S3 common issues?

[replicant71]

Hi. I've been away from Audi ownership for the past year but now considering coming back.

Looking to get a new S3 Sportback.

Are there any common issues with the new S3 that I should know about?

Cheers.

 

[Revulike]

Erm...... a few.
Apart from Audi's list of 173 issues (the ones they will admit to) here: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/tsb_recall/tsbs/audi/s3/2021

there is also:
Annoying safety features (pre-sense)
Slow screen washers (wait for water to appear.....any time now.....)
Appalling lack of standard features (many A3s will have much more kit than an S3, including 19" wheels)
Piano black trim (horrible to keep clean)
Dash angled to reflect sunlight into driver's eyes
Useless 'programmable' steering wheel button
Annoyingly placed Drive Select button
Smaller virtual dash (although I do like the design)
Rusting disc hats (still)
Disconcerting brake feel that takes some getting used to (due to the MHEV servo)
Orange peel paintwork as standard (although it looks great from a distance)
and,
Audi Dealers.

Other than that, it is great fun to drive, very fast, very comfortable, reasonable on fuel when needed and looks good and feels modern.
Competition wise, there's not much else out there I'd choose to fill the role. Tried a M135iX and hated the feel (and dash).

 

[Jason1987]

What’s wrong with the brakes? Still stops good but just feels spongy?

 

[AdamInKent]

Erm...... a few.
Apart from Audi's list of 173 issues (the ones they will admit to) here: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/tsb_recall/tsbs/audi/s3/2021

I guess the question here is how does that compare to other makes and models? Is this a lot, relatively speaking?

there is also:
Annoying safety features (pre-sense)

This is now standard on most modern cars. The Audi version seems one of the better and less intrusive ones.

Slow screen washers (wait for water to appear.....any time now.....)

I agree that it would be better if the windscreen wipers waited until after the water jet had wetted the windscreen before the first wipe. It's a three jet per side system though, so the water coverage is pretty good.

Piano black trim (horrible to keep clean)

Sadly, a current design fad across many makes and models.

Dash angled to reflect sunlight into driver's eyes

I suspect this one depends on driving position. I've never had a problem with this and I don't recall seeing many (if any, before now) complaints about it on these forums.

Useless 'programmable' steering wheel button

This has been improved with a software update. It now has more potential uses than at launch and, personally, I find it a fast way of activating / silencing spoken SatNav directions.

Annoyingly placed Drive Select button

Only for us Brits! And probably worse still for manual cars, with a gearstick in the way. Ditto the audio controls in front of the gearstick.

Orange peel paintwork as standard (although it looks great from a distance)

Only really an issue if you are into car detailing (based on previous comments in this forum); for most people, the paintwork is great. (I recommend the Daytona Grey.)

and, Audi Dealers.

I think this is a case of some being better than others (I have no complaints about my dealer so far, in a couple of years of ownership). But, without doubt, Audi Services are on the pricier side.

Other than that, it is great fun to drive, very fast, very comfortable, reasonable on fuel when needed and looks good and feels modern.
Competition wise, there's not much else out there I'd choose to fill the role. Tried a M135iX and hated the feel (and dash).

Best car I've owner in over thirty years of driving (even though I only have an A3).

(No doubt the brakes take a little while to get used to on the MHEV cars, especially those with the Driver Assist package. But, this sounds like an issue in general with MHEVs, rather than peculiar to Audi.)

 

[Pompey_Pip]

What’s wrong with the brakes? Still stops good but just feels spongy?

I went from an 8P S3, to the 8Y, and I would say the brakes have a very similar feel, I have no problem with them at all.

 

[Revulike]

I went from a 2015 TT to the 8Y. The S3 brakes are not at all spongy, it's quite a hard pedal, but the assistance is very much less. This means I have to push the pedal much harder (more so than any car I have owned) to get the same retardation as the TT.
I had the brakes checked at Audi and they said all was working ok, and the feel was due to the non-vacuum mechanical servo. It's actually low speed braking that seems worse, eg city driving.

 

[Pompey_Pip]

I went from a 2015 TT to the 8Y. The S3 brakes are not at all spongy, it's quite a hard pedal, but the assistance is very much less. This means I have to push the pedal much harder (more so than any car I have owned) to get the same retardation as the TT.
I had the brakes checked at Audi and they said all was working ok, and the feel was due to the non-vacuum mechanical servo. It's actually low speed braking that seems worse, eg city driving.

I don't find that at all, the pedal is very light, with very little effort, especially at low speed.

 

[KXL]

I got the reflection of the sun on the black trim (next to MMI) once, but only because I was looking to see how dirty it was.
Previous cars I had the spray was faster (btw isn't the Audi's fan jets? didn't notice 3 distinct sprays), but the wiper started the same time as the spray, so the first part of the wipe had no water. Saying that, i prefer a delay between spray and wipe. However funiily enough after a service, it seems to take longer for the motor to send the water, and few times, the wipers were already on the way up to wipe with no water on the windscreen. Didn't happen before.
Yes rusting disc hats, didn't have this prior on other cars, and my current A3 is parked in a 'underground and covered' parking. Still does it.

 

[Revulike]

My car has just been recalled (fuse box connector), so that can be added to the 173!

 

[RDSCO3]

I went from a 2015 TT to the 8Y. The S3 brakes are not at all spongy, it's quite a hard pedal, but the assistance is very much less. This means I have to push the pedal much harder (more so than any car I have owned) to get the same retardation as the TT.
I had the brakes checked at Audi and they said all was working ok, and the feel was due to the non-vacuum mechanical servo. It's actually low speed braking that seems worse, eg city driving.

This is interesting because when my S3 went in for some warranty work, they gave me a q5 courtesy and when I first hit the brakes I nearly went through the windshield, they were so sensitive compared to the S3. Likewise after a couple of days in the q5 when going back to the S3 I felt like I was putting my foot to the floor just to get it to stop. This was odd to me as my assumption would be that the more sporty car would have more sensitive brakes, but this seemed to be the opposite. Is this due to the MHEV servo or the assistance you mention?


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[Revulike]

This is interesting because when my S3 went in for some warranty work, they gave me a q5 courtesy and when I first hit the brakes I nearly went through the windshield, they were so sensitive compared to the S3. Likewise after a couple of days in the q5 when going back to the S3 I felt like I was putting my foot to the floor just to get it to stop. This was odd to me as my assumption would be that the more sporty car would have more sensitive brakes, but this seemed to be the opposite. Is this due to the MHEV servo or the assistance you mention?


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Exactly this. When you drive back to back you can notice the difference. I do when I drive my other car (2014 Leon 1.2) which has sharper braking.

Yes, it's due to the servo. It's made by Bosch and is used on several other brands (as they're all moving to MHEV/HEV/EV. Each brand has it's own software applied to the mechanism though, and this can drastically alter the feel, so I'm not sure why, as you say, such a fast car would have less assistance.

 

[ptf]

Erm...... a few.
Apart from Audi's list of 173 issues (the ones they will admit to) here: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/tsb_recall/tsbs/audi/s3/2021

there is also:
Annoying safety features - can't say I've been overly annoyed although it would be nice if it remembered I don't want the lane departure thing
Slow screen washers - true, is this by design though to stop the system freezing up?
Appalling lack of standard features - I bought the vorsprung so not as affected by this. Would have expected 360o though and proper tyre pressure monitoring
Piano black trim - yes, mine was pre-scratched on delivery (at least AUDI fixed that).
Dash angled to reflect sunlight into driver's eyes - hadn't noticed
Useless 'programmable' steering wheel button - yup
Annoyingly placed Drive Select button - I'm tall so can reach it pretty easily.
Smaller virtual dash (although I do like the design) - can't say it bothers me
Rusting disc hats (still) - something to watch out for I guess
Disconcerting brake feel that takes some getting used to (due to the MHEV servo) - hadn't noticed
Orange peel paintwork as standard (although it looks great from a distance) - don't think I have this problem
and,
Audi Dealers -

Other than that, it is great fun to drive, very fast, very comfortable, reasonable on fuel when needed and looks good and feels modern.
Competition wise, there's not much else out there I'd choose to fill the role. Tried a M135iX and hated the feel (and dash).

Could add:
Flaky Android Auto
Lock in to Cubic if you do want 4G data on the MMI
Beeping every time the car goes over a bump
Turbo/transmission lag with the transmission in "D", heavy fuel consumption when it is in "S"
Adaptive cruise control could be better in stop-start driving(annoying that after about 5 seconds it won't pull off automatically and traffic signal recognition would be useful for slow city traffic so you don't inadvertently mow pedestrians down).
Also adaptive cruise - can accelerate too quickly into any gap which opens up, then gets into a wobbly when it realises it's approaching traffic in front too fast.
Also adaptive cruise, I think it has an "anti undertaking" feature. Great but it doesn't know when the car to the offside is in a right turn only lane and it's OK to pass on its nearside.
Did I mention the beeping?

 

[Jason1987]

Is D laggy is it? Or only on the earlier models? Is there a reason for it? Or does it depend how you drive?

 

[ptf]

In my view, yes "D" is laggy at low revs. Mainly because it will tend to move up gears early and keep revs low and it takes a while for things to pick up below 2000rpm, "S" mode solves that mainly by holding onto lower gears and keeping revs high, and disabling stop-start.

The car is totally different to drive in the two modes but "S" mode comes at the price of significantly higher fuel consumption.

The result is that I dynamically switch between the two depending on the conditions (I guess you could also use the paddles to drop a ratio or two if you know that you need some performance)

 

[Jason1987]

In my view, yes "D" is laggy at low revs. Mainly because it will tend to move up gears early and keep revs low and it takes a while for things to pick up below 2000rpm, "S" mode solves that mainly by holding onto lower gears and keeping revs high, and disabling stop-start.

The car is totally different to drive in the two modes but "S" mode comes at the price of significantly higher fuel consumption.

The result is that I dynamically switch between the two depending on the conditions (I guess you could also use the paddles to drop a ratio or two if you know that you need some performance)

Oh you mean laggy as in slow to pick up as no torque in low revs. One YouTuber said the gearbox was laggy as in when he pulls away from a junction there is sometimes a second or so delay which didn’t sound good as if the box itself lags

 

[RDSCO3]

Exactly this. When you drive back to back you can notice the difference. I do when I drive my other car (2014 Leon 1.2) which has sharper braking.

Yes, it's due to the servo. It's made by Bosch and is used on several other brands (as they're all moving to MHEV/HEV/EV. Each brand has it's own software applied to the mechanism though, and this can drastically alter the feel, so I'm not sure why, as you say, such a fast car would have less assistance.

Interesting. Thanks for this


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[RDSCO3]

Oh you mean laggy as in slow to pick up as no torque in low revs. One YouTuber said the gearbox was laggy as in when he pulls away from a junction there is sometimes a second or so delay which didn’t sound good as if the box itself lags

To be honest this is really only an issue with stop/start. The car will cut the engine as you’re still rolling, but just about to come to a stop, instead of waiting until you’re at a full stop. If you’re creeping up to a junction slowly the engine might cut just as you go to hit the accelerator to pull out which can be frustrating if you’re going for a gap. I just turn stop/start off, no issues then.


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[AdamInKent]

Could add:

Beeping every time the car goes over a bump

I assume this an S3 thing? (My A3 ignores bumps.)

Adaptive cruise control could be better in stop-start driving(annoying that after about 5 seconds it won't pull off automatically and traffic signal recognition would be useful for slow city traffic so you don't inadvertently mow pedestrians down).
Also adaptive cruise - can accelerate too quickly into any gap which opens up, then gets into a wobbly when it realises it's approaching traffic in front too fast.

I find that the adaptive cruise behaves better in start/stop traffic if the distance to the car in front is set to max and the driving mode to Economy. It softens the response a bit. (Still not as smooth as driving myself; but less hassle.)

 

[gboole]

Add the 3rd brake light warning even though the light still works.
It's 2 of us at the same dealer

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