2011 AUDI A3 service indicator

instrument pane l illum in ation w ill autom at ically be com e dimm er
as the d ay light fade s away and eventu ally will g o out c ompletel y
wh en outside light i s very low . This is to r emind you, the drive r, to
s witch on the headlight s before it gets too dark .
• Canada model s: in strument pan el illum ination will stay bright
r e g ardle ss of the inten sity of ambient light . Alwa ys be awar e of
c hanges in o utside light conditions w hile you ar e dri ving. R espond
in time to fading da ylight by tu rning the light switch t o po sit ion
io
(or "AUTO" if your car is equipped with this feature) to turn on y our
headl ights .•
Emergency flasher ~
The emergency flasher makes other motorists aware that
you or your vehicle are in an emergency situation .
Fig. 53 Ce nter
conso le : eme rgenc y
fla sh e r sw it c h
- Press the switch~:::::> fig. 53, to switch the emergency
flasher on or off.
When the eme rgency flasher is o n, all four tu rn s ignal b link at the
same time . The turn signa l indicator lights¢¢ in the instrument
cluster , as well as the light in the emerg ency flasher switch~ blink
likewise.
T he emergency flasher will autom atically sw itch on if you are in an
acc ident where the airbag has deployed.
Con tro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Clear vision
(I) Tips
You should swi tch on the emergency flasher when :
• you a re the last ve hicle stand ing in a traffic jam so that any ot her
vehicles com ing can see you , or when
• your vehicle has b roken down or you are in an eme rgency s itua­
tion , or when
• your vehicle is being towed by a tow tr uck or if yo u are tow ing
another vehicle behind you. •
Turn signals -¢¢ and high beam [D lever
The lever on the le~ side of the steering column is used to
operate the turn signals and the high beam as well as the
headlight flasher.
-"' M
-w .., a,
Fig . 54 Tu rn sign al
a nd h igh b eam lever
The turn signal and high beam lever has the following func­
tions :
Turn signals ¢ ¢
- Lift the lever up all the way:::::> fig. 54 (D, to use the r ight
turn signals , or push the lever down all the way@ to use
the left turn signals. .,,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Controls
This overview will help you to familiarize yourself with the
air conditioning controls.
F ig . 1 01 Air co nditi onin g co ntro ls
Th e d isp lay shows the temperature selected a nd the blowe r setting .
You can set the temperatu re for the driver's side us ing the left rota ry
switch @and the tempe rature for the passenger's s ide with the right
switch @.
Functions are turned on and off by touching the buttons . The diode in
t he b uttons illumina tes when the f unction is active .
The grille between the buttons
G / G and !AUTO I must remain
unobstructed ; there are measurement sensors beh ind it.
• Do not seal off the grille.
• Do not clean the gr ille with a vacuum cleaner, otherwise the
senso rs could be damaged .
Contro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Warm and cold
But- Function
ton(s )
@ Switching t he cooling system on/off
!AUTO] Automatic operation
G G B lower speed setting
( in the
center)
Manual recirculation mode
Automatic rec irculat ion mode
Defrost
Air directed to the w indows
Air from the outlets
Air directed to the footwe ll
Rear window defogger
Page
=;, page 97
:> page 98
=;,page 100
=;, page99
=> page 99
=>page 98
=> page 100
=> page 100
=> page 100
=> page 102
The buttons for setting the air f low direction~,~ and~ can also be
pushed in combination .•
A pp lies to ve hicl es: wit h auto matic a ir cond it ioner
Switching the air conditioner on /off [AC]
- P ress the [AC] button to switch the air cond itioner on or
off.
When the air condi tioner is switched on, the indicator light in the
bu tton is l it .
Whe n the air conditioner is swi tched off, the cooling system is
switched off -the heating and ventilation system is regu lated auto­
matically. Sw itching off the coo ling syst em (compressor) saves fuel. .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

<£> For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and p retensioners might be classified as
Perchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswas te/perchlorate . When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system including airbag modules and safety
belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regula­
tions must be observed. Your authorized Audi dea ler is familiar with
these requirements and we recommend that you have your dealer
perform this service for you .•
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants .
Fig. 140 Side airbag
loc ation in the driver's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
=> fig. 140 and the rear backrest* facing the doors. They are identi­
fied by the word "AIRBAG".
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and externa l side impact sensors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
• two rear side airbags (as an ordered option)
• the airbag warning light in the instrument clus ter.
The airbag system is monitored electronically to make certain that it
is funct ion ing properly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni­
tion, the airbag system indicator light w ill come on for a few seconds
(self diagnostics).
Th e side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help to
reduce the risk of injury to the dr iver's, front and rear* passenger's
upper torso and head on the sid e of the vehicle that is struck in a side
collision . The airbag deploys only in side impacts and only when the
vehicle accelerat ion registered by the contro l unit is high enoug h. If
this rate is below the reference value programmed into the contro l
unit , the side airbags will not be triggered, even though the car may
be badly damaged as a result of the collision . It is not possible to
def ine an a irbag triggering range that will cover every possible angle
of impact, since the circu mstances will vary considerably between
one collision and another. Important factors include, for example,
the nature (hard or soft) of the impacting object, the angle of impact,
vehicle speed, etc.=>
page 163, "Important safety instructions on
the sid e airbag system".
Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work to help keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a side
collision so that the side airbags can prov ide p rotection.
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it is
part of the overall occupant restraint system in your veh icle. Always
remember that the side airbag system can only help to protect you if
you are wearing yo ur safety belt and wearing i t properly. This is
another reason why you shou ld always wear your safety belts, not just
because the law requires yo u to do so=>
page 135, "Genera l notes" .
It is important to remember that while the supp lemental side airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injur ies, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
also be assoc iated with deployed side airbags. Remember too, side
airbags will dep loy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents -
your safety belts are always there to offer protection.
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The airbag system is monitored electronically to make certain it is
functioning properly at all times. Each time you turn on the ignition,
the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds (self
diagnostics).
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
• if the ignition is turned off,
• in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor is
too low,
• in rear-end collisions,
• in rollovers.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position =>
page 73,
"General recommendations" .
• If the airbag indicator light comes on when the vehicle is being
used , have the system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer. The side curtain airbag may not work properly even
when the vehicle acceleration in a side collision is high enough to
activate the airbag. •
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain airbags can work together with side airbags
to help reduce the risk of head and upper torso injuries for
occupants who are properly restrained.
Fig. 143 Illustration
of principle: Inflated
s ide curtain airbags on
the left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the occupant and the
w indo ws on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision
=> fig . 143.
When the system is triggered, the side curtain airbag is filled with
propellant gas and breaks through a seam above the front and rear
side windows identif ied by the AIRBAG label. In order to help provide
this additional protection, the side curtain airbag must inflate with in
the blink of an eye at very high speed and with great force. The side
curtain airbag could injure you if your seating position is not proper or
upright or if items are located in the area where the supplemental
side curtain airbag inflates. This applies especially to ch ildren
::::>page 167.
Although they are not a soft pillow, side curtain airbags can "cushion"
the impact and in this way they can help to reduce the risk of injury to
the head and the upper part of the body.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys. This is quite no rmal
and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Intelligent technologyz..__~~-____________________________ __.
& WA RNING (c on tinued )
speed acco rding to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
e xtra safety afforded by th e ABS tempt you into taking extra risk s.
The ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics .
[ i J Tips
• If ABS is not funct ioning properly, a warning light will come on .
See ~
page 16 .
• If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
ind ic at ed by t he A BS w arni ng light. •
Brake assistant
The broke assistant is designed to achieve the optimum
br oking effect.
Th e b rake ass istant he lps to inc rease t he effective brak ing powe r and
thus to ac hieve a shorter stopping distance.
If the driver presses the
bra ke ped al ve ry qu ickly, the b rake assistant au toma tically bo osts the
brak ing force to the max imum level, up to the point where the anti­
lo ck brak e function (ABS) in tervenes to stop the whee ls from l ocking.
You should then keep the brake pedal pressed unti l the vehicle has
bra ke d to t he require d spee d. T he bra ke ass istan t swi tches itse lf off
as soon as you re lease the b rake pedal.
Th e brake assistant will not be operative if there is a ma lfu nctio n in
t he A BS .
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast , especially in corners or on a slippery road , or if you
follow th e vehicle ahead of you too closely. An increased accident
risk cannot be compensated even by the brake assistant, so always
maintain a safe speed .•
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Electro-mechanical power assist
---
T
he elec tro-m echa nic al po wer as sist hel ps the dri ver
w he n steering .
The degree of power assist is electronically matched to vehicle speed.
Th e powe r steering system ass ists the dr iver so t hat he ca n stee r the
vehicle with reduced physical effort.
Power steering will not wor k if the engine is off. As a result, the
stee rin g wheel will b e ha rd to tu rn .
& WARNING
If the system deve lops a problem, you must seek qualified profes­
sional as sistance.
0 Note
If the re is an elect ronic mal func tion, servotronic will s till f unction
li ke a conven tional power steering system, p rovid ing a constant
steering support fo rce that is no longer proportionate to the ve hicle
spee d. This is most noticeab le whe n tur ning the s teer ing whe el at low
speeds ( for example when park ing), -more effort will be required
t h a n usual.
• Be aware o f the d ifferent than usual steering response and adjust
your st eering force a ccordi ng ly.
• Have the prob lem checked and set r ight by an autho rize d Aud i
dealer as soo n as possib le.
• If a steering ma lf u nction occ urs, t his is signaled w ith the or. ~
indicator l igh ts a nd a wa rning tone, see .
[I] Tips
• If the powe r stee ring system shou ld fa il, or if the engine is not
run ning (for example, while being towed), you w ill still be ab le to
stee r the veh icle. However, more effort wi ll be required to do so . .,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_il _l_in _ g _________________________________________ _
Under some circumstances the engine oil should even be changed
more frequently. Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop ­
and-go traff ic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper­
atures stay below freezing point for long periods .
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been run ning for a short time . This is normal and is not a
reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essentia l that you change your oi l at the recommended intervals
using only engine oil that complies with Audi oi l standard VW 502 00
(vehicles with gasoline engine) or VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel
engine). Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover damage
or malfunctions due to failure to follow recommended maintenance
and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's Manua l and
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dealer will have to deny
warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in the form
of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance was
performed in a timely manner .•
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
engine components, all internal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of o il. Oil consumpt ion varies from engine to engine
and may change significant ly over the life of the eng ine. Typically,
engines with a specified break- in period (see~
page 197) consume
more oi l during the break-in period than they cons ume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Under normal cond itions, the rate of oil consumpt ion depends on the
quality and vis cosity of the oil, the RPM (revol utions pe r minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oi l dilution from water condensation or fuel residue and the ox
idation level of the o il. As any
eng ine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consumption
may increase over time until replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With all these variab les coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified. There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level , see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbol in the instrument
cl uster .... lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as possible
with the oil dipstick~ page 231. Top off the o il at your earliest
convenience ~
page 232.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~
& in "Work ing in the engine
compartment" on
page 226.
0 Note
Driving with an insufficient oil level is likely to cause severe damage
to the engine .
[ i ] Tips
• The oil pressure warning display 't::r. is not an indicator of the oil
level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your engine at
regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and alway s
before going on a long trip.
• If you have the impression your eng ine consumes excessive
amounts of oi l, we recommend that you consu lt your authorized Audi
dea ler to have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed. Keep in
mind that the accurate measurement of oil consumption requires
great care and may take some time . Your authorized Audi dea le r has
instructions about how to measure oil consumption accurately. •

lffll __ T_ i_ r _e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
Tire service Life
The servi ce life of tires depends on a lot of different
things including proper installation and balancing,
correct tir e pressure and driving style.
(r
l \._ _____ ;)
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)
Fig. 173 Tire tread:
t rea d w ear in di cato rs
(TW I)
Fig . 174 Rotati ng
tires f or m ore e ven
w ea r
The original t ires o n your veh icle have 1/16 inch ( 1.6 mm) h igh "wear
ind icators"~ fig. 173 running across the tread . Depending on the
ma ke, there w ill be six to eight of them even Ly placed around the ti re.
Marks on the t ire sidewall (for examp le "TWI " or other symbols) indi­
cate the positions of the tread wea r indicators . Worn t ires must be
replaced. Differe nt figu res may apply in other countries ~ & .
Tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wea r and can cause sudden
tire blow-o ut. Fo r th is reason, tire pressu re must be checked at least
once a month~
page 252.
Driv ing style
Driving fast aro und curves, heavy accele ration and hard b raking
increase tire wear .
Rotating tires for more even wear
For all four tires o n your ve hicle to have the same se rvice life, we
recommend that the fron t and rear t ires are rot ated according to the
tire manufact urer's suggested tire rotat ion intervals . Please
remember the fo llow ing :
• Tir e ro tat ion inte rvals may d iffe r from the vehicle serv ice intervals
out lined in your Warranty
& Maintenance Booklet.
• The longer one tire is used in one locat ion on the vehicle, the more
it wears at certain points; therefore, we recommend that you follow
the t ire manufacture r's sugges ted tire rotation interva ls .
• Vehicles with front-whee l drive experience more tread wea r on the
front wheels compa red to a ll-wheel dr ive (quattro ®).
• Please ro ta te tires as shown~
page 256, fig. 174.
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific t ires
~ page 279 .
Wheel balancing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, var ious si tuatio ns
dur ing everyday driving can cause them to become unbalanced,
resu lting in v ibr ations yo u can us ua lly fee l throug h the stee rin g
w heel.
Unbalanced whee ls mus t be rebalanced to avoid excessive wea r on
steeri ng, suspension and tires . A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tire is installed.
~

________________________________________________ T_ i_ re _ s_ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_ e_l _s _ ....... 91
Incorrect wheel alignment
In correct whee l al ignme nt can ca use excessive tir e wea r, impairing
th e sa fety o f the vehicl e. If t ires show excessive w ear, hav e the w heel
alignment checked by a n authorized A udi dea ler or qualifie d work­
shop.
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles wi th quattro® must always have tires of the same size ,
con st ruct ion an d tread type . For details see~
page 194.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to los s of control, a cra sh and serious
personal injury!
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators.
• Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning" and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause t ire damage, such as
grease , oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially 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 failu re and loss of vehicle control. •
Vehicle OP-eration
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New t ires an d w hee ls have to be brok en in .
Fig. 175 Tire specificat ion codes on th e sidewall of a tire
No.
©
®
®
©
©
©
Description
Passenger car tire (where applicable)
Nom inal wid th of ti re in mil limeters
Ratio of hei9ht to width (aspect ratio)
Radial
jj Rim diameter code
L oa d index and speed rating
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data