RoadVitals

2016 Audi S3 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Mar 29, 2026
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
7
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2016 Audi S3, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Airbags1155.0%
  • Interior & seats420.0%
  • Engine15.0%
  • Seat belts15.0%
  • Visibility15.0%
  • Fuel system15.0%
  • Driver assistance15.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

11
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 ID 11582791 · filed Apr 13, 2024

Where do I start? We have taken this car into the Audi dealership four times due to the engine. Overheating and being almost stranded in the middle of nowhere with it because oil was needing to be added to the engine all the time and after charging us hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do to plug in Their service computer system they finally realized that the car third high-pressure fuel pump leaking was leaking fuel into the crank case causing a hard start and fuel trim codes we spent and this is just the warrants $911.67 another time my husband was backing out of our brand, new home and This car did not sense that he was too close and essentially the front right part of his tire where the tire is doc Benton and he ruined the right side of our garage and these are just one of the 20 issues that have been always going to the RV dealership and I really think that it’s time for some reimbursement. My husband won’t go and do anything about it because he used to work at the dealership but I’m sick of it and we’ve been charged hundreds and hundreds of dollars and then they finally just fixed. They finally just found the problem there that’s an issue and it’s a safety issue to because when I was driving down the highway all the sudden the over the engine overheated and that wasn’t on that was on several occasions, we brought it into the Audi dealership. They couldn’t find anything wrong with it Several please call me back or contact my husband who owns a car I’m getting sick of this. I think they also replaced the water pump as well.

NHTSA ID 11505674 · filed Feb 5, 2023
All 11 reports naming airbags

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 ID 11582791 · filed Apr 13, 2024

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 ID 11388170 · filed Jan 14, 2021

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

VERY SIMILAR TO THE RECALL FOR THE 2017-2018 AUDI A3, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR. THE CAR STARTS NORMALLY, SHIFTS INTO GEAR (DRIVE OR REVERSE) ACCELERATES NORMALLY, BEFORE THE ENGINE DIES (RPM GAUGE DROPS TO 0). THE CAR FORCES ME TO PUT IT IN PARK BEFORE STARTING NORMALLY WHEN PUSHING THE START/STOP BUTTON. IT HAS HAPPENED 15+ TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC AND NO ERROR CODES APPEAR. WE HAVE TESTED TO SEE IF IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE GAS TANK IS BELOW HALF (WHICH WOULD INDICATE A FUEL PUMP ISSUE) HOWEVER, IT HAS HAPPENED ON A FULL TANK AS WELL. IT IS NOT BAD GAS-- I HAVE FILLED UP AT A VARIETY OF GAS STATIONS SINCE THIS ISSUE BEGAN. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS IT POTENTIALLY COULD HAPPEN IN TRAFFIC, SINCE IT DIES WHILE IN MOTION AND REQUIRES THE CAR TO BE IN PARK BEFORE IT WILL START BACK UP. I'VE SEEN SEVERAL FORUMS ONLINE ABOUT SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND I'M ESPECIALLY CONCERNED BASED ON THE EXACT SAME RECALL FOR THE 2017-2018 A3.

NHTSA ID 11298302 · filed Jan 9, 2020

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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 ID 11388170 · filed Jan 14, 2021

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

Sunroof Exploded while driving

NHTSA ID 11727853 · filed Mar 29, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

Where do I start? We have taken this car into the Audi dealership four times due to the engine. Overheating and being almost stranded in the middle of nowhere with it because oil was needing to be added to the engine all the time and after charging us hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do to plug in Their service computer system they finally realized that the car third high-pressure fuel pump leaking was leaking fuel into the crank case causing a hard start and fuel trim codes we spent and this is just the warrants $911.67 another time my husband was backing out of our brand, new home and This car did not sense that he was too close and essentially the front right part of his tire where the tire is doc Benton and he ruined the right side of our garage and these are just one of the 20 issues that have been always going to the RV dealership and I really think that it’s time for some reimbursement. My husband won’t go and do anything about it because he used to work at the dealership but I’m sick of it and we’ve been charged hundreds and hundreds of dollars and then they finally just fixed. They finally just found the problem there that’s an issue and it’s a safety issue to because when I was driving down the highway all the sudden the over the engine overheated and that wasn’t on that was on several occasions, we brought it into the Audi dealership. They couldn’t find anything wrong with it Several please call me back or contact my husband who owns a car I’m getting sick of this. I think they also replaced the water pump as well.

NHTSA ID 11505674 · filed Feb 5, 2023

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

Where do I start? We have taken this car into the Audi dealership four times due to the engine. Overheating and being almost stranded in the middle of nowhere with it because oil was needing to be added to the engine all the time and after charging us hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do to plug in Their service computer system they finally realized that the car third high-pressure fuel pump leaking was leaking fuel into the crank case causing a hard start and fuel trim codes we spent and this is just the warrants $911.67 another time my husband was backing out of our brand, new home and This car did not sense that he was too close and essentially the front right part of his tire where the tire is doc Benton and he ruined the right side of our garage and these are just one of the 20 issues that have been always going to the RV dealership and I really think that it’s time for some reimbursement. My husband won’t go and do anything about it because he used to work at the dealership but I’m sick of it and we’ve been charged hundreds and hundreds of dollars and then they finally just fixed. They finally just found the problem there that’s an issue and it’s a safety issue to because when I was driving down the highway all the sudden the over the engine overheated and that wasn’t on that was on several occasions, we brought it into the Audi dealership. They couldn’t find anything wrong with it Several please call me back or contact my husband who owns a car I’m getting sick of this. I think they also replaced the water pump as well.

NHTSA ID 11505674 · filed Feb 5, 2023

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .