2015 AUDI A3 oil

24 Instruments and indicator lights
You may continue driving for the time being .
Check the oil level as soon as possible
¢ page 212.
-If the engine oil level is too low, add engine
oi l
¢ page 215.
-If the engine oil level is correct and the indi­
cator light still turns on, drive at low engine
speed to the nearest authorized Audi dea ler
or qualified repair facility.
_..,. Engine oil sensor
II Oil level sensor: system fault!
The sensor to check the engine oil level has
failed. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or
qua lified repair faci lity immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
Q;) Note
Pay attention to the description in the
Owner 's Manual
¢ page 215 and
¢ page 215, Adding engine oil "l::;1:.
Bil Tank system
RD Please refuel
When the indicator light turns first turns on
and this message appears, the tank contains
the following amount of fuel:
- Front wheel drive : approximately 1.8 gal­
lons (7 liters)
- All wheel drive: approximately 2.2 gallons
(8 .5 liters)
RD Fuel tank malfunction! Please contact
Service
If the indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, there is a ma lfunction in the
tank system.
Drive to your authorized Aud i dealer or quali­
fied repair facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
@) For the sake of the environment
Fuel should never enter the sewer system
or come into contact w ith the ground.
(D Tips
More information on refueling is available
on page ¢
page 207.
~ Washer fluid level
m Please add washer fluid
Fill the washer fluid with the ignition switched
off ¢
page 224.
• Windshield wipers
m Windshield wiper: system fault!
There is a malfunction with the windshie ld
wipers .
Drive to your authorized Audi dealer or quali­
fied repair facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected.
~ Defective light bulb warning
Applies to vehicles: wit h drive r info rmatio n system
If the S:i indicator light turns on, a bulb has
failed. The message ind icates the location of
the bulb .
Replace the bulb immediately.
Vehicle lights: system fault!
There is a malfunction in the headlights or
light switch. Drive to an author ized Audi deal­
er or qualified repair facility immediately to
have the malfunction corrected.
_&. WARNING
- Light bulbs are under pressure and can
explode when bu lbs are replaced -risk of
inj ury.
- With gas-discharge lamps* (xenon head­
lights), the high -voltage component
must be hand led appropriate ly. Other­
wise, there is a risk of fatal injury.
-

~ To engage the steering wheel lock, turn the
whee l 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- while turning
the steering wheel.
Switching the ignition on and off
~ To switch the ignition on, turn the ignition
key to position
(D .
~ To switch the ignition off, turn the ignition
key to position @.
Starting the engine
Your vehicle is equipped with launch contro l.
As soon as you have turned the ign ition key to
position @, the engine will start automatical­
ly.
~ Press the brake peda l and move the se lector
l ever to the P or N pos ition.
~ Turn the key briefly to position @. The igni­
t ion key automatically returns to position
@. Do not press the accelerator pedal when
doing this.
Major electrical equ ipment switches off tem­
porarily when starting the engine.
If the engine does not start immediately, stop
the starting procedure by turning the ignit ion
key to position @and repeat after 30 sec­
onds .
Automatic start malfunction
If the Ila indicator light turns on (gasoline en­
gine) and the message
Engine start system
malfunction. Please contact Service
appears,
there is an automatic start malfunction.
To start the engine, hold the ignition key in position @until the engine runs.
D rive to an autho rized Audi dea ler or qualified
repair facility immediately to have the ma l­
function corrected.
A WARNING
- Never allow the engine to run in confined
spaces -there is a r isk of asphyxiation.
Driving 71
- Never remove the ignition key from the
ignit ion lock while the vehicle is mov ing.
Otherwise the steering lock will engage
and you will not be able to steer the vehi­
cle.
- The brake booster and power steering
only work when the eng ine is running. If
the engine is off, you have to use more
force when stee ring or braking. Because
you cannot steer and bra ke as you usual­
ly would, this could lead to crashes and
serious inju ries .
- Always take the vehicle key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even for a
short period of time . This applies partic­
ular ly when c hildren remain in the vehi­
cle. Otherwise the children could start
the engine or operate electrical equip­
ment such as power windows.
(D Note
- Avoid high engine speed, full th rottle,
and heavy engine load as long as the en­
gine has not reached operating tempera­
ture yet. You could damage the engine.
- The engine cannot be started by pushing or towing the vehicle.
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not let the engine run while parked to
warm up. Begin driving immediately. This
reduces unnecessary emissions.
(D Tips
-If it is difficult to turn the key to position
(D, turn the steering wheel back and
forth slightly to release the steer ing
wheel lock.
-After starting a cold engine, there may be a brief period of increased no ise be­
cause the oil pressure must first build up
in the hydraulic valve adjusters. This is
normal and not a cause for concern.
- If the battery is disconnected and recon­
nected, you have to hold t he ignition key
in posit ion
(D for five seconds fo r the en-
gine to start.
Ill>
•

74 Driving
(D Tips
-After starting a cold engine, there may
be a brief period of increased noise be­
cause the oil pressure must first build up in the hydraulic valve adjusters. This is
normal and not a cause for concern.
- If the . indicator light blinks in the in­
strument cluster before switching the ig­
nition off, the ignition will not switch on
again
Qpage 189.
-If you leave your vehicle with the ignition
switched on, the ignition will switch off
after a certain amount of time. Make
sure that electrical equipment such as
the exterior lights are switched off.
Turning th n ine off using the
button
Applies to vehicles: with conven ience key
.. Bring the vehicle to a fu ll stop.
.. Automatic transmission: Move the selector
lever into the P position.
.. Press the !START ENGINE STOPI button
Q page 73, fig. 66.
If the engine does not stop, proceed as fol­
lows
q page 75, Starting the engine if there
is a malfunction .
Steering wheel lock1
)
The steering locks when you turn the engine
off using the
I START ENGINE STOP !* button,
move the selector lever into the P position
(automatic transmission*) and open the driv­
er's door.
The locked steering helps prevent vehicle
theft.
Emergency off function
If it is necessary in unusua l circumstances, the
engine can be switched off while the vehicle is
moving at speeds less than 6 mph (10 km/h).
If you press the
I START ENGINE STOP I* but­
ton while driving, the message
Pressing
start/stop button again will switch off en-
l) This function is not availa ble in all coun tries.
gine! appears . To switch the engine off, press
the
I START ENGINE STOP !* 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
b rake as you usually would, this could
lead to accidents and serious injuries.
- The brake booster and power steering
only work when the engine is running . If
the engine is off, you have to use more
force when steering or braking. Because
you cannot steer and brake as you usual­
ly would, this could lead to crashes and
serious injuries .
- 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, you should always
park your vehicle with the selector lever
in P. Otherwise, the vehicle could inad­
vertently roll away.
-After the eng ine 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 the result of a heat buildup or if the engine is hot and the engine
compartment is additionally heated by
the sun's rays.
0 Note
If the engine has been under heavy load
for an extended period of time, heat builds up in the engine compartment after the ..,_

for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coat­ings will be cleaned off after a few
careful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency.
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­
ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, the
brake pedal must be pressed considera­
bly harder to make up for the lack of
booster assistance.
(D Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing
the pedal lightly when braking is not really necessary. This causes the brakes
to overheat and increases braking dis­
tance and causes wear.
- Before driving on a long stretch with
steep slopes, reduce your speed and shift
to the next lower gear This makes use of
the engine braking effect and relieves
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 normal.
- If you retrofit your vehicle with a front
spoiler, wheel covers or similar items,
Smart Technology 189
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 fails 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 your authorized
Audi dealer or qualified repair facility.
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defective
There is an electronic steering column lock
malfunction . You cannot turn the ignition on.
Do
not tow your vehicle because it cannot be
steered. See your authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair facility.
c~ij 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 steering wheel may
also be at an angle when driving straight.
Drive slowly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected.
Ill Steering lock: system fault! Please con­
tact Service
There is an electronic steering column lock
malfunction.
•
•
•

194 Driving and the environment
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, transmiss ion, 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 206,
Fuel supply .
> Never run the tank down all the way to emp-
ty.
> Never put too much motor o il in your engine
¢ page 215, Adding engine oil > Never try to push- or tow -start your vehicle .
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean ­
up" device built 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 critica lly
important for the life of the catalytic convert­
er and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
-
The temperature of the exhaust system is high, 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 app ly additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields . Dur ing driving, the
substance used for undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
(D Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fuel will already seriously de­
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢page 215.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
completely empty. The engine could mis­
fire . Unburned fuel could also get into
the exhaust system and this 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
IIJ,,

196 Driving and the environment
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 efficien t to switch off the engine when
stopped at railroad crossings and long red
lights. Turning the engine
off for j ust 30-40
seconds saves mo re f uel than is burned by
start ing 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 warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid ru nning at h igh rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
{[) Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter starting. If warning lights s hould come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wou ld go unheeded . E xtended idling also
produces heat, which cou ld resu lt in over­
heat ing or o ther da mage to the vehicle or
o ther 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 regular ly serviced by an
author ized Audi dealer helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically . T he condition
of yo ur vehicle not only affects its safety and
ab ility to hold its value, it also affec ts
fuel
con sumption. Check
your oil each t ime you fill your tank.
T he amou nt of oi l used is re lated to engine
lo ad a nd speed.
It is normal fo r the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest valu e after a c erta 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 io n.
This also app lies to fue l consumption and en­
gine output .
(0 Note
- Have your veh icle ma inta ined properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Wa rranty
& Ma in­
tenance boo klet . Lack of proper ma inte­
nance as well as improp er use of the ve­
hicle will impair the fu nction of the
em iss io n con trol system and cou ld lead
t o dam age.
- Do not alte r or remove any component of
t he Emis sio n Control Sys tem unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer .
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as hea t sh ie lds, swi tches, ig nitio n w ires,
valves, which are designed to p rotec t
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other impo rtant vehicle compo ­
nents.
' Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips.
... Try to avoid dr iv ing sho rt distances w it h a
cold engine .
T he eng ine and cat alytic conver ter h ave to
re ach their opt imal
operating t emperature to
reduce fuel consumpt io n and nox ious em is­
sions effectively.
Jus t aft er s tarti ng, a c old eng ine in a mid-s ize
ca r on ly achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 m iles
per gallon (30 -40 l/100 km) . After about a
half a mile , fu el economy climbs to 12 mpg .,..

204 Caring and cle aning
Component Situ ation Solution
Tex tile s,
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
Art ifi cial leat her, the surface
Alcan ta ra Water-based depos- Absorbent cloth and m
ild soap so lution a>
its such as coffee,
tea, blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Apply
a mild soap solutiona >, blot away the dissolved o il
such as oil, make- o r dye, treat afterward w ith water, if necessary
up, etc.
Special deposits Special stain remover, blot with absorbent material,
such as ink, nail pol-treat afterward with mild soap so lution, if necessarya>
ish, latex paint, shoe
polish, etc.
Natura l leathe r Fresh stains Wool
cloth with a mild soap so lution a>
Water-based depos- Fresh stains: absorbent cloth its such as coffee, Dr ied 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 clean ing spray
Special deposits Spot remover suitable for leathe r
such as ink, nail pol-
ish, latex paint, shoe
polish, etc.
Care Regularly apply condit ion ing cream that protects from
light and penetrates into the mater ial. Use spec ially-
co lored! conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carb on p art s Deposits clean th e same way as plastic parts
a) Mild soap solution: maximu m two tablespoons neutral soap in a liter of water
_& WARNING
The windsh ie ld may not be treated with
water-repelling windshield coating agents .
Unfavorab le conditions such as wetness,
darkness, or low sun can result in in­
creased glare. Wiper blade chatter is also
possible.
([) Note
-Headlight s/tail li ght s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights
w ith a dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that
conta ins alcohol, because they could
cause cracks to form.
-
- Whee ls
- Never use any pa int polish or other
abrasive materials.
- Damage to the protective layer on the
rims s uch as stone chips or scratches
must be repaired immediately.
- Sen sors/ cam era len ses
-Never use warm or hot water to re-
move snow or ice from the camera
lens. This could cause the lens to crack.
- Never use abrasive cleaning mater ials
or alcohol to clean the camera lens.
This could cause scratches and cracks.
-Door windo ws
-Remove snow and ice on windows and
exter ior mirrors with a plastic scrape r.

,&_ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition, certain fluids contained 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
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to mix the
fluids up. Otherwise severe malfunctions and engine damage will occur.
@) For the sake of the environment
You should regularly check the ground un­ der your vehicle in order to detect leaks
quickly .
If there are visible spots from oil
or other fluids, bring your vehicle to an au­
thorized Audi dealer or qualified repair fa­
cility to be checked.
Opening the hood
The hood is released from the interior.
Fig. 147 Sect ion of the driver's footwell: release lever
Checking and Filling 211
Fig. 148 Rocke r switch un der t he hood
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up
from the windshield. Otherwise the paint
could be damaged .
The hood can only be released with the driv­
er's door open .
.,. Pull the lever under the instrument panel in
the direction of the arrow¢
fig. 147 .
.,. Raise the hood slightly¢,&. .
.,. Press the rocker switch under the hood up ­
ward
c:> fig. 148. This releases the catch.
.,. Open the hood .
.&, WARNING
Never open the hood when you see that
steam or coolant drips from the engine
compartment- there is a danger of burns!
Wait until no steam or coolant flows out.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the hood .
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. ¢ ,&. .
.&, WARNING -
A hood that is not completely latched
could fly up and block your view while driv­ ing.