2012 AUDI A3 check engine

56 Clear vis ion
as rain or drizz le re duces visibi lity
through th e windshield.
- The windshie ld must not be treated with
water-repe llent materials. They can in­
crease glare under poor visibility condi­
t ions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the horizon . In addi­
t ion, they can cause th e windshield wip­
ers to chatter.
(D Note
- In the case of frost, check whether the
windsh ield wiper b lades are frozen to
the windshield. Switching on the wind­
shield wipers can damage the wiper
blades!
- Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted
window . U si ng the w ipers as a conven­
i en t ice s craper will destroy the wiper
blades .
- Prior to using a car wash, the windshield
wiper system m ust be switched off (lever
i n position 0) . This helps to prevent unin­
tentiona l switching on and damage to
the windshie ld wiper system.
(D Tips
- The w indshield wipers are swi tched off
when the ignition is turned off. Activate
the windshie ld wipers after the ignition
i s sw itched back on by mov ing the w ind ­
shield wiper lever to any pos it ion.
- Worn or dirty windshie ld wiper blades
cause smearing, which can affect the op­
eration of the light/rain sensor*. Check
the condition of your windshie ld w iper
blades regularly.
- The rai n sensor is part of the interval
wiping system. Tur ning off the ignition
will a lso deact ivate the rain sensor. To re­
activate t he senso r, switch off the inter­
val w iping function, then sw itch it ba ck
on aga in.
- Applies to vehicles with lig ht/ rain sen­
sor: When the wipers are swi tched on
manu ally and in rain condi tions, the au­
tomatic head lights* turn on¢
page 47,
·'t!.-Switching the headlights on and off
or off during the day when the wipers are
no longer operating. The automatic
head lights* funct ion is available in th is
case on ly when the light switch is in the
"A UTO" position¢
page 47, fig. 43.
-Make s ure the washer fluid reservoir in
the engine compartment is topped off
before going on a long trip. Look up
¢
page 211 for check ing and filling the
washer co nta iner .
- The wipers only operate with the hood
completely closed .
is;J Rear window wiper
The wiper lever is also used to operate the
rear window wiper and the automatic wiper/ washer function .
Fig. 5 8 W iper lever: activat ing the rear w indow w iper
and washer
The rear window wiper and the automatic wip­
er/washer functions are activated as follows :
Intermittent wiping
.,. Push the wiper leve r forward towards the
dashboard and to the
first position @
¢
fig. 58. The rear w indow wiper will wipe
the window approx. every four seconds .
Automatic wiper /washer function
.,. Push the wiper lever forward to the second
stop,
position (j) , and hold it there for as
long as you want the rear w iper/washer to
operate.
.,. Release the lever again. The wiper will keep
running for approx. four seconds . .,,_

86 Warm and cold
(D Note
To prevent possible damage to the heating
elements, do not kneel on the seats or ap­
ply a heavy load to relatively small areas of
the seat.
Engine preheater
Applies to vehicles: with engine p reheate r
Use of the engine pre heater is recommended
when the ambient temperature is below
-5 °F
(-20 °C) .
Fig. 100 In t he l eft fron t bump er: en gine preheater
co nn ect ion socket
The engine preheater slowly w arms the en­
gine coolant using a heating element when
the vehicle is parked. The included cable
1>
must be connected to a 120 Volt Ground Fault
Circuit (GFI) protected outlet that is protected
from water (in your garage, for instance).
When the coolant is preheated, the engine
reaches its operating temperature more quick­
ly and will use less fuel and produce fewer
polluting emissions during the warm-up
phase.
Preheating the engine can take up to 3 hours
depending on the temperature outside.
Connecting the engine preheater
- Only use the cable provided.
-All cables and connectors that are used
must not be damaged
¢ .&.­
-Open the cover Q fig. 100 @.
l) Th e cabl e is de live red w it h veh icles i n Canada a s
s tandard e quipmen t. The cable c an be o btain ed fro m
an a uth orize d Au di d ea le r fo r veh icl es in the USA.
- Plug the connecting cable into the socket @
Q.ii_.
-Connect the connecting cable to the power
cord.
- Attach the extensions cord to the connector
cable. Always use a 12 gauge or heavier
heavy -duty extension cord that can be prop ­
erly grounded to a three-prong Ground Fault
Circuit (GFI) wall outlet and is not longer
than 100
ft (30 meters).
- Always plug the preheate r into an 120 Volt
Ground Fault Circuit (GFI) wall outlet that is
properly protected against rain and other
moisture. Never plug the preheater into a
normal outlet regardless of whether it is
grounded or not .
- Always disconnect the connecting cable and
close the cover
Q fig . 100 @ before starting
the engine.
_&. WARNING
-
Using incorrect or damaged outlet and
power cords, using electrical accessories
incorrectly or ignoring safety precautions
can lead to short circuits, accidents, inju­ ries and life-threatening electric shocks.
- Always plug the preheater into a
120 Volt Ground Fault Circuit (GFI) wall
outlet that is properly protected against
rain and other moisture.
- Always check the fuse protection of the
120 Volt power source before using the
connecting cable .
- Always use a 12 gauge or heavier heavy­
duty extension cord that can be properly
grounded to a three-prong GFI outlet .
The extension cord must not be longer
than 100
ft (30 meters).
- Always connect the cable to a 120 Volt
outlet that is grounded and protected
from water .
- Check the cable for damage before every
use . Never use a damaged cable.
It must ~

As soon as the test is completed, the system
is in normal operating mode.
Switching off
E SP should normally be activated at all times
because this ensures optimum vehicle stabil i­
ty. In certa in situations, it might make sense
to a llow some slip . For example:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driving with snow cha ins
Press the
[!I button . The ESP indicator light I)
turns on and S tabil isat ion prog ram off ap­
pears in the d isp lay. ASR deact ivates com­
pletely and the stab ilizat ion effects from the
ESP system are lim ited.
S wi tc hing on
Press the [!I button again. The message S tab i·
li sa tion p rogram on
appears briefly in the dis­
play.
A WARNING
You should only sw itch the ESP off if your
driving ability and the traffic s ituation per­
m it. Please note that when ESP/ASR is de­
act ivated, the drive whee ls can sp in on icy
and slippe ry roads and the vehi cle can
break away - danger of skidding!
(j) Tips
If A udi magnetic ride* is malfunctioning,
the ESP may not switch off or it may
sw itch off automatically.
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating condit ions and d riving habit s
The brakes on today's automobi les are st ill
subject to wear, depending largely on operat­
ing cond itions and dr iving habits
q .&. . On ve ­
hicles that are either driven mostly in stop­
and -go city traffic or are driven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author-
Int ellig ent technolog y 163
ized Audi dea ler more often than specified in
the
W arra nty & M aintenance booklet. Failure
to have your brake pads inspected can result
in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you sho uld use the b raking
effect of the engine. This way, you prevent un­
necessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes
down cont inuously. Pump the brakes at inter­
vals.
Noises may occur when braking depending on
speed, braking force and outs ide cond it ions
such as temperature and humidity.
Mo isture o r road sal t
If you are driving faster than SO mph (80 km/
h) and the windshield wipers are on, the brake
pads will briefly touch the brake discs in regu­
lar intervals so as to improve react ion time
when brak ing on wet surfaces. You, the driver,
will not not ice anything.
Under certain conditions, for example, when
driv ing through water or very heavy ra in, or
even after washing your veh icle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in
freez ing cond itions ice) on the brake pads. A
few cautious brake applications should dry off
the b ra ke pads or remove any ice coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes ca n be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-cove red
road and the brakes are not used. l ikewise,
you clean off accumulated salt coating from brake d iscs and pads w ith a few cautio us ap­
plications o f the b ra ke
¢ .&, .
Corrosion
T here may be a tendency for di rt to b uild up
o n the brake pads and corros ion to fo rm on
the d iscs if the car is not d riven regu larly or
o nly for short tr ips w ith litt le use of the
brakes.
If the brakes a re not used frequently, o r if cor­
ros ion has formed on the discs, it is adv isable
to clean off t he pads and d iscs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed ~.&. . .,.
•
•

164 Intelligent technolog y
Faults in the bra ke sys tem
If you should notice a sudden increase in
b rake peda l travel, then one of the two brake
circuits may have failed¢.& .
Low brake flu id le vel
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low . T he brake fluid
l eve l is moni to red electronica lly .
Bra ke lining w ear st atu s
Brake l ining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the whee l. If neces­
sa ry, the wheel may be removed for this in ­
spection
¢page 236, Wheel change.
A WARNING
-You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system on ly if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an acc ident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmiss ion into a lower
gear or lower driving range . Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often. This cou ld cause the
brakes to get hot and dimin ish braking
efficiency.
- Do not "r ide the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when yo u do not intend
to bra ke . This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance .
- Under certain climat ic and operating
condit ions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums . Carefully apply brakes
for a test . Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings will be cleaned off after a few care­
ful brake applications.
- Driv ing for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads w ithout us ing your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency . Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the a ir
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­ ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impa ir
the braking capab ility result ing in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est a utho rized Audi dea le r or q ualified
wo rkshop.
Brake booster '
The brake booster adds extra broking power.
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
sure which is created only when the eng ine is
run ning ¢.&_ .
_&. WARNING
-Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off.
- I f the b rake booster is not working, for
examp le when towing yo ur vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed conside rably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance.
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up un­ der broking.
.
The ABS contributes effectively to vehicle con­
trol since it prevents the whee ls from
locking
when the brakes are applied. This means that
the vehicle remains steerable and is less likely
to sk id .
With ABS you do not need to pump th e
brake. Ju st hold the b ra ke pedal down.

However, do not expect that the ABS shortens
braking distance under
all circumstances.
When driving on grave l or on newly fallen
snow on top of icy surfaces, braking distance may be even longer, therefore, under these
circumstances, it is especially important that
you dr ive slowly and with great care .
How th e ABS syste m work s
An automatic check is made when a speed of
about 4 mph (6 km/h) is reached. When this
happens, a pumping noise can be heard .
If an individua l wheel begins to rotate too
slowly in relation to vehicle speed and tends
to lock, the ABS automatically reduces brake
pressure to prevent that wheel from locking.
This automatic adjustment process will cause
a
s light vib ration of the brake pedal and some
noises to alert you that vehicle speed must be
adapted to existing road and traff ic condi­
tions .
A WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always
remember that bra king capability is limit­
ed by t ire traction. Always adjust your dr iv­
ing speed according to the road and traffic
conditions . Do not let the extra sa fe ty af ­
forded bytheABStemptyou into taking
extra r isks. The ABS cannot overcome the
laws of physics.
(D Tips
- If ABS is not functioning properly, a
warning light will come on. See
¢ page 18.
- If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is al ­
so not functioning . This is indicated by
the ABS warning light.
Brake assistant
The broke assistant is designed to achieve the
optimum broking effect .
The brake assistan t helps to increase the ef­
fective
b raking power and thus to achieve a
shorter stopping distance . If the driver
Int ellig ent technolog y 165
presses the brake peda l very quick ly, the brake
assistant automatically boosts the braking
force to the max imum level, up to the po int
where the anti-lock brake function (ABS) inter­
venes to stop the whee ls from locking. You
shou ld then keep the brake peda l pressed un ­
t il the vehicle has braked to the required
speed. The brake assistant switches itself off
as soon as you release the b ra ke peda l.
The brake ass istant wi ll not be operative if
there is a ma lfunction in the ABS.
A WARNING
P lease remember that the acc ident risk a l­
ways increases if you drive too fast, espe­
cially in corners or on a slippe ry road, o r if
you follow the vehicle ahead of yo u too
closely . An increased accident risk cannot
be compensated even by the brake assis ­
tant, so always mainta in a safe speed.
Electro-mechanical
power assist
The electro-mechanical power assist helps
the driver when steering .
The degree of power assist is electronically
matched to vehicle speed .
The power steering system assists the driver
so that he can steer the vehicle with reduced physical effort.
Power steering will not work if t he engine is
off . As a result, the steering wheel will be hard
to turn .
A WARNING
If the system deve lops a problem, you
must seek qualified professiona l assis­
tance.
(D Note
If there is an e lectronic malfunction, ser­
votronic
will still function like a conven-
tiona l power steering system, providing a
constant steering support force that is no
-
l onge r proportionate to the vehicle speed. ..,.
•
•

172 Driving and en vironm ent
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking .
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerati ng. If you anticipate what is go ing to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus , accelerate less . let the vehicle coast
whenever poss ible -fo r example whe n you see
th at the next traffic ligh t is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
,. Try and keep well be low your car's max i-
mum speed .
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
env ironment.
Fuel consumption, ex ha ust em issions and en­
g ine no ise increase d isproportiona tely at hig h
speeds . If you dr ive at approximately three
qua rters of top speed, fuel consumption will
be reduced by one ha lf . Never dr ive faster
tha n the posted speed limit a nd weather con­
d it ions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
E ven when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
,. Shut the engine off when you a re not dr iv­
ing the vehicle.
,. Do not warm up the veh icle by letting the
engi ne run at idle.
It makes sense to shut off the eng ine in traff ic
jams, when waiting for trai ns to pass at ra il­
road cros sings, or at t raffic ligh ts that have
l ong wa its on red. Turning the engine o ff fo r
just 30 -40 seconds saves more fue l than is
bu rne d starting the engine again.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at id le . However, wea r
and noxious emissions are espec ia lly high
when the eng ine is wa rm ing up. So you shou ld
drive away as soon as yo u start the engine and
avo id running at high RPMs w hile the eng ine
i s s till warm ing up .
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter start ing . If warni ng lig hts sho uld come
o n t o indicate improper ope ration, they
would go unheeded . Extended idli ng also
produ ces heat , w hich could result in ove r­
hea ting or other dam age to the veh icle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unne cessarily wastes a
lo t of fuel.
,. Have your ve hicle serviced at reg ular inter-
vals.
By havi ng your ve hicle regu larly serv iced by an
a utho rized Aud i deale r helps to ensure that it
runs properly and econom ica lly. The cond it io n
of your ve hicle not only affe cts i ts safety and
abili ty to ho ld i ts va lue , it al so a ffects
fuel
con sumption .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank .
The amount of oi l used is re lated to engine
load and speed .
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has bee n driven .
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 mi les
(S,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
T his also app lies to fue l cons umption and en­
gine o utp ut.
Q) Note
- Have your veh icle ma inta ined proper ly
and i n acco rdance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
&

174 Trailer towing
Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a tra iler, p lease remember
that the addit ional load will affect durability,
economy and performance.
T railer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
F or this reasons, always follow the operating
and drivi ng in str uctions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
b le for your veh icle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the ve hicle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
h itch with removable ba ll mount. Always
check with the tr ailer hitch manufac turer to
make sure tha t you are using t he cor rect
hitch.
Do not us e a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper syst em. No modifications should
be made to the vehi cle exhaust and brake sys ­
tems. From time to time, check th at a ll hitch
mo unt ing bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount. This prevents the
h itch from causing damage sho uld your ve hi­
cle be str uck from behind
¢ A .
Tire pressure
When tow ing a traile r, inflate the t ires of your
ve hicle to the co ld tire pressure listed under
"Full load"on the stick er on the rig ht doo r- jamb. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire
manufacturers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight set tings sho uld be checked with
t h e trai le r attached before d riving o ff. Have
the headlights adjusted as necessary so tha t
yo u can see t he road ahead b ut not blind on­
coming traffic.
Check to make sure bo th ve hicle and tr ailer
lights are wo rk ing properly .
Engine cooling system
T owing a t railer makes the engine work hard­
er.
It i s impo rtant that the cooling system's
performance stands up to the additional
stra in. Make sure tha t the cooling sys tem has
enough fluid.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing sys­
tem, c heck to be sure t hat it conforms to all
regula tions.
The trailer hyd raulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system.
Safety ch ains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the cha ins to per­
mit turning co rne rs. When yo u in stall safety
c h ains, ma ke sure they will not drag on the
r oad when you a re driving.
The chains should cross under the t railer
tong ue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the h itch.
Trailer lights
Trai ler lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct w ir in g, sw itches and re lays .
Mir rors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
us ing the regular outside mirrors, then you

(D Note
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
flu id, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercia l cleaning spe­
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim­
ilarly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia­
bly when needed.
.. Keep belts clean .
.. For cleaning, use a mi ld soap and water sol­
ution . Let be lts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
.,. Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re­
tract before they are completely dry.
.,. Check the condition of your safety belts
reg­
ularly .
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
- Anything that might damage your safety
belts could mean that you and your pas­
sengers wou ld not be adequately pro­
tected in an acc ident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­
rect installation. Never remove belts
from the vehicle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents,
bleach o r dyes. They have corros ive prop­
erties whi ch weaken the webbing.
- When cleaning your safety belts, inspect
them for damage.
If you discover dam­
age, see your a uthorized Audi dea ler.
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other information
Q page 178.
l ) Use o nly the correct cleaning sol utions. Neve r use gas­
oline or d iese l fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
A lw ays switch o ff the ign it ion before cle an ­
i ng the eng ine
c> ,& .
Plenum pan el
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front
of the windshield under the engine hood. This
prevents the water drain holes from becoming
blocked, and it prevents debris from enter ing
the vehicle interior through the heating and
vent ilat ion ducts.
Co rro sio n protect ion
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti -corrosion treatment is very impor­
tant, partic ularly in the winter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and p lenum panel
should be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage.
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle
shou ld be washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease remov ing solutions
1> , or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro­
s ion treatment is almost always removed as
well.
It i s therefo re essentia l to have a long­
lasti ng cor rosion pro tect ion reapplied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment .
A WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before work ing in the engine compart­
ment, be sure to read the information
c>page 194.
- Before reaching into the front plenum
panel, a lways remove the ignit ion key.
187
•
•