2009 AUDI S3 brake pads

Safety belts i
This warning/indicator light reminds you to put on your
safety belt.
Th e ,{f. warning/indicator light illuminat es when the ignition is
switched on to remind the driver and (on USA models only) any front
passenger to put on the safety belt. Additionally, an acoustic
warning (gong) will also sound.
For more Information:::::, page 137, "Safety belt warning light-*-"·•
Brake system
BRAKE (USA models) / (CD) (Canada models)
This warning/indicator light illuminates when the brake
fluid level is too low or when there is a malfunction in the
ABS, or when the parking brake is set.
The light illuminates when the ignition is turned on. It goes out after
the engine has been started and the parking brake is fully released.
This indicates that the brake warning light is functioning properly.
If the brake warning light does not light up when the engine is
cranking or the parking brake is applied, there may be a malfunction
in the electrical system. In this case, contact your Audi dealer. If the brake system warning/indicator light flashes, there is a brake
system malfunction.
If the ABS fails, the ABS warning /indicator light (USA
models)/
.J (Canada models) flashes together with the brake system
warning/indicator light:::::,& .
(USA models): If the warning light
BRAKE and the warning light
illuminate together, immediately contact your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop to have all brake pads inspected
=:> page 32.
When the light comes on, an audible warning signal is also given.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Parking brake set
The BRAKE or CCi)) (Canada) warning/indicator light illuminates when
the parking brake is set:::::,&.
& WARNING
• USA models : If both the BRAKE warning light and the
warning light come on at the same time, the rear wheels could lock up first under hard braking. Lock-up of the rear wheel brakes
can cause loss of vehicle control and an accident. Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake
application.
• Canada models: If both the brake warning light CCi)) and the ABS
warning light come on at the same time, the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking. Lock-up of the rear wheel brakes
can cause loss of vehicle control and an accident. Have your
vehicle repaired immediately by your authorized Audi dealer or a
qualified workshop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake
application
• If the brake warning/ indicator light does not go out after a few
seconds and the parking brake released, or lights up while you are
driving, the fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir is too low. If you
believe that it is safe to do so, proceed immediately at low speed
to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop and have the brake system inspected.
• Always keep in mind that after several brake applications, you
will need greater pressure on the brake pedal to stop your vehicle .
Do not rely on strained brakes to respond with maximum stopping
power in critical situations. You must allow for increased braking
distances. The extra distance used up by fading brakes could lead
to an accident. •
I • •

Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Low fuel level
Check engine oil level Engine oil sensor malfunction
E ng ine spee d limitation
Worn brake pads
USA mode ls:
Speed warning 1
Can ada m od els:
Speed warning 1
USA mod els:
Speed wa rning 2
C ana da m odels:
Speed warning 2
Dynamic headlight range con-
trol* defective
Windshield washer fluid leve l low
Ba ttery voltage too high or too
low
Defective light bulb
USA m odel s:
Defective brake light
=> page 32
=> page32
-
=> page32
=> page32
=> page32
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page 33
=> page33
-
-
Dri ver inf orm atio n di spl ay
Ca nad a m ode ls: => page33
Defective brake light
Light/rain sensor defect ive (auto-
=> page 34
matic headlights)* defective
Adapt ive Light* defective
=> page 34
Ti re pressure monitoring system* => page 34
When a yellow symbol appears, a warning tone will sound once .
Check the displayed function as soon as possible. If more than one
malfunction is detected, all symbols will appear one after the other
for about two seconds. •
Driver information
In addition to the warning/indicator lights and the
symbols in the instrument cluster display, driver informa­ tion is displayed.
Fi g. 2 1 Section of
in stru ment cl uster:
Set/C hec k b utto n
Driver information appears in the display when a defective light
bulb is reported by the defective light bulb warning=>
page 33,
when the brake pads are worn and before you engage a gear on
vehicles with S tronic.
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Driver information display
low oil level warning . By then , your engine may alre ady have
suffered seriou s damage. •
Applies to vehic les: w ith eng in e spee d lim itat ion
Engine speed limitation 1<
Engine speed ma ximum XX.XX RPM
The J symbo l illuminate s when there is an engine cont rol malfunc ­
tion . T he indicator l ight
..J., in the instrument cluster also illum i­
nates. The engine speed is limited to the speed displayed in the
d river in for mation system. Keep in mind tha t the engine speed w ill
not exceed the va lue displayed in the driver information system, for
example when downshifting.
Please go to an authorized Audi dealer or other qua lified workshop
to have the ma lf u nct ion re paired. •
Fuel supply too low
When th e L symbol illuminates, this mea ns th ere are about 2 .6
gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the fuel tank . Time to refuel!
~ p age 220 .
If the symbol l ights up, eve n when there is ample fuel in the tank,
and the text
Tank system malfunction! Please contact workshop
appears i n the d is pl ay, ther e is a fau lt in the syste m. C ontac t a qual ­
ified workshop to have the fault rectified. •
Checking the engine oil level .2'..
~ Please add max. 1 qt of engine oil!
If th e sy mbol co mes o n, a dd 1 q uart (1 lit er) of oil a t the next
opportunity~
page 230 . •
Checking the engine oil level ~
When the symbol illuminates, c heck the engine oil level as soon
as po ssi ble~
page 22 9. Top off t he o il at your ear liest o pp o rt un ity
~ page 230 . •
Engine oil sensor defective ...
If the -symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dea ler
an d h ave the oil se nso r ins pected. •
Worn brake pads
-Brake pads!
If the warn ing light illuminates, immediate ly contact your autho ­
riz ed Aud i dea ler o r qua lifi ed worksh op to have all bra ke pads
inspected. On USA models the warning light comes on together
with the wa rning ligh t
BRAKE . Both sets of brake pads on an ax le m ust
a lways be replaced at the same time .
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal
injury.
• If the warning light
C. and the warning l ight BRAKE1l with the
message Brake pads! comes on in the in strument cluster display ,
immediately conta ct your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if necessary .•
1 1 BRAK£ : USA mod els only

•
the ESP check light comes on, see~ page 13. The message ASR off
appears in the display as well.
The ASR should normally be activated all the time . Only in certain
exceptional situations when some slip is desirable does it make
sense to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck.
When the abnormal situation is over, you should activate the ASR
again.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires. Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also ~
page 255, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending largely on operating conditions and driving habits~& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic
or are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your autho-
Intelligent technology
rized Audi dealer more often than specified in the Warranty & Main­
tenance booklet.
Failure to have your brake pads inspected can
result in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you should use the braking effect of the engine.
This way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously.
Pump the brakes at intervals.
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in
regular intervals so as to improve reaction time when braking on
wet surfaces. You, the driver, will not notice anything.
Under certain conditions, for example, when driving through water
or very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice)
on the brake pads. A few cautious brake applications should dry off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is
driven on a salt-covered road and the brakes are not used . Likewise,
you clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads
with a few cautious applications of the brake~&.
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
only for short trips with little use of the brakes .
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high speed~& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake pedal travel, then
one of the two brake circuits may have failed~&. ..,
I t •

___ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfu ncti ons can occ ur in th e brake system if the bra ke flu id leve l is
too low. The brake fluid leve l is monitored e lectronically.
Brake lining wear status Bra ke lining wear may be checked by visual inspection of the condi ­
t ion of the brake pa ds through the o pen in g s in t he wheel. If neces ­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection=>
page 272 ,
"Whee l change".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuver s for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road cond itions permit . Other
road u sers must not be put at risk -you may cause an accident !
• Before des cending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans ­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brake s or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
c ause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to overheat, p rem ature wear and in creased stopping distance .
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
passing through water , driv ing in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter ,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off afte r a few careful b rake appli cations .
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt -covered roads
without using your brakes can also affe ct braking effic ien cy. Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
spoiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstru cted .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effe ctive­
ness of the entire brake system .
& WARNING (continued )
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance . Avoid driv ing the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qu alified workshop. •
Brake booster
The bra ke boos ter adds e xtra bra king pow er.
Th e brake boost er wo rks wit h vacuum p ressu re wh ich is created
only when the engine is running=>& .
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working , for e xample when towing
your vehicle, or because the brake booster has somehow been damaged , the brake pedal must be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance . •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS}
A BS p revents t he wheels from lockin g up unde r braking.
The ABS co ntrib utes effectively to ve hic le c ont ro l since it preven ts
the whee ls from
locking when the bra kes are app lied. Th is means
that the vehicle remains stee rable and is less l ikely to skid .
With ABS you do not need to
pump the brake. Just hold the brake
pedal down .
Ho wever , do not e xpect that t he ABS shor tens brak ing distance
under
all circumstances . When driv ing on gravel or on newly fa llen
snow on top of icy surfaces, b raki ng d istance may be even longer,
th ere for e, u nder these circumstances, it is esp ecially important t hat
you drive s lowly and w ith g reat ca re . ._

___ D_ r_iv _i _n-' g=- a _n_d_ e_ n_v _ i_r _o _n_ m_ e_ n_t _____________________________________________ _
New brake pads
--
Remember that new brake pads do not have a full braking
effect during the first 250 miles (400 kilometers) after they
are installed .
New brake pads have to be "burnished in" before they have optimal
grab =>& .
During the break -in period, you should avoid putting severe loads
on the brakes . Severe loads include, for examp le, sudden hard
braking, in particular at very high speeds or, for example, on moun­
tain passes.
& WARNING
Until they develop the maximum "bite " for best stopping power,
the surfaces on new brake pads require some "breaking -in" during
the initial 100 to 150 miles (150 to 200 kilometers) of normal city
driving. You can compensate for this by pressing the brake pedal
more firmly . This applies whenever new pads are installed.•
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission control system
(catalytic converter) is functioning properly to ensure that
your vehicle is running in an environmentally sound
manner.
- Always use lead-free gasoline:=> page 219, "Fuel supply".
- Never run the tank down all the way to empty.
- Never put too much motor oil in your engine ==>
page 230,
"Adding engine oil 't=:;rl".
Never try to push- or tow-start your vehicle.
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean-up" device built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns many
of the po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically important for the life
of the catalytic converter and proper functioning of the engine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
exhaust system may come in contact with dry grass, brush, fuel
spill or other material which can cause a fire .
• Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. During driving, the substance used for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire .
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with leaded fuel will alr eady
seriously degrade the performance of the catalytic converter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil level=>
page 230.
• Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes completely empty. The
engine could misfire. Unburned fuel could also get into the exhaust
system and this could cause the catalytic converter to overheat.
• Do not turn off the ignition while the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions,
as otherwise fuel can reach the catalytic converter. This could result
in overheating of the converter, requiring its replacement .
• To assure efficient operation of the Emission Control System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet. •

Checking and filling -
---------------------=----"=---------
Radiator fan
The radiator fa n switches on au toma tically by i tself.
T he e lectric radiator fan is control led bythermoswitches that switch
on and off depending on coolan t and engine compar tm ent temper ­
atures .
An auxiliary e lectric radiator fan * switches on and off depending on
coolant temperature and other vehicle operation conditions.
After switching off the engine , the auxiliary fan -even with the igni ­
tio n off -ca n co ntinue runni ng for u p to 10 minutes. It can even
switch on again later by itself=>&, if
• the temperat ure of the engine coolant rises due to the heat
build -up from the engine in the engine compartment, or
• t he engine co mpart men t heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injury never tou ch the r ad iator
fan .
• The auxiliary electric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine i s not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine cool ant reache s a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drop s. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The bra ke flu id l evel can be che cke d wi th a q uick gla nce.
Fig . 17 6 Engine
c o mpartment : brake
fluid re ser vo ir
Be fore yo u check anythin g in the e ng ine compar tm ent,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
t h e eng ine compartment" on
page 225.
Read t he brake fl uid lev el from t he brake flui d res ervoir .
T he b rak e fluid l eve l must b e between the
"MI N" and
"M AX" markings => fig. 176.
The brake f luid reservoir is located at the rear pa rtit ion of the engine
compartment on the left side=> page 226.
T he fluid leve l may drop slightly after some time due to the auto ­
ma tic adjustment o f the brake pads. Th is is not cause for alarm .
I f the brake flu id leve l falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S . models :
BRAKE, Canadian models:
ID ) will come on=> page 15 and=> page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehic le . The complete brake system should be thor ­
oughly checked by an au thorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid leve l is too low, the .,,_
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

______________________________________________ A_ l_,_ p _h_ a_ b_e _t_i c_ a _ l _in _ d_e _ x __ lll
Asterisk
What does it mean when something is marked with an asterisk? ... .. .. .. .. 5
Audi magnet ic ride .. .... .... ..... 12, 115
Description ...................... 115
Ind icator light .. ...... .... .... .... . 12
Audi parking system ................. 112
Audi Service Repair Manuals and Literature 303
AUTO Climate controls ...... .... ... .... . 101
Switching on .................... 101
When should I use AU TO? . ....... . 10 1
Au to Safety Ho tline ... .. .... .... .... . 135
Automatic air recircu lation ........... 102
A utomatic belt retracto r ...... .... .... 1 41
Automa tic car wash
See Washing ...... .... ... .. .. .... 207
Automatic headlight control ....... .... 53
Automat ic headlights
defective ... .. .... .... ... .... .... . 34
Automat ic Transmission
Au tomatic Transmission . ...... .... 120
Automatic transmission . ............. 117
Driving Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Emergency program . ........... .. 123
Emergency release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
I gn ition key safety lock ....... .... . 108
Kick-down ... .... .... .... ... .... . 122
L aunch Co ntrol Program ...... ..... 122
Se lector lever lock .. ...... ...... .. 1 18
Se lecto r lever posi tions .. ...... ... 11 7
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
T
iptronic ... .... . .. .. ... ... .. .... 121
Tiptronic controls on the steering whee l
122
Average fuel mileage ................ . 22
Average speed ... .... ..... ... .... ... . 22
Avo id damagi ng the v ehicle ...... .... . 199
B
Battery ... .. .... ... .... .... .... .... 236
charg ing (4-cy lind er engine) . ....... 240
c harging (6 -cy li n der engine) ... ..... 241
Disconnecting and c onnecting .. ... 237
I mpo rtant warnings when working on the
battery . .... .... .... .... .... ... 238
Replaci ng the battery .. ... .... .... 237
Winter operation ... .. .... .... .... 237
Working on the battery .. ...... .... 238
Battery voltage ...................... 33
Before driving . ....... .. .... .... .... 127
Bi -Xenon headlights .. ........ .... ... . 58
Blended gasoline . ... ... ..... .... .... 219
Body cavity sealing ...... ...... ... .. . 212
Booster seats .... .... .... .... .... ... 177
How do I properly install a booster seat i n
my vehicle? .. ... .... .... .... ... 177
Safety instructions ................ 177
Brake assistan t ..... .... .... .... .... 195
Brake booster .......... ...... ..... .. 194
Brake fluid Changing the brake fluid .. ........ 236
Checking the brake fluid leve l .. .... 235
Reservoir ........................ 235 What is
the correct brake fluid leve l? 235
What should I do if the brake fluid warning
light c omes on? ... .. .... .... .... 235
Brake pads ... ... .... ....... .... ... . 198
Brake system ....................... 235
Anti -lock brake system (ABS) .. .... .. 16
Brake fluid ....................... 235
Brake f luid specifications for refi ll and
r eplacement ... .. .... .... ...... . 236
Brake light defective . ........ .... .. 33
General information .. .... .... .... 193
How does moisture or road salt affect the
b rakes? .. ............... .... ... 193
Ma lfunct io n . .... .... .... .... ..... 30
Warning/indica tor lights .... .... .... 15
Worn brake pads symbo l ...... .... . 32
Break -in period ...... .... .... .... ... 197
Brake pads ....... ........ ....... 198
Tires ... .. .... .... .... ... .... .... 197
Bu lbs .... .... .... .... ... ....... .... 285
C
California Proposition 65 Warning . .... 226
Battery specific ...... ... .. ... ..... 239
Capac it ies . .... ... ... .... ... .... .... 300
Car care . .... ........ ....... .... .... 206
In ter ior . ...... .... .... ... .... .... 213
P last ic a nd vinyl . ...... .... .... ... 210
Weatherstrips ... .. .... ...... ... .. 211
Care of exterior .... ... .. .... .... .... 206
Ca rgo area
See Loading the luggage compartment
133
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data