2015 AUDI A3 CABRIOLET fuel

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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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•

198 Driving and the environment
can reach the cata lytic converter. This
could result in overheating of the con­
verter, requ iring its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis­
sion Control System:
- Have your veh icle ma intained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
&
Ma intenance booklet.
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as
improper use of the vehicle will impa ir
the function of the emission control
system and could lead to damage.
@ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Contro l System is
operating properly, the exhaus t gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operating states. This depends on
the sulfur content of the fue l being used .
Using a different brand of fuel may help,
or filling the tank w ith lead-free super
grade gasoline.
Placing your vehicle
out of service
If you wou ld like to take your vehicle out of
service for a longer t ime, contact your author­
ized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility.
They will advise you of important measures,
such as corrosion protection, maintenance
and storage procedures. Also follow the infor ­
mat ion about the battery
¢ page 223.
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex­
haust and noise levels .
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and t ires largely
depend on three factors: -your
personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive econom ically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 1O-lS percent . This sec­
t ion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi­
cle load and speed, road and weather con­
ditions, trip length, etc.
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
ce lerating. If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, acce lerate less. Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for example when you see
that the next traffic light is red.
Avoid full throttle '
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
.,. Try and keep well below your car's maximum
speed.
Acce lerating gently reduces fue l consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
Fuel consumpt ion, exhaust emissions and en­
gine noise increase disproportionate ly at high
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption wi ll
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
1111>

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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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•

200 Driving and the environment
(20 l/100 km). After about 2.5 m iles (4 km),
the engine is at its proper operating tempera­
ture and fuel economy has reached a normal
level. So you can see that you should avoid
short trips whenever possible.
The
outside temperature is also critical in this
regard. Your car cons umes more fuel in the
winter than in the summer.

206 Care and cleaning Component Situation Solution
Powe r top
Deposits Clean water, power top cleaning product,
if necessary.
Clean with the g rain of the fab ric using a soft br ush and
allow to air dry .
Wind deflector Deposits W
ater, m ild soap so lution, if ne cessa rya>
Decorative Deposits Mild soap solution a) if necessary a clea ning so lution
parts/ s u itable fo r stai nless stee l
trim
Paint
Paint damage Refer t
o the paint number on the vehicle data la bel, re-
pair
wi th touch up pa int c:> page 279
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immed ia tely
Surface rust R ust remove r, then protect wit h hard wax; for ques-
t ions, refer t o an a uthorized Audi dealer.
Cor rosion Have i t removed by an autho riz e d Aud i deal er.
Wate r no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean pa int
N o shi ne even
Treat w ith suitable po lish; then app ly paint protectant if
tho ugh paint has the polish that was used does not contain any protec-
been p rotected/ tant
pa int looks poo r
Deposi ts such as in- D
ampen wi th w ater immed iate ly and remove with a m i-
sects, bird drop -
crofiber clot h
pi ngs , tree sap a nd
road salt
G re ase-base d con- Re
move immedia tely wi th a mild soap so lu tion a) and a
ta minant s su ch as so ft clo th
cosme tics or sun -
bloc k
Carbon parts Deposits clean the same way as pai nted pa rts c:> pag e 204, Car
washes
Decorative dee· Deposits Soft sponge w
ith a m ild so ap solution a>
als
a) Mild soap so lu tio n: max imum tw o tab les poon s neut ral s oap in a lite r of wa te r
Internal cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Windows
Deposits Glass cleaner, then w ipe dry
Decorative Deposits Mild soa
p solutional
parts/
trim
Plastic parts
Deposi ts Damp clo th
Heavier deposits Mild soap solution a>, detergent-free p lastic clea ning
so lution, if necessary

210 Checking and Filling
Checking and Filling
Fuel supply
Applies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
Using the right fuel helps keep the environ­
ment clean and prevents engine damage.
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recommended for your vehicle is un­
leaded premium
grade gasoline . Audi recom­
mends using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline
with a minimum octane rating of 91 AKI (95
RON). For more information on TOP TIER De­
tergent Gasoline, please go to the off icia l
website (www.toptiergas.com).
The recommended gasoline octane rating for
your engine can a lso be found on a label locat­
ed on the inside of the fuel filler flap. This rat­
ing may be specified as AKI or RON.
Your vehicle may also be operated using un­ leaded regular gasoline with a minimum oc­
tane rating of
87 AKI/91 RON. However, using
87 AKI/91 RON octane fuel w ill slightly re­
duce eng ine performance.
Use unleaded gasoline only. Unleaded gaso­
line is available throughout the USA, Canada,
and in most European countries. We recom­
mend that you do not take your vehicle to
areas or countries where unleaded gasoline
may not be ava ilable .
For more informat ion on refueling your vehi­
cle, see
c:> page 211 .
Octane rating
Octane rating indicates a gasoline's ability to
res ist engine damaging "knock" caused by
premature ign ition and detonation. Therefore,
buying the correct grade of gasoline is very
important to help prevent possible engine
damage and a loss of engine performance .
Gasoline most commonly used in the United
States and Canada has the following octane
ratings that can usually be found on the filler
pump:
- Prem ium Grade : 91- 96 AKI -
Regular Grade:
87 -90 AKI
E xplanation of the abbreviations:
AK I=
Anti Knock Index = (R +M)/2 = (RON
+MON)/2
RON= Research Octane Number
MON = Motor Octane Number.
(D Note
- Do not use any fuel w ith octane rat ings
lower than
87 AK I or 91 RON otherwise
expensive engine damage will occur .
- Do
not us e leaded gasoline. The use of
leaded gasoline w ill severely damage
your vehicle's catalytic converter and its
ability to control exhaust emissions.
Blended gasoline
Applies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or
MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unleaded gasoline blended with
alcohol or MTBE (commonly referred to as
oxygenates) if the blended mixture meets the
follow ing criteria:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
-Anti -knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must contain no more than 3% meth-
anol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co-sol -
vents .
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol
or ethyl alcohol)
-Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must not co nta in more than 15%
ethanol.
Blend of gasoline and MTBE
-Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must contain not more than 15%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline

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Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
especially well for winter or summer driving. During seasonal change-over , we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stations where the sea­ sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time.
Q;) Note
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo ­
nents in the fuel system .
- Do not use fuels that fail to meet the
specified criteria in this chapter .
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
specificat ions, ask your service station or
i ts fuel supp lier .
- Do not use fuel for which the contents cannot be identified .
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the responsibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Vehicle or the
Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy
or driveability and performance prob­
lems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufac­
turers is carbon deposit build-up caused by
the type of gasoline you use .
Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another, they have cer tain
things in common. All gasoline grades contain substances that can cause deposits to collect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline
brands include additives to keep engine and
fuel systems clean, they are not equally effec­
tive.
Checking and Filling 211
Audi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline . For more information on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www .toptiergas .com) .
After an extended period of using inadequate
fuels, carbon deposit build-ups can rob your engine of peak performance.
CJ) Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Audi New Ve­
hicle Limited Warranty.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the power locking system should fail, you
can still open the flap manually -for detailed
instructions see~
page 213.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve ­
hicle in
~ page 280.
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap
tells you the correct fuel for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see
~ page 210 .
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on board refuel­
ling vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you refuel your vehicle. In order to fill the tank
properly while protecting the environment,
please follow this refueling procedure careful­
ly .
A WARNING ~
Under normal operating conditions, never
carry additional fuel containers in your car.
Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such con­
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision . If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower, ..,.
•
•
•

212 Checking and Fill in g
snow blower, etc., be very careful and al­
ways observe local and state laws regard­ ing the use, transportation and storage of
such fuel containers . Make certain the con­
tainer meets industry standards (ANSI/
ASTM F852 -86) .
(D Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fuel tank
is completely empty . The irregular supply
of fuel can cause misfiring. Gasoline could
enter the exhaust system and damage the
catalyt ic converter.
Fueling procedure
Fig. 160 R ig ht rea r side of the veh icle: open ing the
fue l filler f lap
Fig. 161 F u el filler door w ith attached fuel cap
The fuel filler door is unlocked or locked by
the central locking system.
Opening th e fu el cap
.,. Press the left side of the fuel filler door to
open it -arrow-
c::> fig. 160 .
• Unsc rew the tank cap counterclockwise.
• Place the cap from
above on the open fuel
filler door
c::> fig . 161.
Clo sin g th e fu el ca p
.,. Turn the f uel cap clockw ise until you hea r it
lock.
.,. Close f uel fil ler door until it latches .
Once the pump nozzle switches off, the fue l
tank is "fu ll". Do not fill the tank more. Other­
wise the expansion space in the tank will be
filled.
The correct fuel type for your vehicle can be
f ound on a label located on the inside of the
fuel filler door. For additional information on
fuel, refer to
c::> page 210 .
The fue l tank capacity of your vehicle is in the
Techni cal D ata c::> page 280.
To avoid fuel spill ing or evaporating from the
fuel tank always close fuel filler cap properly and completely. An improperly closed fuel fi ll­
er cap may also cause the M IL lamp
c::> page 29
to come on .
A WARNING
Not paying attention when fueling or han­
d ling fuel incorrect ly can lead to fires, ex­
plosions or serious injuries.
- Fue l ignites easily and can cause serious
burns and other injuries.
- If you do not switch the engine off when
fue ling and/or do not insert the fuel noz­
zle completely into the tank opening ,
fuel can leak out or run over. Leaked fuel can ignite and start a fire .
- Do not use the telephone while fueling.
The electromagnetic rays can cause
sparks, wh ich can ignite fuel vapors and
start a fire.
- Do not sit in your vehicle while fueling . If
you must make an exception and enter
your veh icle again while fueling, close
the door and touch metal to discharge
s tatic electricity before touching the fue l
nozz le . Static electricity can create
sparks, wh ich can ignite vapors when fu-
eling . .,._