Audi
S3 8Y / 8V.5 · 2020 – present
Pin the 2.0 TFSI flaps wide open so your S3 finally sounds like the RS3's little brother.
- Fits 8Y S3 saloon and sportback
- Compatible with valved aftermarket back-boxes
- Two-button pocket fob
- Fully reversible, no fault codes
Free UK shipping
2-year warranty
Fully reversible
The honest pitch
What this actually does to your S3
The 8Y S3 ships with a perfectly capable valved exhaust that the ECU rarely lets you hear. The flaps open during a Sport launch and then close again for the rest of your life.
Open Valve removes the ceiling. Same EA888 engine, same back-box, completely different attitude on a B-road.
Fitment
Audi S3 8Y / 8V.5
Years
2020 – present
Install time
~10 minutes
Tools needed
None
Long read
The Audi S3 valve story
The 8Y S3 is the underrated half of the Audi line — a 310-horse 2.0 TFSI with a valved exhaust that the ECU spends most of its time keeping shut. Sport mode opens the flap for a launch and then shuts it again at cruise. The S3 sounds quieter than an RS3 because the engine has 90 fewer horsepower, sure, but also because the valve map is even more conservative.
Open Valve pins the rear flap open. The EA888 evo4 then runs more aggressively at every RPM — the off-cam burble at low revs, the midrange snorts and the decel chatter on overrun all come through the back-box without the damping. It's not an RS3 (it doesn't have the warble), but it's an S3 that finally sounds like the RS3's little brother.
Single actuator, single module. Same install location as the Golf R MK7.5/8 — behind the rear wheel-arch liner. About ten minutes.
Install — step by step
- 01
Lower the rear of the offside wheel-arch liner.
- 02
Locate the 2-pin valve actuator connector.
- 03
Disconnect, plug module inline.
- 04
Velcro module body to chassis rail.
- 05
Refit liner.
- 06
Pair fob, test.
In the box
- One valve override module (one per actuator)
- Two-button RF key fob (CR2032 pre-installed, spare in the box)
- OEM-pattern connectors — no cutting, no splicing, no scotch-locks
- Printed install card with model-specific photos and a workshop QR link
Fitment notes
- ·8Y S3 (2020+) and 8V.5 S3 (2017–2020) — same kit.
- ·Original 8V S3 (2013–2016) requires a different module.
- ·Compatible with Milltek and Akrapovic valved back-boxes.
Audi S3 — FAQ
Does it work on 8Y saloon and 8Y sportback?+
Yes — both body styles share the same actuator and connector.
What about the older 8V/8V.5 S3?+
8V.5 (facelift, 2017–2020) is supported with the same kit. Original 8V (2013–2016) uses a different actuator pinout — separate module.
Will it throw a warning light on the dash?+
No. The module sits in the signal path between the ECU and the actuator motor. The ECU sees a normal actuator response back, so there's nothing to flag. We've shipped thousands of these and not had a single check-engine call linked to the module itself.
Is it reversible?+
Yes, fully. Unplug the module, plug the OEM connectors back into each other, refit the trim — about three minutes' work. There's no permanent change to the car, no part cut, nothing in the ECU. Dealer service visits, MOT, sale to a new owner — pull it out and it's like it was never fitted.
Does it work with an aftermarket exhaust?+
If the aftermarket back-box retains the OEM-pattern valve actuators (most do — Akrapovic, Milltek, IPE, Capristo all run the factory motors), yes. If the system is a straight-through with no valves, there's nothing for the module to override.
Does it work with a Stage 1 tune?+
Yes. Stage 1 cars sound dramatically different — more midrange swell, fuller decel pops.
Will the dealer service see anything?+
No. Module is invisible to ODIS.
Disclaimer
Open Valve modules are intended for off-road and motorsport use only. Please confirm your car has factory valve-actuated exhaust before ordering — if you're not sure, message us first. Professional installation recommended. Use at your own risk.
