2015 AUDI A3 ESP

46 Lights and Vi sion
Vision
Sun visors
(..___ __ _.)
Fig . 35 Left side: su n visor
The sun visors can be moved out of their
brackets and turned toward the doors
(D .
The mirror l ight switches on when the cover
over the vanity mirror* @opens.
Windshield wipers
Switching windshield wipers on
Fig. 36 Windsh ie ld wipe r lever : operati ng the front
was her system
Requirement : The ignition must be turned on.
Move the windshield wiper lever to the corre­
spond ing position:
@ -Front wipers off
(D -Interval mode. To increase/decrease the
wiper intervals , move the switch @ to the
left/right. In vehicles with a light/rain sen­
sor*, the wipers turn on when it is raining,
when the vehicle is stationary and the lever is
tapped in the ® position, or once the vehicle
speed exceeds approximate ly 2 mph (4 km/h) .
The higher the sensitivity of the rain sensor is
set (sw itch @ to the right), the earlier the windshield wipers react to moisture on the
windshield.
@ -Slow w iping
@ -Fast wip ing
@ -Single wipe . If you ho ld the lever in this
position longer, the wipers switch from slow
wiping to fast wiping .
® -Clean the windshield. To elim inate water
droplets, the windshield wiper performs one
afterwipe after several seconds in tempera­
tures above 39 °F (4 °() . You can switch th is
function off by moving the lever to pos it ion ®
within 10 seconds after the afterwipe . The af­
terwipe function is reactivated the next time
you sw itch the ignition on.
_& WARNING
- The rain sensor is only intended to assist
the driver. The driver is still responsib le
for manually switching the wipers on ac­
cording to the visibility conditions .
- The windshield may not be treated with
water-repelling windshield coating
agents. Unfavorable conditions, such as
wetness, darkness or low sun, can result in increased glare. Wiper blade chatter is
also possible .
- Properly functioning windshield wiper
blades are requ ired for a clear view and
safe driving
c::> page 47, Replacing
front windshield wiper blades .
(D Note
-In case of frost, make sure the w ind­
shield wiper blades are not frozen to the
w indshield . Switching on the windshield
w ipers when the blades are frozen to the
windshield can damage the wiper blades.
- Pr ior to using a car wash, the w indshield
w iper system must be sw itched off ( lever
in posit ion 0). This prevents unintention­
al swi tchi ng on and damage to the wind-
shield wiper system. ..,_

CD Note
-For vehicles with power folding exterior
mirrors *:
If the m irror housing was
moved by outside forces (such as an im­
pact w hen maneuvering), you must use
the power folding function to fold the mirro r all the way out. You will hear a
l oud noise when the mirrors are latched
back in place . T he mirror housing must
no t be moved back into place by hand
because th is would affe ct the mirror
mechanism.
- Applies to vehicles witho ut powe r fold­
ing exterior mirro rs :
If the mirror hous­
i ng was moved by o utside forces (s uch as
i n impact d uring maneuvering), you
must move the mirror housing back into
place by hand.
- If you wash the ve hicle in an automatic
car wash, you must fold the exterior m ir­
ro rs in to reduce the r isk of damage to
the mirrors . Never fold power foldi ng ex ­
te rior mirrors by hand . Only fold them in
and out using the power cont ro ls.
(D Tips
If the power adjustment fails, both mir­
rors can be adjusted by hand by pressing
on the edge of the mi rror surface.
Dimming the mirrors
Your vehicle is equipped with a manual or au­
tomatic* dimming rearview mirror .
Fig. 39 Au toma tic d imm ing rea rv iew mirr or•
Ligh ts and Visi on 49
Manu al dimming rearview mirror
.,. Pull the lever on the bottom of the m irror
back.
Automatic dimming rearview mirror*
.,. Press the button @. The indicator light @
t urns on . Th e rea rv iew and dr iver's exterior*
m irrors dim automatically when lig ht shines
on them, for ex ample from head lights on a
vehicle to the rear.
/! WARNING
Electro lyte fluid can leak from automatic
d imming mirrors if the glass is broken .
Electrolyte fluid can irritate skin, eyes and
respirato ry system.
- Repeated or prolonged exposure to e lec­
trolyte can cause irr itation to the respira­
tory system, especially among people
with asthma or o ther resp iratory condi­
tions. G et fresh air immediately by leav­
ing the vehicle o r, if that is no t possib le,
ope n w indows and doors all the way.
- I f ele ctrolyte gets into the eyes, flush
them thorough ly with large amou nts of
clean w ate r for at leas t 15 minu te s;
medical at tention is recommended.
- If electroly te con tacts skin, fl ush affect­
ed are a with clean wa ter fo r at le ast 15
minutes and then wash affected area
with soap and water ; medical attention
is recommended. Thoroughly wash af­
fected clothing and shoes before re use .
-If swallowed and person is conscious,
rinse mouth with water for at least 15
minutes. Do not induce vomiting unless
instructed to do so by med ica l professio­
nal. Get medical attention immediately .
CD Note
If the glass on an a utomat ic dimming mir­
ror breaks, electro lyte can leak out. This
li q ui d damages plastic surfaces. C lean this
l iqu id as qu ickly as possible with a wet
sponge .

52 Seat s a nd s tor ag e
Seats and storage
General information
Important information
& WARNING
Refer to the chapter Driving Safely
r::!>poge 121, Driving safety for important
information, t ips, suggestions and warn­
ings that you should read and follow for
your own safety and the safety of your pas­ sengers.
Why is your seat adjustment so important?
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 quickly reach all the
switches and controls in the instrument
panel
- your body is properly supported thus reduc­
ing physical stress and fatigue
- the safety belts and airbag system can offer
maximum protection
r::!> page 140.
In the following sections, you will see exactly
how you can best adjust your seats .
There are special regulations and instructions
for insta lling a child seat on the front pas­
senger's seat. Always follow the information regarding child safety provided in
r::!> page 166, Child Safety .
& WARNING
Incorrect seating position of the dr iver and
all other passengers can result in serious
personal in jury.
- Always keep your feet on the f loor when
the vehicle is in motion - never p ut your
feet on top of the instrumen t panel, out of the window or on top of the seat c
ush­
ion. This applies espec ially to the passen­
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
inj ury or even death.
- It is important for both the drive r 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 max imum protect ion.
- Always try to keep as much distance as
possible between yourself and the steer­
ing wheel o r 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 cont ro l and
pe rsonal injury. If you adjust yo ur seat
while the veh icle is moving, yo u are ou t
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 fo llow ing manne r:
.. Adjust the seat in fore and aft direction so
that you can easily push the peda ls to the
floor wh ile keeping your knees sl ightly bent
r::!> &. in Why is your seat adjustment so im­
portant? on page 52.
.. Ad just the bac krest so tha t when you sit
w ith your back against the backrest, you can
still hold the top of the steering wheel.
.. For adjustab le head restraints: adjust the
head restra int so the upper edge is as even
as poss ible with the top of your head. If that
is not possible, try to adjust the head ..,.

58 Seats and storage
Glove compartment
Fig. 52 Glove compa rt m en t
Open ing /closing
,,. To open the glove compartment, pull the
handle in the direct ion of the arrow.
,,. To close the glove compartment, swing the
lid upward until it clicks into place .
The glove compartment can be locked using
the vehicle key.
A WARNING
Always leave the lid on the glove compart­ ment cover closed while driving to reduce
the risk of in ju ry .
Additional storage compartments
There are add itiona l storage compartments,
compartments and holders at other locations
in the vehicle :
- In the upper part of the glove compart­
ment .
- In the center console under the center arm­ rest* .
- On the back of the right front seat. The com­
partment can hold a max i mum weight of 2
lbs (1 kg) .
- Garment hooks on the B -pillar
c:> A .
A WARNING
-Always remove objects from the instru­
me nt pane l. Any items not stored could
s li de aro und inside the vehicle while driv­
ing or when accelerating or when apply­
ing the brakes or when driving a round a
corner .
-
-When you are dr iving make sure that
anyth ing you may have placed in the cen­
ter conso le or other storage locations
cannot fall out into the footwells . In case
of sudden braking you would not be able
to b rake or accele rate .
- A ny articles of clothing that you have
hung up m ust not interfere with the dr iv­
e r's vi ew. The coat hooks are des igned
only for lightweight cloth ing. Neve r hang
a ny cloth ing wi th hard, pointed o r heavy
objects in the pockets on the coat hooks.
During s udden braking or in an accident -
especia lly if the airbag is deployed -
these objects cou ld injure any passen­
gers inside the vehicle.
- To reduce the risk of persona l in ju ry in an
accident or s udden stop, always keep the
g love compartment closed wh ile driving.
- Read and follow all WARNINGS
<=> page 161, Important safety instruc­
tions on the side airbag system.
- Hang clothes in such a way that they do
not impair the driver's vision.
- The coat hooks must on ly be used for
lightweight clothing. Do not leave any heavy or sharp edged objects in the pock­
ets which may interfere w ith the s ide cur­
tain airbag deployment and can cause
pe rsonal injury in a crash .
- Do not use coat hange rs fo r hanging
cloth ing o n the coat hooks as th is can in­
terfere w ith prope r deployment of the
side curt ain air bags in an a cciden t.
- Do not hang heavy objects on the coat
hooks, as they could cause pe rsonal in­
jury in a sud den stop.
- For strength-re lated reasons, the mount­
i n g hooks ca n only be used to secure ob­
jects weigh ing up to 10 lb . (5 kg) . Heavi­
er objects will not be adequate ly sec ured
- there is a risk of injury.

-Always store objects in the luggage com­
partment and use suitable straps, partic­
ularly with heavy objects.
- When you transport heavy objects, al­
ways remember that a change in the cen­
ter of gravity may result in a change in
the vehicle's handling characteristics .
- Follow all warnings
q page 121, Driving
safety.
(D Tips
The tire pressure must be adjusted to the
load -see the tire pressure sticker located
on the driver's side B-pillar.
General information
_& WARNING
Refer to the chapter Driving Safely
qpage 121, Driving safety for important
information, tips, s uggestions and warn­
ings that you should read and fo llow for
your own safety and the safety of your pas­ sengers.
Increasing the size of the luggage
compartment
The rear seat backrests can be folded forward
either separately or together .
Fig. 55 Backrest: release lever (left sid e, e)(ample)
Folding the backrest forward
.,. Push the corresponding head restraint
downward
¢ page 55 .
.,. Press the release lever @in the d irection of
the arrow .
.,. Fold the backrest forward.
Seats and storage 61
Folding the backrest back into the upright
position
.,. Fold the backrest down until it latches se­
curely
q _&. . When you can no longer see
the red mark on the pin @, the seat is latch­
ed.
A WARNING
-- The backrest must be securely latched
for the safety belt in the center seat to
function correctly. -
-The backrest must be securely latched so
objects cannot slide forward out of the
luggage compartment during sudden
braking .
- Always check whether the latch is fully
engaged by pulling the seatback for­
ward .
- Never allow safety belts to become dam­
aged by being caught in door or seat
hardware .
- Torn or frayed safety belts can tear and
damaged be lt hardware can break in a
crash. Inspect the belts periodically.
Belts showing damage to webbing, bind­
ings, buck les, or retractors must be re­
placed.
(D Note
- If you move the front seat back when the
rear seat backrest is folded forward, you
cou ld damage the head restraints on the
rear seat. If necessary, remove the rear
seat head restraint before moving the
front seat back
- Make sure the safety belt is not pinched
in the backrest lock and damaged when
the rear seat backrest if folded back.
Other objects should be removed from
the rear bench seat to protect the back­
rest from damage.

64 Warm and cold
Warm and cold
Climate control system
Description
Different systems cou ld be installed.
- manual climate control system* or
- automatic climate control system*
The
clim ate co ntrol system * cools and re­
moves humidity from the air in the vehicle in­
terior. It is the most effective when the win­
dows and panorama sunroof* are closed. If
there is a build-up of heat inside the vehicle,
ventilation can help to speed up the cooling process . For this reason, the windows and
panorama sunroof can be opened from the
outside
r::} page 3 9, Convenience opening/
closing.
The pollutant filter removes pollutants such
as dust and pollen from the air .
A WARNING
Reduced visibility is dangerous and can
cause accidents.
-
- For safe dr iv ing it is very important that
all windows be free of ice, snow and con­
densation.
- Completely fami liarize yourself with the
proper use and function of the heating
and ventilation system and especia lly
how to defog and defrost the windows .
- Never use the windshie ld w iper/w asher
system in freezing weather until you
have warmed the windshield first, using
the heat ing and ventilation system . The washer sol
ution may freeze on the wind­
shie ld and reduce visib ility.
@ Note
- If you suspect that the air conditioner
has been damaged, switch the system
off to avoid further damage and have it
inspected by a q ualified dealership.
- Repairs to the Audi air conditioner re­
quire specia l technical know ledge and
special tools. Contact an authorized Aud i
dealer for ass istance.
@ For the sake of the environment
By reducing the amount of f uel you use,
you also reduce the amount of pollutants
emitted into the air.
(1) Tips
- To prevent interference with the heat ing
and cooling output and to prevent the
w indows from fogging over, the air in­
take in front of the windshield must be
free of ice, snow or leaves.
- Condensation from the cooling system*
can drip a nd form a puddle of wa ter un­
der the vehicle . This is normal and does
not mean t here is a leak.
- The energy ma nagement system may
switch the seat h eating* or rear window
defroster off temporar ily. These systems
are available again as soon as the energy
balance has been resto red.
- Air escapes through vents under the rear
w indow. When plac ing items of cloth ing
on the luggage compartmen t cover, en ­
sure t hat the openings are not covered .

& WARNING
-Do not press the accelerator pedal inad­
vertently when the vehicle is stationary and the engine is running and a gear is
selected. Otherwise the vehicle will start
to move immediately and could result in
a crash.
- If the power supply fails, the released
parking brake can no longer engage. In
this case, park the vehicle on level ground and secure it by placing these­
lector lever in the P position (automatic
transmission). See your authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility.
(D Note
If the symbol . in the display or the indi­
cator light. (USA models)/ . (Canada
models) in the instrument cluster flashes,
there is a malfunction in the brake system.
Please refer to the detailed description of
the indicator lights¢
page 18.
-If the indicator light . (USA models)/
• (Canada models) or
Ill turns on,
there may be a malfunction in the park­
ing brake ¢
page 19.
(D Tips
-You can set the parking brake at any time
-even with the ignition turned
off. To re-
lease the parking brake, the ignition
must be turned on and the brake pedal
must be pressed.
- If driver 's door is opened while the igni­
tion is switched on, the parking brake
sets automatically. This prevents unin­
tended rolling of the vehicle .
- Occasional noises when the parking
brake is set and released are normal and
are not a cause for concern.
- When the vehicle is parked, the parking
brake goes through a self -test cycle at
regular intervals. Any noises associated
with this 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 ¢,&. . See your
Driving 77
authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair
facility.
· Parking
.. Press the brake ped al to stop the vehicle .
.. Pull the switch @ ¢
page 76 , fig . 68 to set
the parking brake.
.. Place the selector lever in the P position .
.. Turn the engine off¢.&_ .
.,. Turn the steering wheel when parking on in­
clines so that the wheels will roll into the
curb if the vehicle starts moving.
& WARNING ~ -
-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 children could start the
engine, release the parking brake or op ­
erate electrical equipment such as power
windows, which increases the risk of an
accident .
- No one should remain in the vehicle
when it is locked, especially children.
Locked doors make it more difficult for
emergency workers to get into the vehi­
cle, which puts lives at risk.
Starting from a stop
The start assist function ensures that the
parking brake is released automatically upon starting.
Stopping and applying the parking brake
.. Pull the switch@¢ page 76, fig . 68 to set
the parking brake.
Starting and automatically releasing the
parking brake
Requirement: The driver's door must be
locked and the driver's safety belt must be
fastened.
.. When you press the accelerator pedal , the
parking brake is automatically released and
your vehicle begins to move.
•

-Starting on inclines in stop-and-go traf­
fic: To help prevent the vehicle from roll­
ing back when starting, press and hold
the brake pedal for several seconds when
the vehicle is stationary .
(D Tips
You can find out if your vehicle is equipped
with Hill Hold by checking at an authorized
Audi dealer or qualified repair facility .
Speed warning system
Introduction
The speed warning system helps you to stay
under a specified maximum speed.
The speed warning system warns you if you
are exceeding the maximum speed that you
have set. You will hear a warning tone when
your speed exceeds the stored value by ap­ proximately 3 mph (3 km/h). An indicator
light . (USA models) . (Canada models) in
the instrument cluster display also turns on at
the same time. The indicator light./.
turns
off when the speed decreases below the
stored maximum speed .
Setting a threshold is recommended if you
would like to be reminded when you reach a
certain maximum speed. Situations where you may want to do so include driving in a country
with a general speed limit or if there is a
specified maximum speed for winter tires .
@ Tips
Even though your vehicle is equipped with
a speed warning system, you should still
watch the speedometer to make sure you
are not driving faster than the speed limit.
Setting the threshold
You can set, change and delete the threshold
in the MMI.
"' Select: Systems or Car systems > Driver as­
sist> Speed warning .
Driving 79
You can set any threshold between 20 mph (30 km/h) and 150 mph (240 km/h). Settings
can each be adjusted in increments of 6 mph
(10 km/h).
Cruise control system
Description
Applies to vehicles: with cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive at a constant speed starting at 15 mph
(20 km/h).
The speed is kept constant by modifying en­
gine power or through an active brake inter­
vention.
.&_ WARNING ~
- Always pay attention to the traffic
around you when the cruise control is in
operation. You are always responsible for
your speed and the distance between
your vehicle and other vehicles.
- For reasons of safety, cruise control
should not be used in the city, in stop­
and-go traffic, on winding roads and
when road conditions are poor (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rain and hydro­
planing) -you could have an accident.
- Switch the cruise control
off temporarily
when driving in turning lanes, highway
exits or in construction zones.
- Please note that unconsciously "resting"
your foot on the accelerator pedal pre­
vents the cruise control from braking.
This is due to the control system being
overridden by the driver's acceleration.
- If a brake system malfunction such as
overheating occurs when the cruise con­
trol system is switched on, the braking
function in the system may be switched
off. The other cruise control functions re­
main active as long as the indicator light
II (US models) !l'I (Canadian models)
ison.
~ •