2011 AUDI A3 coolant

Checking and filling --------------------=------=:;______,.J VPII
You can mix the G12++ coolant additive with other additives G12+ or
Gl2. Always check with yo ur authorized Aud i dealer.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "W orking in the engine
co mpartment " on
page 226.
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolan t checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the clima te
conditions. This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold . If necessary, increase the proportion of
coo lant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system, remember :
- We recommend using only coolant additive
G12++ (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is available at autho­
rized Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protection . The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage.
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's
eng ine coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig. 166 Engine
co mpartm ent: cool ant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 226.
- Turn off the ignition.
- Read the engine coolant level from the coolant expansion
tank=> fig. 166 . With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
"max" marking .
The location of the coolant expans ion tank can be seen in the engine
compartment illustration=>
page 227.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be sw itched off.
The expans ion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric coolant
level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warn ing light in the Auto-Check
System =>
page 32 will blink until you add coolant and the level has
been restored to normal. Even though there is an elect ric coolant
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Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant leve l from
ti me to time.
Coolant loss
Coolan t loss may ind ic a te a leak in the coo ling sys tem. In the event of
coo lant loss, the cooli ng system should be inspected immed iately by
your au thor ized A udi dealer.
It is no t enough merely to add coolan t.
In a
s ealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coo lant is exceeded as a res ult of overheating .
(D Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to yo ur vehicle's engine
c oo lant. Addi ng radia tor repa ir fluid m ay adverse ly affect the fun c­
tion and perfo rmance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not cove red by yo ur New Vehi cle Lim ited Warranty .•
Adding coolant
B e very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anyt hing in the eng ine compartment ,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in " Working i n
the e ngine compartment" on page
226.
-Tur n off the eng ine.
- Let t he engi ne c ool d ow n.
- Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
=> pa ge 235, fig . 166 and carefully twist t he cap cou nte r­
clockwis e
=> &.
- Add coo lant.
- Tw ist the ca p on aga in
tightly .
Replacement eng ine coolant must conform to exact spec ificat ions
=> page 234, " Coolant" . Even in a n emergency, if coolant additive
Gl2 ++. Gl2+ or Gl2 is not available , do not use a d ifferent addit ive .
Use pla in w ate r ins tead until you can ge t the cor rect addi tive and can
restore the co rrect ratio . This sho uld be done as soon as possib le .
If you have lost a considerable amount of coolant, then you s houl d
ad d c old antifree ze and cold water only when the engine is cold .
Always use
new engine coo la nt w hen refilling .
Do not fill coolant above the "M AX" mark. Excess coo lant will be
forced out th rough the p ress ure relief va lve in the cap w hen the
eng ine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot.
Reduce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
- Protect your face , hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light , downward pressure on the top
of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhaust system or hot engine parts . Under certain condi­
tions, the ethylen e gly col in engine coolant can catch fire .
• Antifreeze i s poi sonou s. Always store antifreeze in it s original
container and well out of the reach of children.
• If you drain the coolant , it mu st be caught and safely stored in
a p roper container clearly marked "poison ".
(D Note
• Coolant pollutes the environment and could cause an engine fire.
E xcess coolant w ill be forced o ut thro ugh the pressure relie f va lve in
the cap when the e ngine becomes hot .
~

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• If, in an emergency, only water can be added, the correct ratio
between water and antifreeze=>
page 234 must be restored as soon
as possible.
~ For the sak e of the environment
Ora i ned coolant should not be reused . Always dispose of used coolant
while observing all environmental regulations .•
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by itself.
T he electric radiator fan is controlled by thermoswitches that switch
on and off depending on coolant a nd engine compartment tempera­
tures.
An auxilia ry e lectr ic rad iator fan* sw itches on a nd off depend ing on
coo lant temperature and other vehicle operation cond itions .
After switch ing off t he engine, the auxiliary fan -even with the igni­
tion off -can continue running for up to 10 minutes . It can even
switch on again later by itself=>& , if
• the temperature of the engine coolant rises due to the hea t build­
up from the engine in the engine compartment, or
• the engine compar tment hea ts up because the vehi cle is parked in
intense sunlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injur y never tou ch the radi ator
fan .
• The auxiliary ele ctric fan i s temperatur e controll ed and can
switch on sudd enly even wh en the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator f an swit che s on aut omati cally when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temp eratur e and w ill continue to
run until the coolant temperature drop s. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checke d with a quick glance.
Fig. 167 Eng ine
compartment : b rak e
fl uid res ervoi r
Before you check a nything in t he engine compartment ,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working in
the eng ine compartment" on
page 226 .
-Read the brake fluid level from the bra ke fluid reservoir.
The brake fluid level must be between the "MIN" and
"MAX" markings ~ fig . 167 .
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side=>
page 227.
The fluid level may drop
slightly after some time due to the auto­
m atic adjus tment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably below the "MIN" mark, t he
brake warning/ind icator light (U .S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian mode ls:
ill ) will come on=> page 15 and=> page 32. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle . The complete brake system should be thorough ly
chec ked by an au thor ized Aud i deale r o r other qualified facility and
the cause corrected. If the brake fluid leve l is too low, the brake .,,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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0 Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or any other add itives to fill up
the windshie ld washer reservoir. •

_L_T.:...:..: i r~ e:.: s~ a:::. n:..:..:: d:.....: w..:...:. h::e:.: e::.:: ls::::._ ______________________________________________ _
is more difficult to stop. Overloading can not only lead to loss of
vehicle control, but can also damage important parts of the vehicle
and can lead to sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden
deflation that can cause the vehicle to crash.
Your safety and that of your passengers also depends o n making sure
that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load includes everybody
and everything in and on the vehicle. These load limits are techn ically
referred to as the veh icle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR").
Th e "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic vehicle, all factory
installed accessories, a full tank of fuel, o il, coolant and other fluids
plus maximum load. The maximum load includes the number of
passenge rs that the vehicle is intended to carry ("seating capacity")
with an assumed weight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each passenger at a
designated seating posit ion and the total weight of any luggage in
the vehicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trailer must be included as part of the
vehicle load.
T he Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the maximum load that
can be applied at each of the vehicle's two ax les.
The Gross Vehicle We ight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rat ing
are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located e ithe r on the
dr iver's s ide B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel filler flap. Your Audi
has 5 seating positions, 2 in the front and 3 in t he rear for total
seating capacity of 5. Each seating position has a safety belt
=> page 135, "Safety belts".
The fact that there is an upper limit to your veh icle's Gross Veh icle
Weight Rating means that the total weight of whatever is being
carried in the veh icle (in cluding the weight of a trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trailer) is limited . The more passengers
in the vehicle or passengers who are heavier than the standard
we ights assumed mean that less we ight can be carr ied as luggage.
Th e tire pressure label on your A udi also lists the maximum combined
we ight of all of the occupants and luggage or other cargo that the
vehicle can carry. For the location of the labe l=>
page 249, fig. 171.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or
other accident, serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
risk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly,
including a blowout and sudden deflation, causing loss of control
and a crash.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating .•
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to calculate the
total weight of the passengers and luggage
or other things that you plan to transport so
that you can make sure that your vehicle
will not be overloaded. ._

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& WARNING (co ntinued )
been remo ved. The radiator fan switches on automatically when
the coolant reache s a certain temperature and will continue to run
until the coolant temperatu re drops.
• Always remove the ign ition key before anyone gets under the
vehicle.
• Alway s support your v ehicle w ith safety stands if it i s nece ssary
to work underneath the vehicle. The jack supplied with the vehicle
is not adequate for th is purpose and could collapse causing
serious personal injury.
• If you must work underneath the vehicle with the wheels on
the ground, always make sure the vehicle is on level ground , that
the wheels are always securely blocked and that the engine cannot be started.
• Always make sure the transmi ssion selector lever (automatic
transmission) is in "P" (Park position ) (automatic transmission)
or Neutral (manual transmission) and the hand brake is firmly
applied.
'i> For the sake of the environment
• Chang ing the engine settings will adversely affect emiss ion levels.
Thi s is detr imenta l to the environme nt and increases fue l co nsump ­
tion .
• Alw ays obse rve enviro nmen tal regula tion s when dis pos ing of o ld
eng ine oil, used brake fl uid, d irty engine coo lant, spent batter ies or
wo rn out t ires .
• Undeployed a irbag modules and pretensione rs m ight be classi fied
a s Pe rchlo ra te Ma ter ia l -s pec ia l han dlin g m ay apply , see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. When the vehicle or
part s of th e re st ra int system i ncludi ng air bag modu les s afe ty belts
with pretens ioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regulat ions
must be observe d. Yo ur a uthor ized Au di dealer is f amiliar wi th these
requirements and we recommend that you have your dealer perform
this service for yo u.•
Safety first
Additional accessories,
modifications and parts
replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
Always co nsult an autho riz ed Audi d ealer bef ore
p urchasing acces sories.
Yo ur vehicle incorporates the latest safety design feat ures ens uring a
high standard of active and pass ive safety .
Th is safety could be compromised by non-approved changes to the
veh icle . F o r th is reaso n, if p arts have to be rep la ce d , ple ase obse rve
the following points when installing addit ional accessories:
Approved Audi accessories an d genuine A udi parts are avai lable from
au thori zed Aud i dea le rs .
These dea lers a lso have the necessary facilities, tools and tra ined
specialists to i nstall t he pa rts and ac cesso ries properly.
& WARNING
Using the wrong spare parts non-approved accessories can cause
damage to the vehicle and serious per sonal injury.
• Use only accessories expressly approved by Audi and genuine
Audi spare parts
• These parts and accessories have been specially designed to be
used on your vehicle.
• Never install accessories such as telephone cradles or beverage
holder s on airbag covers or within the airbag deployment zones .
Doing so will increase the risk of injury if airbags are triggered in
an accident!
• Before you check anything
in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~
page 218. .,
Do-it,yourself service Technical data

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A
ABS
See Anti-lock brake system ........ 192
AC (air conditioner) .. ... ....... ...... 97
Accessories ................ .... .. .. 301
Adapter for anti -theft wheel bolts . .... 27S
Adding Engine coolant ... ............... 236
E ngine oil ....................... 232
Windshield washer flu id ........ ... 243
Additional accessories .. ............. 301
Add itional heater
Climate controls ................. 102
Additives Engine oil .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .... ... 232
Adjustable steering wheel column . .... 105
Adjusting Steering wheel column . .. .. .. ..... 105
Adjusting front seats .............. .. . 73
Advanced Airbag System Components ............. .... ... 152
Fr ont airbags . .. ................. 150
How the components work together . 153
Monitoring .. ................. .. 156
PASS ENGER AIR BAG OFF light .. ... 157
Air conditioner ....... ............... 97
See also Climate controls ....... ... . 95
Air conditioning Switching on and off ..... .......... 97
Air distribution Climate controls .. .... ... ...... .. 100 Air outlets
Adjusting the outlets for rapid
defrosting/defogging ........... 101
Climate controls ............... .. 101
Air quality sensor .................... 99
Air recirculat ion .......... ... ... ... . 100
Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
When shou ld I use the air recirculat ion? ..
99
Air rec irculat ion mode Side curtain airbags .
........... .. 164
When must the system be inspected? 156
All Wheel Drive .. .... .. ........... .. 194
Alloy wheels ............ .... ..... .. 212
All-wheel drive Winter t ires .. .. .... ..... ..... . .. 261
Alternator
See Genera tor ........... .. .. .. .. . 15
Aluminum alloy whee ls ....... ... .. .. 212
Ambient lighting .............. ...... 62
Climate controls .................. 99
6
Anti-glare inside day-night mirror.
. . . 3, 64
Airbag
Anti-lock brake system
Warning/indicator l ights . .. .. .. .. .. 15 k
How the ABS system wor s .. .... .. 192
Ai rbag System
Warning/indicator lights ... ........ 16
Weight-sensing mat ... .... .. ..... 168 ( )
Anti-Slip Regulation System ASR
Airbag system ................ .. 145, 162 H th t k l90
ow e sys em wor s ........ ... .
Advanced Airbag System .......... 149
159 Anti-theft systems
Care .................... .. .. .. .
Child restraints ...... ... .. .. .... . 169 Anti-Theft Alarm System ........... 48
Children ....... .. .. .. ...... .... .
168 Anti-theft whee
l bolts . ......... ... .. 275
Components (front airbags) . .. .... . 152
Danger of fitting a child safety seat on the front passenger seat ............ 147
Disposal ........ .... ..... .. .... . 159
Front airbags .............. ... .. . 149
How do the front ai rbags work? .. ... 154
How many airbags does my vehicle have? .
152
Important things to know ... ... .. . 145
Indicator light ................... 156
Monitoring .............. .. ... .. 156
Repairs ......... .... ..... .. .. ... 159
Side airbags ..................... 161 Armrest
Center armrest . .................. 79
Rear armrest .. .. ... .. . .. .. .. .. .. . 80
ASR How the Anti-Slip Regulation System works . ........... ...... .... .. 190
Asterisk What does it mean when something is
marked with an asterisk? . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Audi magnetic ride . ........... .. . 12, 112
Description .. ...... ............. 112
Indicator light .... .. ............. . 12

------------------------------------------~A~ LE P '.!:h ~a~ b~e~ t~ic ~a~ l~ in~ d ~ e~x ~ _lffl'II
Coolant system ....... ... .. .. .. .. .. . 234
Cooling System
Expansion tank .................. 235
Cru ise control .............. ... ..... 110
Changing speed ................. . 111
Presetting your speed .......... .. . 111
Switching off ............. .. .... . 112
Switching on ........... ......... 110
Warning/indicator lights ... .... .... 14
Cup holder ............ ...... .. .. .. .. 89
Cup holders front ........ ...... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 89
Current fuel mileage ................ .. 21
D
Damp ing
See Audi magnetic ride ......... ... 112
Data ....... .... ...... .. .... .. .. .. . 296
Data recorder ................. .. ... 188
Date display .. .. .. ............... .... . 9
Daytime running lights ............... . S6
Daytime running lights (Canada) ........ 56
Declaration of compliance Cell phone package ............ .. . 303
Electronic immobilizer ... .. .. .. .. . 303
Homel ink® un iversal remote control . 303
Remote control key ............... 303
Ti re pressure monitoring system ... . 303
def What does this mean when it appears in
the trip odometer display? ......... 10
Defective light bulb warn ing . .. .. .. .. .. 36
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Defogg
ing the windows ....... .... ... . 98
Defrosting the windows ............... 98
Defrosting/defogging w indows ..... ... 101
Determining correct load limit . ...... .. 254
Diesel engine Add ing engine oil .. .... .. ......... 233
Changing engine oil .. .. ........... 233
Engine oil . ... .... .... ........... 233
Diesel fuel .. .................... ... 220
Diesel particulate filter. . . . . . . . . . . 34, 199
Digital clock . .. ............. .. .... .... 9
Setting the time ............ ....... 9
Digital compass . ................ ... . 71
Dimensions ..... .... ............... 295
Dipstick Reading the dipstick p roperly ..... .. 231
Direct Shift Gearbox Emergency release ............... 121
Distance .... .... .. .... .............. 22
Doors, power locks .... ... .. .. ........ 43
Driver information ................... 31
Driver Information System Menu display ............ ......... 22
Driver information system
Gearshift indicator ............. .. . 19
Menu button . ....... .... .. .. .. .. . 24
Open door or front lid wa rning .. .. .. . 18
Outside temperature display ........ 18
Red symbols ................... ... 30
Service interval display ............. 27
Setting . ................ .. .. .. ... 2s
Sound system display .. .. .......... 18 Trip computer
... ... ..... ... . ... .. 21
yellow symbols .. ................ . 30
Driver seat
See Seating position ...... ..... ... 126
Driving safely .. .. .. .. ............. . 124
Driving through water .... .... .. .. .. . 198
Duplicate key ...... . .. ............... 38
E
Efficiency program . ... .. .. ........... 25
Fuel economy messages ............ 26
Other equipment ... ............... 26
Elapsed time ... ...... ............. .. 21
Electrically heated front seats .. .... .. . 103
Electro-mechanical power assist ... 17, 193
Electronic differential lock (EDL) How the system works .. .... ...... 189
Warning/indicator lights ... .. ... ... 16
Electronic immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 40
Electronic power control
EPC warning/indicator light ......... 13
Electronic speed limiter ........ ...... . 20
Electronic Stability Program ... .... .. . 188
Electronic stabilization program (ESP)
Warning/indicator lights ..... .. .. .. 14
Emergency flasher Warning/indicator lights ... .. ... ... 14
Emergency flashers ... .. .. .... ....... 59
Emergency operation panoramic sliding sunroof ........ .. 53
Rear lid .......................... 46
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data