2011 AUDI A3 recommended oil

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prevent the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
"sludge," that
over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine o ils available in the U .S. and Canada
that meet the exacting specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
(vehicles with gasoline eng ine) and VW 507 00 (vehicles w ith diesel
engine) are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, however, that
every synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00
(gasoline engines) and VW 507 00 (diesel engines). So always be sure
that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oil with
the following specifications printed on the oil container:
• Gasoline engines: Audi oil standard VW 502 00
• Diesel engines: Audi oil standard VW 507 00
Oil containe r labels may carry the specification singly or in comb ina­
tion with other des ignations and oi l quality standards.
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity. The proper
viscosity grade oil for your engine depends on climactic or seasonal
conditions where you drive. You can use oil with a v iscosity grade of
SAE SW-40 across all temperature ranges for norma l dr iv in g cond i­
tions.
However, if eng ine o il viscosity grade SAE SW-40 is not available, you
can also use viscosity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as it
meets Audi o il quality standard VW 502 00 (vehicles w ith gasoline
engine) or VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine) specifications.
Because engine o il that meets the Audi oil standard may not be avail­
able everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend that you
always ca rry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that express ly
conforms to the VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline eng ine) or VW
507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine) specification, in case you have to
top off the oil while on the road .
Applies to vehicles with gasoline engine only: Only if the leve l of the
oil is at or below the minimum mark on the oil dipstick - and no oil
Safety first
that expressly conforms to Aud i oil standard VW 502 00 specifica­
tions is available -may you top off with a high quali ty engine oil, pref­
erably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3, ACEA AS, ACEA BS or
API SL specifications, but even then, only in viscosity grades SAE SW-
40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40. However, during the ent ire time
between oil change interva ls, never top off with more than a total of
0.5 qt/liter engine oil that does not conform to Audi oil specification
vw 502 00.
Applies to vehicles with diesel engine only : Only if the level of the
oil is at or below the minimum mark on the oil dipstick -and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard VW 507 00 specifica­
tions is ava ilable -may you top off with a high qua lity engine oil, that
meets ACEA C3 or API CF specifications, but even then, on ly in
viscos ity grades SAE SW-40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40 . However,
during the entire time between oil change intervals, never top off
with more than a tota l of 0.5 qt/liter engine oil that does not
conform to Audi o il specification VW 507 00.
For more information about engine oil that has been approved fo r
your vehicle, please contact either your author ized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www .aud icanada.ca. Here you w ill also find a
current list of oils (manufact urers, brand names etc.) that conform to
Audi oil standard VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline eng ine) or VW
507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine).
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed accord ing to the mileage
(kilometers) and time interva ls specified in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed these intervals -harmful
deposits from o ld engine oil can reduce engine performance and can
lead to expens ive engine repairs.
Chang ing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating p roperties of oil decrease g radua lly during
normal veh icle use. If you are not sure when you have your o il
changed, ask your authorized A udi Service Adv isor. ..,.
Vehicle care Technical data

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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. •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
& WARNING (conti nu ed )
• Tire s age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 year s old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at low
s peed .
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined we ight (in excess of those sta nda rd items which
may be rep lace d) of automatic transmission, power steering, power
bra kes, powe r w indows , power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent
that these items are avai lab le as factory- installed equipment
(w het he r i nsta lled or no t).
Aspect ratio
me ans the ratio of t he he ight to t he w id th of the tir e in percent .
Numbe rs of 55 o r lower indicate a low sidewa ll for improved steer ing
respo nse an d be tter overa ll handling on dry p avemen t.
Bead
means the part o f the tire that is made of stee l w ires , wrap ped o r
re in forced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a brea kdown of the bon d between components in the bead .
Cord
means the st rands forming the plies in the tire.
& W ARNING (continued )
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous hi story ." Old used tires may have been damaged
eventhoughthedamagecannotbeseenthatcanleadtosudden
tire failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unu sual vibration or if the vehicle pull s to one side
when driving, alway s stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage. •
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle ma nufa cturer
for a tire of a des ignated size t hat has not been driven for more than
a couple of m iles ( kilomete rs) a t low speeds in the t hree ho ur period
before the tire pressure is measured or ad justed.
Curb weight
mea ns the weig ht of a motor vehicle wit h standard equ ipment
including the max imum cap aci ty of f ue l, oil, and coo lan t, air condi ­
tioning and additiona l weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a t ire designe d to operate at higher loads and at higher infla­
t ion p ressures than the co rrespo nd ing standard t ire. Ext ra load tires
my be identif ied as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewa ll.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ( "GAWR ")
means the load -ca rry ing capacity of a s ingle ax le system, measured at
t he t ire-grou nd inte rfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the max imum total loaded we ight of the vehicle .

-Alphabetical inde x --!.-- _..;____ _______:_::.:...:.....:..:=-=.:...:.. ______________________ _
Central locking
panoramic sl iding sunroof closing .... 52
Certification . ..... .. .... .. ... ... ... 303
Chang ing a flat tire .. .. .. .. ......... 272
Chang ing engine oil .. .. .... ......... 232
Chassis Undercoat ing ... .. .. ...... ... . .. . 213
See also A udi magnetic ri de .... . ... 1 12
Checking Engine coo lant level ............ .. 235
Checking tire pressure ............. .. 252
Ch ild restra int
Danger of using child res traints in the front
seat . ... .... ... ... . .... ... .. .. 1 47
Child restraint system anchors ... .. .. . 180
Chi ld restra ints
Where can I get add it io na l info rmation
about ch ild restraints and the ir use? ...
186
Child safety ......... ... ... ... .. 1 67, 172
Convert ible lock ing retractor ... .. .. 1 77
Important safety inst ruct ions fo r us ing
child safety seats ............. .. 170
Important things to know when driving w it h children ............. .... .. 16 7
Inst alling a child res traint using the LA TCH
system .................... ... 183
Mounting and re leas ing the anchorage
hook . ....... .. ... . ..... .. .... 1 83
Tether anchors . .. .. .. .. .. ... .... 184
Tether straps .................... 184
Chi ld safety lock .............. .... ... 47 Chi
ld safety seats ... .. .. ... . ... .. .. . 172
Booster seats .... .. .. .. .. ... .... 175
Convert ible chi ld seats .......... .. 173
Convert ible lock ing retractor . . . . . . . 177
How do I properly install a child safe ty seat
. h. l 7 inmyve ice ............ .. .. .. . 170
Infant seats .............. .. ..... 172
Insta lling .... .... .. .. .. .... ..... 177
LATC H system .... .... .. .... .. .. . 183
Safety instruct ions .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 170
Chi ld seats
Lower anchorages ......... .. .. ... 182
Cle ani ng
Alcan ta ra (syn thetic suede) . .. .... . 217
E ngine compa rtme nit ... .. ... .. .. . 218
Exha ust ta il pipes .... ... . ... .. .. . 213
Fabrics and fabric coverings ... .... . 213
Instrument pane l ..... .... .. .. .. . 214
Inte rior ..... .. .. .. .. ...... ..... 213
Leather ......... .... .. .. .. .... . 216
Plastic and viny l .. ............. .. 210
Plastic parts ........... ... ...... 214
Safety belts ........... ... ... .... 217
T. t. nm s rips .... ...... ... . ... .. .. . 209
t rim str ips .. ............. .. .... . 210
Cleaning and protection ...... .. ..... 206
Climate controls . ... ... .. ... ... .. .. .. 95
Add itiona l heater . ... .. .. .. .. ... . 102
Air distribution .. ..... .... .. .. .. . 100
Air outlets .... ........... .. .... . 101
Air rec irculation ................. 100
Air rec irculat ion mode (manual) ... .. 99
AUTO (standard setting) .......... .. 98
Automatic a ir recircu lation .. .. .. .. .. 99 Controls ..
..... .. .. .. . ... ... .. .. . 97
Defrost ing/defogg ing ............. 98
Desc ription .. .. .................. 95
Fan .. ..... .. ... .. ... . .. .... .. .. 100
Key-coded set ting . .. ............. 1 02
Recommended se tt ings ........... . 95
Sett ing the tempera ture . .......... 98
Swit ching be tween Fahrenhe it and
Centigrade . .. .. .. .. .. .. ..... ... 99
Switching the a ir condit ion ing on and off .
97
Using the climate cont rol economically ..
10 1
Wa rm and co ld .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. . 95
Clock ................. ...... .... .. .. 9
Clu tc h pe dal
Indica to r li ght .. .. .. ..... .... ... .. 33
Coa t hoo ks . ................. ...... . 94
Cold t ire inflation p ressure ........... 249
c oming home . .. ...... ............. . 57
Compa rtments in t he door tr ims ....... 93
Compass mirror ... .. .. .. .. ... ..... .. 71
Comp liance ... .. ... ... ... ... ... .. .. 303
Consumer Information ........ .. 133, 299
Con ta ct ing N HTSA ....... ... .. .... .. 133
Conven ience close/open feature
Wi ndows ....... ......... ... .. ... SO
Convert ible child safety seats ......... 173
C onvert ible lo cking re tra cto r
A ct ivat ing .......... ...... ...... 1 79
Deac tiva ting ... .. .. .. .. ... .. . ... 180
Using to sec ure a child safety seat . . 177,
179

-Alphabetical inde x _...,___ _ ______:_:__:_=.:..:...._ _________________ _
Emergency release for selector lever ... 121 Engine hood
Emergency starting ...... .. .. .. ... .. 286 Closing
............. ... .. ... .... 226
Emergency towing . .. .... .. ..... .... 289 Release lever
.............. .... .. 225
Energy management ........ .. .... .. 194 Releasing and open
ing .. .... .... .. 225
Battery power ................. .. 196 Engine malfunction (diesel engine)
Dr iver not ification .... ..... ....... 196 Warning light ............
.. .. .. .. 13
Engine E
ngine oil ........ ...... .... .. .. ... 228
4-cylinde r diesel (140 hp) ...... ... 228 Add
ing ... ... .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ... 232
4-cylinder gasoline (200 hp) . ..... . 227 Add
itives . ... ... ... .. .... .. .. ... 232
Coolant ................ ...... .. 234 Changing
....... ... .... .. .. .... . 232
Hood . ............. .... .. .... .. 225 Checking the engine oil leve
l ..... .. 231
Preheater .... .. .. .. .... ......... 103 Diesel engine .........
.... .. ..... 233
Starting . .. ... ... .... .. .. ... 106, 107
Starting w ith jumper cables . ....... 286
Stopping .. .. ... ... .. ........ ... 108
Engine compartment .. ....... ... . .. . 227
Safety instructions ............. .. 226
Work ing in the eng ine compartment 226
Engine coo lant system . ....... ... . ... 234
Add ing coolant ....... .. ... .... .. 236
Checking coo lant level ... .. .. .. ... 235
Checking the engine coolant level . .. 235 Indicat
ions and conditions requir ing extra
c heck ing .. .................... 231
O il cons ump tion . .... .. .. ... .. .. . 230
Oil grades .... .. .... ...... .. ... . 228
Recommended oil check intervals . .. 231
Specification and viscosity .. .... .. . 228
Specifications D iese l engine . .. ..... 233
Specifications gaso line engine . .... . 228
Engine oil leve l ... .. .... .. .. ...... .. . 3 4
E ngine oil p ressure (mailf u nctio n) ... .. . . 33
Radiator fan ............ ...... .. 237 Engine oil sensor defective
... .. .. ... .. 35
Engine coo lant tempe ra tur e E
ngine preheater ........ .... .. ..... 103
Ga uge ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... . .. .. .. .. 9 Connecting ................
.... . 103
E ngine coo ling system Engine speed lim
itation . .... ... .... ... 34
Malf unct io n .. ... ......... .... .... 32 Environment
E ngine data ................ ...... .. 296 Brea
k-in period .. .... .. .. ... .... . 197
Engine fau lt
W arning light ........... ...... ... 13 Catalytic converter . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . 198
Diesel particulate filter ............ 199
Disposing of your vehicle battery . .. . 242
Dr iv ing at hig h speeds .......... .. 200 Dr
iv in g to mi nimize pollution and noise ..
20 0
Fuel . ... .. .. .. ...... ... .. .. . ... 222
Fue l economy . ... .. .. .. ... .... .. 200
Leaks under yo ur vehicle ... .. .. .. . 226
Letting the vehicle stand and warm up ... 200
Proper disposa l of dra ined br ake fluid 238
Proper disposa l of dra ined engine coo lant
236
Prope r disposal of dra ined engine oil 232
Recycl ing used eng ine o il .......... 232
Unleaded fue l ............. .. .. .. 219
W hat sho uld I do w it h an old batte ry?
242
EPC
See Electronic power control . . . . . . . . 13
ES P
See Elect ronic Stability P rogram .. .. 188
Event Data Recorder ( EDR) .. ......... 188
Exhaust ta il pipes
Cleaning ... .... .... .. .. ...... .. 213
Expans ion tank .. ... ................ 235
F
Fahrenheit
Switching between Fahre nhe it and
Centigrade ..... .. .............. 99
Fan Adjusting the fan s peed .. ......... 1 00
Climate cont rols . ... .. .. ... .. ... . 10 0
Radiator ... .. ... ..... ... ...... .. 237