Most common 2016 Audi S3 problems
Share of the 14 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Audi S3 complaints by model year
Best S3 years: 2017, 2016, 2018. Years to avoid: 2015. Compare all years →
2016 Audi S3 recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
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.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2016 Audi S3:
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle.
What 2016 Audi S3 owners say
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 added to the engine all the time and after charging us hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do to plug in Their service computer system they finally realized that the car third high-pressure fuel pump leaking was leaking fuel into the crank case causing a hard start and fuel trim codes we spent and this is just the warrants $911.67 another time my husband was backing out of our brand, new home and This car did not sense that he was too close and essentially the front right part of his tire where the tire is doc Benton and he ruined the right side of our garage and these are just one of the 20 issues that have been always going to the RV dealership and I really think that it's time for some …
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 refused to complete the recall if I didn't pay. This was bluegrass motorsports in Louisville ky. They also damaged my vehicles door trim and stole money from my glove box(my fault for leaving money inside). Filed a complaint on the dealers website and was never reached out to. This is why safety recall remains open on my vehicle.
Seats
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 refused to complete the recall if I didn't pay. This was bluegrass motorsports in Louisville ky. They also damaged my vehicles door trim and stole money from my glove box(my fault for leaving money inside). Filed a complaint on the dealers website and was never reached out to. This is why safety recall remains open on my vehicle.
Car had no issues prior to recall 69z4. After Audi dealership performed work to satisfy recall 69z4 (NHTSA 19V474), the affected system (pods) now does not function at all. This renders the passenger seat airbag inoperable regardless of whether it is occupied. Audi will not cover the additional repair to the system that was perfectly functional until their recall repair was performed. This appears to be a widespread issue affecting similar a3/S3 model years.
2016 Audi S3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 23 / 31 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Audi S3 a good car?
Based on 14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 S3 rates better than average: 53% fewer complaints than a typical year of the S3 at the same age. It is one of the best S3 years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Audi S3?
The air bags — 11 complaints, 79% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the seats (4) and engine & cooling (1).
How many recalls does the 2016 Audi S3 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2016 Audi S3, the most recent from July 27, 2022 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Audi S3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2016 and 2018. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015. See the full Audi S3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Audi S3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.