AUDI RS 3 · model year

2019 AUDI RS 3

9 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2019AUDIRS 3 carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2019 RS 3 is engine with 3 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and power train (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 2019 RS 3. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

9
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

9 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN1
AIR BAGS1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recalls (1)

19V47400019/06/2019

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

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 de

Recent Complaints

20250903ENGINE

The water pump has failed twice in under 46,000 miles, first was at 3000 miles 2nd was at 46000 miles

20250326BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

I first began noticing symptoms of a cooling system issue on May 23, 2024, including engine temperature fluctuations and loss of coolant, on my 2019 Audi RS3. Over time, the issue worsened, eventually requiring a full replacement of both the water pump and thermostat on January 10, 2025, at 53,981 miles. This resulted in a total out-of-pocket repair cost of $2,809.95. The symptoms included engine overheating and loss of coolant. The issue required full replacement of the water pump assembly, thermostat, coolant, and associated components. Below is a summary of the repair work performed: Thermostat replacement: $847.20 Water pump replacement: $1,725.20 Additional fluids, shop fees, taxes: $237.55 Total paid: $2,809.95 I later learned that Audi had issued a recall (NHTSA Recall No. 18V229000) for water pump failures in other Audi models with similar cooling system components and symptoms. However, my model — the 2019 RS3 — was not included in that recall, despite sharing common p

20250326ENGINE

I first began noticing symptoms of a cooling system issue on May 23, 2024, including engine temperature fluctuations and loss of coolant, on my 2019 Audi RS3. Over time, the issue worsened, eventually requiring a full replacement of both the water pump and thermostat on January 10, 2025, at 53,981 miles. This resulted in a total out-of-pocket repair cost of $2,809.95. The symptoms included engine overheating and loss of coolant. The issue required full replacement of the water pump assembly, thermostat, coolant, and associated components. Below is a summary of the repair work performed: Thermostat replacement: $847.20 Water pump replacement: $1,725.20 Additional fluids, shop fees, taxes: $237.55 Total paid: $2,809.95 I later learned that Audi had issued a recall (NHTSA Recall No. 18V229000) for water pump failures in other Audi models with similar cooling system components and symptoms. However, my model — the 2019 RS3 — was not included in that recall, despite sharing common p

20250326UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I first began noticing symptoms of a cooling system issue on May 23, 2024, including engine temperature fluctuations and loss of coolant, on my 2019 Audi RS3. Over time, the issue worsened, eventually requiring a full replacement of both the water pump and thermostat on January 10, 2025, at 53,981 miles. This resulted in a total out-of-pocket repair cost of $2,809.95. The symptoms included engine overheating and loss of coolant. The issue required full replacement of the water pump assembly, thermostat, coolant, and associated components. Below is a summary of the repair work performed: Thermostat replacement: $847.20 Water pump replacement: $1,725.20 Additional fluids, shop fees, taxes: $237.55 Total paid: $2,809.95 I later learned that Audi had issued a recall (NHTSA Recall No. 18V229000) for water pump failures in other Audi models with similar cooling system components and symptoms. However, my model — the 2019 RS3 — was not included in that recall, despite sharing common p

20241016FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

[XXX] Unable to fill the vehicle with fuel normally, with the nozzle clicking off repeatedly, required trickle of fuel to partially fill tank. Same day system failure under normal driving conditions with fuel leak spraying fuel from the gas tank and overflowing under excessive pressure creating serious risk of injury or death due to fire or explosion. Removal of the cap revealed excessive tank pressure causing fuel to spew from the fill opening, creating an additional safety risk in addition to fire and explosion, including eye, skin, and clothing contamination and/or damage. Audi dealer in Lakeland, Florida evaluated the defect and recommended replacement of the tank and entire fuel system. Audi factory service number provided by dealer to report the defect and request covered repair on 10/16/2024 with investigation in process. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20211119AIR BAGS

My vehicle has the Audi recall 69BY that came out on March 22, 2021. There is currently still no remedy and its November 19th, 2021. Its been nearly 8 months. The pre-sense warning light and the airbag light are glaring on the dash at all times. Nobody can sit in the passenger seat as the airbag would not deploy in the event of a crash. I have to keep the passenger seatbelt fastened at all times with nobody sitting in the seat or else it dings nonstop. I am expecting my first child in Feb 2022 and would like to trade in my car for a more appropriate family sized car. But, with this open recall with no remedy, i cannot do that. I am stuck with no insight or timeframe for any solution. And its been nearly 8 months. This is unacceptable. Audi customer service has a 2-4 hour wait time every time i call, and the only option is for a call back, which i have yet to receive one. This issue would be minor if there was a timely fix, but with nearly 8 months passing and no remedy yet, this

20210309ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY CAR KEEPS THROWING DRIVE ERRORS, SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, AND THROWS NO TROUBLE CODES? I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF AUDI, AND GOT NO ANSWER. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE A HACKED TCU/ECU? I DON'T HAVE THE GEAR.*DT CONSUMER STATED ELECTRONIC OIL SENSOR MIGHT HAVE NEVER WORKED. DIPSTICK WAS LOW, THE ONLY LIGHT IS DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT.*JB

Mileage: 5

20210309ENGINE

MY CAR KEEPS THROWING DRIVE ERRORS, SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, AND THROWS NO TROUBLE CODES? I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF AUDI, AND GOT NO ANSWER. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE A HACKED TCU/ECU? I DON'T HAVE THE GEAR.*DT CONSUMER STATED ELECTRONIC OIL SENSOR MIGHT HAVE NEVER WORKED. DIPSTICK WAS LOW, THE ONLY LIGHT IS DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT.*JB

Mileage: 5

20210309POWER TRAIN

MY CAR KEEPS THROWING DRIVE ERRORS, SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, AND THROWS NO TROUBLE CODES? I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF AUDI, AND GOT NO ANSWER. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE A HACKED TCU/ECU? I DON'T HAVE THE GEAR.*DT CONSUMER STATED ELECTRONIC OIL SENSOR MIGHT HAVE NEVER WORKED. DIPSTICK WAS LOW, THE ONLY LIGHT IS DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT.*JB

Mileage: 5

Compare 2019AUDIRS 3 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2019 AUDI RS 3 have?
The 2019 AUDI RS 3 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2019 AUDI RS 3?
Yes, the 2019 AUDI RS 3 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 AUDI RS 3?
The most-complained component for the 2019 AUDI RS 3 is ENGINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2019 AUDI RS 3 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.