2010 AUDI S3 four wheel drive

• 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 J 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 254, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Braking
Generat 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
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
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
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~ &.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is
too low. The brake fluid level is monitored electronically.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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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

Tires and wheels -_______________ _____.
Tire service life
The service life of tires depends on a lot of different things
including proper installation and balancing, correct tire
pressure and driving style.
(r
\'"-----JJ
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)
Fig . 175 Tire tread:
tread wear indicators
(TWI)
Fig . 176 Rotating tires
for more even wear
The original tires on your vehicle have 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high "wear
indicators":::::, fig. 175 running across the tread. Depending on the
make, there will be six to eight of them evenly placed around the
tire. Marks on the tire sidewall (for example "TWI" or other symbols)
indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators. Worn tires must
be replaced. Different figures may apply in other countries.:::::,&.
Tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wear and can cause
sudden tire blow-out. For this reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a month .:::::,
page 249.
Driving style
Driving fast around curves, heavy acceleration and hard braking
increase tire wear.
Rotating tires for more even wear
For all four tires on your vehicle to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rear tires are rotated according to the
tire manufacturer's suggested tire rotation intervals. Please
remember the following:
• Tire rotation intervals may differ from the vehicle service inter­
vals outlined in your Warranty
& Maintenance Booklet.
• The longer one tire is used in one location on the vehicle, the
more it wears at certain points; therefore, we recommend that you
follow the tire manufacturer 's suggested tire rotation intervals.
• Vehicles with front-wheel drive experience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to all-wheel drive (quattro®l .
• Please rotate tires as shown .:::::, fig. 176.
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
:::::, page 277.
Wheel balancing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various situa­
tions during everyday driving can cause them to become unbal ­
anced, resulting in vibrations you can usually feel through the
steering wheel.
Unbalanced wheels must be rebalanced to avoid excessive wear on
steering, suspension and tires. A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tire is installed. _,,
Vehicle care I I Technical data

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to ring s yst em * would not b e ab le to moni tor the tire pr essur e or
war n yo u if i t is nec essa ry.
• T he battery ins ide of the tire pressure s ensor has a l imited
service life.
• Always driv e with the va lv e stem caps s ecure ly m ounted. We
r e co mm end usi ng fact ory insta lled valve stem cap s. Ask y our a utho­
rized Audi d ealer to replac e lost valve stem caps .
T he installat ion of replacement tires with steel cord body plies in
t he ti re s id ew all m ay ca use ma lfun ction o f th e tire press ure m oni­
toring system *, and is not recommended (co rd mater ial information
i n mo lded on t he tire sid ewa ll).
Always check your t ire pressure mo nitoring system* indicator after
r eplaci ng o ne or more tir es o n you r veh ic le . If t he ti re p ressu re
mo nito ring syste m* in dicato r flashes o r is ill um in ated, your s ystem
is not working p rope rly . Yo ur replacement t ire might be inco mpat ­
i b le with you r tir e p ressure mon itori ng sys te m *, or so me comp o­
nent of the tire pressure monitoring system * may be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and / or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use tires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica ­
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
espe cially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history. " Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
& WARNING (continued )
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size {rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driving
with different tires reduces vehicle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle -for example with winter tires -only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build-up , sudden tire failure ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated.
• For technical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels , make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked . Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision .
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the factory . The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system* that indicates a loss of tire pressure . Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires . If run flat tires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mi xing tire types is not permitted. _,.
Vehicle care
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Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
& WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion , or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure. •
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on snow and
ice. At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C) we recommend
changing to winter tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winter or "snow" tires, those with very deeply cut tread. These tires
should only be used in pairs and be installed on all four wheels.
Make sure you purchase snow tires that are the same size and
construction type as the other tires on your vehicle.
I f your vehicle is equipped with all-wheel drive*, this will improve
traction during winter driving, even with the standard tires.
However, we strongly recommend that you always equip all four
wheels on your vehicle with correctly fitted winter tires or all-season
tires, when winter road conditions are expected . This also improves
the vehicle's braking performance and reduces stopping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow . Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on all four wheels
.
Compatible tire pressure monitoring sensors* must be installed on
all four winter tires for the tire pressure monitoring system* to func­
tion properly ~
page 256.
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop for permitted
winter tire sizes . Use only radial winter tires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to
a depth of 0.157 inch (4 mm) .
Only drive with winter tires under winter conditions. Summer tires
handle better when there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C).
If you have a flat tire, see notes on spare wheel
~ page 254.
Please always remember that winter tires may have a lower speed
rating than the tires originally installed on your vehicle at the time
it was manufactured . Please see~
page 256, "Speed rating (letter
code)" for a listing of the speed rating letter codes and the
maximum speed at which the tires can be driven.
The speed rating letter code(~
page 256) is on the side wall of the
tire
~ page 254.
& WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits that may be lower than
your vehicle's maximum speed. Always know the maximum speed
before driving off. Never drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific winter tires. This will cause damage to the tires leading to an accident and serious personal injury to you and your
passengers.
& WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation, loss of control, crashes and serious _,,
Vehicle care
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Tire pressure monitoring system *
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressu re mon ito ring system
General notes _J
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
month ly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recom­
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres­
sure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure tellta le when one or more of your tires is significantly
under-inflated. Accord ingly, when the low t ire pressure te llta le i llu ­
minates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure . Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure . Under -inflation also reduces fue l efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte ­
nance, and it is the driver's responsibi lity to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under -inflation has not reached the leve l to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure te lltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indi­
cator to indica te when the system is not opera ting proper ly . The
T PMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure
t elltale. When the system detects a ma lfunction, the telltale w ill
flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists .
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not
be ab le to detect or signa l low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, inc luding the insta
llation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly . A lways
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replac ing one or more
tires or whee ls on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the TP MS to continue to function
proper ly. •
App lies to veh ic les: w ith tire pressure monitoring system
Introduction
The tire pressure monitoring system monitors air pressure
in all four road wheels while the vehicle is moving .
As soon as the tire pressure monitor ing syste m senses a signi ficant
loss of air pressure in one or severa l tires, text messages and yellow
symbols appear in the ins trument c luster dis play to alert the d river .
The warning light in the instrument cluster comes on when the
t ire is sig nificantly unde rinflated
~ page 12 .
The warn ing light { also i lluminates in the case of a system
malfunction.
Be aware that tire p ressu re is also dependent on the tempe ra ture of
the tire . For every 18 °F (1 O °Cl increase in tire temperature, tire pres ­
su re increases by about 1 .5 psi (0 .1 bar). The ti re wa rms up wh ile the
vehicle is moving and tire pressure rises. So you should adjust tire pressure only when they are
cold, when the temperature of the tires
is roughly the same as the ambient air temperature.
I n order to keep the tire pressure monitoring system properly cali ­
brated, tire pressure on all fou r tires sh ould be checked at regular
interva ls, adjusted if necessary, and saved in the proper setting
(recommended pressure)~
page 265.
The tire pressure is shown either on the driver's side B-pil lar or on
the inside of the fuel filler f lap . _..
Vehicle care I t •