2015 AUDI A3 CABRIOLET oil

192 Smart Technology
the brakes. If you need to brake addition­
ally, brake in intervals and not continu­
ously.
(D Tips
- If the brake booster is not working, you
must press the brake pedal with much
more force then norma l.
- If you retrofit your vehicle with a front
spoiler, wheel covers or similar items,
make sure that the air flow to the front
wheels is not interrupted. Otherwise the
brake system can become too hot.
Electromechanical
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements .
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
The vehicle still has full steering functionality if the power steering fai ls or when the engine
is stopped (towing). To steer, you must apply
much more force than usual.
Indicator lights and messages
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defective
If this indicator light turns on and stays on
and this message appears, the power steering may have failed.
Do
not continue driving. See an authorized
Audi dea ler or authorized Audi Service Facility
for assistance.
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defective
There is a malfunct ion in the electron ic steer­
ing lock. You cannot turn the ign ition on.
Do
not tow your vehicle because it cannot be
steered. See an authorized Aud i dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Serv ice Facility for ass istance.
'I j Steering malfunction: you can continue
driving
If the indicator light turns on, the steering
wheel may be more difficult to move or more sensitive than usual.
The stee ring wheel may
also be at an angle when driving straight.
Drive slowly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified wo rkshop to have the malf u nct ion
corrected.
II Steering lock : system fault! Please con­
tact Service
There is a malfunction in the electronic steer­
ing lock .
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING ,___
Have the system malfunction corrected as
soon as possible by an authorized Aud i
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility,
as this increases the risk o f an accident.
@ Tips
If the . or ,~ n ind icator light only stays
on for a short tim e, you may continue dr iv­
in g.
All wheel drive
(quattro)
Applies to vehicles: with all wheel drive
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are pow­
ered.
General information
In all whee l drive, the driving power is divided
between a ll four wheels . This happens auto­
matically depending on your driving behavior
as well as the current road conditions. Refer
to
¢ page 188, Electronic stabilization con­
trol (£SC) .
The all wheel drive concept is designed for
high engine power. Your vehicle is exception­
ally powerful and has excellent driving charac­
teristics both under normal driving cond itions
and on snow and ice . Always read and follow
safety p recaut ions
Q ,& . .,.

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Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than wa lking speed.
A WARNING
After driving through water or mud, the
braking effect can be reduced due to mois­
ture on the brake discs and brake pads. A
few careful brake applications should dry off the brakes.
([) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical sys­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
- Determ ine the depth before driving
through water.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
through water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water (corro­
s ion).
Catalytic converter
App lies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
It is very important that your emission con­
trol system (catalytic converter) is function­
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run­
ning in an environmentally sound manner.
.,. Always use lead-free gaso line¢ page 210,
Fuel supply .
.,. Never run the tank down all the way to emp-
ty .
Dri ving and the en vironm ent 197
.,. Never put too much motor oi l in your engine
¢ page 218, Adding engine oil 't:::r..
.,. Never try to push- or tow -start your vehicle.
T he catalytic converter is an efficient "clean ­
up" device bui lt into the exhaust system of
the vehicle . The cata lytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be­
fore they are released into the atmosphere .
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically important for the life of the catalytic convert­
er and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
The temperature of the exhaust system is h igh, both when driv ing and after stopping
the eng ine.
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once
they have become hot. This could result
in burns.
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fue l spill or other material wh ich can
cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustp roofing o n or nea r the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalyti c con­
verter or heat shields . Dur ing driving, the
substance used for undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
([) Note
-Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel w ill already ser iously de ­
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter .
- Do not exceed the cor rect engine oil level
~page 218.
-Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
completely empty . The engine cou ld mis ­
fire . Unburned fuel could also get into
the exhaust system and th is cou ld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not switch off the ignition while the
vehicle is moving.
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel ..,_ •
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than the posted speed limit and weather con­
ditions permit. Reducing unnecessary idling
Even wh en your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
.,. Shu t the engine off when you a re not dr iv ing
the vehi cle.
... Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at idle.
It is effic ient to switch off the eng ine when
stopped at railroad crossings and long red
lights. Turning the engine
off for just 30-40
seconds saves more fu el than is burned by
starting the engine again.
It takes a long time fo r the engine to wa rm up
fu lly when it is running at idle. However , wear
and noxious emissions are especially high
when the engine is wa rming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the eng ine and
avoid running at h igh RPM while the engine is
still warm ing up.
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter starting. If warning lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they
wou ld go unheeded. Extended idling also
p roduces heat, which cou ld result in over­
heating or other damage to the vehicle or
other prope rty .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
.,. Have your vehicle serv iced at regular inter-
vals.
H aving your vehicle regularly serviced by an
author ized Audi dealer helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically . T he condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and
ab ility to hold its value, it also affects fuel
c onsum ption.
Dri ving and the en vironm ent 199
Chec k your oil e ach t ime you fill your tank.
T he amou nt of oi l used is re lated to engine
load a nd 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 veh icle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l consumption and en­
gine output .
(D Note
- Have your veh icle ma inta ined properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Ma in­
tenance booklet . Lack of proper mainte­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
em iss ion cont ro l system and cou ld lead
t o damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacture r.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as hea t shie lds, switches, ign ition w ires,
valves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other important vehicle compo­
nents.
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips.
... Try to avoid dr iving sho rt distances with a
cold engine .
T he eng ine and catalytic conve rter have to
reach their optimal operati ng t emperature to
reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis­
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a co ld eng ine in a mid-s ize
ca r only achieves a fuel economy of 6 -8 mi les
per gallon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a
half a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg ..,.
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Care and cleanin g 205
& WARNING
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition
is off and follow the instructions from
the car wash operato r to reduce the risk
of accidents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect your­
self from sharp metal components when
wash ing the underbody or the inside of
the whee l housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking ef­
fect may be delayed due to mo isture on
the brake rotors or ice in the winter . The
brakes must be dried first with a few
careful brake applicat io ns.
{[) Note
- If you wash th e vehicle in an automatic
ca r wash, yo u m ust fold the exterior m ir­
ro rs in to reduce the r isk of damage to
the mirrors . Power foldi ng exterior m ir­
r o rs* must o nly be folded in and out us­
i ng the power folding function.
- To prevent pa int damage, do not wash
th e veh icle in direc t sun ligh t. -
To reduce the r is k of damage, do no t
wash the powe r top with a pressure
washer.
- To reduce the r is k of damage to the sur­
face, do not use i nsect removing spong­
es, kitchen sponges or similar items.
- Matte finish painted vehicle compo­
nents:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the
surfac e, do not use polishi ng agents or
ha rd wax.
- Neve r use prot ective wax. It can de­
stroy the matte fin is h effect.
- Do not place any stickers o r magnet ic
signs on vehicle parts painted w it h
ma tte fi nish pa in t. The pa int cou ld be
da maged whe n the stickers o r m ag nets
ar e removed.
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash t he ve hicl e in facili ties spe cially
d es igned for th at p urpose . Th is will re duce
the r is k of d irty wate r contam ina ted with
oil from entering t he sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When clea ning and caring for individua l vehi­
cle components, refe r to the fo llow ing tab les .
The informa tion contained there is s imp ly rec­
ommendations. Fo r quest ions or for compo -n
ents that are not listed , refer to an author­
i z ed Audi dea ler. Also follow the info rma tion
fo und in ~ &, .
Exterior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Wind shield wip-
Deposits ¢ page 54, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
er bl ade s
Headlights /
Deposits Soft sponge with a m ild soap solution3>
Tail lights
Sensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth w ith a so lvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol-free cleaning
so lution
Snow/ ice Hand brush/so
lve nt-free de -icing spray
Wheels Road sa lt Water
Brake dust Acid
-free special cleaning so lu tion
E x haust tail Road sa lt Water, cleaning solut ion suitable for stainless steel, if
pipes necessary •
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Care and cleanin g 207
Component Situ ation Solution
D ispl ays
Deposits Soft clotlh with LCD cleaner
Controls Deposits Soft brush, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solutiona>
Sa fet y bel ts Deposits Mild soap solution a>, allow to dry before letting them
retract
Te xtil es, Deposits adher ing to Vacuum cleaner
a rtificial l eather, the surface
Alc ant ara Water-based depos- Absorbernt cloth and mild soap solutional
its such as coffee,
tea, blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Apply a mild soap solution al, blot away the disso lved oil
such as oil, make- or dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
up, etc.
Special depos its Spec
ial stain remover, b lot with absorbent material,
such as ink, nail po l- t reat afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary a)
ish, latex paint, shoe
polish, etc.
Natur al le ather Fresh stains Wool cloth with a m
ild soap solutional
Water-based depos- Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
its such as coffee, Dried stains: stain remover suitable for leather
tea, blood, etc.
Oi l-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
such as oil, make- for leather
up, etc. dried stains: Oil cleaning spray
Special deposits Spot remover suitable for leather
such as ink, nail po l-
ish, latex paint, shoe
polish, etc.
Care Regularly apply condit ioning cream that protects from
l ight and penetrates into the mater ial. Use specially-
colored conditioning cream, if necessary .
Car bon part s Deposits clean the same way as plastic parts
al Mild soap solut ion : max imum two tablespoons neutral soap in a liter of water
A WARNING
The windshield may not be treated with
water-repelling windsh ie ld coating agents.
Unfavorab le conditions such as wetness,
da rkness, or low sun can result in in­
creased glare. W iper blade chatter is a lso
possible.
- Headlight s/tail light s
-
-Never clean headlights or tail lights
with a dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that
contains alcohol, because they could
cause cracks to form.
-Wheels
- Neve r use any pa int polish or other
abrasive mater ials.
- Damage to the protective layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratches
must be repa ired immediately .
-Se nsor s/camera l ense s
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fan belt or other moving components or do not come into contact w ith hot
components. T ie back long hair before
beginning work and do not wear cloth­ ing that can hang down into the en­
g ine .
- Limit your exposure to exhaust and
chemicals to as short a time as poss ible
c::;, &. .
& WARNING
California P ropos ition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain veh icle components conta in
o r emit chemicals known to the State of
Californ ia to cause cancer and b irth de ­
fec ts and reproduct ive harm . In addition,
certain fluids conta ined in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­ pounds , chemicals known to the State of
Californ ia to cause cancer a nd reproduc ­
t ive harms . Wash hands after handling .
(D Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to m ix the
fluids up. Othe rwise severe malfunctions
and e ng ine damage will occur .
@ For the sake of the environment
You should regularly check the ground un­
der your vehicle in orde r to detect leaks
quickly . If there are visible spots from oil
or other fluids, b ring your veh icle to an au­
thori zed Audi dealer or qualified repair fa­
cility to be checked .
Checking and Fillin g 215
Opening the hood
The hood is released from the interior .
Fig. 163 Se ct io n fro m t he dr iver 's footwell : release Lev ·
er
Fi g. 1 64 Rocke r sw it ch under t he hood
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up
from the windshield. Otherwise the paint could be damaged .
... With the drive r's door open, pull the lever
be low the instrument panel in the direction
of the arrow
¢ fig. 163.
.,. Raise the hood slightly c::;, ,A .
.,. Press the lever under the hood upward
¢ fig . 164 . This releases the catch .
.,. Open the hood .
& WARNING
Never open the hood whe n you see that
steam or coo lant drips from the engine
compartment -there is a danger of b urns!
Wait unti l no steam or coolant flows o ut.
- Never open the hood when you see that
steam or coolant dr ips from the engine
compartment- there is a danger of burns! Wait until no steam or coo lant
flows out.
-

216 Checking and Filling
Closing the hood
,. Push the hood down until the force of the
strut is overcome.
,. Then lower the hood and let it fall into the
engine hood latch -you do
not have to press
on the hood after it is locked.~
A-
_& WARNING
If the hood is not latched completely, it
could fly up while you are driving and ob­
struct your vision .
Gasoline engine compartment overview
The most important check points.
-
-For safety reasons , the hood must a lways
be closed secure ly while driving. Because
of this, always check the hood after clos­
ing it to make sure it is latched correctly.
When latched correctly , the hood will be
f lush w ith the other body panels.
- If you notice that the hood is not latched
while you are dr iving, stop immediately
and close it, because this increases the
risk of an acciden t.
Fig. 165 Typica l locat ion of the reservoir, engine o il dipst ick, and engine o il filler open ing
@ Coolant expansion tank (- L) .. . 221 The engine oi l filler opening and the dipstick
@ Engine oil dipstick .......
... .
218 (items @ and @) c> fig. 165 may be located in
® Eng ine oil filler opening ('e::r.) 218 a different area depending on engine version.
© Brake fluid reservoir ((0) .. .. . 222 A WARNING
® Battery(+) under a cover .. .. . 224
® Body ground point(-) Read
and following the WARNINGS before
checking anything in the engine compart-
(J) Washer f luid reservoir (0) ... . 227 ment c> page 214.
® Fuse housing .......... .... . 269

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Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact
specifications .
The service interval display in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle w ill inform you when it
is t ime for an oil change. We recommend that
you have your o il changed by an author ized
Aud i Service Advisor .
If you have to top off the oil between oil
changes, use the Aud i oil quality standard
specified in the table .
Audi oil quality standard
G asoline
VW 502 00 or
e ngin e vw 504 00
Using the proper engine o il is important for
the functionality and service life of the en­
g ine . Your engine was factory-filled with a
hi gh-quality oil which can usua lly be used
throughout the enti re yea r.
(D Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does
not cover damage or ma lfun ctions due to
fa ilure to fo llow recommended ma in te­
nance and use requ irements as set forth in
the Audi Owner's Manua l and Warranty
&
Maintenance book let.
- U se only a high q uality eng ine oi l that ex ­
pressly comp lies with the Audi oil quality
standard specified for your vehicle's en­
gine. Using any other oil can cause seri­
ous engine damage.
- Do not mix any l ubricants or other addi­
tives into the eng ine oi l. Doing so can
cause eng ine damage.
(D Tips
I f you need to add oi l and there is none
availab le that meets the Audi oil quality
standard your engine requires, you may
add a total of no more than 0.5 quart/liter
of a high-quality "synthetic"oil that meets
t he follow ing specifica tions.
Checking and Fillin g 217
-Veh icles with gasoline engine : ACEA A3
or AP! SM with a viscosity grade of
SAE O W-30, SAE 5W -30 or SAE SW-40 .
- For more information about engine o il
that has been approved for yo ur vehicle,
please contact either your authorized
Audi dealer or Aud i Customer Relations
at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site
at www .audiusa.com or
www.a udicanada.ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all
of its moving parts .
In order to provide effective lubrication and
cooling of interna l eng ine components, all in ­
te rnal combust io n engines consume a certa in
amount of oil. Oil consumpt ion va rie s from
engine to engine and may change sign ifi can tly
ove r th e life of the engine. Typically, engines
wi th a spec ified break -in pe riod (see
¢ page 196) consume more oil during the
break-in pe riod than they cons ume after oi l
consumption has stabilized.
U nder normal cond itions, the rate o f oi l con ­
s u mption depen ds on the q ual ity and viscos ity
of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient
temperature and road conditions. Further fac­
tors are the amount of oil dilut ion from water
condensa tion or fuel residue a nd the oxida­
tion level of the oil. As any engine is subject to
wea r as m ileage builds up, the oil consump­
t ion may incre ase over time until replacement
of wo rn components may be come necessary.
With a ll these va riab les coming into p lay, no
standard rate of oil consumpt io n can be es ­
tabl is h ed or spec ified. There is no alte rn ative
to regul ar and frequent che cking of the o il lev ­
el , see
Note.
If the yellow engine o il leve l warning sy mbo l
Ill in the ins trument cl uste r lights up, you
sho uld check the oil leve l as soon as possib le
¢ page 2 18 . Top off the oil at your earliest
convenience
¢ page 218 . ll-
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