2012 AUDI A3 lights

20 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
The symbol lll lights up when the ignition is
turned on and will turn off after the engine
has started and has sett led at constant idle
speed. This indicates that the MIL is working
properly.
The warning light illuminates when there is a
malfunction in the engine e lectronic system .
Contact your authori zed Audi dealer and have
the malfunction corrected .
An improperly closed fuel filler cap may also
cause the MIL light to illuminate
¢page 192.
F or more information ¢ page 24.
W Glow plug system I Engine
malfunction
Applies to vehicles: with diesel eng ine
The indicator lamp lights up to show that the
glow plugs ore preheating. It flashes if there is an engine malfunction.
Warning light II stays lit up
If the II indicator light illuminates, the g low
p lug system is active. You shou ld start the en ­
gine immediately after the indicator light
switches off. The indicator light on ly illumi­
nates for approximately 1 second if the en­
gine is warm or if the outside temperature is
above 46 QF (8 QC) .
There is a fau lt in the glow plug system if the
warning light
II does not light up when the
engine is
cold . Contact an author ized Audi
dealer or a qualified workshop .
II Warning light flashes
If a malfunction develops in the engine man­
agement system while you are driving, the
glow plug light will flash
II . The eng ine
should be checked by an authorized Audi deal­
er or a qualif ied workshop as soon as possible .
A WARNING
If you do not pay attention to the warning
lights that have come on, this could lead
to personal injury or damage to your vehi­
cle.
! 7} Engine speed limitation
Applies to vehicles: with engine speed limitat ion
Ill Do not exceed max. engine speed of XXXX
rpm
The Ill symbol illuminates when there is an
engine control malfunct ion. The ind icator
light~ in the instrument cluster also illumi­
nates. The engine speed is limited to the
speed displayed in the driver information sys­
tem. Keep in mind that the engine speed wi ll
not exceed the val ue displayed in the driver in­
formation system, for example when down­
shifting.
Please go to an authorized Audi dealer or oth­
er qualified workshop to have the malfunction
repaired.
~ .. Checking the engine oil level
When the II symbol illum inates, check the
engine oil level as soon as possible
¢ page 200 . Top off the oil at your earliest
opportunity ¢page 200.
II Please add max. 1 qt of engine oil!
If the II symbol comes on, add 1 quart (1 li­
ter) of oil at the next opportunity
¢ page 200.
• ~m Engine oil sensor defective
If the Ill symbol illuminates, contact your
authorized Aud i dealer and have the oil sensor
inspected .
0 Battery voltage low
(•i Low battery charge: battery will be
charged while driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there may be limited starting
ability.
If this message turns off after a little while,
the battery charged enough while driving .

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 21
If the message does not turn off, have your
authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop
correct the malfunction .
Bil Fuel supply too low
When the (I symbol illuminates, this means
there are about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the fuel tank. Time to refuel!
Qpage 191.
If the symbol lights up, even when there is
ample fuel in the tank, and the text
Tank sys­
tem malfunction! Please contact workshop
appears in the display, there is a fault in the
system. Contact a qualified workshop to have
the fault rectified.
Q Windshield washer fluid level too low
If the I! symbol illuminates, add windshield
washer fluid to the washer system
Q page211.
~ Defective light bulb warning
The defective light bulb warning tells you
when a vehicle light bulb hos become defec­
tive .
If a defective bulb has been detected by the
system or a light bu lb burns out , the ~ sym­
bol with a message appears in the disp lay to
tell you which bu lb is burnt out and where it is
located. For example:
Rear left turn signal
After 5 seconds, the message disappears . If
you want to recall the message into the dis­
p lay, press the C H ECK button
Q page 10,
fig. 3(?) .
There are three reasons why the defective
bulb message wo uld app ear in the display:
- T he light bulb has burnt out
Q page 246 .
-The fuse is "blown" c> page 243, Replacing
fuses .
-The w ire connection to the light bulb is de­
fective. Have the
bulb replaced or the connection re­
paired by your authorized Audi Service depart­
ment .
_& WARNING
- Light bulbs are pressurized and could ex­
plode wh ile they are being changed caus­
ing serious pe rsonal injury .
- Work with due care when handling the
high-vo ltage sect ion of gas discharge
(xenon) lamps. Failing to do so could re­
sult in death or serious injury!
BRAKE LIGHT!<@> Brake light defective
In case of a malfunction or component fail-
ure, the symbol (USA models)/
tlJ (Canada models) can appear. The follow­
ing electrical components should be checked,
repaired or replaced , as necessary:
- Brake light bulbs
- All wir ing con nections
- Brake light switch
Contact your authori zed Audi dea ler for assis­
tance if necessary.
(D Tips
The brake light switch is only inspected as
part of the functional chec k after the en­
gine is started.
i,0 Headlight range control defective
Applies to vehicles : wi th dynamic headl ig h t ra nge adjus t­
m ent
If the II illumi nates, the dynamic headlight
range contro l is no longer working p roperly.
Have the system checked and repaired at your
authori zed Aud i dealer.
§'0
Adaptive light defective
App lies to vehicles: with Ada ptive Light
FJl Adaptive light defective

22 Instruments and warning /indicator lights
When this symbo l ml illuminates, it means
that Adaptive Light is defective. Go to a quali­
fied workshop to have the headlights or the
control unit for the Adaptive L ight repaired.
@, o Light/rain sensor defective
App lies to vehicles: with automat ic headlights
The indicator light indicates a defect in the
automatic headlights/automatic wiper sys ­
tem .
If the symbo l illuminates, the light sensor has
failed. For safety reasons , the low beams are
turned on permanently with the switch in
AU­
TO . However, you can continue to turn the
lights on and off using the light switch . In the
case of a defect in the rain sensor , the w ind­
sh ield wiper lever functions are st ill available .
H ave the light/ra in sensor checked as soon as
possible at an authorized Audi dealer.
; Audi magnetic ride
Appl ies to vehicles: with Audi magnetic ride
The indicator light monitors vehicle damping.
The indicator light E illuminates when the ig­
nition is switched on as a function check.
@ Tips
If the indicator lamp illuminates while you
are driving, there is a malfunct ion in the
veh icle damping. The chass is should be in­
spected immediately by an authorized Au­
di dealer.
~ Diesel particulate filter clogged
Applies to vehicles: with diesel engine and diesel particu­
late fi lter
1/1 Particulate filter ! See owner's manual
If the indicator light II in the instrument
cluster comes on, the diesel particulate filter has become blocked with soot as the result of
constant short-distance driving. When the
II symbol illuminates, you can alter your
driving style to assist the filter self-clean ing
p rocess. Drive for approximately 15 minutes
in 4th or 5th gear (automatic transmission with the se
lector lever in the S position) at a
minimum speed of 37 mph (60 km/h) and an
engine speed of approx imately 2,000 RPM .
The temperature increase that will result from
this can burn off the soot in the filter. The
symbol will switch off when the cleaning is
successful. After a successful cleaning, there
is no need to bring the car to an authorized
dealer or qualified workshop because this is
part of normal vehicle operation .
If the symbol
DI does not switch off, see
your autho rized dea ler or other qualified
workshop to have the problem corrected .
As long as the indicator light
11!1 remains on
(diesel part iculate filte r plugged), you ca n ex­
pect increased fuel consumption and possibly
also a loss of engine performance.
For more information on the diesel particu­
late filter, refer to~
page 171 .
A WARNING ,__
Always adapt your speed to the current
weather, road and traffic conditions. You
should never disobey traffic laws in order
to follow driving recommendations .
¢ ¢Turn signals
-
The indicator light blinks when you use either
turn signal.
Whenever you use the left B or the right fl
turn s ignal, the indicato r light blinks . When
you use the emergency f lasher, both indicator
lights flash.
If one of the turn signal light bulbs burn out,
the turn signal will blink twice as fast as nor­
mal.
Additional information on the turn s ignals
Q page SO.
CRUISE/ vf Cruise control
T he
(ijjll j~i~ (USA models)/. (Canada models)
warning/indicator light illuminates when the
cruise control is activated .

-All stored va lues wi ll be lost if the veh i­
cle battery is disconnected.
Menu display
Introduction
F ig . 12 Wiper lever: Controls for the men u display
Fig . 13 Display: Sta rt me nu
Some functions in your vehicle can be set, ac­
tivated, and controlled by
Men us). With these
menus you can also select the information
shown in the driver information system, which
operates only with the ignition switched on .
Operation is contro lled by the
I Reset I button
and the rocker switch on the wiper lever
¢fig. 12.
The
S tart m enu shows you the different dis ­
play types:
Se t
Ch eck
M enu off
Each display type in the Start menu contains a
submenu with additiona l opt ions .
Set
-Check
Menu off
Dri ver inform ation di spl ay 2 7
Clock
¢ page28
Computer
¢page28
Speed a larm (speed warning)
¢ page32
Language (7 languages)
¢page28
Units (distance, fuel consump­
tion, temperature)
¢page28
Displays (gearshift recommen­
dation)
¢page24
Lighting* (exterior lights, turn
signals)
¢ page48
¢page 50
Wiper (service position)
¢page57 Doors (unlocking and locking
mode, for example Auto Lock)
¢ page 36,
¢ page37
Service
¢page30
Chass is number*
¢ page255
-Engine oil temperatu re*
¢page 31
-Registered keys
¢ page34
All of the messages shown in
vehicles without menu display
appear on the display screen.
.
I

36 Openin g and clo sing
in the cover. Correct po larity is shown on the
cover .
.. Place the cover with the new battery on the
key base and press both parts together.
@ For the sa ke of the environment
Dispose of dead batteries properly so as
not to po llute the environment.
(D Tips
The replacement battery must be the
same specification as the original.
Electronic immobilizer
The immobilizer helps to prevent unauthor­
ized use of your vehicle .
A computer chip inside your key automat ica lly
deactivates the e lectronic immobilizer when
you insert the key in the ignition lock . When
you remove the key from the ignition lock, the e lectronic immobilizer is a utomatica lly acti­
vated once again.
@ Tips
- The vehicle cannot be started if an unau­
thorized key is used. The vehicle may not
start if another radio device such as a key
for another vehicle or transponder is lo­
cated on the key ring.
- For Declaration of Compliance to United
States FCC and Industry Canada regula­
tions
¢ page 262.
Power locking system
General description
The power Locking system Locks or unlocks all
doors and the rear lid simultaneously.
The power lock ing system in your veh icle in­
corporates the fo llow ing funct ions:
- Central locking function
- Remote control feature¢
page 35.
- Anti-theft alarm system ¢ page 42.
All the doo rs and the rea r lid a re locked by the
central locking system when you lock the vehi­
cle .
T he unlo ck ing and locking mode * can be
changed in the drive r information system
¢page 27.
Unlocking the vehicle
You can unlock t he vehicle from outside either
by us ing the remote contro l
or by inserting
and tu rning the key in the driver's door lock.
When you
unlock your vehicle:
- The ant i-theft a larm system is deactivated
b riefly .
- The vehicle i nte rio r lights i llum inate fo r ap­
proxima tely 30 seconds .
- All turn s ignal lights w ill flash tw ice when
the ca r is u nlocked.
- After unlocking the vehicle, you have 30 sec­
onds to open a door or the rear lid. After 30
seconds, the vehicle automat ically locks and
the anti -t h eft alarm system act ivates ag ain.
The rear lid can be locked o r unlocked either
by us ing the remote cont ro l
or by inserting
and tu rning the key in the drive r's door lock.
Unlocking the vehicle wi th the remo te contro l
c;:::::::5 will only unlock the rear lid, to open i t , the
lid handle needs to be pressed.
Locking the vehicle
You can lock the veh icle from outs ide either by
u sing the remote con trol
or by inse rting and
tu rning the key in the drive rs 's door lock .
When you
lock the veh icle:
- All doors a nd the rear lid are loc ked.
- All turn s ignal lights will flash once when
the car is locked.
- The ant i- theft a larm system is activated .
The horn of the anti-theft alarm system w ill
sound and the ant i-theft a la rm system read­
iness l ight , loca ted in the center of the in­
s trumen t panel be low the w indshield on the
r ight side of the ai r vent , will start to blink.
- The vehi cle i nte rior ligh ts turn
off. .,.

38 Openin g and clo sing
The remote controls a llows you to:
- lock or unlock the veh icle
- selectively unlock the rear lid.
The turn signals will flash briefly whenever
you lock or unlock the vehicle. Also, the interi­
or light will come on or go off whenever you
open or close the dr iver's door .
The transmitter and battery are located in the
head of the remote control. The receiver is lo­
cated inside the vehicle . The maximum effec ­
tive range depends on seve ral things . Remem­
be r, if the battery is weak, the effective range
dec reases.
The remote -control key conta ins a fold -out
key that you can use to man ually lock or un­
lock the v ehicle and to sta rt the e ng in e.
If you need to replace the remote contro l, or if
you need to have it repaired, you must see
your author ized Audi dealer . Only then can
you use the key again .
_& WARNING
Read and follow all WAR NIN GS c> &. in
G eneral descrip tion on page 37.
@ Tips
- The remote cont rol key is automat ical ly
deact ivated when th e ignition is sw itch­
ed on.
-
- The op eration of the remote cont ro l key
c a n be tempo rarily disrupted by in terfer­
ence from transmitters in t he vicin ity o f
th e veh icle work ing in t he same frequen­
cy r ange (e .g . a ce ll phone, radio equip ­
ment).
- In order to make sure the locking func­
tion is workin g, you shou ld always keep
you r eye on the vehicle to make sure it is
p roper ly loc ked.
- Do not use the remote control if you are
i nside t he car, ot herwise you may unin­
tentiona lly lock t he ve hicle, and then you
would set off the anti-theft alarm when
you try open a door . In case this happens
anyhow, push the unlock button@ . - U
se the panic function on ly if yo u are in
an emergency situation .
Resetting the remote control
The remote control must be rese t if the vehi ­
cle does not unlock.
• Press t he u nlock button@ on the remote
cont ro l.
.. Man ually un lock the driver's door lock with
the mechanica l key within 30 seconds .
.. Press either the lock-
tD or the unlock @ but­
ton to complete the reset seq uence.
Doors, power Locks
Operating the locks with the fold-out
key
To lock and unlock the vehicle from the out­
side, turn the key in the lo ck of the driver 's
door .
Fig. 30 Key turns for openi ng and closing.
To unlock all door s and the rear lid
.. Turn the key to position @ c> fig. 30 to un-
lock the vehicle
To lock the vehicle
,.. Close a ll win dows and doors pro perly.
.. Turn the key in the lock of the d river's door
to the loc k pos it ion
@ c> A in General de­
scription on page 3
7.
When you unlock yo ur vehicle:
- The ant i-theft alarm system is dea ctivated.
- The vehicle i nterior lights illum inate fo r ap-
proximately 30 seconds .
When you
lock the vehicle:

- All doors and the rear lid are locked.
- The anti- theft alarm system is act ivated.
- The veh icle inter ior lights turn off.
_& WARNING
Alw ays read and heed WARNING ~ &. in
General description on page 37.
Locking and unlocking the vehicle from
inside
The vehicle con be locked or unlocked from
the inside using the power locking switches
located in the driver's and the front passeng­
er's door.
F ig. 31 D rive r's doo r: powe r locki ng sw itc h
In addition to the central locking switches in
the doors , there is a locking switch on the rear
center console for the rea r-seat passengers
9 page40.
How t o lo ck all doors and the rea r lid
simultaneously
• Press lower part of the power locking switch
@ 9fig. 319&_ .
How to unlock all doors an d the re a r lid
simultaneousl y
• Press the upper part of the switch@ .
How to unlock / open each front door
s e paratel y using the doo r handle
• Pull the door handle once to release the
lock and s imultaneously open the door .
How to unlock/ open each rear doo r
s eparately using the doo r handl e
• Pull the door handle once to release the
lock .
Openin g an d clos ing 39
• Pull the handle twice to open the door.
If you lock the vehicle using the power lo cking
switch @, please note the following:
- You cannot open the doors or the rear lid
from the
outside (increased secu rity, for ex­
ample when you are stopped at a red light).
- The d iode in the power locking switch illumi-
nate when all the doors and the rear lid are
closed and locked.
- You can un lock and open the doors individu­
ally from the ins ide by pu lling once on the
door handle for the front doo rs and twice
for the rear doors.
- Front doors: you can unlock and open the doors from the inside by pull ing on the door
handle.
- Rear doors: pull the doo r handle
once to re­
lease the lock . Pu ll the handle
again to open
the door.
- If the driver's door is opened (afte r you have
locked the vehicle from the ins ide using the
power locking switch), the door will rema in
unlocked to prevent you from locking your­
self out of your vehicle. After you close the
door, you have to lock the driver's door
again .
- If you have a crash and the airbag is activat·
ed, the doors automatically unlock .
A WARNING
- If you use the power locking switch w ith
the doors closed, remember that all the
vehicle doors will lock.
- Locking doors from the inside can help
prevent inadvertent door opening during
a n accident and can a lso prevent unwant­
ed entry from the outside. Locked doors
can, however, delay assis tance to vehicle
occ upants and hold up rescue efforts
from the outside in an accident or other emergency.
(D Tips
If the vehicle has been locked manually
with the key or with the remote contro l,
the central locking switch is inoperative.

Clear vision Lights
· r/.· Switching the headlights on and off
F ig. 4 3 In str ume nt pa ne l: light switch
F ig. 44 Instrumen t pane l: Light sw itch with dayt ime
running lights (DRL)
The ligh t sw itch must not be ove rtu rn ed past
the s tops in
either d ire ct io n.
Switching on automatic headlight
control*
.,. Turn the light swi tch to AUTO* ¢ fig. 43.
Switching on the side ma rker lights
.,. Turn the light switch to ooo=.
Switching on the headlights and high
beam
.,. Turn the light switch to tD .
.,. Pus h the high beam lever forward towards
the instrument pane l
Q page 50.
Switching off the lights
.,. Turn the light swi tc h to 0 .
The headlig hts on ly wo rk whe n the igni tion is
sw itche d on . W hile s tartin g the e ng ine or
when swit ching
off the ign ition , th e head-
Clear vision 4 7
lig hts w ill go off and only the side ma rke r
li ghts wi ll be on.
Daytime running lights (DRL) (USA
models)
The d aytime r unning lights can be tur ned on
o r
off using t his fu nction . If the function is ac ­
tive, the dayt ime ru nning lights a re turned on
a utomat ica lly when the ign ition is switched
o n.
T he daytime r unning lights are activate d
only
when the light switc h is at the AUTO* or DRL *
pos ition.
Daytime running lights (Canada models
only)
The daytime r unning lights are activated only
whe n the light switc h ¢ fig. 43 is either at the
0 or the coo: pos ition.
T he daytime r unning lights funct io n can not be
turned
off .
Automatic headlight control*
In the swi tch positi on AUTO the automatic
headlight control
i s tur ned on. The l ow
beams are turne d on au tomatically through a
li ght se nsor as soo n as amb ient brightness
(e .g. when dr iv ing into a t unnel) fa lls below a
val ue p reset at t he factory. Whe n ambient
bri ghtness i ncreases aga in, the low beams are
turned
off aga in a utomat ica lly c:> & .
In the AUTO position the low beams are
switc hed
off automatically when the ignition
is tur ned
off.
Light Sensor Malfunction*
In the event of a light se nsor malfunction, the
drive r is notifie d in the instrument cluste r dis ­
play:
ral Automatic headlights/automatic wipers
defective
Fo r sa fety reaso ns the low beam s are turned
on perm anen tly wi th the switch in
AUTO* .
However, you can co nti nu e to turn the lights
o n and
off u sing the lig ht switch. Have t he ..,.