Model year 2015 · Subcompact Cars

2015 Audi S3: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2015 Audi S3 at 26 mpg combined across 1 version. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 53 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

2

EPA combined mpg

26

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Audi dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2015 Audi S3 recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2015 Audi S3, newest first.

Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification: Front passenger and 1 more component

NHTSA 21V198000 Reported Mar 22, 2021
Filed by
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. 69BY)
Components
Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification: Front passenger; Air bags: On-off switch assembly
Units affected
153,152 (estimate)
Problem
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification

NHTSA 19V474000 Reported Jun 19, 2019
Filed by
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. 69Z4)
Units affected
138,896 (estimate)
Problem
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag.
Risk
A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69Z4.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2015 Audi S3 fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2015 Audi S3 EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
S32.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 6-speedAll-Wheel DrivePremium23/31/26 mpg$3,150340

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2015 Audi S3 crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2015 Audi S3 NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2015 Audi S3 4 DR AWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars10.9%No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2015 Audi S3 owner complaints

Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Audi S3, most recently on Jul 31, 2026. 1 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 2 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2015 Audi S3 complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Air bags29
Electrical system9
Fuel/propulsion system7
Power train6
Seat belts5
Engine4
Seats4
Wheels2
Electronic stability control (ESC)1
Service brakes1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Audi S3 model years

Audi S3 by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 S326 mpg———
2026 S326 mpg———
2025 S326 mpg———
2024 S326 mpg02—
2023 S326 mpg10—
2022 S327 mpg72—
2020 S325 mpg115/5
2019 S325 mpg125/5
2018 S325 mpg155/5
2017 S324 mpg295/5
2016 S326 mpg3145/5

All Audi S3 years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2015 Audi models

2015 Audi A32015 Audi A42015 Audi A52015 Audi A62015 Audi A72015 Audi A82015 Audi Allroad2015 Audi Q32015 Audi Q52015 Audi Q72015 Audi R82015 Audi R8 Spyder2015 Audi RS 52015 Audi RS 72015 Audi S42015 Audi S5

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 28, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Audi.