YearToAvoid

2021 Audi S3 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

0/100

#10 most-complained of 10 S3 years

The 2021 Audi S3 has 0 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 0, ranking 10th out of 10 model years, the lowest complaint level in the lineup. It has 1 recall, covering seat belt assemblies.

Complaints
0
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2021 Audi S3 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

No component data.

2021 Audi S3 recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V606000Aug 5, 2021Seat Belts45,496 vehicles

    Seat belts:rear/other:retractor

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

2021 compared with other S3 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2019No verdict332125
2020No verdict221125
2021No verdict001—
2022No verdict442727
2023No verdict110126

All Audi S3 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints does the 2021 Audi S3 have?
NHTSA lists 0 complaints for the 2021 Audi S3, giving it a complaint index of 0.
Is the 2021 Audi S3 a good year compared to other years?
Yes. Among the 10 model years with data, the 2021 ranks 10th, meaning it has the lowest reported-complaint level of any S3 year.
Does the 2021 Audi S3 have any recalls?
It has 1 recall, campaign 21V606000, covering seat belt assemblies. Dealers inspect and, if needed, replace the middle-rear seat belt assemblies free of charge.
Were there any crashes, fires, or injuries reported for the 2021 Audi S3?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported for the 2021 Audi S3.
Which Audi S3 model years should be avoided?
Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2015, 2016, and 2017 model years are flagged as Avoid, with complaint indexes of 100, 89, and 78 respectively, compared to 0 for 2021.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.