2018 Audi rs3
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2018 Audi rs3 is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 13 on record.
2018 Audi rs3 at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2018 Audi rs3 recalls 4
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.
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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A3 sedan and RS3 vehicles. The latching pins for the center rear seat head restraint may be missing.
Fix: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the head restraints, replacing any that are missing pins, free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72I8.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.
Fix: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners, and dealers will inspect the guide sleeves for incorrect welds, replacing the rear seat frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at…
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2018 Audi rs3 common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2018 Audi rs3 safety ratings
Rollover risk: 10.9% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2018 Audi RS3 4 DR AWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2018 Audi rs3 MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2018 Audi rs3 costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2018 Audi rs3. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
NHTSA defect investigations 1
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647) Closed
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 A…
NHTSA #RQ23007 · Fuel System, Gasoline · opened Dec 2023 · closed Jul 2024An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.
Manufacturer service bulletins 551
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 551.
This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
Bulletin TSB_2052680_2 · Sep 2026This 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.
Bulletin TSB_2083409_1 · Sep 2026This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
Bulletin TSB_2020552_15 · Visibility/wiper · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
Bulletin TSB_2074846_5 · Steering · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel.
Bulletin TSB_2078648_4 · Structure · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
Bulletin TSB_2030471_9 · Sep 2026This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
Bulletin SM 39-2026 · Sep 2026This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.
Bulletin TSB_2051095_12 · Sep 2026This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases.
Bulletin TSB_2068999_5 · Structure · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.
Bulletin TSB_2074436_3 · Aug 2026Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the RS3 AWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
About the Audi rs3
The Audi A3 is a small family car (C-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi AG since September 1996.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
2018 Audi rs3 trims & engines on record
2018 Audi rs3 vehicles on record
2018 Audi rs3 quattroWUABWGFF5J1902329
2018 Audi rs3WUAZZZ8V6J1907996
2018 Audi rs3WUAZZZ8V4JA905924
2018 Audi rs3WUABWGFF8J1906245
2018 Audi rs3WUABWGFF5J1905389
2018 Audi rs3WUABWGFF5J1906557
2018 Audi rs3WUAZZZ8V6JA910008
2018 Audi rs3WUABWGFF2J1906483
2018 Audi rs3WUABWGFF6J1907149
2018 Audi rs3WUAZZZ8V5J1902790
2018 Audi rs3WUABWGFFXJ1905811
2018 Audi rs3WUAZZZ8V7J1907599
2018 Audi rs3WUAZZZ8VXJ1906317