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Audi · Compact Sedan

2022 Audi S3

Gas
Subcompact Cars
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
70 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 7
Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 2
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 27 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2022 Audi S3 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan. The most efficient version, the S3, is EPA-rated at 27 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 2 complaints, most often about the seat belts.

Audi S3 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Audi S3 · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
S3GasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo233227$3,050

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 44229.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
S35 / 10California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSedan/Saloon
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower306 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds7

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Rear cross-traffic alert

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: quattro Premium Plus, quattro Prestige). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length177.2 in
Width (body, without mirrors)71.7 in
Height56.3 in
Wheelbase103.5 in
Track, front61.0 in
Track, rear60.2 in
Curb weight3,483 lb

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: Sedan Tfsi Quattro. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Factory warranty running out?

The 2022 Audi S3 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

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Recalls (7)

Source: NHTSA recall database
●moderate

Back Over Prevention

VW: 91EK, Audi: 91EL
2,607 vehicles 92% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Golf R A8, Audi S3, RS3 Sedan, Q4 E-Tron SUV, A3 Sedan, and 2022-2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI, and ID4 vehicles. The rearview camera image may be blank or unresponsive when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear or when the park function is manually activated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Audi owners February 14, 2023. Volkswagen owners will receive an owner notification letter once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Volkswagen) 91EK and (Audi) 91EL.
NHTSA campaign 22V823000 reported Nov 2, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Back Over Prevention

91Ei
6,076 vehicles 93% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 AUDI A8, A6 Allroad, E-TRON Quattro, 2022 S3, RSQ8, RS7, RS6 Avant, Q8, Q7, Q3, E-TRON Sportback Quattro, S5 Cabriolet, E-TRON GT, S5 Sportback, A7, A6, A5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, A4, A4 Allroad, A3, S8, SQ7, SQ8, S6, and S4 vehicles. The infotainment main unit may become damaged internally when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display the next time the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the infotainment main unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91Ei.
NHTSA campaign 22V806000 reported Oct 26, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

69DZ
4,117 vehicles 94% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Audi S3, A3, and RS3 vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been folded incorrectly. Risk An incorrectly folded air bag can tear, prohibiting it from deploying properly during a crash, increasing the risk of an injury. Fix Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 13, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69DZ.
NHTSA campaign 22V652000 reported Aug 29, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Seat Belts

68i2
2,584 vehicles 94% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Audi S3 and A3 sedans. The retention force of the seat belt tensioner on the driver and front passenger seats may be inadequate to properly restrain the occupants during a crash. Risk Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 15, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 68i2.
NHTSA campaign 22V515000 reported Jul 20, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Child Seat

72M7
466 vehicles 96% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022 A3 Sedan and S3 Sedan vehicles. The child seat anchorage fitting sleeves are incorrectly marked with a different symbol than the one described in the owner's manual. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems." Risk An incorrectly marked child restraint anchorage may cause confusion during child seat installation, resulting in a child seat being improperly secured and increasing the risk of injury during a crash. Fix Dealers will replace all four fitting sleeves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May24, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72M7.
NHTSA campaign 22V224000 reported Apr 6, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Back Over Prevention

91CR
2,857 vehicles 98% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8 and S8, 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, A4 Sedan, E-Tron GT, Q3, Q5, RS6 Avant, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RSQ8, SQ7, SQ8, and S3 Sedan vehicles. A software error may prevent the rear-view image from initially displaying when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk A rear-view camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the infotainment unit parameters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 9, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91CR.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V825000 reported Oct 20, 2021 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Seat Belts

69CR, 69CS
45,496 vehicles 99% reported repaired
Problem 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 Cr Risk An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash. Fix 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).
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V606000 reported Aug 5, 2021 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific S3

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2022 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Audi publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2022 Audi S3, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2022 Audi S3

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this S3 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
2complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2022: 1 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Seat Belts 1
Air Bags 1
Electrical System 1
Power Train 1
Vehicle Speed Control 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

2022 Audi S3 (8Y), ~35,000 miles. Vehicle developed “Gear selector malfunction. You may continue driving.” Dealer stated failure would eventually leave vehicle stranded. Gear selector replaced under partial goodwill. Immediately afterward, vehicle began experiencing communication faults U123100 and U123000 gateway module.
Electrical System Feb 6, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11716117
The contact owns a 2022 AUDI S3. The contact received recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V515000 (Seat Belts) and 22V652000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted.
Seat Belts Sep 28, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11486903

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 769
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 757 service bulletins, 12 others

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Unknown Or Other, Structure, Engine.

  • TSB_2083409_1 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
  • TSB_2052680_2 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
  • TSB_2074846_5 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Steering
  • This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
  • TSB_2020552_15 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Visibility/Wiper
  • This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
  • TSB_2078648_4 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Structure — Body
  • This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel.
  • TSB_2068573_6 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Electrical System
  • This bulletin provides information when the rear parking sensor sometimes does not work, rear parking sensor loose, rear parking sensor fault message.
  • TSB_2030471_9 Service bulletin
    2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
  • TSB_2073860_2 Service bulletin
    2026-09-14 · Structure — Body
  • This bulletin provides information when there are stails/marks on the sill panel trim.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P2004
P2004 on Audi →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine1 bulletin
P2006Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine1 bulletin
P2014Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine1 bulletin
P2015
P2015 on Audi →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine1 bulletin

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Common questions about the 2022 S3

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2022 Audi S3 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 7 recall campaigns for the 2022 Audi S3. The most serious on file is 22V652000, covering Air Bags. 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2022 Audi S3?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2022 Audi S3 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it C (70/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2022 Audi S3?

For the 2022 Audi S3, the best EPA combined figure is 27 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2022 Audi S3?

Transport Canada measured it at 177.2 in long, 71.7 in wide (body, without mirrors), 56.3 in tall, on a 103.5 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,483 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2022 Audi S3?

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Audi S3, most often about seat belts, air bags, electrical system. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2022 Audi S3?

The EPA smog rating for the 2022 Audi S3 is 5 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2022 Audi S3?

The manufacturer has filed 769 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2022 Audi S3, most often covering electrical system, equipment, unknown or other. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations1 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates1 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls7NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints2NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratingsnoneNHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins769NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API