. I believe this may make the vehicle noncompliant with FMVSS 114; Theft protection and rollaway prevention. PLEASE NOTE VOLKWAGEN OF AMERICA RECALLED APPROXIMATELY 679,000 CARS FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V615000, VOLKSWAGEN RECALL CODE 37M2.) 3 . Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The problem was confirmed and diagnosed by the dealer, Audi Buffalo. 4.Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance r representatives or others? The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone other than the dealer. The dealer notified the manufacturer, Audi of America. 5.Was there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptons of the problem prior to the failure and when did they first appear? Prior to the malfunction, a message was displaying in the instrument cluster that said “Vehicle Electrics Malfunction, Shift to P before leaving car, contact Service. This started to display in May, 2021. It did not display all the time, just occasionally.

NHTSA ID

11434862

Incident

May 21, 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