2015 AUDI A3 Owners Manual

time./ D. Read t he corresponding ex plan ­
ation for red or yellow indicator lights.
E xamples of in dic ator lig ht disp lays in a mo n­
ochrome d isp lay:
1!1 @ Prio rit y 1 (high priori ty)
• © see red ind
icator ligh ts .
m @ Priority 2 (medium priority)
II ©
see yellow indicato r lights .
51@ Prio rity 3 (lowest prio rity)
t his is used for inform ationa l in-
-- © dic
ator ligh ts.
Red indicator l ights
or
-------------
Cen tral indicato r light (pay a t-
tention to the additiona l infor ­
mation in the instr ument cluster
display) ©¢
page 14, fig. 9
USA models:
Brake ma lfunct ion ./
¢page 18
Canada models:
Brake ma lf u nct io n./
¢ page 18
USA model s:
El ectromec hanical pa rking br ake
¢page 19
Canada models:
Electromechanical pa rking bra ke
¢ page 19
Cooling system
¢page 20
Instrument s and indicator ligh ts 15
or
or
or
or E
ng ine oil pr essure
¢ page20
Alternator
¢page20
Front safety belt
¢page 21
Steering./
¢page 189
Electron ic steeri ng colum n lock
¢ page 21
Engine start system
¢page 21
Engine stops while driv ing
¢ page 22
Transmission ma lf u nction
¢ page 111
Adapt ive cr uise contro l*
¢page84
Electronic steering column lock
c::>page 21
Engine start system
¢page 21
•

16 Instruments and indicator lights
USA models: Speed warning
system
c::> page 79
Canada models: Speed warning
system
c::> page 79
Adaptive cruise control*./
c::> page 84
Yellow indicator lights
,.a~ t I " .,
-------------
Central indicator light (pay at-
tent ion to the add itiona l infor­
mation in the instrument cluster
display) ©
c::> page 14, fig . 9
Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ./
c::>page 22
Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ./
c::> page 22
Electronic S tab ilizat ion Control
(ESC)
c::> page 185
USA models:
Anti- lock braking system (ABS)
faulty./
c::> page 22
Canada models:
Anti- lock braking system (ABS)
faulty./
c::> page 22
USA models: Safety systems ./
c::> page 21
Canada models: Safety systems
./
c::> page 21
Brake pads
c::> page 22
Electromechanical parking brake
c::> page 19
or
.. ~
~
(J)
TPMS
;
or
or
or Hill
hold*
c::>page23
Tire pressure monitoring system
./
c::>page243
Tire pressure monito ring system
c::> page243
Adapt ive dampers*
c::>page25
Engine control (gasoli ne engine)
./
c::>page23
Exha ust control system./
c::>page23
Engine speed limitation
c::>page23
Engine oil level (min .)
c::> page23

or
or
or
or
or
or Engine o
il sensor
9 page 24
Engine oil temperature
9page 20
Battery charge
¢page20
Tank system
9page24
Washer fluid leve l
¢page 24
Windshield wipers
¢page24
Engine sta rt system
¢ page 21
Instrument s and indicator ligh ts 17
or
y>))
or
or
or Steer
ing .// electron ic steering
co lumn lock
¢page 189
Electronic steering column loc k
¢page21
Engine start system
¢page 21
Convenience key
¢ page 75
Conven ience key
¢ page 75
Battery in the remote control
key
¢page33
Defective light bulb war ning
¢page24
Headlight range contro l system*
¢page25
Adapt ive lig ht*
¢page25
•

18 Instruments and indicator lights
or
/:
or l
ig ht/ rain senso r*
c>page 25
Active lane assist"
c>p age 95
Transmission
c>page 111
Other indicator lights
D
y>))
~------------
Turn s ignals
c> pag e 25
USA models: Cru ise con trol sys ­
tem *
c>page 79
Canada models: Cr uise co ntrol
sys te m*
c>p age 79
Adaptive cruise cont ro l*
c> pag e 84
Adaptive c ruise cont ro l*
c>pag e 84
Adaptive c ruise cont ro l*
c> page 84
Active lane assist*
c> page 95
High beam
c> page 44
Convenie nce key
c>page 75
Electrome chanical pa rking bra ke
c>page 19
Adaptive c ruise cont ro l*
c> page 84
Active lane ass ist*
c>page 95
Aud i side assist *
c>page 100
Transm ission
c>page 111
Elect rome chanical par king b rake
<::>page 19
Rear s afe ty bel t* ,/
c::>page2 5
Rear safety bel t* ,/
c::> p ag e 2 5
BRAKE /(0) Brake system
If the indicator light turns on, t here is a ma l­
funct ion in the brake system .
• (USA models)/. (Canada models)
Please stop vehicle and check brake fluid lev ­
el!
Stop the ve hicle an d check t he b rake fluid lev­
el. See your authorized A udi d ealer or quali ­
fied repair facility, if necessary.
• (USA models). (Canada models)
Warning! Brake servo inoperative!
W he n t he bra king assist anc e ( brak e ass ist s ys­
t em) h as fa ile d, you mu st press the bra ke ped ­
al ha rder to bra ke . See your a uthorized Audi
dealer or qualif ied repair faci lity.
• (USA models)/. (Canada models)
Warning! Fault in brake system . Please con­
tact Service
If t he A BS ind icator light rJ1l;1 (U SA mod els)/
¢oJ ( C an ad a mod els), the ESP in d ic ato r lig ht
Ii) an d t he bra ke sys tem in dicator lig ht
• (US A mo dels)/ . (Can ada models) turn
o n an d th is message ap pears, the ABS, ES P
and braking distr ibutio n are not working
c::> & .
Dr ive to your au thor ized A udi dea ler or qu ali­
fi ed repa ir facility immed ia te ly to h ave the
malfunction corrected
c::> & .
• (USA models)/. (Canada models) Park ­
ing brake system fault! See owner's manual .,.

-If the indicator light and the message ap­
pear
when stationar y or after swit ching the
ign it ion on ,
check if you can release the
parking brake. If you cannot re lease the
parking brake, see your authorized Aud i
dealer or qualified repair facility . If the park­
i ng brake can be released and the message
appears again, drive to your author ized Audi
dealer or qualified repair facility to have the
ma lfu nction corrected.
- If the indicator light and the message ap­
pear
whi le driving , hill start ass ist or the
eme rgency braking function may not be
available. It may not be possible to set the
parking b rake or release it once it has been
set . Do not park you vehicle on slopes and
see your authorized Audi dealer or qua lified
repair fac ility for assistance.
(USA models): If the warning light . and the
warning light
El appear together, immedi­
ately contact your authorized Audi dealer or
qua lified workshop to have all brake pads in­
spected
c:> page 22.
A WARNING
-Follow the warnings on c:> page 210,
Working in the engine compartment
be­
fore opening the hood and checking the brake flu id leve l.
- If the brake system warn ing light does
not turn off or turns on wh ile driving, the
brake fl uid in the reservoir is too low and
this could cause an accident. Stop the ve­
hicle and do not continue driving. See
yo ur autho rized Aud i dealer or qualified
repa ir facility.
- If the brake system indicator light t urns
on together with the ABS and ESC indica­
tor lights, the ABS/ESC regulating func­
t ion may have fa iled. Functions that sta­
bilize the vehicle are no longer availab le .
Th is co uld cause the rear of the veh icle to
swerve, wh ich increases the risk that the
vehicle will slide. Dr ive carefully to the
nearest authorize d Aud i dealer o r othe r
qualified repair facility and have the mal­
f unction corrected .
Instruments and indicator ligh ts 19
PARK/( ®)/~ Electromechanical parking
brake
If the indicator light . (U SA mode ls) •
(Canada models) turns on, the pa rking brake
was set .
If the parking brake is set when the
ignition is sw itched off, the indicator light
turns off after about 20 seconds.
• (USA model s)/. (Can ada model s) Cau­
tion: Vehicle parked too steep
When the indica tor l igh t bli nks and this mes­
sage appears, there is not enough braking
power to keep the vehicle from ro llin g . T he
brakes have overheated. The vehicle could roll
away even on a sma ll incline.
• (USA model s)/. (Canada model s)
Plea se pre ss brake pedal to release the pa rk­
ing brake
T o re lease the par king brake, press the brake
pedal and press the~ button at the same
time, or start driving w ith hi ll start assist
¢ page 77, Starting from a stop.
ml Parking brake !
There is a parki ng b rake ma lfunction . Drive to
you r aut ho rized Aud i dea le r or qualified repa ir
facility immed iate ly to have the malfunction
correc ted.
liJ Parking bra ke: limited functionality
There is a parking brake ma lfunction. Drive to
an authorized Audi dea le r or qualified repa ir
facility immed iate ly to have the malfunction
corrected .
Parking bra ke: not applied !
When this message appea rs, set the pa rking
brake if necessary.
fll ( USA model s) 1mE (Can ada mod els)
Pl ea se relea se parking brake .
When this message appea rs, re lease the par k­
i ng brake.
fll (USA models ) /K@» ( Canada mod els ) Park-
ing brake auto release una va ilable ..,. •

20 Instruments and indicator lights
When this message a ppears, first press the
b rake peda l and then release the parking
b rake .
113 (USA models)/K@'A ing brake malfunction! Anti-towing alarm
blocked
Ill ( USA models) t6] (Canada model s) Park­
ing brake: not applied!
113 ( USA models) t6J (Canada models) Cau­
tion : Vehicle parked too steep
113 (USA models) t6] ( Canada models ) Park­
ing brake is applied
When th is message appears, first press the
b rake pedal and then release the parking
brake if necessary .
(D Tips
More information on the pa rking brake
c::;,page 76.
- l Cooling system
• Switch off engine and check coolant lev­
el!
The coolant leve l is too low or the coolant
temperature is t oo high .
D o not cont inue driving and turn off t he en­
g ine. Check the coolant leve l
c::;, page 216 .
-If the coolant leve l is too low, add coo lan t
c::;, page 217 . Only continue driv ing if the in­
dicato r light tur ns off .
- If the coolant leve l is co rrect, then the mal ­
function may be caused by fai lure of the
coolant fan. Do not continue dr iv ing. See
yo ur authorized Aud i dea le r or qualified re ­
pair fac ility .
• Coolant temperature too high! Let engine
run with vehicle stationary
L et the eng ine run at idl e for a few minu tes to
coo l down .
A WARNING
-Never open the eng ine hood if y ou see or
hear steam, or if you see engine coo la nt
d ripping from t he e ngine compartment .
You could bur n yourse lf . What until you
ca nno t see or hea r any coolant co min g
ou t.
- T he engi ne compa rtment o f eve ry ve hicl e
is a dange rou s ar ea . B efo re perfo rmin g
wo rk in t he eng ine com par tmen t, tur n
t he eng ine off and let i t co ol d own. A l­
ways follow t he i nfo rmat ion foun d in
c::;, page 210 , Working in the engine
compartment .
(D Note
Do n ot con tinue dr iv ing whe n the . indi­
cator light turns on . There is a ris k of dam ­
a g ing t he engine .
• Switch off engine! Oil pressure too low
Turn off the en gine and do not co nti nu e dr iv­
ing. Check the eng ine oil level
c::;, page 21 5.
- If the en gin e o il level is too low, ad d eng in e
oil
c::;, page 212 . Only cont inue drivin g if the
in di cator light tu rns off.
- If the en gine oil level is co rrec t and the in d i­
ca to r lig ht still turns on, tu rn t he engine off
an d do not cont inue driv ing . See your au ­
thorized A udi deale r or qualifie d repair fa ­
cility.
(D Tips
The oi l press ure warn ing is not an oil level
i ndicato r. For this reas on, chec k th e o il lev­
e l reg ularly .
D Alternator/battery
• Alternator fault: The battery is not being
charged
There is a malfunction in the al ternator or the
vehicle e lectr ica l system .

Drive to yo ur authorized Aud i dea ler or quali ­
fied repair facility immediately. Because the
ve hicle battery is dra ining, turn off all unnec ­
essary electrical eq uipment such as the MMI.
See your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified
repair facility if the battery charge level is too
low.
(•) Low battery charge : Battery will be
charged while dri ving
There may be limited starting ab ility.
If th is message tu rns off after a litt le w hile,
the battery has charged eno ugh whi le dr iving .
I f the message does not turn off, have your
author ized Audi dealer or qua lified workshop
cor rect the malfunc tion.
ii!.(' Safety systems
The fl (USA models)/ EI (Canada mode ls) in ­
dicator light monitors the safety systems .
Safety system
If the fl ( U SA mode ls)/ E,I (Canada models)
i ndicator light t urns on or b links, the re is a
mal func tion in the sa fety system.
D rive to you r autho rized Aud i deale r o r quali­
fied repair fac ility immediately to have t he
mal funct ion cor rected.
_& WARNING
Have the safe ty system checked, othe rwise
there is a risk that the system may act ivate
during an acci dent, which puts lives at r is k!
,{f. Front safety belt
The . indicator light turns on until the safe­
ty belts on the driver's and passenger's side
are buckled. There is a lso a warn ing tone
above a certai n speed.
For addit iona l information on safety be lts,
refer to
<=:> page 131.
Instrument s and indicator ligh ts 21
~ - Electronic steering column lock
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defe ctive
There is an electron ic steering column lock
malfu nction. You cannot turn the ignition on.
Do
not tow yo ur vehicle because it cannot be
steered. See your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified repair facility .
Im Steering lock: system fault! Please con ·
tact Service
T here is an electronic steering column lock
malfunction.
Drive to an au thor ized A udi dealer or qu alifie d
repair fac ility immedia tely to have t he mal­
f unction corrected .
A WARNING
Your vehicle must not be towed in the
event of a malfunction in the electronic
steering column lock. There is a risk of an
accident.
© -I =e Engine start system
-
• Engine start system malfunction! P lease
contact S erv ice
Do not sw itch the ignition off because yo u
may not be able to switch it on again.
Drive to your authorized A udi dealer or quali ­
fied repai r facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected.
Ill/ l3 Engine start system malfunction!
Plea se contact Service
T he re is a malfunction in the eng ine start sys ­
tem .
- Ve hicles w ith an ignition
<=:> page 71, Auto­
matic start malfunction
- Ve hicles a with co nvenience key
<=:> page 73, Automatic start malfunction
Drive to an authorized A udi dealer or qualified
repair fac ility immediately to have the mal ·
funct io n corrected . •

22 Instruments and indicator lights ~Engine
• Engin e stopped: brake servo and power
steering not possible
There is a malfunct io n in the eng ine or in the
f u e l supp ly system .
A large amou nt of steering and braking force
i s required when driving a ro lli ng vehicle w it h
the eng ine stopped. Try to stop a ro lling veh i­
cle ca refully on the s ide of th e road . See your
author ized Audi dealer or qua lified repai r fa­
cili ty.
_&. WARNING
If the eng ine stops whi le driving, a la rge
amount of braking force is required . This
increases the risk of an accident. As long
as the ve hicle rolls wit h the ignition
sw itched on and there is e nough battery
charge, the power steering wi ll still work.
If not, a large amoun t of steeri ng force is
re quir ed.
-
;;IC, Electronic stabilization control
(ESC) and
(8) anti-lock braking system
(ABS)
If t h e J;,J indicator light b links w hile d riving,
the ESP or ASR (anti-s lip regulat ion) is actively
regulat ing.
I f th e
J;,J indicator light turns on, t he system
h as sw itche d the ESC
off . In th is case, you can
switch the ignition
off and then on to switch
the ESC on again. The indicator light turns
off
when th e system is functioning fully .
Stabilization control (ESC ): sport. Warning!
Rest ricted stability
When the II indica to r li gh t turns on, the ES C
sport mo de was switc hed on w it h the
!1' O FF I
button ¢ page 187. You can turn the ESC
bac k on by press ing the
!1' O FF i button again.
Stabilization control (ESC ): off. Warning!
Restricted stability
Wh en the II indicato r ligh t tur ns on, ESC i s
restri cte d or was sw itche d
off wi th the I~ O FF I
but ton ¢ page 187 . The mess age ESC OFF al- so appears
. You can t urn the ESC bac k on by
pressing the
1 -P. O FF I butto n again .
When the igni tion is sw itche d on t he sys tem
is tur ned o n. The
fl indica tor ligh t turns off
when the system is functioning f ully.
Stabilization control (ESC) malfunction! See
owner's manual
Stabilization control (ESC/ABS) malfunc­
tion! See owner's manual
ABS malfunct ion! See owner's manual
If the DJ in di cator light and the ABS indicator
li ght
i;l (U SA mode ls) ;tiJ (Canada mode ls)
turn on and this message appears, there is a
malfuncti on in the ABS system or electronic
differentia l lock . T hi s also causes the ESC to
malfu nction . The brakes st il l function wi th
t h eir normal power, but A BS is not
active.
Drive to y our auth orized A udi dealer or quali­
fied repa ir facility immed iate ly to have the
malfu nction corrected .
_&. WARNING
-If the. (U SA mode ls) • (Cana da mod-
e ls) brake sys tem indi ca tor ligh t turns on
to ge ther wi th the A BS an d ESC ind icat or
li g hts, the A BS/ ES C r egu la t ing func tion
may have fa iled . Fu nctions that s tabili ze
the veh icle are no longe r available . This
could ca use the vehicle to
swerve, wh ich
in creases the r is k th at the vehicle will
slide . Dr ive carefully to the nearest aut hor­
i z e d A udi dealer or ot her qualified repair
fac ility an d have t he malfu nction cor rect­
e d .
@ Tips
Fo r additional informat io n o n ESC an d
A BS, refer to
Q pag e 185.
(0} Worn brake pads
£t3 Brake pads!
If the warning light illuminates, immed iate ly
co ntact your author ized Audi dea ler or qua li-
fi ed wor kshop to have all b rake pads ..,_