AI Damage2017 Audi S3: common problems
Owners of the 2017 Audi S3 filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and structure. The maker issued 566 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 566
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 56% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 3 Visibility 11% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 5 Forward collision avoidance 11% of all complaints
- Air bags: 5 complaints (56% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 9.
- Structure: 1 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 44.
- Visibility: 1 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 22.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 18.
- Forward collision avoidance: 1 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- dual-clutch (DCT), 6-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 5 | 0 | 9 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 44 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 22 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 154 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 119 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 39 |
| Suspension | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Wheels | 0 | 0 | 12 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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 [dealer] 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 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 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.
I sent the local dealership video in 2017 and so far they have : polished the window, replaced the blades twice, replaced the windshield, replaced the driver side wiper arm, and now back to polishing the window again.
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.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,524 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 27% least complained about).
On average one model year of the S3 has 3 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 9, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has…
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.
- This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel
- This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations
- This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases
- This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer
- This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the…
This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.
- This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped
- This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning
- This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels
- This service information TSB provides warranty coverage information for vehicles with a broken sunroof panel
- This bulletin provides information about leather care and seat repair
- This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns
NHTSA lists 566 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Audi S3?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, structure, visibility. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (22%), windows, sunroof (22%), airbag warning light (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 Audi S3?
NHTSA lists 566 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2017 Audi S3 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2017 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.