AUDI TT RS Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used AUDI TT RS options? We analyzed 7 model years (2013–2022) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the AUDI TT RS has 3 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls across model years 2013–2022. The most reported issue area is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
- Make
- AUDI
- Model
- TT RS
- Model years analyzed
- 2013–2022 (7 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 3
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Crash-related complaints
- 1
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Top reported issue area
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Excellent
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
ExcellentThe AUDI TT RS has 3 NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. 1 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 3 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 0 federal recall campaigns
- 1 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
0 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
No NHTSA recalls were found in our database for this model. Always verify open recalls using your specific VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2013–2022. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 3 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
3 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Fuel tank and EVAP canister has failed on my car out of nowhere. Yes available for inspection. The safety of me and others have been comprised as the fuel is no longer going into my car, but rather leaking out the excess drain hole potentially causing a fire or igniting without me knowing. Along with air being introduced into the fuel tank my engine was sputtering as I had no idea what was happening until later. Once air was mixing with the fuel and the car was running it was hard to drive past 45mph without the car struggling and violently shaking and jerking. Therefore possibly being a hazard for other drivers as I was driving on both highway and local roads. Dealer has confirmed the issue and problem then decided to quote me $6000 for the repairs even after stating it was a design flaw from Audi. The dealership has looked at it and just told me it needs to be replaced due to a design flaw, but took no blame or responsibility of their own to even help me. I would say about a month ago I realized my car was acting weird when I tried to put in gas and it wouldn't fill up all the way as if something was clogged or fuel wasn't being allowed into the tank. Then another week after out of nowhere I started to see the fuel spilling through the excess drain hole then someone pointed out that my gas is leaking out the rear. No warning signs to be exact, just the fact that I couldn't fill up and the gas pump kept clicking on me when I tried to fill up gas like I normally would.
FUEL LINE, SUPPLY LINE FROM HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP TO ENGINE, HAS NOW NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKING. THE LEAKING IS MORE LIKE A SPRAYING AND CAUSING GAS TO GET ALL OVER THE ENGINE BAY AND THE GROUND. THIS OCCURS MOST WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING. WHEN THE CAR IS OFF IT IS A LEAK WITH ABOUT 10 DROPS PER MINUTE.
I WAS DRIVING ON I-64 EAST OF RICHMOND VA WHEN I FELT THE CAR SHUDDER AND THEN SUDDENLY THE CAR BEGAN GLIDING OVER THE LANE MARKERS TO THE RIGHT. I TRIED TO KEEP THEWHEELSSTRAIGHT AND SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY BUT THE REAR END SLOWLY KICKED OUT TO THE LEFT SIDE. BY THE TIME I KNEW IT I WAS DIRECTLY FACING THE RIGHT-SIDE GUARDRAIL AND MOMENTS LATER THE VEHICLE TAPPED THE GUARDRAIL JUST ENOUGH TO BUST THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PEEL BACK THEHOODA FEW NOTCHES.

THE VEHICLE CAME TO A REST AFTER DOING A NEAR-180 DEGREE TURN AND ENDED UP FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THEENGINEWAS STILL RUNNING PERFECTLY FINE WITH NO DASH WARNINGLIGHTSSO I TRIED TO MOVE IT IN 1STGEAR, 2NDGEAR, AND REVERSE, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT BUDGE! I THEN DIALED 911 AND EVACUATED MY GIRLFRIEND AND I FROM THE CAR. 

STATE TROOPERS ARRIVED SHORTLY AFTER AND WE TRIED PUSHING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE AN INCH. WHEN THE WRECKER ARRIVED AND TRIED TO PULL THE CAR ONTO THE FLATBED, WE FOUND THAT BOTH REAR WHEELS WERE LOCKED AND IMMOBILE. AT NO POINT DID THE DASHBOARD EVER SHOW ANY SIGN OF ANY SYSTEM FAILURE. THANKFULLY IMPACT WAS NOT EVEN ENOUGH TO DEPLOY AIRBAGS.

THE STATE TROOPER'S REPORT SAYS THAT THE INCIDENT WAS NOT DUE TO DRIVER'S ERROR AND I AM CONVINCED THAT A FAILURE ONBOARD THE VEHICLE OCCURRED THAT CAUSED THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCK. THE CAR HAS RECEIVED EVERY REQUIREDSERVICEAT THEAUDIDEALERSHIP IN EL PASO TX AND IT WAS GARAGED MUCH OF ITS LIFE. ALTHOUGH 5 YEARS OLD, THE CAR ONLY HAS 13,000 MILES. 
I HAVE ALREADY FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM AND CONTACTEDAUDIOF AMERICA TO RAISE SOME ATTENTION SO AS TO LOOK FURTHER INTO WHAT HAPPENED. I AM CURRENTLY AWAITING A FORMAL DIAGNOSIS FROM THE AUDI DEALERSHIP IN RICHMOND VA AND THEN WILL FOLLOW UP WITH AUDI CORPORATE.
Showing 3 of 3 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact AUDI TT RS
These pages show model-year patterns across 7 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used AUDI TT RS, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The AUDI TT RS has 3 complaints on record across 7 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The AUDI TT RS has 0 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 1 of the AUDI TT RS's 3 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Excellent) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all AUDI TT RS vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two AUDI TT RS vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The AUDI TT RS has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a AUDI TT RS by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used AUDI TT RS.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
AUDI TT RS reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the AUDI TT RS reliable?
Excellent. The AUDI TT RS has 3 NHTSA owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which AUDI TT RS years to avoid?
Check individual year pages for complaint breakdowns.
What are the most common AUDI TT RS problems?
Top reported issues: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (2 complaints); POWER TRAIN (1 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (1 complaints).
Does the AUDI TT RS have recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are currently on record for the AUDI TT RS. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.