2018 Audi S3 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 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
- Fuel system233.3%
- Powertrain (other)233.3%
- Airbags116.7%
- Visibility116.7%
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
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
CAR DOESN'T ENGAGE GEAR OR "JUMPS" WHEN REVERSE (R) IS SELECTED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Audi will not fix the problem.
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .