2012 AUDI A3 ESP

norm due to variations in driving habits, serv­
ice practic es and differences in road character ­
istics and climate .
Traction
The traction grades , from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. T hose grades represent the
tire 's ability to stop on wet pavement as
m easured under controll ed conditions on
specif ied government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
t raction performance¢ .&..
Te mperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and
C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generat ion of heat and its ability to dissi­
pate heat when tested under controlled condi­
t ions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
t ire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure <=>& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of pe rform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Veh icle Safe ty Stand­
ard No .
109. Grades Band A represent h igher
l eve ls of pe rformance on the laboratory test
wheel than the m inimum required by law.
.8, WARNING
T he traction grade assigned to this t ire is
based on stra ight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydrop laning or peak traction
character istics .
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is es­
tablished for a t ire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded . Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
separate ly or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire fa ilu re.
-
Tire s an d wheel s 22 7
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice . At temperatures below 45 °F
(7 °C) we recommend changing to winter
tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments
may require true w inter o r "snow" t ires, those
with very deeply cut t read. These tires should
o nl y be used in pairs and be installed o n all
f o ur wheels . Make sure you p urchase snow
tires that are the same size and cons truction
type as the other tires on yo ur vehicle .
If your veh icle is eq uipped w ith all-whee l
drive *, th is w ill improve trac tion d uring win ter
driv ing, even with the s tanda rd tires. Howev ­
er, we strongly recommend that you always
equip all four wheels on your veh icle w ith cor­
rect ly fitted winte r ti res or all-season t ires,
when winter road conditions are expected.
This also improves the veh icle 's b rak ing per­
formance and reduces stoppi ng d ista nces .
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted
on all fo ur whee ls .
As k your au thori zed A udi dealer or qualified
workshop for permit ted
winter ti re size s. Use
on ly radial winter tires .
Win ter tires lose their effec tiveness whe n the
tread is worn down to a depth o f
0.1 57 inch
(4 mm) .
Only d rive w ith w inte r tir es under w inte r con­
di tions. S umme r tir es handle bette r when
t h e re is no snow o r ice on the ro ads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
If you have a flat t ire, see notes on spare
whee l
¢page 223.
Please a lways remember that winter tires may
have a lowe r speed rating than the tires o rigi­
nally i nstalled on your veh icle at the time it
was ma nufactu red. P lease see ¢
page 224,
Speed rating (letter code)
for a lis ting o f th e
speed rating letter codes and the max imum
speed at which the tires can be driven .
111>-
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230 Tire s and wheel s
or ridges on the road, part icu larly if the tire is
u nderinflated.
I n o rder to m inim ize the o ccurrence of impact
damage to the t ires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau ­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended infla tion
pressures. Check your t ire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000
km) and add air if neces ­
sary .
- Drive carefu lly on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
t h rough or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer. Replace a damaged
t ire as soon as possible .
- Inspect your t ires every 2,000 miles (3,000
km) for damage and wear . Damage is not al­
ways easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, wh ich could eventu­
ally cause t ire failure . If you be lieve that a
t ire may have been damaged, replace the
t ir e as soon as possible.
- T hese tires may wea r mo re quick ly than oth­
ers.
- Please a lso remember that, wh ile these t ires
deliver respons ive handling, they may ride
l ess comfortably and make mo re no ise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter /co ld
sea son condit ion s
All ti res a re des igned for certa in pu rposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
tires originally installed on your vehicle are in­
tended for max imum dry and wet road per­
formance and handling. They are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather condit ions. If
you dr ive under those circumstances, you
should equip your vehicle with all -season or
winter tires, which offer better traction under
those cond it ions. We suggest you use the rec­
ommended snow or all-season tires specified
fo r your vehi cle, or their eq uivalent. Refer to
q page 22 7 for more detailed infor­
mation regarding winter tires.
Tire pressure monitoring system
ill General notes
Applies to veh icles: w ith tire pressure monitoring system
Each tire, incl uding the spare ( if provided),
sho uld be checked monthly when co ld and in­
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the veh icle manufacturer on the veh icle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in­
flat ion p ressure labe l, you should dete rmine
the p roper t ire infla tion p ress ure fo r those
t i res.)
As an added safety feature, your ve hicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure mon itoring
system ( TPMS) tha t illum ina tes a low ti re
pressure tel ltale when one or more of your
tires is significant ly under-inflated . Acco rding­
l y, when the low tire pressure te lltale i llumi­
nates, you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possib le, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a sign ificantly un­
der- inflated t ire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire fa ilure . Under-inflation al ­
so reduces fuel effic iency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle 's handling and
stopp ing ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire ma intenance, and it is the driv­
er's respons ibility to maintain co rrect tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the leve l to tr igger illum inat ion of the
T PMS low tire pressu re tellta le .
You r vehicle has also been equipped with a
T PMS ma lf un ction indicator to ind icate when
the sys tem is not operating properly. The
T PMS ma lf u nction indicator is combined w ith
t h e low tire pressure te lltale. When the sys­
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one min ute and then ..,_

232 Tires and wheels
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible and
check the tires and their pressures. In­
flate the tire pressure to the proper pres­
sure as indicated on the vehicle's tire
pressure label ¢
page 216. Driving on a
significantly under-inf lated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also is likely to
impair the vehicle's handling and stop­
ping ability.
- T he driver is responsible for maintain ing
the correct tire pressures. You must
check the tire pressures regularly.
- Under certain cond itions (such as a spor­
ty driving style, winter conditions or un­
paved roads), the pressure monitor indi­
cator may be delayed.
- Ask your authorized Audi dealer if run­
flat tires may be used on your vehicle .
Your vehicle registration becomes invalid
if you use these tires when not permit­
ted. Damage to your veh icle or acc idents
could also result .
(D Tips
- The tire pressure monitoring system
stops working when there is an ESP/ABS malfunction .
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- Tires with the identification "AO" or "RO"
have been specially matched with your
Audi. We recommend using only these
tires because they meet the highest
standards regarding safety and driving
characteristics when used correctly. Your
a uthorized Audi dea ler will g ladly pro­
v ide you w ith more information.
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
(Stepl)
Applies to veh icles: w ith tire pressure monitoring system
If the tire pressure is adjusted, wheels ore ro­
tated or changed, the TPMS must be reset in
the menu display.
----- ®
Fig. 174 Wipe r lever: Contro ls fo r the menu d isplay
Fig. 175 Disp lay: S ta rt m enu
I Rese t I button @ and rocker switch @
¢ fig. 17 4 functions:
To open the menu
" Press the I Reset ! button @ unt il the menu
disp lay¢
fig. 175 appears
Selections and settings
" Press the rocker switch @ to reach a menu
d isp lay. The switch is operated the same as
the display (up/down) .
Entering and confirming
" Press the I Reset I button @.
Returning to the Start menu
" Press the I Rese t I button longer than 2 sec­
onds to return from any menu level to the
Start menu.

You will find the compact spare wheel under
the floor in the luggage compartment . It is
secured w ith a large nut.
Using the compact spare wheel
The compact spa re wheel is only intended for
emergenc ies until you can reach a repair shop .
Replace i t as quickly as possible with a normal
wheel.
There are some restrictions on the use of the
compact spare wheel~ &. . The compact spare
wheel has been developed especially for your
type of vehicle . It must not be exchanged for
the compact spare whee l from another type of
vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be
installed on the compact spare whee l rim.
Snow chains
For technica l reasons, the use of snow chains
on the compact spare wheel is
n ot permitted .
If you do have to dr ive w ith snow cha ins and
have a t ire failure on a
front wheel, insta ll the
spa re wheel in place of a rear wheel. Install
the snow chains on the rear wheel and use it
to replace the defective front whee l.
Using the spare wheel
The spare wheel is only intended for emergen­
cies until you can reach a repair shop. Replace
it as qu ickly as possib le with a no rmal wheel.
There are some restrict ions on the use of a
spare wheel
Q &. . The spare wheel has been
developed especially for your type of vehicle.
It m ust not be exchanged for the spare whee l
from anot her type of vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be
i nstalled on the spare wheel rim.
Snow t ires
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains
on the spare whee l is
not p erm itte d.
If you do have to drive with snow chains and
have a t ire failure on a
front wheel, insta ll the
spare wheel in place of a rear wheel. Install
What do I do now? 235
the snow chains on the rear whee l and use it
to replace the defective front wheel.
A WARNING -
A lways store jacking equipment, spare
wheel in the luggage compartment. Tight­
en screw for the spare wheel secure ly. Un­
der no circumstances should you store the
spa re wheel o r jack and tools unsecured in
the passenger compartment . This could
cause ser ious persona l inju ry to passen­
gers in the veh icle in case of a collision .
- The compact spare tire is for temporary
use only and is so marked on the side­
walls .
- Do not dr ive at speeds exceeding SO mph
(80 km/h) wi th the compact spare whee l
mounted . A lso rapid acce lerat ion, ha rd
braking and hard cornering must be
avoided to he lp prevent loss of vehicle
contro l.
- Any continuous road use of the compact
spare tire may result in tire failure, loss
of vehicle control and injury to vehicle
occupants.
- Do not put a snow chain on your compact
spare tire. Due to the smaller t ire size,
the chain will not fit properly and can
thus damage your vehicle. You cou ld also
lose the chain, as well as contro l of the
veh icle .
- If you have a flat front t ire in road condi­
tions which require snow chains, first re­
move the undamaged rea r whee l and
mount the compact spare wheel in its
place. Then remove the damaged front
wheel, take the snow cha ins off it and at­
tach them to the whee l taken from the
rear. This wheel can now be mounted on
the front with its snow chains. Check and
adjust t ire pressure promptly .
- Never use two or more compact spare
tires at the same time.
(D Note
When using the compact spare wheel, note the fo llowing: •
•

244 Fuses and bulbs
Fuse Location, Instrument Panel left
Fuses which can be replaced.
Fig. 191 Cockp it driver 's s ide: fuse pane l layout
Note that the following table is accurate at
the time of going to pr ess and i s subject to
change . In the event of d iscrepancies, the la­
bel on the in side of the cover always take s
pr eceden ce .
The power seats are protected by circuit
break ers,
which automatically reset after a
few seconds after the ove rload has been rem­
ed ied .
Equipment
Manua l head light beam ad­
justment, a utomat ic head­
light beam adjustment, AFS
1 co ntrol m odule, engine
components, light switch
(switch lighting/illumina­
ti on), diagnosis socke t
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
Automatic transmission,
control module for CAN data
transfer (gateway), electro­
mechanical steering, shift
gate automatic transmis­
sion, fuel tank control unit,
engine control unit, brakes
control (A BS), Electronic
Stabili zation Program (ESP) ,
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR)
Air bag
Air-conditioning (pressure
sensor, air quality sensor), button for Electronic Stabili ­
zation Program (ESP), Anti ­
Slip Regulat ion
(ASR), tire
pressure monitor display, oil
level senso r, back-up ligh t
s w itch, front se at he ati ng ,
p ark ing aid, sea t-occupancy
recognition (on USA vehi ­
cles), garage door opener,
automa tic mirror dimming,
headlight assistant, heated
windshield washer nozzles, air conditioning (control
module)
AFS headlights ( left si de)
AFS headlights (right side) Instr ument cluster
Navigation system, radio
system
1 0 digital
radio, cell phone, TV
equipment
11 Automatic mirror dimming,
headlight assistant
12 Central lock ing (front doors)
Central locking ( rear doors)
Amps
10
10
5
5
5
5
5
15
7 ,5
10
10
10

No. Equ ipment
Electronic Stabilization Pro-
14
gram (ESP) (control mod-
u le), shift gate automatic
transmission
15 Interior lights, reading
lights
Diagnostic connector, rain
sensor, air conditioning
16 (control module), t
ire pres-
sure monitor d isplay (con-
trol module)
I 17
Anti-theft alarm warning
system
18 D iagnose Starter
19 All Wheel D rive
20 Audi magnetic ride
Blower fan
23
Driver's
side power window,
front
24 Power outlet front
2S Rear window defogger
26 Power outlet in luggage
compartment
27 Fuel tank control module,
fuel pump
28 Power window, rear
33 Slidi ng/pop-up roof
36 Lumbar support
37 Heated sea ts, front
1 38
Passenger side power win-
dow, front
39 Specia l func tion interface
40 Starter
41 Rear window wiper
43 Body control module
47
Ce ll phone package (V OA in-
terface)
Automatic circuit breakers:
10
10
10
5
5
10
40
30
20
30
20
15
30
20 10
20
30
5
40
15
20 5
The electri c power w in dows and the e lectr ic
seat adjusters are pro tected with circu it
breake rs which reset automatically after the
circuit overload has been corrected.
Fu se s and bulb s 245
@ Tips
-Whenever rep lacing a fuse, always con­
sult the sticker on the inside of the f use
pane l cover. It contains the most up-to­
date information regarding the fuse ar­
rangement. If in doubt, ask your author­
ized Aud i Service adviso r.
- Some of the equipment items listed are
opt ional or only available on certa in
mode l configurations.
Fuse location, left side of engine
compartment
Fig . 192 En gine compar tment : fuse assig nment
,._
-d. a, a>
Check the fuse layout with the f use panel cov­
er removed
¢ page 243, Fuse cover in engine
comportment.
Some of the equipmen t items listed are op­
tiona l or only ava ilab le on certain model con ­
figurations.
Please note tha t the preced ing tab le was ac­
c u rate at the time of pr int ing and is subject to
c h ange.
No. Equipment
F2 Engine compone nts
F3 Battery voltage ESP valves, Anti-lock brake
F4 system (ABS) valves
Transmission control mod­
F5 ule
F6 Steering wheel e lectronics
Amps
20
5
20
15
s

246 Fuses and bulbs
I
I
I
No. Equipment
FlO Engine control module,
main relay
Control module for CAN da­
F12 ta transfer (gateway)
F13 Engine control module (die­
sel engine/gasoline engine)
Fl 4 Engine components (diesel
engine), ignition coils
FlS
F16
F17
F18 Preheating control module/
engine component, tank di­
agnosis, oxygen sensor
Body control module (right)
Horn
Audio amplifier
Flg Front windshield wiper sys­
tem
F 2 0
Water pump/volume regula­
tor valve
F22
F23
F24
F25
F26 Oxygen sensor (diesel en­
gine/gasoline engine)/vac­
uum pump
C
lutch pedal switch, brake
light switch
Engine relay, water pump/
engine components/volume regulator valve
Eng ine components, water
pump
Pump (ESP/ABS), ABS valve
Body control module (left)
-Amps
5/10
5
15,20,
25/30
20
5/10 30 15
--30
30
10/15, 20
10/15 /20
5
5/10
/15
10
40
-·-- --·-
30
40
F27 Secondary
air pump, pre-
heating control module
__ , ..
F29 Fuse assignment in the left­
side instrument pane l (spe-
cia l equipment)
Power supply relay terminal
15 so
so
Bulbs
Replacing light bulbs
For your safety, we recommend that you have
your authorized Audi dealer replace burned
out bulbs for you.
It is becoming increasingly more and more
difficult to replace vehicle light bulbs since in
many cases, other parts of the car must first
be removed before you are able to get to the
bulb. This applies especially to the light bulbs
in the front of your ca r which you can only
reach through the engine compartment.
Sheet metal and bulb holders can have sharp
edges that can cause serious cuts, and parts
must be cor rectly taken apart and then prop­
erly put back together to help prevent break­
age of parts and long term damage from wa ­
ter that can enter housings that have not been
properly re sea led.
For your safety, we recommend that you have
your authorized Audi dea ler replace any bulbs
for you, since your dealer has the proper tools,
the correct bulbs and the expertise.
Gas discharge lamp s (Xenon lights)*:
Due to the high e lectr ica l voltage, have the
bulbs replaced by a qualified techn ic ian.
Head lights with Xenon light can be identified
by the high voltage sticker.
_& WARNING ~
Contact with high-vo ltage components of
the electrical system and improper re­
placement of gas discharge (Xenon) head­
light bulbs can cause serious personal in­
jury and death.
- Xenon bulbs are pressur ized and can ex­
plode when being changed.
- Changing Xenon lamps requires the spe­
cial tra ining, instructions and equip­
ment.
- On ly an authorized Audi dealer or other
qualified workshop should change the bulbs in gas discharge lamps .

Consumer Information
Warranty coverages
Your Audi is covered by the following war­
ranties :
- New Vehicle Limited Warranty
- Limited Warranty Against Corrosion Perfo-
ration
- Emissions Control System Warranty
- Emissions Performance Warranty
- California Emissions Control Warranty (USA
vehicles only)
- California Emissions Performance Warranty
(USA vehicles only)
Detailed information regarding your warran ­
ties can be found in your
Warranty & Mainte­
nance Booklet .
Operating your vehicle
outside the U.S.A. or
Canada
Government regulations in the United States
and Canada require that automobiles meet
specific emission regulations and safety
standards. Therefore, veh icles built for the
U.S.A. and Canada differ from vehicles sold in
other countries .
If you p lan to take your vehicle outside the
continental limits of the United States or Can­
ada, there is the possibility that
- unleaded fuels for vehicles with cata lytic
converter may not be available;
- fuel may have a considerably lower octane
rating. Improper fuel may cause engine
damage;
- service may be inadequate due to lack of
proper service facilities, tools or testing
equipment;
- replacement parts may not be readily availa­
ble.
- Navigation systems for vehicles built for the
U.S.A. and Canada will not necessari ly work
in Europe, and may not work in other coun­
tries outside of North America.
Consumer Information 259
Audi cannot be re sponsible for mechanical
damage that could result from inadequate
fuel, service or parts availability.
Q) Note
Audi cannot be responsible for mechanical
damage that could result from inadequate
fuel, serv ice or parts availab ility.
Audi Service Repair
Manuals and Literature
Audi Offic ial Factory Service Manuals and Lit­
erature are published as soon as possible after
model introduction. Service manuals and lit­
erature are available to o rder from the Audi
T echnical Literature Ordering Center at:
www.audi.techliterature.com
Maintenance
General
Your vehicle has been designed to help keep
maintenance requirements to a minimum.
However, a certain amount of regu lar mainte­
nance is still necessary to assure your vehicle's
safety, economy and re liability .
For detailed vehicle maintenance consult your
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Under difficult operating conditions, for ex­
amp le at extreme ly low outside temperatures,
in very dusty regions , when towing a trailer
very frequently, etc., some service work
shou ld be performed between the intervals
specified. This applies particularly to:
- oil changes, and
- cleaning or rep lacing the air fi lter.
@ For the sake of the environment
By regularly maintaining your veh icle, you
help make sure that emission standards
are maintained, thus minimizing adverse
effects on the environment.
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