FaultScore

Worst years for a Audi S3

Owners have filed 123 complaints about the Audi S3 with NHTSA across model years 2015 to 2024. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.

Avoid

2015 Audi S3

72 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly airbags.

Cleanest on record

2016 Audi S3

22 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Audi S3 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2024 4 0 0 Electrical System
2022 5 0 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
2020 1 0 0 Other & Unspecified
2019 2 0 0 Airbags
2018 7 0 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
2017 B 10 0 0 28,859 Airbags
2016 A 22 0 0 44,000 Airbags
2015 D 72 1 0 45,000 Airbags

What breaks on a Audi S3

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Airbags 49 39.8%

Worst in 2015

Electrical System 11 8.9%

Worst in 2015

Transmission & Drivetrain 10 8.1%

Worst in 2015

Fuel & Propulsion 10 8.1%

Worst in 2015

Seats 8 6.5%

Worst in 2015

Seat Belts 7 5.7%

Worst in 2015

Other & Unspecified 6 4.9%

Worst in 2016

Engine & Cooling 5 4.1%

Worst in 2015

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 5 4.1%

Worst in 2015

Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance 3 2.4%

Worst in 2017

Brakes 2 1.6%

Worst in 2015

Body & Structure 2 1.6%

Worst in 2015

Wheels 2 1.6%

Worst in 2015

Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 0.8%

Worst in 2022

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Audi S3, by the month it reached NHTSA.

May 2017 peak 5 Jul 2026

Compare the Audi S3

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.