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2017 Audi S3 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2017 Audi S3 has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 2safety recalls
- 9owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 0injuries reported
9 complaints, against an average of 15 for the other 5 Audi S3 model years.
Every Audi S3 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2017 Audi S3?
The components named most often in the 9 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2017 Audi S3 owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 9 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
Has the 2017 Audi S3 been recalled?
2 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification: Front Passenger 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.
Fix: 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.
Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi A3 and S3 Sedan vehicles. In a lower-speed crash situation, the air bag control unit software may deploy the passenger frontal air bag improperly if the front seat passenger is sitting on the edge of the seat or is laying in the seat with the seat reclined. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: If the air bag deploys with more force than intended, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control module software, free of charge. The recall began April 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q3.
What do 2017 Audi S3 owners report?
9 of the 9 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
transmission failed after going over a small pothole at 20mph, after which engine revved up than slammed into high gear and jerked the car forward, car has been towed to dealership for inspection, transmission light came on
I have contacted Audi dealerships in my area with regard to Manufacturer Recall Number 69BY NHTSA Recall Number 21V198. But they say they do not have the parts to fix the recall and have no idea when they can fix it
The contact owns a 2017 Audi S3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and the contact was notified that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2017 Audi S3. The front passenger seat air bag warning light failed to illuminate whether there was a passenger seated in the seat or not. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags). The dealer was contacted and the contact was informed that the part was not available. Several months later an appointment was scheduled; however, later the contact was informed that the part was not available. The contact stated that he rescheduled the appointment for 5/11/2022 and before going to the dealer he called to confirm however, he was informed…
The contact owns a 2017 Audi S3. The contact received NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags). The owner contacted a local dealer to set up a recall appointment. The contact set the appointment and was told by the dealer that the parts would be ordered and that the dealer would contact the owner. The owner waited over one month and had to re-contact the dealer and was told that they no longer preorder parts and the recall was now first-come-first-serve. The contact was advised by the dealer that the appointment was canceled and the vehicle was still pending repair. The contact advised that…
SEATPOD SENSOR FOR PASSENGER AIR BAG FAULT MESSAGES. HAD THIS REPAIRED DONE 4 TIMES SINCE PURCHASED NEW. I DON'T FEEL SAVE DRIVING IN THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP. BBB CANT HELP ME.
UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65-75, THE CAR VIBRATES. I ATTEMPTED TO REACH OUT TO OTHER DRIVES AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUES ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. NOT LOCAL AND NOT SELECT YEAR. UNDER FURTHER HOMEWORK, MANY OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ONLINE. MANY OTHERS SHOW THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THIS ISSUE, WITH OUT BEING SUCCESSFUL. WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED, WHEELS BALANCED, CHECK FOR WHEEL DAMAGE AND EVEN DRIVE SHAFTS HAVE BEEN CHECKED. THE CARS STILL HAVE VIBRATION AROUND 65-75 MPH. MY CAR IS AROUND 44K MILES BUT MANY OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SINCE…
AFTER PURCHASING A 2017 AUDI S3 I IMMEDIATELY ENCOUNTERED HORRIBLE CHATTERING OF THE WIPER BLADES IN MY VERY FIRST DRIVE IN THE RAIN. I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN MY CAR TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE 10+ OCCASIONS. THIS CHATTERING AND SKIPPING OF THE WIPER BLADES IS SO BAD THAT I AND MANY OTHER A3 / S3 OWNERS NO LONGER USE OUR WIPERS IN THE RAIN AS THEY CAUSE MORE OF A DISTRACTION THAN GOOD. MOST OF US ARE NOW USING RAINX OR SOME OTHER REPELLENT TO EVACUATE THE WATER. I SENT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP VIDEO IN 2017 AND SO FAR THEY HAVE : POLISHED THE WINDOW, REPLACED THE BLADES TWICE…
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN MY SUNROOF EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT AS IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN HAD GONE OFF IN MY CAR. I SPOKE WITH MY INSURANCE AGENT AND HE TOLD ME TO CALL AUDI BECAUSE IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. AUDI DID FIX THE CAR WHICH WAS HAD A TON OF DAMAGE BECAUSE THE GLASS WENT EVERYWHERE WHEN THE SUNROOF EXPLODED HOWEVER I WAS TOLD BY A GROUP OF ENGINEERS THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND THAT THEY FELT THAT IT WAS A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. I DID NOT WANT THE CAR AT THAT POINT. I SPOKE WITH AUDI OF AMERICA AND…
2017 Audi S3: questions owners ask
Is the 2017 Audi S3 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Audi S3; the most common categories were air bags (5, 55.6%), forward collision avoidance (1, 11.1%), power train (1, 11.1%). There are 2 safety recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Audi S3?
Across 9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are air bags (55.6% of complaints), forward collision avoidance (11.1% of complaints), power train (11.1% of complaints), structure (11.1% of complaints), visibility/wiper (11.1% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2017 Audi S3 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2017 Audi S3; the most recent (campaign 21V198000, 2021-03-22) concerns Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification: Front Passenger. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the airbag light on in my 2017 Audi S3?
3 of the 9 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Audi S3 (33.3%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. 2 related recalls exist: campaign 21V198000 (air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger). The fix: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and update the PODS control module, free of charge. One owner wrote: "Seatpod sensor for passenger air bag fault messages. had this repaired done 4 times since purchased new. i don't feel save driving in this car. please help. bbb cant help me." (NHTSA complaint 11320434, April 2020). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own S3
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2017 only.