2015 AUDI A3 CABRIOLET steering

50 Lights an d Vi sion
Audi adapt ive light *
The adaptive light on ly functions when the
light switch is in the AU TO position. You can
deactivate adaptive light in the MMI
r::!.> poge
51 .
When switched on, adapt ive light adjusts to
curves depending on the vehicle speed and
steering wheel ang le . This provides better
lighting throug h the curve . The system oper ­
ates in a speed r ange from approximately
6 mph (10 km/h) to 68 mph (110 km/h).
Static co rnering light* (vehicles with adaptive
light) -the corn ering light switches on auto­
matica lly when the steering wheel is turned at
a certa in angle at speeds up to approximately
44 mph (70 km/h) and when the turn signal is
activated at speeds up to approximately
25 mph (40 km/h). The area to the s ide of the
vehicle is il luminated better when turning .
Speed dependent light distr ibution* -The
speed dependent light distribution adapts the
light in towns and on highways or express­
ways. Intersect ions can also be ill uminated on
ve hicl es w ith a navigation system *.
Highwa y light funct ion *
(Vehicles with adaptive light or L ED head ­
lights) -This function adapts the light ing for
h ighway driving based on vehicle speed .
_&. WARNING
-Automati c headlights* are only intended
to assist the dr iver . T hey do not re lieve
the drive r of responsibility to check the
head lights and to turn them on man ually
according to the current light and visibili­
ty conditions. For examp le, fog cannot
be detected by the light sensors. So al­
ways switch on the low beam under
these weather conditions and when driv­ ing in the dark
fD.
- Acc idents could occur if you cannot see
the road ahead of you well and if others
on the road cannot see you . A lways
swit ch you r headlights o n so that yo u can see the road ahead of you and others can
see your vehicle from beh
ind.
- Please observe legal regulations when
using the lighting systems described.
(D Note
The rear fog lights shou ld only be turned
on in accordance with t raffic regu lations,
to prevent glare for traffic behind your ve­ hicle.
(D Tips
- The light sensor for the automatic head ­
lights * is in the rea rview mir ror mount.
Therefore, do not place any stickers in
this area o n the windshield .
- Some functions of the exterior lighting
can be adjusted
c> page 51.
-If you tu rn off the ignition whi le the ex­
terior lights are on and open the door,
you will hear a warning tone.
- The tail lights do not sw itch on when the
daytime r unning lights switch on.
- In cool or damp weather, the inside of
the headlights, turn signals and tail
lights can fog over due to the tempera­
ture difference between the inside and
outside. They w ill clear shortly after
switching them on . This does not affect
the serv ice life of the lighting.
- A message w ill appea r in the i nstrument
cluster if there is a malfunction in the
light senso r
r::!.> page 24.
Emergency flasher
Fig . 4 3 Ins trume nt panel: e mergency f las her button
N
I

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Seats and storage
General information
Important information
A WARNING
Refer to the chapter Driving Safely
¢ page 126, Driving safety for important
information, tips, suggestions and warn­
ings that you should read and follow for
your own safety and the safety of your pas­ sengers.
The safety belts and the airbag system con
only provide maximum protection if the front
seats ore correctly adjusted.
There are various ways of adjusting the front
seats to provide safe and comfortable support
for the driver and the front passenger. Adjust
your seat properly so that :
- you can easily and quick ly reach all the
switches and controls in the instrument
panel
- your body is properly supported thus reduc­
ing physical stress and fatigue
- the safety be lts and airbag system can offer
maximum protection
¢ page 146.
In the following sections, you will see exactly
how you can best adjust your seats .
There are special regulations and instructions
for installing a child seat on the front pas­
senger's seat. Always follow the information
regarding chi ld safety provided in
¢ page 169, Child Safety.
A WARNING
Incorrect seating position of the driver and
all other passengers can result in serious
personal injury.
- Always keep your feet on the floor when
the vehicle is in motion -never put your
feet on top of the instrument panel, out
of the window or on top of the seat cush­ ion. This applies especially to the passen-
Seats and storage 59
gers. If your seating position is incorrect,
you increase the risk of injury in the case
of sudden braking or an accident. If the
airbag inflates and the seating position is incorrect, this could result in pe rsonal
injury or even death.
- It is important for both the driver and
front passenger to keep a distance of at
least 10 inches (25 cm) between them­
selves and the steering wheel and/or in­
strument panel. If you're sitting any
closer than this, the airbag system can­
not protect you properly. In addition, the
front seats and head restraints must be
adjusted to your body height so that they
can give you maximum protect ion.
- Always try to keep as much distance as
possible between yourself and the steer­
ing wheel or instrument panel.
- Do not adjust the driver's or front pas­
senger's seat whi le the vehicle is moving.
Your seat may move unexpectedly, caus­
ing sudden loss of veh icle control and
personal injury. If you adjust your seat
while the veh icle is moving, you are out
of posit ion.
Driver's seat
The correct seat position is important for safe
and relaxed driving .
We recommend that you adjust the dr iver's
seat in the follow ing manner:
"" Adjust the seat in fore and aft direction so
that you can easily push the pedals to the
floor wh ile keeping your knees slightly bent
¢ &, on page 59.
"" Adjust the backrest so that when you sit
w ith your back against the backrest, you can
still hold the top of the steering wheel.
""For adjustab le head restra ints: adjust the
head restraint so the uppe r edge is as even
as possible with the top of your head. If that
is not possible , try to adjust the head re­
straint so that it is as close to this position ..,_
•

76 Driving
Driving
Steering
Adjusting the steering wheel position
The steering wheel position is fully adjustable
up and down and forward and bock .
Fig. 78 Steering column: stee ring column adjustmen t
lever
.. Tilt the lever ¢ fig. 78 downward ¢ &_.
.. Bring the steering wheel into the desired
position .
.. Push the lever against the steering column
until it latches .
_& WARNING
Incorrect use of the steer ing whee l adjust­
ment and an incorrect seating position can
cause serious injuries.
- Only adjust the steering column when
the vehicle is stationary so that you do
not Lose control of the vehicle.
- Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel
so that there is at least 10 inches
(25 cm) distance between your chest and
the steering wheel
r=.> page 12 7,
fig. 123. If you do not maintain this dis­
tance, the airbag system will not be able
to provide its full protection
<=> page 127, fig. 123.
- If your physical characteristics prevent
you from sitting at least 10 inches
(25 cm) or more away from the steering
wheel, see if your authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac ility can
provide adapters that will help.
- If your face is level with the steering
wheel, the airbag does not provide as much protection during a collision. Al­
ways make sure that the steering wheel
is level with your chest .
- Always hold the steering wheel with your
hands in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
tions to reduce the risk of injury if the
airbag deploys.
- Never hold the steering wheel in the 12
o'clock position or with both hands on
the rim or the center of the steering
wheel. Holding the steering wheel incor­
rectly significantly increases the r isk of
injury to the hands, arms and head if the
airbag deploys.
Starting and stopping
the engine (vehicles
with an ignition lock)
Starting the engine with the key
Applies to vehicles: wit h mechanical ignition loc k
The ignition is switched on and the engine
started with the key in the ignition.
Fig. 79 Ignit ion key positions
Steering lock
If the steering wheel will not turn, the steer­
ing lock is engaged.
To engage the steering wheel Lock: The selec­
tor lever must be in the P position.
"' To engage the steering wheel lock, turn the
wheel until it locks when the ignition key is
removed .
"' To release the steering wheel Lock, insert
the key in the ignition lock and turn the key
in the -direction of the arrow-whi le turning
the steering wheel. ""

M N ,....
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Switchin g th e ig nition on /off
"'T o sw itch the ignition on, turn the ignition
key to position
(D .
"'To switch the ignition off, turn the ignition
key to position @.
Starting the engin e
Your vehicle is equipped w ith launch cont ro l.
As soon as you have turned the ign ition key to
position @, the engine will start automatical ­
l y.
"' Press the brake peda l and move the se lector
lever to the P or N pos it ion.
"'T urn the key briefly to position @. The igni ­
t ion key automatically r eturns to posit ion
(D . Do not press the accelerator pedal wh en
doing this .
Major electrical equipment switches off tem­
porarily when starting the eng ine.
If the engine does not sta rt immedia tely , stop
the starting procedure by turning the ignition key to position @and repeat after 30 sec­
onds .
Automatic start m alfunction
If the ~ indicator l ight turns on (gasoline en­
g ine) and the message
Engin e start sys te m
m alfu nction. Ple ase contac t Se rvice
appears ,
there is an automatic start ma lfunction.
To start t he eng ine, hold the ignition key in
position @until the engine runs .
Drive to an authorized Aud i dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility immed iate ly to have
the ma lfunction corrected .
_& WARNING
-Never allow the engine to run in confined
spaces -there is a risk o f asphyxiation.
- Never remove the ign ition key from the
ignition lock whi le the vehicle is moving .
Otherw ise the steering lock wi ll engage
and you will not be able to steer the vehi­
cle.
- Please note that the brake booster and
power steering only work when the en-
Dri vin g 77
gine is running. When the engine off, you
must use more force to steer or brake
the vehicle. Because the usual steering
and brak ing capability is not avai lab le,
the risk of accidents or injur ies increases.
- Always take the vehicle key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even for a
short period of time. This applies part ic­
ularly when children remain in the veh i­
cle. Otherwise the ch ild ren could start
the engine or operate electrical equip­
men t such as power w indows.
(D Note
- Avo id h igh engine speed, full throttle,
and heavy eng ine load as long as the en­
gine has no t reached operat ing tempera­
t u re yet . You could damage the engine.
- T he engine cannot be started by pushi ng
or towing.
(® For the sake of the environment
Do not let the eng ine run w hile pa rked to
warm u p. Begin driv ing immediately . T his
r educes unne cessary emissions.
(D Tips
- If it is d iff icult to turn the key to position
(D , turn the steering wheel back and
forth slightly to release the s teer ing
wheel lock .
- After s tarting a cold engine, there may
be a brief period of inc reased no ise be­
cause the oil press ure must first bui ld up
in the hydraulic va lve adj usters . This is
normal and not a cause for concern.
- If the battery is disconnected and recon­
nected, you have to hold the ignition key
in posit ion
(D for five seconds for the en­
gine to start.
- After sw itching the ignition off, you can
only remove the key when the selector
lever is in the "P" (Park) position. After
that, the selector lever is locked.
•

78 Driving
Stopping the engine with the key
A pplies to vehicles: with mechanical ignit ion lock
Stopp ing the engine
> Bring the vehicle to a ful l stop .
> Turn the key to position @.
Rele asing the steering lock
Requirement : The selector lever must be in
the P pos ition .
> Remove the ignit ion key in position @
Q page 78, fig. 80 Q _&.
> Turn the steering wheel until you hear the
stee ring wheel lock.
The locked steering helps prevent vehicle
theft.
A WARNING
- Never turn off the eng ine before the ve­
hicle has come to a complete stop . The
full function of the brake booster and the powe r steering is not guaranteed. You
must use more fo rce to turn or brake, if
necessary. Because you cannot steer and
brake as you usually would, this could
lead to acc idents and se rious injuries.
- Never remove the ign ition key from the
ign ition lock whi le the vehicle is movi ng .
Otherwise, the steering lock co uld sud­
denly engage and you would not be able
to steer the vehicle.
- Please note that the brake booster and
power steering only work when the en­
gine is runn ing. When the engine off, you
must use more force to steer or brake
the vehicle. Because t he usual steering
and braking capability is not available,
the risk of accidents or injuries increases .
- Always take the vehicle key with you
when leaving the veh icle, even for a
short per iod of time. This applies partic­
ularly when chi ldren remain in the vehi­
cle. Otherwise the children could start
the engine or operate electrical equip ­
ment such as power windows .
- For safety reasons, always park the vehi­
cle with the selector lever in the P posi- tion. Otherwise, there is the risk t
hat the
veh icle could roll.
- After the engine has been switched off,
the radiator fan can continue to run for
up to 10 minutes -even with the ignition
sw itched off. It can also sw itch on again
after some t ime if the coolant tempera­
ture rises as a resu lt of heat buildup or if
the engine compartment is heated by
sunlight and the engine is hot.
(D Note
- If the engine has been under heavy load
for an extended per iod of t i me, heat
builds up in the engine compartment af­
ter the engine is switched off - there is a
r isk of damaging the engine . For this
reason, let the engine r un for at id le for
approximately two minutes before shut ­
ting it off .
Starting and stopping
the engine (vehicles
with a convenience key)
St t· th · ith the
button
Appl ies to vehicles: wit h co nvenience key
The !START E NGIN E STOPI button switches
the ignition on and starts the engine .
Fig. 80 Center conso le: STAR T ENGIN E STOP bu tton
(w ith co nvenie nce key)
You can start your car without using your con­
venience key. You must s imply be carrying the
key with you. .,._

M N ,....
> co ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
Switchin g th e ig nition on /off
If the> ,:r- u indicator l ight blinks and the mes­
sage
Ple ase move s teering wheel appea rs
when switching the ignition on, the steering is locked by th e steering lock. In this case, turn
the steering wheel slight ly to the left/ right.
.. To switch the ignition on or
off, press the
I S TAR T ENG INE S T OPI button. Do not press
the brake pedal whil e doing this .
Starting the engin e
Your vehicle is equipped with launch cont ro l.
The engine starts automa tically when you
press the
I S T AR T ENG INE S T OP I button brief­
l y.
.. Press the brake peda l and move the se lector
lever to the P or N pos ition .
.. Press the
I STAR T ENGINE STOP I button
briefly . The eng ine will star t.
Majo r electrical equ ipment switches
off tem ­
porarily when starting the eng ine .
I f the engine does not start immediately , stop
the starting procedu re by push ing the
I S TAR T ENGINE ST OP ! button again and re ­
peat after 30 seconds .
Automatic start m alfunction
If the Ila indicator l ight turns on (gasoline en­
g ine) when you start the engine, there is an
automatic sta rt malfunction .
To start the eng ine, press and hold the
!STAR T ENGIN E STOP ! button until the eng ine
runs.
Drive to an authorized Aud i dealer or author­
i z ed Audi Service Fac ility immed iately to have
the malfunction corrected .
A WARNING
-Never allow the engine to ru n in confined
spaces -there is a r isk of asphyxiation.
- Always take the veh icle key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even for a
short per iod of t ime . This applies partic ­
ularly when chi ldren remain in the vehi­
cle . Otherwise the children could start
Dri vin g 79
the engine or operate electrical equip­
ment such as power w indows.
- Please note that the brake booster and
power steering only work when the en­
gine is running. When the engine
off, you
must use more force to steer or brake
the vehicle . Because the usual steer ing
and brak ing capability is not avai lable,
the risk of accidents or injur ies increases .
(D Note
-Avo id h igh engine speed, full throttle,
and heavy eng ine load as long as the en ­
gine has not reached operat ing tempera­
ture yet. You could damage the engine .
- The engine cannot be started by pushing
or towing .
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not let the eng ine run wh ile parked to
warm up . Begin dr iv ing immediately . Th is
reduces unnecessary emissions .
(D Tips
-After starting a cold engine, there may
be a brief period of increased no ise be ­
cause the oil press ure must f irst bu ild up
in the hydraulic va lve ad justers. This is
normal and not a cause for concern.
- If the . indicator light blinks in the in­
st rument cluste r before switching the ig­
nition
off, the ignit ion wi ll not switch on
again .
qpoge 192
- If you leave your vehi cle wit h the ignition
switched on, the ign it ion w ill switch
off
after a certain amount of time . Make
sure that electrical equipment such as
the exterior lights are switched
off .
T · th · ff using the
button
App lies to vehicles: wit h convenience key
.. Bring the veh icle to a full stop .
.. Move the se lector lever into the P posit ion .
.. Press the
I STA RT E NGINE ST OP ! button
q page 78, fig. 80. ..,.
•

80 Driving
Steering lock1
)
The steering locks when you turn the engine
off using the
I START ENGINE STOPI* button,
move the selector lever into the P position
and open the driver's door.
The locked steering helps prevent vehicle
theft.
Emergency off function
If it is absolutely necessary, the engine can al­
so be turned off while driving at speeds lower
than 6 mph (10 km/h).
If you press the
I START ENGINE STOPI* button while driving,
the message
Pressing start/stop button
again will switch off engine!
appears. To
switch the engine off, press the
I STAR T ENGINE STO PI* button twice in a row
briefly or press and hold for longer than two
seconds.
A WARNING
- Never turn off the engine before the ve­
hicle has come to a complete stop. The
full function of the brake booster and the power steering is not guaranteed. You
must use more force to turn or brake, if
necessary. Because you cannot steer and
brake as you usually would, this could
lead to accidents and serious injuries .
- Please note that the brake booster and
power steering only work when the en­
gine is running. When the engine off, you
must use more force to steer or brake
the vehicle. Because the usual steering and braking capability is not available,
the risk of accidents or injuries increases.
- Always take the vehicle key with you when leaving the vehicle, even for a
short period of time. This applies partic­ ularly when children remain in the vehi­
cle. Otherwise the children could start
the engine or operate electrical equip­
ment such as power windows.
- For safety reasons, always park the vehi­
cle with the selector lever in the P posi-
ll This function is not available in all cou ntr ies.
tion. Otherwise, there is the risk that the
vehicle could roll.
- After the engine has been switched off,
the radiator fan can continue to run for
up to 10 minutes - even with the ignition
switched off. It can also switch on again
after some time if the coolant tempera­
ture rises as a result of heat buildup or if
the engine compartment is heated by sunlight and the engine is hot.
(D Note
If the engine has been under heavy load
for an extended period of time, heat builds
up in the engine compartment after the
engine is switched off - there is a risk of
damaging the engine. For this reason, let
the engine run for at idle for approximate­
ly two minutes before shutting it off.
Starting the engine if there is a
malfunction
Applies to vehicles: with convenience key
It may not be possible to start the engine un­
der certain circumstances, for example if the
battery in the vehicle key is drained, if inter­
ference is affected the key or if there is a sys­
tem malfunction.
Fig. 81 Steer ing colum n/remote control key : start ing
the e ngine
if t h ere is a malfu nction
As long as the message y>l) Key not recog­
nized. See owners manual
appears, you can
sta rt your vehicle using the emergency start
function . .,.

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-Occasiona l noises when the parking
brake is set and re leased are norma l and
are not a ca use for concern .
- When the vehicle is parked, the parking
brake goes through a se lf-test cycle at
regular intervals. Any noises associated
with th is are normal.
- If there is a power failure, the parking
brake will not set if it is released, and it
will not release if it is set c::>
,&. See an
authorized Audi dea ler or authorized
Audi Service Facility for assistance .
Parking
"'Press the bra ke peda l to stop the vehicle.
"' Pull the switch@c::>
page 82, fig. 82 to set
t h e parking bra ke.
"' Place the selector lever in the P position .
"'T urn the eng ine
off c::> _& .
"'Turn the steering whee l when parking on in­
clines so that the whee ls will ro ll into the
curb if the vehicle starts moving.
A WARNING
-Always take the vehicle key with you when leaving the veh icle, even for a
short per iod of t ime. This applies partic­
u larly when ch ild ren remain in the vehi ­
cl e. Otherwise chi ld ren could sta rt the
engine, re lease the par king brake or op ­
erate electrical eq uipment such as powe r
w indows, which increases the risk of an
acc ident.
- No one sho uld remain in the vehicle
when it is locked, especia lly children.
Locked doors make it more diffic ult for
emergency workers to get into the vehi­
cle, which puts lives at risk.
Dri vin g 83
Starting from a stop
The start assist function ensures that the
parking brake is released automatically upon starting .
Stopping and setting the parking brake
"' Pull the sw itch @c::> page 82 , fig. 82 to set
the parking brake.
Sta rting and automatically rel easi ng the
parking brake
Req uirement: The dr iver's door must be
locked and the driver's safety belt must be
fastened.
"' When you press the accelerator peda l, the
parking brake is automatically re leased and
your vehicle begins to move.
When stopping at a traffic signal or stopping in city traff ic, the parking brake can be ap­
plied . The vehicle does not have to be held
with the brake pedal. The parking brake elimi­ nates the tendency to creep when a selector
lever pos it io n is engaged. As soon as you
press the accelerato r peda l, the par king b rake
r eleases a utomat ica lly and the vehicle starts
to move.
Starting on slopes
When sta rting on incl ines, the hill start assist
prevents the vehicle from un intent ionally roll­
i ng ba ck. The bra kin g fo rce of the par kin g
brake is not re leased unt il su ff ic ient d riving
f o rce has been built up a t the wheels.
(D Tips
Fo r safety reaso ns, t he pa rking bra ke is re­
l eased automatic ally o nly when the d riv­
er's safety bel t is fa stened an d the driver's
d oor is locked.
•