2018 Audi S3 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
56/100
#5 most-complained of 10 S3 years
The 2018 Audi S3 has a Complaint Index of 56 with 5 complaints and 1 recall, ranking 5th worst out of 10 model years. It carries a Caution verdict, better than the 2015-2017 Avoid years but worse than 2019-2024 model years.
- Complaints
- 5
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 22 city / 28 hwy
Top 2018 Audi S3 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Fuel System2 (40%)
- Transmission & Powertrain2 (40%)
- Airbags1 (20%)
- Other1 (20%)
- Visibility & Wipers1 (20%)
What owners report
- Owners report a fuel system defect described as a fire hazard, flagged at a median mileage of 2,000 miles.
- One owner reported the windshield delaminating along with wiper function problems around 2,000 miles.
- Another owner described the transmission suddenly banging out of gear during acceleration, with the gear display going blank on the instrument panel.
- A separate fuel system complaint referenced a faulty suction pump and gas tank, similar to issues covered under other Audi recalls but not covered for the S3.
2018 Audi S3 recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V198000Mar 22, 2021Airbags153,152 vehicles
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.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
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 this recall is 69BY.
2018 Audi S3 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 25 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,200
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2018 compared with other S3 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Audi S3 reliable based on NHTSA data?
- NHTSA lists 5 complaints and 1 recall for the 2018 Audi S3, giving it a Complaint Index of 56 and a Caution verdict relative to other S3 model years.
- What is the top problem area for the 2018 Audi S3?
- Fuel System complaints make up 40% of reported issues, tied with Transmission & Powertrain, also at 40%, based on NHTSA complaint data.
- Does the 2018 Audi S3 have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists one recall, campaign 21V198000, covering a passenger occupant detection system (PODS) sensor mat and control module update. It is not a do-not-drive recall.
- How does the 2018 Audi S3 compare to other years?
- The 2018 model ranks 5th worst of 10 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 56, lower than 2015 (100), 2016 (89), and 2017 (78), but higher than 2019 (33) and 2020 (22).