What's Wrong with the 3rd Generation (2015–2019) S3?

S3 owners have made 2 complaints about the 2015–2019 model years. Using our PainRank™ system we've ranked it 12th out of 39 Audi generations in overall reliability, with plenty of transmission concerns.

Common 2015-2019 Audi S3 Problems

Some of the worst issues 3rd generation S3 owners have to deal with.

  1. Start-Stop Defects

    There are multiple problems with Audi's start-stop technology that outweigh the modest fuel efficiency gains. Owners complain that the system will shut off the power steering and brake systems at dangerous times and cause the accelerat The …

    Continue reading article "Start-Stop Defects" A tachometer with the red arrow pointing at the 'ready' position

  2. What Are We Missing?

    We know there's more problems than this. Let us know which one you'd like to see us cover next.

    Continue A tachometer with the red arrow pointing at the 'ready' position

What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

3rd Generation (2015–2019) S3 Key Numbers

  1. 5 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 2 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 12th in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 39 eligible generations.

Recent 3rd Generation (2015–2019) S3 News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. More than 171,000 Audi sedans have been recalled for shutting off the airbag when there's a passenger in the front seat.

    This should give pause to anyone wanting to call "shotgun" on your next road tripl especially considering this is the second time the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) has been recalled in some of these vehicles over the last couple years. …

    keep reading article "Audi Recalls 171,000 Vehicles for Passenger Airbag System Shutoffs"