{"id":"2018_audi_s3","make":"Audi","make_slug":"audi","model":"S3","model_slug":"s3","year":2018,"url":"/audi/s3/2018/","pts":["gas"],"configs":[{"id":38901,"model":"S3","pt":"gas","drive":"All-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (AM-S7)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":22,"hwy":28,"comb":25,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Premium","vclass":"Subcompact Cars","co2":359,"fe_score":5,"ghg_score":5,"fuel_cost":3100,"save_spend":-4250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"VGA","modified":"Thu Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 2017"}],"vclass":"Subcompact Cars","segment":"Compact car","recalls":[{"campaign":"21V198000","component":"AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY","mfr":"Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.","reported":"2021-03-22","owner_notified":"2021-12-23","units":153152,"summary":"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.","consequence":"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.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"69BY","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"high"}],"recall_count":1,"critical_count":0,"park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"score":92,"grade":"A","complaints":{"count":5,"crash":0,"fire":0,"injured":0,"deaths":0,"comps":[["Power Train",2],["Fuel/Propulsion System",2],["Visibility/Wiper",1],["Unspecified",1],["Air Bags",1]],"by_year":{"2018":1,"2019":1,"2022":2,"2024":1},"excerpts":[["2024-10-25","Fuel/Propulsion System","Having the same issue as the NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report, 24V-110. And, similar to NHTSA 16V647 associated with the Audi Safety Recall 20Y5 - Suction Pump. Apparently there is no recall for my S3, only the A3. Dealer has determined the suction pump and gas tank are faulty. (Inherit defect by manufacture?). Audi\u2026"],["2022-06-08","Power Train","The car was put in Drive \"D\". As I roll out into traffic and start to accelerate, the car \"bang\" out of gear like it's in neutral, the revs climb, but the car doesn't accelerate and the \"D\" display disappeared from the instrument panel. The gear selector display on the instrument panel is now blank (instead of \"D\" if i\u2026"]]},"investigations":[{"action":"RQ23007","component":"FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE","opened":"2023-12-12","closed":"2024-07-01","campaign":"24V110","subject":"Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)","summary":"On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 passenger car vehicles. The recall remedy repair replaced SJP Version 1.0 with an improved version, Version 1.1. The SJP is designed to purge fuel from the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system. VW\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s recall filing stated the SJP may have been damaged during assembly, which"}],"ncap":[{"desc":"4 DR AWD","overall":5,"frontal":4,"side":5,"rollover":4,"rollover_risk":0.109,"seats":5,"fcw":"Standard","ldw":"Optional","aeb":"No","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":null}],"popularity":999,"headline":{"range":null,"mpg":25,"ncap":5,"complaints":5},"presskit_trims":[],"generated_at":"2026-09-11 05:01 UTC","sources":["EPA fueleconomy.gov","NHTSA recalls","NHTSA complaints","NHTSA NCAP","NHTSA investigations"]}