2015 Audi S3

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2015 Audi S3 has 71 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (41% of all complaints), specifically: my car's passenger side front seat abruptly developed a sensor failure. the "passenger airbag off" light is lit, signaling the airbag won't deploy despite a passenger sitting in the seat. this is dangerous. there has been a recall issued in june 2018 on 140k audi cars with similar problem, my mod.

1 crash report 2 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

29 complaints

41%

• MY CAR'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT ABRUPTLY DEVELOPED A SENSOR FAILURE. THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT IS LIT, SIGNALING THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN JUNE 2018 ON 140K AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MOD
• PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR SRS AIRBAG LIGHT WARNING COMES UP WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A SEATED PASSENGER. PASSENGER IS NOT BEING DETECTED AND AIRBAG STAYS OFF. HAPPENS WHEN STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. VEHICLE IS ALWAYS GIVING WARNING SOUNDS THAT SEAT BELT IS NOT FASTENED. ISSUE TESTED BY DEAL
• MY PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED COMING IN RANDOMLY. I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE SENSOR THAT SEES IF A SMALL CHILD IS IN THE SEAT, IN WHICH CASE IT TURNS OFF THE AIRBAG. BUT, WHEN NO ONE IS IN THE SEAT, I GET AN ALERT EVERY TIME I START THE CAR, AND IT BEEPS FOR MINUTES. PLUS, I THINK ITS TELLI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“MY CAR'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT ABRUPTLY DEVELOPED A SENSOR FAILURE. THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT IS LIT, SIGNALING THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN JUNE 2018 ON 140K AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MOD”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

9 complaints

13%

• MY CAR'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT ABRUPTLY DEVELOPED A SENSOR FAILURE. THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT IS LIT, SIGNALING THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN JUNE 2018 ON 140K AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MOD
• PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR SRS AIRBAG LIGHT WARNING COMES UP WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A SEATED PASSENGER. PASSENGER IS NOT BEING DETECTED AND AIRBAG STAYS OFF. HAPPENS WHEN STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. VEHICLE IS ALWAYS GIVING WARNING SOUNDS THAT SEAT BELT IS NOT FASTENED. ISSUE TESTED BY DEAL
• 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 SEA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

9 complaints

13%

• MY CAR'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT ABRUPTLY DEVELOPED A SENSOR FAILURE. THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT IS LIT, SIGNALING THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN JUNE 2018 ON 140K AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MOD
• PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR SRS AIRBAG LIGHT WARNING COMES UP WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A SEATED PASSENGER. PASSENGER IS NOT BEING DETECTED AND AIRBAG STAYS OFF. HAPPENS WHEN STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. VEHICLE IS ALWAYS GIVING WARNING SOUNDS THAT SEAT BELT IS NOT FASTENED. ISSUE TESTED BY DEAL
• 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 FO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

6 complaints

• HIGHWAY DRIVING AND CAR FELT AS IF IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. SEVERAL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR WAS ONLY ABLE TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND AVOID A DISASTER AND / OR ACCIDENT. HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID NOTHING TO THE CAR AFTER TWO DAYS.
• I AM WRITING IN REGARDS TO A SAFETY ISSUE I RECENTLY BECAME AWARE OF AFTER VISITING MY AUDI DEALERSHIP. WITH APPROXIMATELY 47,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER I NOTICED A BEEPING NOISE. I HAD MY CAR INSPECTED AND THERE WERE NO RESULTS AT THAT TIME. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS THE SOUND RETURNED. I WEN
• HALDEX PUMP FAILURE, OCCURRED SLOWLY AND EXISTED FOR OVER A YEAR. I FINALLY SEARCHED FOR INFORMATION ON "FRONT RIGHT WHEEL SLIP AUDI S3" AND DISCOVERED THERE IS A WELL ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WITH HALDEX PUMPS THAT STOP WORKING.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“HIGHWAY DRIVING AND CAR FELT AS IF IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. SEVERAL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR WAS ONLY ABLE TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND AVOID A DISASTER AND / OR ACCIDENT. HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID NOTHING TO THE CAR AFTER TWO DAYS. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

6 complaints

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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“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 complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 71 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: MY CAR'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT ABRUPTLY DEVELOPED A SENSOR FAILURE. THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT IS LIT, SIGNALING THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN JUNE 2018 ON 140K AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MOD
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: MY CAR'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT ABRUPTLY DEVELOPED A SENSOR FAILURE. THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT IS LIT, SIGNALING THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN JUNE 2018 ON 140K AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MOD
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: MY CAR'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT ABRUPTLY DEVELOPED A SENSOR FAILURE. THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT IS LIT, SIGNALING THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY DESPITE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN JUNE 2018 ON 140K AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MOD
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: HIGHWAY DRIVING AND CAR FELT AS IF IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. SEVERAL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR WAS ONLY ABLE TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND AVOID A DISASTER AND / OR ACCIDENT. HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID NOTHING TO THE CAR AFTER TWO DAYS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)