2011 AUDI A3 warning lights

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
you start the engine and avoid running at high RPMs while the engine
is still warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting. If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which could result in
overheat ing or other damage to the vehicle or other property.•
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an authorized Audi dealer
helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically. The condition
of your vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability to hold its value,
it also affects
fuel consumption .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value after a certain mi leage has been driven.
You must drive you r vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oil consumption.
Thi s also applies to fuel consumption and engine output.
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the
service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the vehicle will
impa ir the function of the emission control system and could lead to
damage.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
•
Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Control
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not a lter or remove any device, such as heat shie lds, switches,
ignition w ires, va lves, which are designed to protect your vehicle 's
Emission Control System and other important vehicle components.
Fewer short tr ips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips.
- Try to avoid driving short distances with a cold engine.
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper­
ating temperature
to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis ­
sions effectively .
• Just after starting, a cold eng ine in a mid-size car burns the fuel at
a poor rate of 6-8 miles per gallon (30-40 l/l00km). Half a mile down
the road, the mileage improves to 12 MPG (20 l/100 km). It will take
the engine no less than
two and a half miles (4 km) of driving to
warm up to its proper operat ing temperature and operate at an
economic mileage . This explains why taking the car for sho rt trips is a
rather wasteful convenience .
• Th e
outside temperature is also critical in this regard . Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer.
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

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ lffll'II
High temperatures, as from exposure to intense sunlight, intensify
the corrosive effect particularly when humidity is high as well.
Under certa in circumstances,
weekly washing may be necessary .
Under other conditions, a month ly washing and waxing may be
adequate.
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle should be thoroughly
washed, preferably in a profess ional car wash.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 206.
0 Note
You should remove debris (such as insects) from the headlight lenses
on a regular basis, for example when refueling yo ur vehicle. Never
clean the headlights with a dry cloth or sponge. Use a wet cloth or
sponge. It is best to use soapy wate r.•
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any modern auto­
matic car wash.
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle can normally be
washed without problems in an automatic car wash. However, the
effect on the paint depends to a large extent o n the design of the
facility, the filtering of the wash water, the type of wash and care
material, e tc. If the paint has a dull appearance after going through
the car wash or is scratched, bring this to the attention of the oper­
ator immediately .
If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to take the usual precau­
tions such as closing the windows and panoramic sliding sunroof*.
Remove ante nna if applicable.
Safety first
If you have installed additional accessories on the vehicle - such as
spoilers, roof rack, etc. - it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 206. •
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehicle by hand.
-Before you start wash ing, ma ke sure you have read and
understood the WARNINGS ~
& in "General informa­
tion" on
page 206.
-First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then rinse it off.
- As you clean your vehicle, start with the roof and work your
way down to the bottom, using a sponge, a sponge glove
or a clean brush.
- Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often, flushing it
clean each time.
- Use special car shampoo only for very persistent dirt.
- Rinse the car thoroughly with water .
- Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the exter ior dry .
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the whee ls, door s ills and other
regions exposed to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch the
paint with coarse particles imbedded in the sponge the next time you
wash the car . .,,
Vehicle care Technical data

-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d___. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
in. WARNING
• Do not clean th e undersid e of th e chassis, fend ers, wheel
c over s, or other hard to reach part s without protecting your hand s
and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp -edged m etal p art s.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 206.
0 Note
• Never try to remove dirt, mud or d ust if the surface of the vehicle
is d ry. Never use a d ry cloth or s ponge, since this could scratch your
vehicle's paint or windows.
• N ever was h your car in br ight sunlight. D rops of wa ter a ct as
magnifying lenses and may damage your pa int.
• When you was h yo ur c ar in the winter: i f you rinse your vehicle w ith
a hose, be careful not to a im the stream of water direct ly at locks, or
a t doo r o r hatch open ings -they can free ze s hut.
• Never use sponges des igned to remove insects, or any kitchen
s co ur ing sponges o r similar pro ducts. They can damage yo ur paint
fi ni sh .
• Never use a dr y clo th o r sp on ge to clean t he he adlights . Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent scratches.
It is best to use soapy
w ate r.
c£> For the sake of the environment
In the in terest of the envi ronme nt, the ve hicl e should o nly be washed
in special wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cleaning the ex terior of your c ar with a high-pressure
po wer washer is safe as long as y ou observe a few sim ple
rules.
- Before using the power washer, make su re you have read
and unders tood the WA RNINGS=>
& in "General info r­
ma tion" on
page 206.
- Always fo llow t he operat ing inst ructions fo r the powe r
washer.
- Make sure t hat the jet o n the spray hose produces a "fa n
shaped spray".
- Do
not hold the spr ay nozz le too close t o soft ma ter ials .
When cleani ng the vehicle wi th a p owe r w ashe r always follow the
operat ing instruct ions . T his applies part icu larly to the operating
pressure
and the spraying distance. M ain tain a suffic ien t distan ce to
so ft mater ia ls such as rubber hoses and sound/v ibration deaden ing
materials (particularly on the unde rside o f the engine hood). Do not
use a jet wh ic h sprays water in a
direct stream or o ne that has a
rotating jet.
W ate r temperatu re s hou ld not ex ceed 140
°F (60 °().
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays water in a direct stream .
This could cause in visible damage to the tires and weaken them ,
even if the spray i s from a relatively long distance and for a short
time . Damaged and weakened tires can fail and c ause accidents
and personal injur y.
~

___ 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. •

-L~C::!h~e~c~k:.!_i~n~g~a~n~d~f~il~l:!_!in~g !...._ ________________________________________ _
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre­ cautions when working on the battery .
@
®
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Always wear
gloves and eye protection.
No
• s parks
- flames
• smoking .
When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause persona l
injury.
Always keep the battery well out of reach of chil ­
dren .
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury , accident and even fire. Read and heed
the following WARNINGS:
• Always wear eye protection . Do not let battery acid or any lead
particles get on your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes . Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury!
• Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can cause blindness and severe burns.
-Always wear gloves and eye protection. Do not tilt the
battery because acid could leak out of the ventilation open­
ings.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
-If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immedi­
ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and get medical
attention.
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek medical attention
immediately.
• Do not expose the battery to an open flame, electric sparks or
an open light .
• Do not smoke.
• Do not interchange the positive and negative cables.
• When working on the battery , be sure not to short-circuit the
terminals with tools or other metal objects. This would cause the battery to heat up very quickly, which could lead to damage or
explosion and personal injury.
• When a battery is charged , it produces hydrogen gas which is
explosive and could cause personal injury.
• Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children.
• Before work is done on the electrical system, disconnect the
negative ground cable.
• Before performing any work on the electrical system, switch
off the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment.
The negative cable on the battery must be disconnected . If you are
just going to replace a light bulb, then it is enough to switch off the lights.
• Before disconnecting the battery, switch off the anti-theft
alarm system! Otherwise you will set off the alarm .
• When disconnecting the battery, first disconnect the negative
cable and then the positive cable .
• Before reconnecting the battery, make sure all electrical
consumers are switched off . Reconnect the positive cable first and
then the negative cable. Never interchange the cables· this could start a fire! ..,_

_______________________________________________ F_u _s_ e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ b_u _ l_ b _ s __ _
Equipment No. II Equipment
Amps
Manual headlight beam adjustment, automatic Diagnostic connector, rain sensor, air condition-
headlight beam adjustment, AFS control mod-
16 ing (control module), tire pressure monitor dis-10
1 ule, engine components, light switch (switch 10 play (control module)
-lig hti ng/i llum i nation), diagnosis socket 1 7 Ant i-theft alarm warning system 5
Automatic transmission, control module for CAN 18 Diagnose Starter 5
data transfer (gateway), electro-mechanical
19 All Whee l Drive 10 steering, shift gate automatic transmission, 2 10 engine relay, fuel tank control unit, engine con-22 Blower fan 40
trol unit, brakes control (ABS), Electronic Stabili-23 Driver's side power window, front 30 zation Program (ESP), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR)
3 Airbag 5 24 Power outlet front 20
Air-conditioning (pressure sensor, air quality sen-25 Rear window defogge r 30
sor), button for Electronic Stabilization Program 26 Power outlet in luggage compartment 20
(ESP), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), tire pressure 27 Fuel tank control module, fuel pump 15
monitor display, oil level sensor, back-up light
28 Power window, rear 30 4 switch, front seat heating, parking aid, seat-s
occupancy recognition (on USA vehicles), garage 33 Sliding/pop-up roof 20
door opener, automatic mirror dimming, head-
Lumbar support
10 light assistant, heated windshield washer noz-
zles, air conditioning (control module)
3 7 Hea ted seats, front 20
--
5 AFS headlights (left side) 5 38 Passenger side power window, front 30
AFS headlights (right side) 5 39 Specia l function interface 5
9
Navigat ion system, radio system 15 40 Starter 40
digital radio, cell phone, TV equipment 7,5 Rear window wiper 15
11
Automatic mirror dimming, headlight assistant 10 Body control module 20
12 Central locking (front doors) 10 47 Ce ll phone package (VDA interface) 5
13
Central locking (rear doors) 10
A uto m atic c ircu it bre ake rs :
14 Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) (control 10 The electric power w indows and the electric seat adjusters are
module), shift gate automatic transmission protected with circuit b reakers which reset automatically after the
1 5 Inter ior lights, read ing lights 10 circuit overload has been corrected . ...
Safety first Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_______________________________________________ F_u _s_ e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ b_u _ l_ b _ s __ _
No. Equipment
F2 7 Secondary a ir pump, preheating contro l module
F 29 Fuse assignment in the left-side instrument
panel (special equipment)
F30 Power supply relay termina l 15
Bulbs
Replacing light bulbs
Amps
40
so
so
For you r safety, we recommend that you have your autho ­
ri zed Audi dealer replace burned out bulbs for you.
It is becoming increasingly more and more difficu lt to rep lace vehicle
light bulbs since in many cases, ot her parts of the car must first be
removed before you are able to get to the bu lb. This app lies espec ially
to the l igh t bu lbs in the front of your car whi ch you can o nly rea ch
through the engine compartment .
Sheet metal and bu lb holders can have sharp edges that can ca use
serious cuts, and parts must be correctly taken apart and the n prop­
erly put back together to he lp prevent b reakage of parts and long
term damage from wate r that can enter housings that have not been
p roperly resealed.
For your safety, we recommend that you have you r authorized Audi
deale r replace any bu lbs fo r you, since your dealer has the proper
too ls, the cor rec t bu lbs and the expertise .
Gas dis charge lamp s (Xenon lights)* :
Due to the high electrical voltage, have the bulbs replaced by a qual­
ified technician. Headlights with Xe non light can be iden tified by the
high voltage sticker.
Safety first
•
& WARNING
C ontact with high-voltag e components of the electrica l system
and improper replacement of g as discharge (Xenon ) headlight
bulb s can caus e serious personal injury and death .
• Xenon bulb s are pres surized and can explode when b eing
c hanged .
• Changing Xenon lamp s requir es the special training , instruc ­
tions and equipment.
• Only an authori zed Audi dealer or oth er qualified workshop
should change the bulbs in ga s di scharge lamp s.
& WARNING
There are parts with sharp edge s on the openi ngs and on the bulb
holde rs that can cau se se rious cuts.
• If you are uncertain about what to do, ha ve the work
performed b y an auth orized Audi de aler or oth er qualified work­
s hop. Seriou s per sonal injur y m ay re sult from improperl y
p erformed w ork.
(I] Tips
• If you must replace the light bulbs yourself , a lways remember
that the engine compar tment of any vehicle is a hazardo us area to
work in. Always read and heed all WARNINGS=>
page 218, "E ngi ne
compa rtment" =>& .
• It is best to ask you r author ized Audi dealer whenever you need to
change a bu lb. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data