2015 AUDI Q3 ESP

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Driving and
environment
The first 1
1000
miles
(11500 km) and
afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1 ,500 km) .
For the first 600 mile s (1,000
kilometers ):
.,. Do not use full throttle.
.,. Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than
2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1 ,000 miles (1,000 to
1,500 kilometers ):
.. Speeds can gradually be increased to the
maximum perm iss ible road or eng ine speed .
During and after br eak-in period
.. Do not rev the eng ine up to h igh speeds
when it is cold. Th is applies whether the
transmission is in N (Neutral) or in gear.
Afte r the break- in peri od
.. Do not exceed max imum eng ine speed un­
der any circumstances .
.. Upshift into the next higher gear
before
reaching the red area at the end of the tach­
ometer scale
c.> page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the en ­
g ine's interna l friction is higher than later
when all the moving parts have been broken in . How well this break -in process is done de ­
pends to a considerable extent on the way the
ve hicl e is driven du ring the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 k ilome ters).
(D Note
Extremely h igh engine speeds are auto­
mat ica lly reduc ed. However , th ese rpm
lim its are programmed for a n engine well
r u n- in, not a new engine.
Driving and environment 161
@) For the sake of the environment
Do not drive with unnecessarily high en­
g ine speeds - upshifting ear ly saves f uel,
reduces noise and protects the environ­
ment.
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive
very carefully for the first 350 miles (500 ki lo­
meters) after fitting.
.&, WARNING
N ew tires tend to be sl ippery and mus t al­
so be "b roken -in" . Be sure to remember
this dur ing the f irst 350 m iles (500 kilo­
meters) . Brake gently . Avoid fo llowing
closely behind other vehicles or other sit­
uations that m ight require sudden, hard
b raking .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are d rivi ng on poo r roads, or over
cu rbs, steep ramps, etc., make certa in that
low- ly in g parts s uch as spo ile rs and ex ha ust
system parts do not bottom o ut and get dam ­
aged.
Th is is espec ially true for veh icles with low­
s lung chassis (spo rts chas sis)* and fully load ­
ed vehicles.
Catalytic converter
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 gasoline c'.> page 175,
Fuel supply .
.. Never r un the tank down all the way to emp­
ty.
.. Never put too much motor o il in your engine
c.> page 184, 'l::1: Adding engine oil .
.. Never try to push -or tow-sta rt you r vehicle . I),
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If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumption by 10-15 percent. This sec­
tion will give you some tips on how you can help the environmen t and your pocketbook.
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, wh ich will vary depend ing upon vehi­
cle load and speed, road and weather con­
ditions, tr ip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessa ry accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac ­
celerating . If you anticipate what is go ing to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus , accelerate less. Let the vehicle coas t
whenever poss ible -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 be low your car's max imum
speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment. Fue l consumption, exhaust emissions and en­
g ine no ise increase d isproportionately at high
speeds . If you dr ive at approximately three
qua rters of top speed, fue l consumption will
be red uced by one half. Never dr ive faste r
than the posted speed limi t and wea ther con­
ditions permit.
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 163
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel .
.,. Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle .
.,. Do not warm up the vehicle by lett ing the
eng ine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic
jams, when wa it ing for tra ins to pass at rail ­
road crossings, or at t raff ic lights that have
l ong waits on red . T u rning the eng ine off for
just 30-40 seconds saves mo re fuel tha n is
bur ned star ting the engine again.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fully when it is runn ing at id le. However, wear
and noxious emissions are especia lly hig h
when the eng ine is wa rm ing up. So yo u shou ld
drive away as soon as yo u start the engine and
avoid r unning at high rpms whi le the engine is
still warming up.
(D Note
D o not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter starting. If warning lights sho uld come
on to indicate improper operation, they
would go unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, w hich could res ult in over­
heating or other damage to the veh icle or
other p roperty .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel .
.,. Have you r veh icle serviced at regu lar inter-
vals.
By having your ve hicle reg ularly serviced by an
a uthorized Audi dea le r helps to ensure that it
runs properly and econom ica lly. The cond ition
of your veh icle not only affects its safety and
ability to ho ld its va lue, it a lso affects
fuel
con sumption .
Chec k your o il each t ime you fill your tank.
Ill-
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164 Driving and en vironm ent
The amount of oil used is related to eng ine
load and speed.
I t is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest val ue after a certain
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3 ,000 miles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess o il cons umption .
This a lso applies to fuel consumption and en­
g ine output .
0 Note
-Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your War ranty
& Main­
tenance booklet. Lack of proper mainte­
nance as well as imp roper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
emission control system and could lead
to damage.
- Do not a lter or remove any component of
the Emi ssion Contro l System unless ap­
proved
by the manufacturer.
- Do not a lter or remove any device, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
va lves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emiss ion Control System
and other important veh icle compo­
nents .
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips .
• Try to avo id driving sho rt distances with a
cold eng ine.
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal
ope rating tempe ratu re to
reduce fuel con sumption and noxious emis­
sions effect ively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid-size car on ly achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 miles
per gallon (30-40 l/100 km) . After about a
half a m ile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/100 km) . After about
2. 5 miles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operating tempera
­
ture and fuel economy has reached a normal
l evel. So you can see that you should avo id
short trips whenever possible.
T he
out sid e tempe rature is also critical in this
regard . Your car consumes more fue l in the
winter than in the s ummer.
Driving offroad
General information
When driving off road, the functions fo r the
electron ic stabiliza tion control ( ESC) are ex­
panded . The ESC-Offroad-Mode can be activat­
ed in driving situations in which a wheel lock
or a differential lock function is needed
c> page 155.
Your Audi i s howev er, n ot an offroad vehicle.
Ne ver dri ve the vehicle in te rrain wh ich i s n ot
suitable for the vehicle , o r w hich ex ceeds
y ou r driv ing skill s. Ne ver tak e an y u nneces ­
s ar y risk s!
Aft er d riving offroad
-After driving offroad, remove branches and
other debris from the radiator gri lle, under ­
body, and wheels. Look especially for objects
(stones) that have been caught in the tire
tread.
- Clean the body and the vehicle underbody
and inspect the vehicle for possible damag­
es.
- Clean off the dirty windows, headlights, tail
lights and the license plate .
- Pe rform a brake test (especially after driving
through water).
A WARNING
- Be especially aware and attent ive when
driving under difficult condit ions . Dam­
ages to the vehicle and injur ies may oc­
cur when driv ing at an excessively high
speed or with incor rect driving maneu­
vers.
- Always adjust you r speed and hand ling
to the roads, terrain, t raff ic and weather
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conditions. Drive especially slow if
offroad with low visibility.
- Please note that the wheels can spin and
the vehicle can break away when the ESC
Offroad Mode is switched off, especially
when the road is slippery.
- Driv ing stability is reduced in the ESC
Offroad mode.
@ For the sake of the envi ronment
Avoid harming the environment and take
nature into consideration .
(D Tips
On ly drive where it is allowed and always
stay on the provided roads and paths .
Driver messages
There is only one right way to drive in difficult
conditions: slowly and with caution!
When driv ing offroad, observe the following:
• Never dr ive the veh icle in terra in which is
not suitable for the veh icle, or wh ich ex­
ceeds your driving skills. Never take any un­
necessary risks!
• Drive slowly and cautiously!
• Pay attention to the
gro und cl earance of
your vehicle! This may vary depending on
the load and composition of the ground and
the environment. The driver is therefore re­
spons ible for deciding whether a vehicle can
handle a specific situation .
• Activate the
ESC-Offr oad-Mode Q page 155
as needed.
• Use the
hill desce nt ass is t Q page 155 when
driv ing down steep sections on hi lls.
Difficult terr ain
Never drive in areas that are not familiar to
you and dr ive slowly when offroad and be pre­
pared and expect the unexpected (e.g . pot­
holes, bou lders, tree stumps, etc.)
To prevent the vehicle from bottoming and
avoid damage to the underbody , you should
drive straight across severe bumps in the
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 165
ground with only one side o f the veh icle so
that only two of your whee ls cross the bumps.
Drive quickly through sandy or marshy offroad
sections and do not stop, if at all possible .
Driving throu gh w ater on road s
Note the following to avoid veh icle damage
when driving through water, for examp le on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than walking speed .
A WARNING
--After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect because of wet brake rotors and pads. D ry
the bra kes first by braking carefully to re­
store the fu ll braking effect.
(D Note
Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or electrical sys­
tem can be severe ly damaged by dr iv ing
th rough water.
(D Tips
- Check the depth of the water before d riv­
ing through it.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
thro ugh water.
- Keep i n mind that oncoming veh icles
may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi­
cle to drive through sa fely.
- Avo id d riving through salt wate r because
i t can cause corros ion.
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Operating instructions
6"
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2
Fig. 139 Permit ted ball position of the trailer hitch
Trailer towing weights
With a factory-installed or an aftermarket
trailer hitch, the maximum permissible trailer
weight is 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg). The maximum permissible unbraked trailer weight is 1,650
lbs (750 kg) . These specifications apply when
driving on roads having an incline of less than
12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these
changed conditions, adjust the trailer load so
that the tongue load is at the maximum al­
lowable or slightly lower . You can get an ap­
proximation of the tongue load with a bath­
room scale or you can measure the load at a
trucking company or weighing station.
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket
trailer hitch, the maximum permissible load
on the ball hitch may not exceed 220 lbs
(100 kg).
It is recommended to use the maxi­
mum permissible load.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢.&. in Driving instructions on page 168.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suita­
ble ball mount and ball¢
fig. 139. Installa­
tion of the hitch ball must be carried out in ac-
Trailer towing 167
cordance with the manufacturer's instruc­
tions.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard­
er .
It is important that the cooling system's
performance is up to the additional load.
Make sure that the cooling system has enough
fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the tire pressure label. The tire
pressure label is located on the driver's side B­
pillar. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire
manufacturers' specifications .
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check
to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners. When you install safety
chains, make sure they will not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the following :
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car it­
self is not loaded.
.,. Be especially careful when passing other
vehicles.
.,. Observe speed limits.
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168 Trailer towing
• Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
• Always apply brakes early.
• Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should
be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the circumstances. Whenever possi­
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -particularly
when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing trailers are lower than for
regular vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en ­
gine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge c:> page 10
must be observed carefully . If the needle
moves close to the upper end of the scale, re­
duce speed immediately and/or turn off the
air conditioner. If the coolant temperature warning light in
the instrument cluster starts flashing., pull
off the road, stop and let the engine
idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build-up.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident . Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
provided by Audi.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
-
a trailer because of the additional weight and
different weight distribution. Safety, perform­
ance and economy will greatly depend on how carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become completely familiar with the way
your vehicle-trailer combination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a trailer generally requires
steering action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your ve­
hicle and the one in front of you. You will need
more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you will need a larger than normal
turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac­
celerate as fast as you normally would be­
cause of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow
plenty of room for your trailer before chang­
ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.

170 Vehicle care and cleaning
Vehicle care and
cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your
ve hicle 's value. It can also be a requirement
when subm itting warranty claims for corro ­
sion damage and paint defects on the body .
The required cleaning and care prod ucts can
be obtained from your authorized Audi dea ler
or qualified workshop . Read and follow t he in ­
structions fo r use on the pac kaging .
A WARNING
-Us ing cleaning and care products incor­
rect ly can be dange rous to your he alth .
- Always store cleaning and care products
o ut of rea ch of children to redu ce the r is k
of po ison ing.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents .
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and
ca re p rod ucts with household trash .
Car washes
-
The longer that depos its suc h as insects, bird
d roppings , tree sap o r road salt rema in on the
ve hicl e, the more the su rface can be dam­
aged. High tempe ra tur es such as those
c a used by s unligh t incr ease the damag ing e f­
fect.
B efore was hing, wet heavy deposits w ith p le n­
ty of water.
Stubbor n depos its suc h as bird dropp ings or
tree sap are b est r emoved with plenty of wa­
ter a nd a m icrofiber cloth.
A lso, was h the underside of your vehicle once
road salt stops be ing used fo r th e season .
Pressure wa shers
When washing your ve hicles w ith a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instruc -t
ions provided with the pressure washer. This
is especia lly important in regard to the pres­
s ur e and spraying distance. Do not a im the
spray direct ly at sea ls on side windows, doors,
t h e hood, the rear lid or the sunroof* or at
t ires, rubber hoses, insu lating material, sen ­
so rs* o r camera lenses*. Keep a d ista nce of at
l east 16 inches (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer .
Never use rotary nozzles or high pressure noz ­
z les.
T he wate r temperature m ust not be above
140
°F (60 °().
Automatic car washes
Sp ray off t h e ve hicle befo re washing.
Make sure that the w indows and roof* are
closed and the winds hield wipers a re off. Fo l­
low instructions from the ca r wash operator,
espe cially if there are ac cesso ries attached to
yo ur vehicle.
If possible, use car wash es that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the ve hicle starting from the top and
worki ng down using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush . Use solvent -free clea ning products .
Washing vehicle s with matte finish paint
by hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and large particles from
you r vehicle . Insects, grease spots and fi nger­
pri nts are best remov ed w ith a special cleane r
fo r matte finish paint .
Apply t he prod uct us ing a microfiber cloth . To
avo id damaging the pa int surface, do not use
too much pressure .
Rinse the ve hicle thoroughly wi th water. Then
clean usi ng a neutral shampoo and a soft mi -
c rofiber cloth . .,.

172 Vehicle care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Decorative
Dirty Mild soap solutional, a cleaning solution suitab le for
parts/ sta inless steel, if necessary
trim
Paint
Paint damage Refer to the paint number on the vehicle data label, re-
pair with touch up paint¢
page 234
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately
Rust film Rust
film remover, then protect with hard wax; for ques-
tions, refer to an authorized Audi dea ler or qualified
workshop
Corrosion Have it removed by an autho rized Aud i dealer or quali-
fied workshop
Water no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean paint
No shine even T
reat with suitable polish; then app ly paint protectant if
though paint has the polish that was used does not contain any protec-
been protected/
tant
pa int looks poor
Desposits such as in- Dampen with water immed iate ly and remove with a mi-
sects, bird drop- crofiber cloth
pings, tree sap and
road salt
Grease-based con- Remove immediately with a mild soap solutiona> and a
taminants such as soft cloth
cosmetics or sun-
block
Carbon parts Dirty Clean tlhe same way as pa inted parts ¢ page 170, Car
washes
a l Mi ld soap so lution: maximum two tab lespoons neut ra l soap in 1 quart (1 lite r) of water
Cleaning interior
Component Situation Solution
Windows
Dirty Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Decorative Dirty Mild soap solutional
parts/
trim
Plastic parts
Dirty Damp cloth
Heavily soiled Mild soap solutional, solvent-free plast ic cleaning solu-
t ion, if necessary
Displays Dirty Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
Controls Dirty Soft brush, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solutiona>
Safety belts Dirty Mild soap solutional, allow to dry before letting them re-
tract