2011 AUDI A3 radiator

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Engine cold
As long as the need le remains at the lef t en d of the gauge, the engine
s till has not reac hed its operati ng te mperature . Avoid hig h eng ine
speeds, heavy engine loads a nd heavy throttle.
Normal temperature
W hen the eng ine has reached its operating temperature, the need le
w ill move into the middle of the gauge and rema in there . If the
engine is working ha rd at high outsi de temperatures, the needle may
tur n further to the rig ht. Thi s is no cause fo r concern as long as the _F_
wa rning light in the i nstr ument cluster does not ill uminate.
Wh en the _;_ w ar ning light sta rts to fla sh, thi s can mea n one of two
things : either the coolant
temperature is too h igh, or t he coolant
level is too low => page 32.
& WARNING
• Always observe the warning in=> page 218, "Engine com part·
ment " before opening the engine hood and checking the engine
c oolant level.
• Never open the engine hood if you see or hear steam, or if you
see engine coolant dripping from the engine compartment. You
could burn yourself. Let the engine cool off first so that you cannot
hear or see any steam or engine coolant.
0 Note
• Moun ting addition al lights or accessorie s in fron t of the a ir inlets
red uces the cooling effect of the radiator. At high o utside tempera ­
tu res o r high eng ine lo ad, t he e ngine cou ld over heat .
• The front spoi ler has been designed to prope rly d istribute the
c oo ling a ir w hen the vehicle is moving. If the spoiler is d amaged, this
co uld reduce the coo ling effect and the eng ine could t hen overheat.
Ask your au thor ized A udi d ealer for assist ance .•
Fuel gauge
T he f uel gauge wo rks only whe n the ignition is on.
W hen the nee dle rea ches the red area, t he war ning ligh t in t he ins tru­
ment cl uster will illum inate=>
page 34 . This mea ns you have
app roximate ly 1.8 gallons (7 liters) of f uel left in t he tank.
Time to
refuel!
The tota l tan k capacity of your vehicle is listed in => page 296 , "Data".
0 Note
Never run the ta nk completely d ry ! An irregular s upply of f uel can
c a us e eng ine mi sfir ing and f uel could ente r into t he e xhaus t system.
T he catalyt ic converter could the n overheat a nd be damaged. •
Speedometer with odometer
The spee do meter sh o ws you the ve h icle s pee d, an d th e
o do met er sho ws yo u ho w many mile s (k il om eters) you
have d riv en .
Fig. 4 Spee dometer
close-up : odometer
di splay
The o dometer and tri p odometer are located inside the speedomete r.
• USA mo dels - Mile s
• Canad ian models -Kilometers

Driver information display
Brake system malfunction
BRAKE (USA models)/ {©) (Canada models)
The indicator light flashes if the brake fluid level is too
low , if there is a malfunction in the ABS system or when
the parking brake is engaged.
If the BRAKE /((D) symbol flas hes in the display wit h the
parking brake released, there is a malfunction in the brake
system. In addition to the symbol, o ne of two messages
appears in the display:
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid
ABS fault ! See owner's manual
- Pull off the road and sto p the ve hicle.
- Obtain professio nal assistance .
USA models: if there is a ma lfunct io n in the ABS system, the/.
w ar ning/ind ica tor ligh t illum inates along wi th the BRAKE system
ma lf u nction warning/indicator light~&.
Canada models: if there is a malfu nction in the ABS system, the
wa rning/ind icator ligh t illuminates togethe r with the ((i)) bra ke
system malfunction warn ing/indicator light~& .
Parking brake set
T he parking bra ke warning light Brake/((i)) (Canada mo dels) ill umi­
nates when the pa rking brake is set. In addit ion, a warning tone will
so und after yo u have driven for longer than 3 secon ds and faster than
3 mph (5 km/h).
& WARNING
• Always observe the warning s in ~ page 218 , "Engine compart­
ment" , before opening the engine hood and checking the brake
fluid.
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• Driving with low brake fluid i s a safety hazard! Stop the car and
get profe ssional assistance .
• If the brake sy stem warning/indicato r light illuminates
together with the ABS warning /indicator light, then th e ABS
system is malfunctioning. The rea r wheels could quickly lock up
when you apply the brakes . Th is could lead to lo ss of control and
your vehicle could slide! Dri ve carefully to the nea rest authorized
Audi dealer and hav e the malfunction corrected. •
Engine cooling system malfunction _L
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
rep aired as s oon as possible .
When t he -L symbol in th e d isplay flashes , then either the
engine coolant
temperature is too h igh , or the coolant level
is too low. In add it ion to the symbol , the fo llow ing message
also appears i n the d isplay:
Switch off engine and check coolant level
- Pull off th e road and stop the v ehicle.
- Tur n off the engine .
- Chec k coo lant level~
page 235 .
-Add co olan t if ne cessary ~ page 236.
-Con tinue drivi ng o nly a fter the e ngin e coolant
wa rnin g/ind icato r lig ht go es out .
- Con tact you r au tho rized Audi dealer fo r assis tance if
necessary .
If the eng ine coolant leve l is correct, then the radiator fa n may be the
c ause of the m alfun ction.
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ffl..__O_ n_ t_ h_e _ ro_ a_d _______________________________________________ _
& WARNING
Never start or let the engine run in a confined or enclosed area.
Exhau st fume s from the engine contain carbon monoxide, a color ­
less and odorless gas. Carbon monoxid e can be fatal if inhal ed.
• Never leave the engine idling unattended . An unattended
vehicle with a runn ing engine poses a danger of personal injury or
theft .
0 Note
• Avoid high engine speeds, fast acceleratio n or heavy engine loads
w hile the engine is still cold. This cou ld damage the eng ine .
• Th e engine c annot be sta rted by p ush ing or tow ing the veh icle .
~ For the sake of the environment
To avoid unnecessary engine wear and to reduce e xhaust emissions,
do not let your vehicle stand and warm up . Be ready to dr ive off imme ­
diately after starting your vehicle. Maintain moderate speed unti l the
eng ine is comp letely warm . Remember, the engine performs best at
operat ing temperature. •
Stopping the engine
-Turn the ignition key to position @~poge 106, fi g. 107 .
& WARNING
• Nev er turn off the engine until the vehicle has come to a
c omplete stop.
• The brake booster and servotronic only work when the eng ine
i s running . With the ignition turned off , you have to apply more
force when steering or bra king. Since you cannot st eer and stop
normally , thi s can lead to accident s and serious injuries.
& WARNING (contin u ed )
• The radiator fan can continue to run for up to 10 minute s even
a fter you have turned off the engine and removed the ignition key.
The radi ator fan can also tur n on agai n if the engine coolant heats
up be cause of intense sunlight or heat build-up in the engine
compartment.
0 Note
Do not stop the engine immed iately after hard or extended driving.
Keep t he engine run ning for approximate ly two minutes to prevent
excessive hea t build-up. •
Parking brake
Parking brake
When the parking brake is set, it prevents the vehicle
from rolling a way unintentionally .
Setting the parking brake
Fig. 109 Cente r
c o ns ole : Pa rk ing brak e
s et
- Pull t he park ing b rak e l eve r all the way up .

-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d___. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the engine compa rt­
men t.
Always switch off the ignition before cleaning the engine=:>& .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front of the win dshi eld
unde r th e eng ine hood . T hi s prevents the water d rain holes from
becoming b locked, and it prevents debris from entering the vehicle
inter io r th rough the heat ing and vent ilation ducts .
Corrosion protection
The eng ine compartment and transmission have been cor rosion­
protected at the factory.
Good ant i-cor rosion treatment is very impo rtant , pa rtic ular ly in the
w inter . If the vehicle is frequently driven on sa lt treated roads, the
en tire eng ine compar tment and plenum p anel sho uld be thoroug hly
cleaned at the end of winter and retreated to prevent salt damage. At
t he same t ime, the underside of the vehi cle should be washed as well.
If the e ng ine compartment is clea ned at any t ime with grease
removing so lutions
5>, or i f you have the engine washed , the anti ­
co rros io n treatment is a lmost a lways removed as w ell.
It is t herefore
essential to have a long-last ing corrosion p rotect ion reapplied to all
surfa ces, seams, jo ints and compo nents in the engi ne co mpa rt ment .
& WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a
potentially hazardous area .
• Before working in the engine compartment, be sur e to read the
information =:>
page 218.
S) Use on ly th e co rr ect clean ing so lut ions. Never use gaso line or diese l fuel.
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• Before reaching into the front plenum panel , alway s remove
the ignition key. Otherwise, the windshield wiper system could unintentionally be switched on , possibly causing personal injury
from the moving wiper linkage.
• Never reach into the area around or touch the radiator fan. The
auxiliary fan is temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly
· ev en when the ignition is off.
• Do not wash, wax or dry the engine with th e engine running.
Moving or hot pa rts could injure you.
• Do not clean the underside of the chass is, fenders, wheel
covers, or other hard to reach part s without protecting your hands
and arm s. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=:> page 206. •

___ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_il _l_in _ g _________________________________________ _
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the strut is
reduced.
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place . Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fail to engage=> &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment!
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of
injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area!~
&
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood :
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Set the parking brake fully.
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to "P" (Park);
put manual transmission in Neutral.
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm. The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out!
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary:
-Always disconnect the battery .
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine is
running or being started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition
system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running: .,_

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& W ARNING (co ntinued )
-First, fully appl y the parking brake , move sele ctor lev er of
automatic tran smission to "P" (Park ); put manual transmis­
sion in Neutral.
- Always use extreme caution to prev ent clothing , jewelry, or
long hair from getting caught in the radiator fan , V-belt s or
other moving p art s, or from contacting hot part s. Tie back hair
before starting , and do not wea r clothing that will h ang or
droop into the engine.
• Minimize expo sure to emission and chemical hazards~& .
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
• Engine exh aust, some of its constituents , and certain vehicle
c omponents contain or emit ch e mical s known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause can cer and birth defects and rep roductive harm . In
addition , certain fluids contained in vehicle s and certain product s
of component wear contain or emit chem icals known to the State
of California to cau se cancer and birth defect s or other reproduc­
tive harm.
• Battery posts, terminal s and related acce ssories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms . Wash hand s after
handling .
0 Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that they are pou red into the
proper co ntainer or filler opening, otherwise serio us damage to
vehicle systems w ill occur.
Vehicle OP-eration
ffi For the sake of the environment
To detect lea ks i n time, inspect the veh icle floor pan from unde rneath
reg ularly. If yo u see spots from oil or other vehicle fluids, have your
veh icle inspected
b y an au thori zed Au di dea le r. •
Engine compartment
A pp lies to vehicles : w it h 2.0 l t urbo. 4 -cyl ind er en gi ne
2.0 Liter, 4-cylinder turbo gasoline engine
(200 hp)
The se are the most importan t it ems that you can c hec k.
Fig . 16 1 Engi ne c om part men t: 2 .0 I , 4 -c yli nder t urbo
© Coolant expansion tank (-L ) ... ................. .
@ Windshield washer container (W ) .... .... .. .. .. .. .
® Engine oil dipst ick (orange) . ... .. .... .... ... ... . .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service 235
243 231 ~
iTechnical data

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

___ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_il _l_in _ g _________________________________________ _
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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