Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Audi S3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags29
- Electrical system9
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Power train6
- Seat belts5
- Engine4
- Seats4
- Wheels2
- Visibility/wiper1
- Structure1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 10 2015 S3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 6 people died inside them, and 3 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2015 Audi S3 failed the safety check 1.47% of the time — 29% less often than the average 2015 passenger car (2.08%). Median odometer at inspection: 79,110 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2015
8,642 new Audi S3 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2015; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (4,210), Germany (2,554), France (497).
- Average mass
- 1,539 kg
- Average power
- 217 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 100%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In the Netherlands
246 first registered in 2015 are on Dutch roads; 77% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €63,523.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde123
- Band onvoldoende profiel51
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm45
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld36
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage28
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen22
- Band beschadigd17
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect11
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
3,540 cars built in 2015 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 140 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 146 of these cars first registered in 2015 took their annual MOT test. 89% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2015 the figure was 75%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 6.2% | 6.6% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.1% | 7.7% |
| Suspension | 1.4% | 6.4% |
| Brakes | 0.7% | 5.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.7% | 2.1% |
| Visibility | 0.7% | 3.9% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
56 of these cars first registered in 2015 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 145,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
231 2015 cars are on the New Zealand register; 70% arrived as used imports, 28% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Audi S3 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | 10.9 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 9.0 L/100 km (about 26 mpg US), CO₂ 207 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 10.1 | 7.7 | 9.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2015 Audi S3.
| 2019308 19 Jun 2019 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, there could be a loose wiring connection for the passenger occupant detection system (PODS). This could cause the airbag system to… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Audi S3 Sedan, A3 Sedan, 2016-2018 A3 Etron, 2017-2020 RS3 Sedan, and 2015-2019 A3 Cabriolet vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction and switch off the passenger air bag even when the seat is occupied.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Audi told its dealers about the 2015 Audi S3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011303 | This bulletin provides information when the anti-theft alarm activates for no reason, or when the anti-theft alarm does not activate. |
| 11011296 | This bulletin provides service-info relating to lithium-ion high-voltage batteries; determining energy content. |
| 11011285 | This TSB Provides information when parking assistance provides false warnings. |
| 11011282 | This bulletin provides information when speaker rattles, vibrations, or audio interference is noted. |
| 11011263 | This bulletin provides information regarding cleaning exterior glass. |
| 11011241 | This bulletin provides information when the engine warning lamp lights up in the instrument cluster, and the vehicle has reduced power. DTCs P256300, P056E00, P00AF00. |
| 11011240 | This bulletin provides information about professional noise analysis with the VAS 611 015 PICO-NVH tool |
| 11009983 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11009941 | This bulletin provides diagnostic information regarding the locking system. |
| 11009928 | This bulletin provides informatin when the engine does not run smoothly at idling speeds. |
| 11009375 | This bulletin provides information pertaining to the GFF test plan required for A/C compressore replacements, regardless of the concern. |
| 11009365 | This bulletin provides information when there is visible corrosion at the joint between the roof and roof side member. |
| 11009362 | This bulletin provides information when there is a prompt to take over steering; hands off detection. |
| 11009361 | This bulletin provides information regarding steering wheel visual damage. |
| 11009356 | This bulletin provides informaion regarding zirconium inserts in the bake piston for vehicle equipped with ceramic brakes. |
| 11009355 | This bulletin provides information when there are rattling/grindingn oises from the front end/brake system. |
| 11009354 | This bulletin provides information on frequency analysis. |
| 11009351 | This bulletin provides information regarding the general approach to brakes rubbing. |
| 11009348 | This bulleitn provides information when there is an implausible signal in the ABS/ESC speed sensor. |
| 11009347 | This bulletin provides information when there are vibrations and rotational steering wheel vibrations. |
| 11009327 | This bulletin provides information when ther is an Engine: start/stop system fault shown and start/stop system not is working; mileage below 50 km/32 miles. |
| 11009318 | This bulletin provides information when the engine warning lamp lights up in the instrument cluster, and the vehicle has reduced power. DTCs P256300, P056E00, P00AF00. |
| 11009313 | This bulletin provides guidance in order to provid informaiton regarding preparatoin when calling the Audi Technical Assistnce Center (TAC). |
| 11009312 | This bulletin provides informationw hen there are car was brush bristles trapped in the seam between the headlight and fender. |
| 11007354 | This bulletin provides service-info relating to lithium-ion high-voltage batteries; determining energy content. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation