2020 Audi S3 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
No verdictComplaint Index
22/100
#8 most-complained of 10 S3 years
The 2020 Audi S3 has 1 NHTSA complaint, 1 recall, and a complaint index of 22, ranking 8th out of 10 model years, well below the worst year (2015, index 100).
- Complaints
- 1
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 22 city / 29 hwy
Top 2020 Audi S3 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Other1 (100%)
2020 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.
2020 Audi S3 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22 MPG
- Highway
- 29 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.
2020 compared with other S3 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2020 Audi S3 reliable?
- NHTSA lists only 1 complaint and a complaint index of 22 for the 2020 Audi S3, ranking 8th out of 10 model years, meaning it has fewer reported problems than most other years.
- What recalls affect the 2020 Audi S3?
- There is 1 recall, campaign 21V198000, covering a passenger occupant detection system (PODS) sensor mat issue that affects airbags; it is not a do-not-drive recall.
- What year Audi S3 should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA data, 2015 has the highest complaint index at 100, followed by 2016 at 89 and 2017 at 78, making them the years to avoid rather than 2020.
- How does the 2020 Audi S3 compare to other years?
- With a complaint index of 22 and 1 complaint, 2020 ranks 8th worst out of 10 years, better than 2015-2018 but with fewer data points than more recent years like 2019 and 2021.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Audi S3?
- EPA rates the 2020 Audi S3 at 25 mpg combined (22 city/29 highway), with an annual fuel cost of $3,200.