2011 AUDI A3 mirror

brightness increases again, the low beams are turned off again auto­
matically =>& .
In the
AUTO position the low beams are switched off automatically
when the ignition is turned off.
Light Sensor Malfunction*
In the event of a light sensor ma lfunct ion, the driver is notified in the
instrument cluster display:
Automatic headlights/automatic wipers defective
For safety reasons the low beams are turned on permanently with t he
switch in
AUTO*. H owever, you can continue to turn the lights on and
off using the light switch. Have the light sensor checked as soon as
possible at a dealership.
Coming home/leaving home function*
The function is sw itched on when the sw itch is in the AUTO* position
and the function is shown as active in the driver information system.
The
coming home funct ion illuminates the area around the vehicle
when the ign it ion is switched
off and the driver's door is opened. The
length of time the lights rema in on can be set in the menu display
( Illumination > Exterior lights > coming home ).
The leaving home function illuminates the area around the vehicl e
when u nlocking it .
& WARNING
• Never use daytime running lights to see where you are going.
They are not bright enough and will not let you see far enough
ahead for safety, especially at dusk or when it is dark. Always
switch on the low beams at dusk or when it is dark.
• Automatic headlights are only intended to assist the driver .
They do not relieve the driver of his respon sibility to check the
headlights and to turn them on manually according to the current
light and visibility conditions. For example, fog and rain cannot be
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Clear vision
& WARNING
(continued )
detected by the light sensors. So always switch on the headlights
under these weather conditions and when driving
in the dark io.
• Crashes can happen when you cannot see the road ahead and
when you cannot be seen by other motorists.
- Always turn on the headlights so that you can see ahead and
so that others can see your car from the back.
(I) Tips
• With the switch in AUTO front fog lights cannot be turned on in
addition.
• Th e light senso r for headlight control is located in the rear view
mirror mount . Do not apply any stickers to the windshield in this area
to prevent malfunctions or fail ures .
• Some exterior lighting functions can be adjusted in the driver
information system => page 22 ,
• If you remove the ignition from t he ignition lock whi le the head­
lights are still on, a buzzer will sound as long as the driver's door is
open to remind you to turn off the lights .
• Always observe the specific local regulat ions for your area as to
when to use your lights.
• With automatic headlights, the high-beam funct ion is also avail­
able, but with one restr iction:
If you have not switched the high
beams back to low beams during automatic headlig ht operation (for
example, after driving through a tunnel), only the low beams come
on the next time automatic headlights are switched on . To use the
high beams, you first have to pull the high beam lever back and then
push the lever forwa rd again .
• In cool or damp weather, the inside of the headlights, turn signa ls
and ta il lights can fog over due to the temperature difference
between the inside and outside. They will clear shortly after switching
them on. This does not affect the serv ice life of the light ing . _,,
Vehicle care Technical data

Rear reading light
Press the switch "<~ to turn on and off the reading light .•
Luggage compartment light
A dome light in the rear roof liner illuminates the luggage
compartment. An additional light is provided on the
inside of the rear lid .
The light is located on the left side of the trunk .
With the switch at the center position, the rear dome light is auto­ matically switched on as soon as the rear lid is opened. The rear dome
light goes out 30 seconds after the rear lid is closed .
If the rear lid is left open for more than 10 minutes, both the rear
dome light and the light in rear lid are switched off to conserve the
battery charge. •
Vision
Applie s to veh icl es: w ith lig ht p ackag e or illum inated vanity mirror
Sun visors
Using the sun visors makes driving safer.
n,ISJ_
G
(
-
1
Fig. 59 Sun visor
Contro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Clear vision
The sun visors for the driver and front passenger can be removed
from their center mountings and moved toward the door windows
(D
=> fig. 59 to protect against side glare .
The vanity mirror in the sun visors is covered by a lid. When you slide
the lid @open the mirror illumination comes on automatically.
When you slide the lid shut or fold the sun visor back up, the illumi­
nation also goes out.
There is a folding visor between the visors for the driver and the passenger which can be used to cover the space above the rear view
mirror .•
Mirrors
Manual anti-glare adjustment
Standard setting
- Move the small lever (located on the bottom edge of the
mirror) to the front.
Anti-glare setting
- Move the small lever (located on the bottom edge of the
mirror) to the rear. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Clear vision
Applies to veh icles : w ith automat ically dimm ing inside mirror
Automatically dimming inside mirror
The automatic dimming function can be turned on and
off if required .
Disabling auto dimming
Fig . 60 I nside rea r
v ie w mirror
- Press butt on @ ~ fig . 60 brie fly, -the green indic ator
light ® goes out.
Activating/reactivating auto dimming
- Press button @ briefly, -the green indicator ligh t® goes
on.
Automat ic dimming function
The automatic dimming function is activated every time the ignition
is turned on. The g ree n indicator light is lit to indica te auto d imming
is active.
W hen dimm ing is act ivated, the inside mir ror w ill darke n
automati­
cally
in response to the amou nt of light striking the mirror (such as
head lights from rearward approaching vehicles). Even in d imming
mode, the mirror surface turns br ight when:
• the interior light is switched on
• reverse gear is engaged.
& WARNING
Broken glass of automatic dimming mirror can cause electrolyte
fluid leakage . Electrolyte fluid can irritate skin , eyes, and respira­
tory system .
• Repeated or p rolonged expo sur e to electrolyte can cau se irrita­
tion to the resp iratory system, esp ecially among people with
asthma or other r espiratory conditions. Get fre sh air immediately
by le aving the vehicl e or, if that is not po ssible , open window s and
doors all the wa y.
• If ele ctrolyte gets into the eye s, flush them thoroughly with
large am ount s of clean water f or at lea st 15 minute s; medical
attention is re commended .
• If electrolyte contacts skin , flush affected area with clean
water for at l east 15 minutes and then wash aff ected area with
s oap and water; medical attention is rec ommended . Thoroughly
wash affected clothing and shoe s before reu se.
• If swallowed and person i s con sciou s, rinse mouth with water
for at least 15 minutes. Do not induce vomit ing unle ss instru cted
to do so by medical profe ssional. Get medical attenti on immedi­
ate ly .
0 Note
Liquid e lectrolyte leaked from a broken mir ror g lass will damage any
plastic surfaces it comes in contact with. Clean up spi lled electrolyte
immediately with clear wate r and a sponge.
[I) Tips
• Check to make su re t he re are no obje cts preventing light from
reac hing the inside mirror.
• Do not attach any st ick er s to the w indshield in front of the light
sensor, as this would interfere with the a utomatic operation of the
head lights and the a utomat ic dimming of the inside mir ror. •

Outside mirrors
The outside mirrors are electrically adjusted (power
mirrors)
Adjusting the outside mirrors
F ig . 61 Fo rward
s ecti on of dr iv er 's
a rmr est: powe r mirror
con trol s
Turn the adjusting k nob to~ fig. 61 (D (driver's side
outside mirror) to ® (front passenger's outside mirror) .
- Press the knob in the appropriate direction to move the
mirror surface so that you have a good view to the rear .
Heated mirrors*
- Turn the rotary knob to@).
Depend ing o n ou tside te mperature and veh icle speed, the mirror
surfaces are heated until the ign it ion is switched off -even if the
rotary knob is no longer in position @.
0 Note
• Curved mirror s urfaces (convex or spherical*) in crease your field of
view. Remember that vehicles or other objects will appear smaller and farther away than when seen in a flat mirror.
If you use this
mirror to est imate d istances of following vehicles when changing
lanes, you co uld estimate incorrect ly and ca use an accident.
Con tro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Clear vision
(I) Tips
If there should be a malfunction in the elect rical system, you can still
adjust the outside mirrors by pressing the edge of the m irror . •
Wiper and washer system
Windshield wiper~
The windshield wipe r lever controls both the windshield
wipers and the washer system.
F ig. 62 Wiper lev er:
win dsh ie ld wi per l ev er
p osit ion s
The windshield wiper Lever => fig . 62 has the follow ing posi­
t ions:
Intermittent wiping ~ i (activat ing rain
sensor)*
- Move the Lever up to position (D .
- Move the interval set switch@, to change the intervals.
Low wiper speed
- M ove the lever up to p osi tio n @ .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

& WARNIN G (con tin ue d)
• For s afety rea son s, the wind shi eld wiper blade s should b e
replac ed once or t wice a year .•
Digital compass
Ap plies to veh icle s: wit h dig ital c ompa ss
Activating or deactivating the compass
The direction is displayed on the interior rear view mirror .
Fig. 67 I nside re ar
vie w m irro r: d ig ital
compa ss activa ted
To activate or deactivate, hold the @button down until
the red display appears or disappears .
The digital compass only works with the ignition turned on . The direc­
tions are d isplayed as initials :
N (North), NE (Northeast), E (E ast), S E
(So utheast), S (So uth), SW (Southwest), W (West), NW (Northwest).
[ i J Tips
T o avoid inaccurate directions , do not a llow any remote controls,
electrical system s, or metal parts close to the m irro r.•
Con tro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Clear vision
App lies to veh icles : w ith dig ita l compass
Setting the magnetic deflection zone
The correct magnetic deflection zone must be set in order
to display the directions correctly .
,_ ,_..;,r .. _ I I
I I
I I
I ' I I
I I
1 ! ©
l 4
l
l
I ' I ,,
l ----
'
'
'
®
\, ,, ...... ,.,. -------
©
@
Fig . 68 North America : ma gnetic d efle ct io n zo ne boun dari es
-Hold the@=> fig . 67 button down until the number of
the set magnetic deflection zone appears on the interior
. . rear view mirro r.
- Adjust the magnetic deflection zone by repeatedly pressing on the@ button . T he set mode automatically
deactivates after a few seconds. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Clear vision
Applies to veh icles : w ith d ig ita l compass
Calibrating the compass
The compass has to be recalibrated if the display is wrong
or inaccurate .
-Hold the@ button down until the letter C is displayed on
the interior rear view mirror .
- Drive in a circle at a speed of about 5 mph (10 km/h) until
a direction is shown on the interior rear view mirror.
& WARNING
The digital compass is to be used as a directional aid only. Even
though you may want to look at it while you are driving, you must
still pay attention to traffic, road and weather conditions as well
as other possible hazards. •

Driving Safely ---------------------"~'---
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant safety
always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving always:
- Make sure that all lights and signals are operating
correctly.
- Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
- Make sure that all windows are clean and afford good visi-
bility to the outside.
- Secure all luggage and other items carefully::::>
page 91.
-Make sure that nothing can interfere with the pedals.
- Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors correctly for your height .
- Instruct passengers to adjust the head restraints according to their height.
- Make sure to use the right child restraint correctly to
protect children ::::,
page 167, "Child Safety".
- Sit properly in your seat and make sure that your passen­ gers do the same::::,
page 73, "General recommenda­
tions".
- Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Also instruct
your passengers to fasten their safety belts properly
=:> page 135. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of the
vehicle, the driver as well as the driver's ability to concen­
trate on the road without being distracted .
The driver is responsible for the safety of the vehicle and all
of its occupants. If your ability to drive is impaired, safety
risks for everybody in the vehicle increase and you also
become a hazard to everyone else on the road::::,,& . There­
fore:
Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers or by using
a cellular telephone.
NEVER drive when your driving ability is impaired (by
medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
- Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and speed limits
and plain common sense .
- ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and weather
conditions.
- Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive for more than two hours at a stretch.
- Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pressure or when
you are stressed .
& WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic beh ind you using the regular
outs ide mirrors, then you
must i nstall extended mirrors. It is impor­
tant that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure you
or your passengers. •
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is lim ited to a typ ical class 1 or class 2 tra iler.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to guard aga inst
shifting, be it fo rwa rd, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ~ & in "Driving instruc­
tions".
Tire pressure
When towing a tra iler, inflate the tires of yo ur veh icle to the co ld tire
pressure listed unde r "Full load" on the sticker on the right doorjamb.
Inflate trailer tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight settings sho uld be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off . Adjust as necessary so that you can see the road
ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check p roper working of vehicle and tra iler lights.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Safety
chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack 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 hit ch. •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded .
- Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed .
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribut ion
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly unstable
distribution of we ight. If th is cannot be avoided drive at very low
speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced " rig is easier to operate and control. This means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permiss ible
whi le keeping the trai ler as light as possible under the circumstances .
Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage compart-
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data