2012 AUDI A3 charging

16 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
immediately by your authorized Audi
dealer or a qualified workshop. Drive
slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake ap­ plication.
- Canada models: If both, the brake warn­
ing light . and the ABS warning light
Ii] come on at the same time, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard braking. Lock-up of the rear wheel brakes
can cause loss of vehicle control and an
acc ident. Have your vehicle repaired im­
med iately by your authorized Audi dealer
or a qualified workshop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake application
- If the brake warning/indicator light does not go out after a few seconds and the
park ing brake re leased, or lights up while
you are driving, the fluid level in the brake flu id reservo ir is too low. If you be­
lieve that it is safe to do so, proceed im­
med iately at low speed to the nearest
authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop and have the bra ke system inspect­
ed.
- Always keep in m ind that afte r several
brake applicat ions, you will need g reater
pressure on the b rake peda l to stop your
vehicle. Do not re ly on strained brakes to
respond with maxim um stopping power
in critical situations . You must allow for
increased brak ing distances. The extra
distance used up by fad ing brakes could
lead to an acc ident.
~ / ! .!r Safety systems
The I (USA models)/ . (Canada mode ls) in­
d icator light monitors the safety systems e.g.
a irbags, pretensioners a nd illum inates for a
few seconds each time you switc h the ign ition
on.
If the
I (USA models)/ . (Canada models)
indicator light does not go out, or if it illumi­
nates w hile you are driv ing, or if it sta rts to
b lin k, then there is a ma lf u nction somewhere
in the system. If the light does not illuminate
when you switch on the ignition, this also
means there is a ma lfunction.
A WARNING
If you have a ma lfunction in the safety sys­
tems, contact your authorized Audi dea ler
i mmediately. Otherwise the safety sys­
tems may not work properly in an acc i­
dent.
~ Safety belt warning light
App lies to veh icles : w ith safe ty belt warni ng lig h t
The warning light is a reminder to fasten
safety belts .
The warning lig ht . comes on for a few sec­
onds after the ignition is sw itched on as a re ­
minder to fasten your safety belt .
Additional information on safety belts
r::> page 113.
D Generator '
This warning/indicator light detects a mal ­
function in the generator or in the vehicle 's
electrical system.
The . warning/indicator light i llum inates
when you switch on the ignition and must go
out after the eng ine has started.
If the . warning/indicator light illuminates
whi le you are driving, you sho uld contact your
authorized Aud i dea ler. Since the vehicle bat­
tery is discharging, you shou ld sw itch
off any
unnecessary electr ica l consumers (for exam ­
ple, the air conditioner) .
~ Engine oil pressure
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol
requires immediate service or repair .
If the . symbo l appears in the d isplay and
flashes, the o il pressure is too low . In add ition
to the symbol, the following message a lso ap­
pears in the display:
Switch off engine! Oil pre ssure is too low
.. Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
.. Shut the engine down.
.. Check the engine oil leve l¢
page 200.

-For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you do not travel with a portable
fuel container in your vehicle. The con­
tainer, full or empty may leak and could
cause a fire, especially in a crash.
- If, under exceptional circumstances, you
must transport a portable fuel container
'
please observe the following:
- Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is anywhere in or on the vehicle (for example, in the luggage compart­
ment, or on the trunk) . Static electrici­
ty can build up while filling and can ig­
nite fuel vapors causing a fire.
- Always place a portable fuel container
on the ground before filling .
-Always keep the filler nozzle complete­ ly inside the portable container before
and during filling.
- If filling a portable container made of metal, the filler nozzle must always be
in contact with the container. This will
help prevent static electricity from dis­
charging and cause a fire.
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or
luggage compartment. Fuel vapors are
highly flammable.
- Always observe local and state/provin­
cial laws regarding the use, storage
and transportation of fuel containers.
- Make certain the fuel container meets
industry standards (ANSI/ ASTM
F852-86).
(D Note
- If any fuel has spilled onto the car, it should be removed immediately to pre­
vent damage to the paint.
- If the fuel tank runs completely empty in
a vehicle with a
diesel engine, the igni­
tion must remain switched on for at least 30 seconds after refueling before
starting the engine.
It may take longer
than usual for the engine to start, even
up to a minute. This is because the air
must first bleed out of the fuel system
when starting the engine.
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 193
@) For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated nozzle
switches off automatically for the first
time, the tank is full. Do not try to add
more fuel because fuel may spill out. In
addition, the expansion space in the fuel
tank will be filled -causing the fuel to
overflow when it becomes warm and pol­
lute the environment.
(0 Tips
-Running your engine while refuelling
may cause vapors to escape or even fuel
to spill out of the tank. This would then
shut off the fuel nozzle before the tank
is full.
- Do not refuel your vehicle with the igni­
tion switched on. The fuel gauge may
otherwise not indicate the correct fuel
level after refuelling.
Unlocking the fuel filler flap by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the
power locking system should fail.
Fig. 154 Inside the luggage compartment : Openi ng
the fuel fi lier flap
by hand
.,. Open the rear lid.
.,. Remove the screwdriver from the vehicle
tool kit
¢ page 234.
.,. Use the screwdriver (vehicle tool kit) to pry
the cover off at the recess
¢ fig. 154 (D .
.,. Pull the actuator in the direction of arrow
@ to release the fuel filler flap¢
fig. 154.
.,. Open the fuel filler flap .

@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal
of brake fluid as we ll as the special tools
req uired and the necessary expert ise, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your author ized Audi dealer.
Battery
General information
All work on the battery requires technical
knowledge!
F ig . 1 64 Eng ine co mpa rtment: Batte ry w it h cover*
The battery is located in the engine compart­
ment
c::> fig. 164 and is near ly m ain te nance­
fre e.
The condition of the battery is checked in the
framework of the inspection.
Disconnecting the battery
The batte ry should not be disconnected. Some
ve hicl e functions such as power windows are
unavailable if the battery termina ls are dis­
connected. These funct ions have to be re­
l earned after the battery term inals are con­
nected aga in. To prevent this, the battery
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
electrical system if absolutely necessary .
Function
Power window
one-touch up/
down function
Master key with
remote control
Reprogramming
c::, page 45, Reactivating
the system after battery
disconnection
Synchronization
~page 38
Checkin g and fillin g 207
Reprogramming
Digita l clock c::, page 11
ESP indicator light The indicator ligh t goes
out after driving a few
meters
Vehicl es not driven for long periods and
sho rt -d is tance op eration
If you do no t drive your vehicle for several
days or weeks, electrical consumers are grad ­
u ally scaled back or switched off . This reduces
energy use and ensures the vehicle will be
able to start after long periods of time
c::, page 167. Some convenience functions
such as opening w it h the remote control key
may not be available. These conve nience func­
tions wi ll be available again once you switch
the ignit io n on and sta rt the engine. Even
whe n consume rs a re switched off, the battery
will become deeply discharged by stand -by
power consumers if the vehicle is not driven
for several months . Deep discharging results
in a chemical reaction that destroys the inside
of the battery. The battery must be charged
every month to prevent th is
c::, page 209. Do
not disconnect the battery or the anti-t heft
alarm system* will not work .
Winter operation
Cold weather places higher demands on the
battery. This results in reduced starting abili­
ty. Have the battery checked and recharged if
necessary befo re the cold weather begins.
Avoid unnecessary power consumpt ion, par­
ticularly in city traffic or when traveling only
short distances . Let your authorized Audi
dealer check the capacity of the vehicle bat­
tery before winter sets in
c::, page 209 . A well
c harged bat tery will not o nly prevent s tarti ng
problems when the weather is cold, but will
also last longer .
(D Note
-All wo rk on the batte ry requ ires techn i­
cal know le d ge. P lease con ta ct an Audi
dealership or another authorized fa cility
lill>

-When a battery is charged, it produces
hydrogen gas which is explosive and
could cause personal injury.
- Always keep the battery well out of the
reach of children.
- Before work is done on the electrical sys­
tem, disconnect the negative ground ca­
ble.
- Before performing any work on the elec­
trical system, switch off the engine and
ignition as well as any electrical equip­
ment. The negative cable on the battery
must be disconnected. If you are just go­
ing to replace a light bulb, then it is
enough to switch off the lights.
- Before disconnecting the battery, switch
off the anti-theft alarm system! Other­
wise you will set off the alarm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first
disconnect the negative cable and then
the positive cable.
- Before reconnecting the battery, make
sure all electrical consumers are switch­
ed off. Reconnect the positive cable first
and then the negative cable. Never inter­
change the cables -this could start a fire!
- Never charge a frozen or a thawed-out
battery. It could explode! If a battery has
frozen, then it must be replaced. A dis­
charged battery can freeze over at
32 °F
(0 oc).
-Mak e sure the vent hose is always attach­
ed to the opening on the side of the bat­
tery.
- Never use batteries which are damaged.
There is the danger of an explosion! Al­
ways replace a damaged battery.
_& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­ cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive problems. Wash hands after han­ dling.
Checking and filling 209
(D Note
- Do not disconnect the vehicle battery
when the ignition is switched on or when
the engine is running, otherwise, you will
damage electronic components in the
electrical system.
- When working on the engine, protect the
battery housing from ultraviolet (UV)
rays by not parking the vehicle in direct
sunlight .
- If your vehicle is going to stand for a
long period of time without being driven,
protect the battery from "freezing", oth­
erwise it will be damaged and will then
have to be replaced
~ page 209.
Charging of battery
All work on the battery requires technical knowledge!
Fig. 165 E ngine compart ment: conne ctors for a charg­
er and jump start cables
A charged battery ensures good starting per­
formance . A discharged battery can
freeze at
temperatures of only
O 0C. A frozen or thawed
battery must be replaced, as the battery
housing may be cracked due to freezing and
could therefore leak acid.
.,. Always read and heed all WARNINGS be­
low~ .&, and ~.&, in
Working on the bat­
tery on page 208.
... Switch off the ignition and all electrical con­
sumers .
.,. Make sure the area is well ventilated when
you charge the battery.
.,. Connect charger cables.
Charger cables
must always be connected POSITIVE
G to ..,.

210 Check ing and filling
POS IT IVE E] and NEGATI VE [:] to NEGATIVE
(j ump sta rt pins)[:].
.. Switch on the charger.
• Make sure the charging rate is not over
6 amps.
• Turn off the charger¢,&..
• Disconnect the charger cables.
• Connect both battery cables to the battery
i f necessary -
first plus, then minus.
The battery must not be opened!
¢ @ in Gen­
eral information on page 207 .
Chargi ng the b attery
Only use chargers with a m ax im um cha rg in g
v oltage o f
14.8 V. The battery connecting ca­
bles do not need to be disconnected. Do not
open the battery when charging.
Read all of the manufacturer's instructions for
the charger before charting the battery.
It is not necessary to remove the battery from
the engine compartment, and it is a lso not
necessary to disconnect the cables.
Normally, a battery should be charged at no
more than 10 percent of its rated capacity.
For example, a charging current of 4.5 amps
wo uld be used on a battery rated at 45 Ah.
Rated capacity of the battery in your veh icle is
listed on the battery housing .
The battery caps shou ld
not be opened when
cha rg ing a battery.
_& WARNING
Cha rging a battery can be dangerous.
- Never charge a frozen battery. It may ex­
plode because of gas trapped in the ice .
Allow a frozen battery to thaw o ut first .
- Do not reuse batteries which we re fro­
zen. They must be replaced. The battery
housing may have cracked and weakened
when the battery froze.
- Charge the battery in a we ll ventilated
area. Keep away from open f lame or elec­
trical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas generated by the battery is explosive. -
To reduce the danger of exp losion, never
connect or d isconnect charger cab les
while the charger is operating.
- Fast charging a battery is dangerous and
should only be attempted by a compe­
tent techn ic ian with the proper equip­
ment.
- Battery acid that may sp ill dur ing charg­
ing should be washed off with a solut ion
of warm water and baking soda to neu­
tralize the ac id.
{[) Note
-Make sure that the gas venting hose is
always connected to the or iginal opening
on the battery s ide. Otherwise gasses or
battery acid could leak out.
- Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine. This will seriously dam­
age sensitive electron ic components,
such as contro l units, re lays, radio, etc.,
as well as the batte ry charger.
- T he vehicle may be optionally equ ipped
w ith a gel battery, wh ich can only be
charged at a cons tant current-lim ited
voltage . To prevent damage to the bat ­
tery and the electronics system, a gel battery that is connected must under no
circumstances be charged with a quick
charger.
{!) Tips
- The vehicle battery must not be charged
with a standard small charger that pl ugs
into the outlet.
- Only charge the battery through the con­
nections in the engine compartment.
Battery replacement
The new battery must hove the some specifi­
cations as the old one.
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle is responsible for distributing the electri­
ca l energy throughout your vehicle
¢
page 167. The intelligent energy manage-
ment system will keep the engine battery .,..

Index 265 ____________________________ ...:.:..:.=.:::.::.:
AUTO
Climate controls .. ..... ... .. .. .. .... 81
Sw itching on .... ........ ... .. .. .. .. 81
When should I use AUTO? ............ 81
Automatic air recircu lation ............ 82
Automatic belt retractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Automatic car wash
refer to Washing .................. 179
Automatic t ransmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
D riving Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Emergency program ... ... .. .. .. .. . 10 1
Emergency release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Ignition key safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Kick-down .. ... .......... .. .. .. ... 101
Launch Contro l Program ..... .. .. .. . 101
Selector lever lock .................. 97
Selector lever pos it ions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Tiptroni c con trols on the steering
wheel . .. .. .... ............. .. .. . 100
Automatic Transmission
Automatic T ransm ission ....... .. .. .. 99
Auto Safety Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Average fue l m ileage ................. 26
Average speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Avoid damaging the vehicle . ... .. .. .. . 17 1
B
Battery . .. .. ................. .. .. . 20 7
charging ... .. .... .... ... .. .. .. ... 209
Disconnecting and connecting . ... .. . 207
Important warn ings when working on
the battery . ............. .... .. ... 208
Low . .... .. .. .. ........... ....... 167
Replacing the batte ry ...... ... .. .. . 210
State of charge .................... 167
W inte r operation .......... ...... .. 207
Wo rking on t he battery ............. 208
Battery voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
B efore driving . .. .. ..... ... .. .. .. ... 103
B lended gasoline . .......... ...... .. 189
Body cavity sealing .................. 183
B ooste r seats .. ........... .. .. .. ... 1 51
Brake assistant ............. ...... .. 165
Brake booster .... .. .... ... .. .. .. ... 164 Brake fluid
Changing the bra ke fluid ..... ... .. .. 206
Check ing the brake fluid level . ... .. .. 206
Reservoir . .. .. .. ................. 206
What is the correct brake fluid level? .. 206
What should I do if the brake fluid warn-
ing light comes on? .. .. .. ..... ... .. 206
Brake pads . ... .. .. .. .. .. ...... ... .. 169
B rake system ....................... 206
An ti-l ock b rake syste m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
B rake fluid .. .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 206
Brake fluid specifications for refill and re-
placement .. .... ... .. .. ..... ... .. 206
Brake light defective ................ 21
General information ............... 163
How does moistu re or road salt affect the
brakes? .......... ................ 163
Malfunction ..... .. ................ 15
Wa rning/ind icator lights ........ .. .. . 15
Wor n bra ke pads s ymbol ............ . 19
Break-in per iod .. .. .... ....... ...... 169
B rake pads ....................... 169
T ires 169
Bul bs ............................. 246
C
California Proposition 65 Warning ... .. 195
Battery specific . ... .. ...... ... .. .. 209
Capaci ties ......................... 257
Car care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Plastic and vinyl .. .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 181
Care of exterior .. ...... ............. 178
Cargo a rea
refer to L oading the l uggage compa rt-
ment ... .. .. .. .... . ... ...... ... .. 109
Cargo net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Cata lytic converter .............. .... 170
Center armres t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Cent igrade
Switching between Centig rade and Fah-
renhe it . ..... ...... ....... ........ 83
Central locking
panoramic sliding sunroof closing .. .. . 46
Certif ication .. .... ... .. .. ..... ... .. 262
Chang ing a flat t ire ... . .. .. ..... ... .. 236
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