2016 Audi S3 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 2016 Audi S3, and owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 2016 Audi S3
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's customer…
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Air bags: front passenger and on-off switch assembly (air bags)
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and update the PODS control module, free of charge. Owners letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for…
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Occupant classification (air bags)
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.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's…
14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2016 Audi S3 have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 49,813 miles. Complaints peaked in 2020 with 7 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“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 refuse”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 13, 2024 · Air bags
“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 add”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 5, 2023 · Fuel/propulsion system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2016 Audi S3. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 23 / 31 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM-S6) |
Compare Audi S3 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Audi S3 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Audi S3 | 2 | 53 |
| 2016 Audi S3 | 3 | 14 |
| 2017 Audi S3 | 2 | 9 |
| 2018 Audi S3 | 1 | 5 |
| 2019 Audi S3 | 1 | 2 |
| 2020 Audi S3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 Audi S3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 Audi S3 | 7 | 2 |
| 2023 Audi S3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 Audi S3 | 0 | 2 |
Checking a specific 2016 Audi S3
How do I know if my 2016 Audi S3 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2016 Audi S3; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Audi dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 19V474000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Audi models
- A42,895 complaints
- A61,658 complaints
- Q51,342 complaints
- Q71,047 complaints
- A3731 complaints
- S4588 complaints
- A5325 complaints
- TT319 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.