2010 AUDI S3 brakes

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
135, "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 33.
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 • •

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Anti-lock brake system
~ _ (USA models)/ .... (Canada models)
This warning/indicator light monit ors the A BS and the
electronic differenti al lock (EO L).
The ,I<-warning light wi ll come on for a few seconds when the igni ­
tion is switched on. The light will go out after an automatic check
sequence is completed.
There is a malfunction in the ABS when:
• t he war ning/in dicat or li ght does not illuminate when yo u switc h
on the ignition .
• th e warning/indicator l ig ht doe s no t go out after a few sec onds.
• the warning/indicator light illum inates while driving.
Without the electronic assistance of the ABS , the brake system will
still respond and br ake the car. Have the brake system che cked and
restored to its full performance by an authorized Audi dealer a s
soon as possible.
For more information regarding the ABS see
=> page 192 .
Since any malfunction of the ABS also affe cts the ESP, that system's
warning symbol •
=> page 13 will light up along with the A8~/
I':!. (Canada models) warning light.
Unspecific malfunction in the brake system
If bo th the brake warn ing lig ht=> page 15and the wa rn ing l ight
il luminate when the parking brake is released, the likely cause is a
serious m alfun ction in t he brake system beyond an inoperative ABS
=> & .
If an unspec ific defect in the brake sys te m i s indica ted, the e ntire
brake system is likely to be affected and you
must expect degraded
bra ke response and performance.
Since any malfunc tion of the ABS a lso effects the ESP, that system's
warning symbol ~=> page 13 will light up along with the ~1
J
(Canada models) warning light . Malfun
ction in the ele ctronic differential lock
(EDL )
The two syste ms E DL and ABS in te ract. F or th is rea son th e,. ::,
warning li ght/
~ (Canada mode ls) wi ll come on to ind icate a
m alf unctio n in the EDL system =>
page 189 . See your a uthor ized
Aud i dea ler as soon as poss ib le.
& WARNING
• If the / .t (Canada models} warning light does not go out ,
or if it comes on while driving , the ABS system is not working
properly . The veh icle can then be stopped only with the brakes
operating without ABS support . You will not have the protection
ABS provides. Contact your authori zed Audi dealer as soon a s
possible .
• 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. Rear wheel brake lock -up can
cause loss of veh icle 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 wa rning light {(j)) and the ABS
warning light come on at the same time , the rear wheels could
lock up first under hard braking. Rear wheel brake lock -up 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. •
Electro-mechanical power assist / ~
If the i ndicator ligh t illum inates w hile you a re driving, ther e is a
malfunction in the e lectro -mechanica l steering . If the indicator light
is showi ng ....,, , ther e may be a r educ tion i n po w er s teerin g assist. I f
the indicator light is showing @, there may be a total loss of power
s teer ing assis t. The stee ring must be i nspec ted i mme diately by a ._

Driver information display
Driver information appears in the display when a defective light
bulb is reported by the defective light bulb warning~
page 34,
when the brake pads are worn and before you engage a gear on
vehicles with S tronic.
In addition, driver information may appear when a red symbol
flashes in the driver display .
To display Driver information
As an example, the~ symbol appears in the display. If you now
press the button~
page 29, fig. 21 , the following driver message
appears in the display:
Switch off engine and check oil level
The driver message in the display goes out after about 5 seconds.
You can display the driver message again by briefly pressing the
button. •
Brake system malfunction
BRAKE (USA models) /((D) (Canada models )
The indicator light flashes if the brake fluid level is too
low, if there is a malfunction in the ABS system or when
the parking brake is engaged.
If the BRA KE/(CD) symbol flashes in the display with the
parking brake released, there is a malfunction in the brake
system. In addition to the symbol, one of two messages
appears in the display:
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid
ABS fault
! See owner's manual
- Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
- Obtain professional assistance.
USA models: if there is a malfunction in the ABS system, the • c:::;
warning/indicator light illuminates along with the BRAKE system
malfunction warning/indicator light~
/.1.
Canada models: if there is a malfunction in the ABS system, the
warning/indicator light illuminates together with the
CCD) brake
system malfunction warning/indicator light~
/.1.
Parking brake set
The parking brake warning light Brake /«D> (Canada models) illumi ­
nates when the parking brake is set . In addition, a warning tone will
sound after you have driven for longer than 3 seconds and faster
than 3 mph (5 km/h).
& WARNING
• Always observe the warnings in~ page 215, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the engine hood and checking the brake
fluid.
• Driving with low brake fluid is a safety hazard! Stop the car and
get professional assistance.
• If the brake system warning/indicator light illuminates
together with the ABS warning/indicator light, then the ABS
system is malfunctioning. The rear wheels could quickly lock up
when you apply the brakes. This could lead to loss of control and
your vehicle could slide! Drive carefully to the nearest authorized
Audi dealer and have the malfunction corrected. •
Engine cooling system malfunction _t_
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
repaired as soon as possible.
When the J_ symbol in the display flashes, then either the
engine coolant temperature is too high, or the coolant level
~

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 • •

----------------------------------------------~O~n~t:.!..h~e::...!..r~o~a~d~ _fflll
-Drive at the speed you wish to set .
- Press button
@ to set that speed.
The disp lay=> page 110, fig . 112 will show the set speed . The
display may vary depending on the type of disp lay in your vehicle .
T he indicator light
CRU ISE (US model)/ f,f (Canadian mod e ll wi ll also
light up in the instrument cluster .
& WARNING
• Alway s pa y att ention to traffic ev en when the crui se contr ol is
s w it ched on . You are al ways respo nsi ble for your spee d and the
di stance between your v ehic le and other ve hicle s.
• For sa fet y reas on s, the crui se contr ol s h o uld not be u sed in the
ci ty , in stop -and -go traffic , on t wis ting road s and when road condi ­
tion s are po or (s uch a s ic e , fo g, gra vel , he avy ra in and h ydro­
planing ) - risk of accident .
• Turn o ff th e cru is e c ont rol tempor arily w hen ente ring tu rn
lanes , highway e xit lan es or in con stru ction zone s.
• Please n ote that in ad vertentl y "res ting " yo ur foot on the a ccel­
erator pedal cau se s t he crui se control not to brak e. Thi s is becau se
th e c ruise c ontrol i s overridden by the dri ver's acceler ation .
[ i] Tips
• Vehicles with manual transmission : You can attain the set speed
only if the curren tly engaged gear al lows it and the engine is not
stressed. Shifting to a higher or lower gear promptly will allow the
engine to run smooth ly .
• T he cruise control cannot maintain a constant speed when
driving downhi ll. The vehicle wi ll acce lerate under its own weight .
Downshift to a lower gear or use the brakes to slow down .•
Controls and equip ­
ment
Changing speed
Press lever in the 0 o r O direction ~ page 110, fig. 111
to increase or dec rease your speed.
- Release the lever to save that speed .
Change speed in increments of 1 mph (1 km/h) by lightly pressing
the lever. If you keep the lever pressed down, you will a lter your
speed in 5 mph (10 km/hl increments .
You can a lso press the acce lerator pedal down to increase your
speed, e.g. if you want to pass someone. The speed you saved
earlier will resume as soon as you release the accelerator pedal.
I f , however, you exceed your saved speed by 5 mph ( 10 km/h) for
longer than 5 minutes, the cruise control will turn off temporarily.
The symbol wi ll go out but the saved speed wi ll be retained. •
Presetting your speed
You can preset your desired speed while the vehicle is not
moving.
Turn on the ignition.
P ull lever into posit ion
G) ~ page 110 , fig. 11 1.
Press the lever in the
0 or O direction to increase or
decrease your speed.
- Release the lever to save that speed .
This function makes it possible, for example, to save the speed you
want before driving on the highway . Once on the highway, activate
the cruise contro l by pulling the lever toward
G) . •
I • •

_______________________________________________________ T_ ra_ n_s_ m __ is_s_ io_ n __ ftllll
Stopping on an inclin e
-Always hold the vehicle wit h the foot brake or par king
b rake in order to prevent "rollback"=> &. Do not try to
p reven t the ve hicle fr om rolling back by rewing the
e n gine while it is in ge ar.
Starting on a hill
- Appl y the hand brake firmly.
- Wit h the e ng in e in g ear, g ra du ally a ccel era te an d relea se
the hand bra ke .
The engi ne can only be started with the selector lever in P or N
=>
pa ge 107. At low ambient temperatures (14 °F / -10 °C), it is only
po ss ible to star t the eng ine with the se lec tor lever in P .
Whe n par king on leve l ground, it is su ff ic ient to place the selec to r
lever in P. On a steeply s loping road, you should first apply the
p ark ing bra ke fi rmly and th en place the s elec tor lev er in P . T hi s way,
you do not overload the paw l mechanis m and it is easier to move
t h e s elector lever out of P.
& WARNING
• Never leave your vehicle with the engine running while in gear.
If you must leave your vehicle with the engine running, set the
parking brake and engage the park lock .
• When the engine is running and the transmission is in gear (0 ,
S or R l or in "tiptronic " mode , it is essential that you stop the
vehicle w ith the footbrake . When idl ing , the transmission of power
does not stop completely -the vehicle "creeps ".
• Do not accelerate when you change the selector lever position
with the vehicle stationary and the engine running -risk of an acci ­
dent!
• Never place the selector lever in the R or N position while the
vehicle is moving - risk of an accident !
Controls and equip ­
ment
& WARNING (continued )
• If you have to bring your vehicle to a stop while on an incline,
keep the foot brake depressed all the way down so that the vehicle
does not start to roll backward . You should never hold the vehicle
using the clutch pedal if you are going to be stopped on an incline .
If you do , the clutch will start to slip when it overheats caused by
the constant overload. This is dangerous because if the vehicle starts to roll backward , you could cause an accident . If the clutch
should start to slip , you will feel the vehicle "jerk" and the selector
lever display will start blinking .
• Before driving down a steep slope , reduce your speed and shift
into a lower gear w ith "tiptronic ".
• Do not ride the brake s or apply the brake pedal too often or too
long . Constant brak ing causes the brakes to overheat and
substantially reduces braking performance , increases braking
distance or causes complete failure of the brake system . •
Ap plies to vehicl es: with s tr o n ic tra nsmiss ion a nd Hill Descent Ass ist
Hill Descent Assist
Hi ll Desc en t A ssist help s the driver when dr iv in g d own
i n cl ines.
H il l Descent Ass ist is activated b y press ing th e brake wh ile
descending when the selector lever is in D/S . The S tronic transm is ­
s io n au tomatically s hift s d own to a g ear sui tab le fo r the i nclin e. Hill
Descent Assist attempts to maintain the current vehicle speed when
t he braki ng occ urs, as fa r as physical an d techn ical limi ts al low. It
may be necessary to adjust the speed using the brakes .
H il l Descent Assist switches off when the incline level s out or when
the gas pedal is pressed .
On vehicles with cruise control*=>
page 11 0, Hill Descent Assist is
a lso ac tivated whe n the speed is se t. ..,.
I • •

_L_T.:...:.. r.:::a :.:n.: S::::.. m:.:..: iS::.::: S::iO ::::.:. n.:.._ _____________________________________________________ _
& WARNING
Hill Descent Assist cannot overcome physical limitations, so it
may not be possible to maintain a constant vehicle speed under all
circumstances. Always be ready to apply the brakes. •
Appl ies to vehic le s: w ith S I roni c®
tiptronic operation
Tiptronic allows the driver to shift gears manually.
"' "' ..,
;;;: ., m
Fig . 117 Center
console: Manual
shifting (tiptronicl
Fig. 118 Display:
Manual shifting
(tiptronic)
Switching to manual
Push the selector lever to the right from D. As the trans­
mission has switched,
6 5 4 3 2 1 appears in the display,
with the gear that is engaged highlighted.
Upshifting
Tap the selector lever forward (in the tiptronic setting)
~ fig. 117 0-
Downshifting
Tap the selector lever backward (in the tiptronic setting)
0-
Switching to manual can be carried out with the vehicle stationary
as well as moving.
When accelerating, the transmission shifts into the next gear in
gears 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 shortly before the maximum permissible
engine speed is reached.
If you have selected a lower gear than the current one, the transmis­
sion will only shift down when the engine cannot be overspeeded.
If kick -down is actuated, the transmission shifts into a lower gear
independently of speed and engine rpm .•

actual vehicle behavior. If the two do not match, for example when
th e vehicle begins to skid, ESP brakes the appropriate wheel auto­
matical ly .
The vehicle is stabilized again by the forces acting on the wheel
during braking. With an oversteering vehicle (tendency for the rear
end to skid out of the curve), the brake application is mainly at the
front wheel on the outside of the curve, with an
understeering
vehicle (tendency to run wide in the curve) at the rear wheel on the
inside of the curve or additionally at the other wheels as needed.
This brake application is accompanied by noises.
ESP works in conjunction with ABS=>
page 192. If there is malfunc ­
tion in the ABS, ESP is also inoperative.
Activating
The ESP is automatica lly activated when the engine is started, and
it performs a self-test. As soon as the test is completed, the system
is in normal operating mode. With ASR deactivated, or with ESP/ASR
deactivated, pressing the button=>
page 188, fig. 158 returns the
system to normal operation.
Deactivating
ESP should normally be activated at all times because this ensures
optimum vehicle stability. Only in certain exceptional cases it does
make sense to deactivate Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) or the Elec­
tronic Stability Program (ESP) by pressing the button =>
page 188,
fig. 158. Both deactivation stages can only be activated from normal
mode .
Deactivating ASR
Tap the switch. Deactivation is indicated by slow flashing of the ESP
lamp in the instrument cluster. In certain situations (e .g. driving
with snow chains, in deep snow or on loose ground, or when
rocking the car free), it may be necessary to deactivate ASR.
Deactivating ESP/ASR
Press the button for more than 3 seconds. Deactivation is indicated
by the ESP lamp in the ins trument cluster staying on permanently.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
This
deactivates the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) in addition to
ASR. No Elec tronic Stability System operation and no Anti -Slip
Regulation is available across the entire speed range; ASR and ESP
are activated only when the brakes are used for the duration of the
braking action and remain active until a stable vehicle condition has
been reached. There is no driving situation which requires ESP to be
deactivated, so this should only be done if the driver's skill and the
traffic situation permit.
& WARNING
• The limits of physics cannot be suspended by ESP. Even in vehi­
cles with ESP. you should always adapt your driving to road and
traffic conditions. This is particularly true on a slippery and wet
road . Do not be tempted by the increased safety provided to take
risks -danger of an accident!
• Please note that when ASR or ESP /ASR is deactivated , the drive
wheels can spin on icy and slippery roads and the vehicle can
break away -danger of skidding!
Electronic differential lock CED1
.)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
General notes
The elect ronic differential lock (EDU helps the car to start moving,
accelerate and c limb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or
a lmost no grip. Without EDL, this would be difficult, if not impos ­
s ible.
How the system works
The EDL operates automatical ly. It monitors the rotationa l speed of
the drive wheels on an axle with the help of the ABS sensors
=>
page 192. If a noticeable difference in rotational speed between
the drive wheels on one axle is detected (e.g. on slippery ground
on
one side),
the spinning wheel is braked, thereby transferring power
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data