2010 AUDI S3 check engine light

If the engine RPMs drop below 1 500, you should downshift to the
next lower gear. The red area at the end of the scale indicates
maximum permissible engine RPMs after the break-in period.
Before reaching this area, you should either shift into the next
higher gear or ease your foot off the accelerator pedal .
0 Note
The tachometer needle=> page 8, fig. 2 G) should not move into the
red range. If it does, then only for a very short period of time. You
could damage your engine by driving at high RPM!
<£> For the sake of the environment
Upshifting early saves fuels and reduces engine noise. •
Digital clock with date display
Your vehicle is equipped with a quartz controlled digital
clock.
To set the hour
Fig . 3 Instrument
cluster with: the digital
clock and date
-Pull the knob (hour display flashes) and turn it to the left
or rig ht.
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
To set the minutes
- Pull the button until the minute display flashes.
- Turn the knob to the left or right until the desired setting
appears.
To set the time format (12 or 24-hour display)
- Pull the knob until the time format display flashes.
- Turn the knob to the left or right.
To set the date
-Pull the knob until the day, month or year display flashes.
- Turn the knob to the left or right.
To show or hide the date display
-Pull the knob until the date display flashes.
- Turn the knob to the left or right.
When the date display stops flashing, this means the time and date
have been successfully stored.
With the ignition off, pushing or pulling the Set/Check button
=>
page 8, fig . 2 © -depending on the instrument cluster configu­
ration -can turn on the display field lighting for a few seconds. •
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coolant gauge 0 => page 8, fig. 2 only works when the
ignition is on. To prevent damage to your engine, please note the
following important points:
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Engine cold
As long as the needle remains at the left end of the gauge, the
engine still has not reached its operating temperature . Avoid high
engine speeds, heavy engine loads and heavy throttle.
Normal temperature
When the engine has reached its operating temperature, the needle
will move into the middle of the gauge and remain there. If the engine is working hard at high outside temperatures, the needle
may turn further to the right. This is no cause for concern as long as
the
_ f_ warning light in the instrument cluster does not illuminate.
When the
-L warning light starts to flash, this can mean one of two
things: either the coolant
temperature is too high, or the coolant
level is too low=> page 30.
& WARNING
• Always observe the warning in=> page 215, "Engine compart ­
ment" before opening the engine hood and checking the engine
coolant level.
• Never open the engine hood if you see or hear steam, or if you
see engine coolant dripping from the engine compartment. You
could burn yourself. Let the engine cool off first so that you cannot
hear or see any steam or engine coolant.
0 Note
• Mounting additional lights or accessories in front of the air inlets
reduces the cooling effect of the radiator . At high outside tempera ­
tures or high engine load, the engine could overheat.
• The front spoiler has been designed to properly distribute the
cooling air when the vehicle is moving. If the spoiler is damaged,
this could reduce the cooling effect and the engine could then over ­
heat. Ask your authorized Audi dealer for assistance. •
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge works only when the ignition is on.
When the needle reaches the red area, the warning light in the
instrument cluster will illuminate=>
page 32 I). This means you
have approximately 1.8 gallons (7 liters) of fuel left in the tank.
Time
to refuel!
The total tank capacity of your vehicle is listed in=> page 296,
"Data".
0 Note
Never run the tank completely dry! An irregular supply of fuel can
cause engine misfiring and fuel could enter into the exhaust
system. The catalytic converter could then overheat and be
damaged .•
Speedometer with odometer
The speedometer shows you the vehicle speed, and the
odometer shows you how many miles (kilometers) you
have driven.
Fig. 4 Speedometer
close-up : odometer
display
The odometer and trip odometer are located inside the speedom­
eter.

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
El ectronic stabilization p rogram (ESP) =:::> page 13 & WARNING
USA models : =:::> page 14 • Failure to heed warning lights and other important vehicle
Malfunction Indicator lamp (M IU information may result in serious personal injury or vehicle
--damage .
Canada models :
=:::> page 14
Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move the vehi cle a safe Ma lfunction lnd icto r Lamp ( MIU •
distance off the road , stop the engine , and turn on the emergen cy
_D H igh beam =:::> page 14 flasher =:::> page 56.
-- -• The engine compartment of any motor veh icle is a potentially
¢ Le ft tu rn s ig na l =:::> page 1 4 hazardous area. Before you check anything in the engine compart -
ment , stop the engine and let it cool down . Alway s exer cise
c> Right turn signa l =:::> page 14 extreme caution when working under the engine hood
=:::> page 215, "Engine compartment "
CRUISE
USA models: =:::> page 14 Cruise con trol activate d [ i ] Tips -
R~ Canada models : =:::> page 14 • When a yellow warn ing symbo l appears, one warning tone
Cruise control activated sounds. C heck the function displayed as soon as possible.
-.o. A irbag syst em =:::> page 1 4 • When a red symbol appears, three warning tones sound in v-q
succession . The symbo l continues to flash unti l th e fault has bee n
0 Generator =:::> page 1 4 corrected. •
A v
Safety belt =:::> page 15 Ap plies to vehicles: w it h tire press ure mon ito ring sy stem
BRAKE
USA models :
Tire pressure monitoring system -telltale
=:::> page 15 indicator lamp L Bra ke sy stem , park ing b ra ke set
((D) Canada models : =:::> page 15 The war ning/ind ica tor li ght ap pears in the eve nt of a
Brake system, par king brake set significan t loss of air pressure.
USA models : =:::> page 16 The ' , wa rn in g/ind ica to r lig ht illu min ates fo r a few seconds a fter
Anti -lock bra ke system (ABS)
the ignition is turned on as function check and then goes out.
-Canada models : =:::> page 16 If t he 'symbo l ap pears, press ure i s too low i n at leas t one tire.
Ant i- loc k brake s yst em (ABS) When t he system detects a malfu nct ion, the warn ing/ind icator light
/ ~ E
lectro -mechanica l power assist
=:::> page 1 6 will flash for approximately one minute and then remain continu -
ous ly illum inated. Th is seque nce wi ll cont inue upon subsequent
..

vehicle starts up as long as the malfunction exists. Contact your
authorized Audi dealer and have the malfunction corrected .
For more information
:::::> page 264. •
Electronic power control )f'
This warning/indicat or light m onitors the electronic
power control.
The warning/indicator light (E lectronic Power Controll illumi-
nates when you switch on the ignition as a function check.
[ i ] Tips
If this warning/indicator light illuminates while you are driving, then
there is a malfunction in the engine electronics . Have the malfunc ­
tion corrected as soon as possible by your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop. •
Applies to vehicles : wit h diese l en gine
Glovv plug system / Engine malfunction X-
The indicator lamp lights up to show that the glow plugs
are preheating. It flashes if there is an engine malfunc­
tion.
W arning l ight ~ s ta ys lit up
If the indicator light illuminates , the glow plug system is active .
You should start the engine immediately after the indicator light
switches off. The indicator light only illuminates for approximately 1 second if the engine is warm or if the outside temperature is
above 46 °F (8 °Cl.
T here is a fault in the g low plug system if the warning light does
not light up when the engine is
c old. Contact an authorized Aud i
dea ler or a qualified workshop.
Controls and equip ­
ment
In st rum ent s a nd w arnin g/indi cato r ligh ts
Warn in g light "' flas hes
If a malfunction develops in the engine management system while
you are driving, the glow plug light will flash ......... The engine shou ld
be checked by an authorized Audi dealer or a qua lified workshop as
soon as possible.
& WARNING
If you do not p ay atte nti on to the warning light s th at hav e come
o n, thi s could l ead to per sona l injury or d am age to your vehi cle. •
Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) r;
The warning/indicator light monitors the electronic stabi­
lization program.
The warning/indicator l ight has the following functions:
• it flashes while you are driving, when the ESP or the ASR (Anti·
Slip Regulation) is working .
• it illuminates when you switch on the ignition for approximate ly
2 seconds as a func tion check .
• it illuminates when there is a ma lfunction in the ESP.
• it illum inates after the battery has been d isconnected .
• it illuminates continuous ly when the ESP is switched off.
• it illuminates if there is a malfunction in the ABS, since the ESP
is part of the ABS system .
If the ESP warning/indicator light illuminates and stays on after you
have started the engine, this may mean that the control system has
temporari ly switched off the ESP. If this is case, you can reactivate
the ESP by switching the ignition off and then on again . The
warning/ indicator light should go out to show that the system is
fully functional again.
The ESP warning/indicator light will i lluminate when the ignition is
switched on if the vehicle battery has been disconnected and then .,,
I • •

On-Board Diagnostic system (08D)
On-Board Diagnostics
Fig. 10 location of
Data Link Connecto r
( DL C)
On-Board Diagnostics monitors the components of your emission
control system . Each controlled component in your engine system
has been assigned a code. In case of a malfunction , the component
will be identified and the fault stored as a code in the control
module memory .
The Mil lamp may also illuminate if there is a leak in the on-board
fuel vapor recovery system . If the light illuminates after a refuelling,
pull off the road and stop the vehicle, then check that the fuel filler
cap is properly closed
=> page 220 .
In order to make an accurate diagnosis, the stored data can only be
displayed using special diagnostic equipment (generic scan tool for
OBDl.
In order to connect the special diagnostic equipment, push the plug
into the Data Link Connector (DLC). The DLC is located to the right of
the engine hood re lease lever=> fig. 10.
Your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service station can inter ­
pret the code and perform the necessary repair. •
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Driver information display
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) (USA
models)/ (Canada models)
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIU in the instrument cluster
=> page 11, fig . 5 is part of the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system .
The warning/indicator light illuminates when the ignition is
switched on and goes out after the engine starts and the idle has
stabilized. This indicates that the Mil is working properly .
If the light does not go out after the engine is started, or illuminates
while you are driving, a ma lfunction may exist in the engine system.
If the light illuminates, the catalytic converter could be damaged.
Continue driving
with reduced power (avoiding sustained high
speeds and/or rapid accelerations) and have the condition
corrected . Contact your authorized Audi dealer.
If the light illuminates , the electronic speed limiter may also be
malfunctioning. For more information=>
page 21, "Electronic speed
limiter".
An improperly closed fuel filler cap may also cause the MIL light to
illuminate
=> page 220. •
Electronic speed limiter
Your vehicle may be factory equipped with tires that are rated for a
maximum speed of 130 mph (210 km/h) . This is less than the
maximum speed of your vehicle. To reduce the risk of sudden tire
failure and loss of control if the vehicle is operated at excessive
speeds, yo ur vehicle also has an electronic speed limiter. The elec­
tronic speed limiter prevents your vehicle from going faster than the
tire speed rating. For more information
=> page 256, "Speed rating
(letter code)".
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehicle roadspeed signals,
the Malfun cti on Indicator Light (MIU will illuminate . If this
occurs, contact the nearest authori zed Audi dealer for assistance. _.,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment Low fuel level
Check engine oi l level
Engine oil sensor malfunction
Engine speed limitation
Diesel particulate filter
Worn brake pads
USA models:
Speed warning 1
Canada models:
Speed warning 1
USA models:
Speed warning 2
Canada models:
Speed warning 2
Dynamic headlight range con -
trol * defective
W indshield washer fluid level low
Battery voltage too high or too
low
Defective light bulb
=> page 32
=> page33
-
=> page33
=> page32
=> page32
=> page33
=> page 33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
...
=> page 33
=> page34
-
-
-
Driver information display
USA models: => page34
Defective brake light
Canada models: => page 34
Defective brake light
Light/rain sensor defective (auto-
=> page 34
matic headlights)* defective
-Adaptive Light * defective => page34
Tire pressure monitoring system * => page 35
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 d etected, 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 .
Vehicle care I I
Fig. 21 Section of
instrument cluster:
Set/Check button
irechnical data

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
~

is too low. In addition to the symbol, the following message
also appears in the display:
Switch off engine and check coolant level
-Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
- Check coolant level
=> page 233.
-Add coolant if necessary=> page 234 .
-Continue driving only after the engine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
- Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary.
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be
the cause of the malfunction.
If the generator warning/indicator light should also illuminate
=> page 14, then the fan belt may be damaged.
_& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights
=> page 56, "Emer­
gency flasher A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment -you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn off
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
=> page 215, "Engine compartment".
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the -F-symbol illuminates . There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling system -you could damage your
engine. •
Engine oil pressure malfunction "I=:,:
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair.
If the 't::r. symbol appears in the display and flashes, the oil
pressure is too low. In addition to the symbol, the following
message also appears in the display:
Switch off engine and check oil level
-Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
- Shut the engine down.
- Check the engine oil level=>
page 229.
-Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary.
Engine oil level too low
If the engine oil level is too low, top off oil to the proper level
=> page 230.
Engine oil level OK
If the '1::7: symbol starts flashing again even though the engine oil
level checks OK on th e dipstick,
do not start driving again and do not
let the engine run at idle .
Instead, contact your authorized Audi
dealer for assistance . ..
I • •