2010 AUDI S3 check engine light

Driver information display
[ i ] Tips
• The engine oil p re ss ure symbol 9:::r. is not an indicator for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it . In stead , check the oil level in your
engine at regular interval s, preferably each time you refuel , and
alway s before going on a l ong trip.
• The yellow oil level warning indication · require s oil refill or
workshop service w ithout delay . Do not wait until the red oil pres­
s ure warning symbol
9:::r. s tarts to flash before you respond to the
l ow oil level warning . By then , yo ur engine may already have
s uffered serious damage. •
Fuel supply too low f
When the symbol illuminates, t his mea ns there are about 2.6
gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the fuel tank. Time to refuel!
~ page 279.
If the symbol lights up, even when there is ample fuel in the tank,
and the te xt
Tank system malfunction! Please contact workshop
appears in the disp lay, there is a fault in the syste m. Contact a qual ­
ified workshop to have the fault rectified .•
App lies t o vehic les: with engine sp eed lim itat ion
Engine speed limitation I
I Engine speed ma ximum XXXX RPM
The . symbo l illuminates when there is an engine control malfunc­
t ion. T he ind icat or l ight
'IC in the instrument cluste r also il lum i­
nates . T he engine speed is limited to the speed displayed in the
driver in for mation sys tem . Keep in mind tha t the engi ne s peed wi ll
not exceed the va lue d isplayed in the driver information system, for
exam ple when downshifting.
P lease go to an authorized Audi deale r or other qua lified workshop
to have the malfunction repaired. •
Applies to vehicles: with diese l engi ne and d iesel particu late filte r
Diesel particulate filter clogged
Particulate filter ! See owner's manual
If the indicator light in the instrument c luster comes on, the
diesel particulate fi lte r has become blocked with soot as the resul t
of constant short -distance driving . When the symbol illumi -
nates, you can alte r yo ur driving style to assist the filter self­
clean ing process. Drive for app roxi mately 15 m inutes in 4th or 5th
gea r (automatic transmission with the selector lever in the S posi ­
t ion) at a minimum s peed of 37 mph (60 km/h) and an e ngine speed
of approximately 2 ,000 R PM . T he temperature increase that wil l
r esu lt from this ca n burn o ff the soot in the fil te r. The symbo l w ill
switc h off when the cleaning is successful.
I f the sy mbo l d oes not swi tch off, see you r aut hor ized deale r or
other qua lif ied workshop to have the prob lem correc ted .
As long as the indicator light remains on (diesel particulate filter
plugged), you can e xpect i ncreased fue l co nsu mption a nd possibly
a lso a loss of engine performance.
A message may a lso be displayed in the ins tru me nt cluste r
informing you or prompting necessary act ion .
For more information on the diese l particulate filter, refer to
~ page 797.
& WARNING
Always adapt your speed to the current weather, road and traffic
conditions. You should never disobey traffic laws in order to follow
driving recommendation s. •
Checking the engine oil level ~
· Ple ase add max. 1 qt of engine oil!

If the '-" symbol comes on, add 1 quart (1 liter) of oil at the next
opportunity =>
page 230. •
Checking the engine oil level r.,
When the symbol illuminates, check the engine oil level as soon
as possible=>
page 229. Top off the oil at your earliest opportunity
=>
page 230. •
Engine oil sensor defective -;...
If the symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer
and have the oil sensor inspected.•
Worn brake pads ~ :;
rt. Brake pads!
If the warning light illuminates, immediately contact your autho ­
rized Audi dealer or qualified workshop to have all brake pads
inspected. On USA models the warning light? comes on together
with the warning light
BRAKE. Both sets of brake pads on an axle must
always be replaced at the same time.
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal
injury.
• If the warning light and the warning light
BRAKE11 with the
message Brake pads! comes on in the instrument cluster display,
immediately contact your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if
necessary. •
11 BRAKE : USA models only
Controls and equip ­
ment
Speed warning
models) 1
· ,I'""'
Driver information display
(USA models> IP (Canada
If the ~ symbol illuminates, this means you are driving faster than
the set vehicle speed. Slow down!=>
page 26. •
Speed warning 2 r (USA models) /,.__, (Canada
models)
If the C) symbol illuminates, this means you have driven faster than
the second set vehicle speed. Slow down! =>
page 26. •
Applies to veh icles : wi th dynamic head light range ad justment
Headlight range control defective
If the illuminates, the dynamic headlight range control is no
longer working properly. Have the system checked and repaired at
your authorized Audi dealer. •
Windshield washer fluid level too low .-_j
If the ~ symbol illuminates, add windshield washer fluid to the
washer system =>
page 240. •
Battery voltage low ~
If the C symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer
and have the following components inspected:
• drive belt
• battery charge
Also see if the generator warning/indicator light illuminates
=>
page 14. •
I • •

Driver information display
Defective light bulb warning U
The defective light bulb warning tells you when a vehicle
light bulb has become defective.
If a defective bulb has been detected by the system or a light bulb
burns out, the symbol with a message appears in the display to
tell you which bulb is burnt out and where it is located. For example:
Rear left turn signal
After 5 seconds, the message disappears . If you want to recall the
message into the display, press the CHECK button=>
page 8, fig. 2
©-
There are three reasons why the defective bulb message would
appear in the display:
• The light bulb has burnt out=>
page 283.
• The fuse is "blown" => page 278, "Replacing a fuse".
• The wire connection to the light bulb is defective .
Have the bulb replaced or the connection repaired by your autho ­
rized Audi Service department.
& WARNING
• Light bulbs are pressurized and could explode while they are
being changed causing serious personal injury.
• Work with due care when handling the high-voltage section of
gas discharge (xenon) lamps. Failing to do so could result in death
or serious injury! •
Brake light defective " U'lf" (USA
models) / (Canada models)
In case of a malfunction or component failure, the symbol
(USA models)/ (Canada models) can appear . The following elec- trical components should be checked, repaired or replaced, as
necessary:
• Brake light bulbs
• All wiring connections
• Brake light switch
Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if necessary.
[ i] Tips
The brake light switch is only inspected as part of the functional
check after the engine is started .•
A pplies to vehi cles : w it h a uto mati c he adl ights
Light /rain sensor defective _,
The indicator light indicates a defect in the automatic
headlights/automatic wiper system.
If the symbol illuminates, the light sensor has failed. For safety
reasons, the low beams are turned on permanently with the switch
in
AUTO. However, you can continue to turn the lights on and off
using the light switch . In the case of a defect in the rain sensor, the
windshield wiper lever functions are still available. Have the
light/rain sensor checked as soon as possible at an authorized Audi
dealer. •
Applies t o vehi cles: with Ad aptive Ligh t
Adaptive Light defective ~{)
C: Adaptive light defective
When this symbol J illuminates, it means that Adaptive Light is
defective. Go to a qualified workshop to have the headlights or the
control unit for the Adaptive Light repaired. •

Opening and closing
Anti -theft alarm system
The anti-theft alarm triggers an alarm if anyone attempts
to break int o the vehicle.
Fig. 36 Di ode po sitio n
i n the in str um ent p anel
T he an ti- t heft alarm system triggers an audible alarm and turns on
t he emergency flasher if an unauthorized interference with the
vehic le is sensed by the system .
How is the anti-th eft alarm sy ste m swi tched on ?
The anti-theft alarm system is switched on when you lock th e
dr iver's door manually using the fold -out key, or when you use the
remo te control. The sys tem is activated approximately 30 seconds
af ter the vehicle is locked . The indicator light => fig. 36 starts
flashing rapid ly for 30 seconds and then blinks slowly .
How is th e a nti-theft alarm system swi tch ed off?
The anti-the ft alarm sys tem is switched off wh en you use the remote
control to un lock your vehic le . If you do not open a do or within 30
seconds after you have unlocked with the remote control, the
vehic le will lock itself again auto matically.
If you lock just the driver's door using your key , the front
passenger 's door and the rear lid remain locked.
Wh en will th e anti th eft alarm s yst em b e trigg ered?
When the v ehicle is locked, the alarm system mo nitors and pro tects
the fo llowing parts of the vehicle :
• engine compartment
• l uggage compartment
• doors
• ignition
When the system is activa ted, the alarm will be triggered if one of
the doors, the engine hood or the rear lid are opened , or if the igni­
tion is turned on or the radio removed.
The anti-theft alarm system wil l also go off when the battery is
disconnected .
You can also t rigger the alarm by pressing the PANIC button on your
remo te -contro l key . This wi ll a lert other people in case of emer­
gency. Press the
PANIC bu tton again t o turn off the alarm.
How i s th e a nti-theft alarm switched off when
triggered?
The alarm system is switched off when you unlock the vehic le using
the remo te -control key o r when the ignition is switched on . The
alarm wi ll also switch itself off when it comes to the end of its cycle .
Emergen cy flashe r
The emergency flasher will b link briefly when the doors, engine
hood and rear lid are properly closed.
If the emergency flashers do not blink, check the doors , engine hood
and rear lid to make sure they are properly closed . If you close a
door, the hood or the rear lid with the anti -theft a larm switched on,
the emergency flashers wil l b link only after you have closed the
door or lid.
[ i ] Tips
Fo r the anti- theft a larm system to function proper ly, make sure a ll
vehic le doors and windows are closed before leaving the vehicle .•

The rain sensor wiper intervals depend on the sensitivity setting as
well as vehicle speed . During brief stops, wiper motion will adjust in
re lation to the amount of rain on the windshield.
Automatic wiper/washer : To eliminate water drop lets, the wind ­
sh ield wiper perfor ms one afterwipe operation a fter several
seconds while driving. You can switch this function off by moving
the lever to pos it ion © within 10 seconds of the afterw ipe opera­
tion. The afterwipe func tion is reactivated the next time the ignition
is sw itch.
When the ignition is turned on , the washer jets are heated *.
& WARNING
• Wiper bl ade s are cru cial for safe driving! Only when they are in
good condition are they able to clear the windows properly to
provide un comp romised visibility . Worn or damaged wipe r blade s
are a safety hazard::::;,
page 65, "Replacing front wiper blade s"!
• The light /ra in se ns or* is only de signed to a ssis t and suppo rt
the driver. It remain s entirely the driver' s re spon sibility to monitor
outsi de w eather conditions and to manually a cti vate the wiper s as
soon a s rain or drizzle reduces vi sibility through the windshield .
• The windshield mu st not be treated with water -repellent m ate ­
rial s. They can in crea se glare under poor v isib ility condition s such
as wetne ss , dar kne ss, or when the sun is lo w on the horizon . In
addition , they can cau se the windshield wipers to chatter .
0 Note
In freezing or near freezing conditions:
• Always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the glass
bef ore you turn the wipe rs on . Loosen a wiper blade which is frozen
in p lace before operating the wipers to prevent damage to the wiper
b lade or the wiper moto r.
• Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted window . Using the
wipe rs as a convenient ice scrape r will destr oy t he wipe r blades .
Controls and equip ­
ment
Cl ea r vision
• Before you take your vehicle to an automatic car wash, make sure
you have the w indshield wiper system switched off (lever in p ositi on
OJ, otherwise the windshield wiper system could get damaged in the
car wash if it should suddenly come on .
[ i ] Tips
• The windshie ld wipers are switched off when the ignition is
turned off . Activate the windshield wipers after the ign ition is
switched back on by moving the windshield wiper lever to any posi­
tion.
• Wor n or dirty windshield wiper b lades cause smea ring, which
can affect the opera tion of the l ight/rain sensor*. Check the cond i­
tion of your windshield wiper blades regula rly.
• The rain sensor is part of the interva l wiping system . T urning off
the ignition will also deactivate the rain sensor . To reac tivate the
sensor, switch off the interval w iping funct ion, then sw itc h it back
on again .
• App lies to vehicles with light/ rain sensor : When the wipers are
swi tched on manually and in ra in conditions, the automatic head­
lights* turn on::::;,
page 53, "Switching the headlights on and off ·'A ·"
or off during the day when the wipers are no longer operating. The
automatic headl ights* function is ava ilable in this case only whe n
the light switch is in the "AUTO" position::::;,
page 53, fig. 46 .
• Make sure the washer fluid reservo ir in the engine compart ment
is topped off before going on a long trip . Look up::::;,
page 240 for
check ing and filling the washer conta iner.
• The wipers only o perate with the hood comp lete ly closed .•
I • •

-Intelligent technology
----'""------- ~---------------------------------------
to the other drive wheel or wheels (all-whee l drivel. This is done up
to a speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h). Noises from the brake
system signal that wheel spin is being controlled.
Driving off
When driving off, always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface
with less grip, gradually increase the pressure on the accelerator
pedal until the car starts to move. The wheel less able to transfer
power spins .
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads, the EDL cuts out temporarily. The
vehicle remains operational and behaves in the same way as a
vehicle without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto­
matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can spin and reduce your
ability to control your car. -Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
can take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning light=>
page 16. •
Anti-Slip Regulat ion System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP) . When the vehicle starts up and acceler­
ates, the wheels are prevented from spinning by adjusting the
engine power to match the amount of grip available from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS sensors=>
page 192, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine
torque is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to
lock onto the road surface. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
Th e ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction should
occur in the ABS, the ASR will also be out of action.
Activating
The ESP is automatically activated when the engine is started and it
performs a self -test. You can activate a deactivated ASR if required
by pressing the=>
page 188, fig. 158 button. When it is activated,
the message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display.
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if required by pressing the button (for
less than 3 seconds)=>
page 188, fig . 158. With the ASR deactivated,
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

__ _:_:ln..:..t::.: e::.: l~ li :.;:g t:e::..: n..:.. t:...::. te::::..:: c~h :.:.n .:..: o:::.: l:.: o :.;g~ yL- ________________________________________ _
speed. This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
low speeds (for example when parking), -more effort will be
required than usual.
• Be aware of the different than usual steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly.
• Have the problem checked and set right by an authorized Audi
dealer as soon as possible.
• If a steering malfunction occurs, this is signaled with the or.
@ indicator lights and a warning tone, see.
[ i) Tips
• If the power steering system should fail, or if the engine is not
running (for example, while being towed), you will still be able to
steer the vehicle. However, more effort will be required to do so.
• If the power steering system is not functioning properly, contact
your authorized Audi dealer immediately.
Applies to vehicles: with All Wheel Drive
Driving with your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
General information
With All Wheel Drive, power is distributed to all four wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road conditions at the time. See also::::,
page 189, "Electronic differ­
ential lock (EDU".
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all -season tires) for improved
driveability and braking: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also ::::, page 259, "Winter ti res".
Snow chains
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with all-wheel drive:::::,
page 260, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size. Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see
page ::::,
page 254, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to::::,
page 198.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by the all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the quattro ®all-wheel drive is very effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (hydro­ planing). If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are adjusted to the road
conditions -risk of crash!
n

___ T_ r _a_ il_e _r_ t_ o_ vv_ in__... g,_ __________________________________________________ _
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor­
tation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that the additional load
wi ll affect durability, economy and performance.
Trai ler towing not on ly p laces more stress on the vehicle, it a lso ca lls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reasons, always fo llow the operating and driving instruc ­
tions provided and use common sense. •
Technical requirements
Traile r hit ch
Use a weight -carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weight.
The hitch must be suitab le for your vehicle and tra iler and must be
mounted secure ly on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch w ith removable ball mount. A lways
check with the trai ler hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bumper hit ch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it does not interfere
w ith the impact-absorbing bumper system . No modifications
should be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems. From
time to time, check that all hitch mount ing bolts remain securely
fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the trailer hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage should your
vehic le be struck from behind
=:> & .
Tire pre ssure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehic le to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load"on the sticker on the right door­
jamb. Inflate trai ler tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifica ­
tions.
Lights
The head ligh t settings should be checked wit h the trai ler attached
before driving off. Have the head lights adjusted as necessary so
t hat you can see the road ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are working prop ­
erly.
Engin e cool ing sy stem
Towing a t rai ler makes the engine wo rk ha rder . It is important that
the cooling system's performance stands up to the additiona l
strain. Make sure that the coo ling syste m has enoug h fluid.
Traile r br akes
If your traile r is equipped wi th a braking system, check to be sure
that it conforms to al l regu lations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be directly connected to
the vehic le's hydrau lic brake sys tem.
Safety chai ns
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the h itch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch. _.