2015 AUDI S3 warning light

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Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by
itself
An auxiliary electric radiator fan switches on
and off depending on coolan t temperature
and other vehicle operating conditions .
After you switch the engine off, the auxiliary
fan can continue running for up to 10 minutes
- even with the ignition off. It can even switch
on again later by itself<=>.& , if
- the temperature of the engine coolant rises
due to the heat build-up from the engine in
the engine compartment, or
- the engine compartment heats up because
the vehicle is parked in intense sunlight.
A WARNING
-To reduce the risk of personal injury nev­
er touch the radiator fan.
- The auxiliary electric fan is temperature
controlled and can switch on suddenly
even when the engine is not running.
- The auxiliary radiator fan switches on au­
tomatically when the engine coolant
reaches a certain temperature and will
continue to run until the coolant temper­
ature drops.
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
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Fig. 165 Engine compa rtment: cove r on the brake fluid
rese rvoir
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS r::;, page 217 .
Checking and Filling 22 7
.. Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fluid reservoir <=>
fig. 165, <=> page 220,
fig. 159.
T he brake fluid level must be be­
tween the "MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The location of the brake fluid reservoir can be seen in the engine compartment illustration
<=>page 220.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably be­
low the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/indi­
cator light . (U.S. models)
I. (Canadian
models) will come on
c:> page 18 . Do not con­
tinue to operate the vehicle. The complete
brake system should be thoroughly checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or other quali­
fied facility and the cause corrected . If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warning/
indicator light will illuminate. Contact an au­
thorized Audi dealer
immediately.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air . If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the
brake fluid will also decrease considerably and
decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years . Always use new brake fluid
which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle
Standard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to
reach, therefore, we recommend that you
have the brake fluid changed by your author­
ized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct
tools, the right brake fluid and the know-how
to do this for you.
II>-

228 Check ing and F illin g
8_ WARNING
-Brake fluid is poiso nous. It must be sto r­
ed only in th e closed original container
out o f the reach of children!
- Brake fa ilure can result from old or inap­
propriate brake fluid. Observe these pre­
caut ions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification
J 1703 and conforms to
Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116.
Always check with your authorized Audi
dealer to make sure you are using the
correct brake flu id. The correct type of
brake fluid is also indicated on the
b rake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is left in the system too
l ong. This can serious ly affect the effi­
ciency of the bra kes as well as yo ur
safety . This could result in an acc ident.
@ Note
Brake flu id will damage the paint of your
veh icle.
@i For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper d isposa l
of brake flu id as we ll as the special tools
requ ired and the ne cessary expert ise, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your author ized Audi dealer .
Battery
General information
The battery in your Audi does not need any
maintena nce under
normal operating condi­
tions. Aud i recommends having the elect ro­
l yte level check by a n author ized Audi dealer
or author ized Audi Se rv ice Facili ty when there
are
high outside temperat ures or when driving
all day. The e lectrolyte level shou ld a lso be
checked each time the battery is charged
¢ page 230.
Have the batte ry checked when yo u bring your
vehicle in for an inspection . It is a good idea
to replace the battery if it is more than 5 years
o ld.
D uring certain types of airbag deployments,
the battery is disconnected from the vehicle electrical system for safety reasons¢
& in
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags on
page 160.
Di sconnecting the battery te rminals
Some vehicle functions (such as power win ­
dows) are not avai lable when the battery is
disconnected. These functions must be pro­
grammed after the battery is reconnected. To
avo id hav ing to do this, only disconnect the
battery from the vehicle electrical system
when that is necessary to perform repairs .
To reprogram the functions, proceed as fol­
lows:
Function Reprogramming
Power window one-¢ page 44, Correcting
touch up/down power window ma/-
function functions
Remote control key
If the vehicle does not
or r
eact to the key, it
convenience key must be synchronized
¢ page37
Dig ita l cl ock ¢page 10
ESC indicator light The indicator light
goes out after driving
a few meters
Not running the vehicle for long periods
of time
If you do not drive your vehicle fo r several
days or weeks, electrical components are
gradua lly reduced or switched off. This re­
duces e nergy consumption and maintains the
vehicle's ability to start over a long per iod of
time
¢ page 194. Some convenie nce func­
tions, such as interior lig hting or power seats *
may not work. These convenience functions
will be ava ilable again once you switch the ig-
nition on and start the engine. .,.

Winter operati on
During the winter months, it is common for
the battery capacity to decrease as the tem ­
peratures become lower. This is because more
pow er is n eeded to start the vehicle and com­
ponents such as the headlights and the rear
window defogger are used more frequently.
Avoid using power unnecessarily, especially in
city driving or on short trips . Have your a u­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv­
ice Facility check the battery capac ity before
the start of winter ¢
page 230 . A well-charg­
ed battery will not only reduce starting prob ­
l ems in cold weather, but it wi ll also last lon­
ge r.
A WARNING
- Wor k on the battery requires expert
knowledge. Con tact your au thori zed Audi
dealer q ua lified repai r fac ility for infor ­
mation regarding the vehicle battery.
The re is a risk for chemical burns or ex­
plos ions.
- Never open the vehicle battery. Do not
try to change the battery e lectrolyte lev ­
el. Otherwise explosive gas will escape
from the battery and increase the risk of an exp losion .
@ Tips
If your vehicle is not driven for severa l
weeks in very cold temperatures, remove
the battery and store it in a place where it
w ill no t freeze . This prevents the battery
from being damaged and need ing to be re­
placed.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near the battery .
The battery is located in the lugg age compart­
ment under the floor. Before you check any -
"' N thing in the luggage compartment, read and 0
iii heed all WARNINGS ¢ _&.
Checking and Fillin g 229
Always heed the safety warning s, when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle e lec­
trical system to prevent in jury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important wh en working on the batte ry :
Alway s heed th e following WARNING SYM -
BOLS and safety pre caution s when working
on the battery .
®
Always wear eye p rotection .
A
Battery acid contain s sulfuric acid .
Always wear glov es and eye protec -
tion .
@
No
- sparks
- flames
- smoking .
~
When a battery is charged, it produ-
ce s hydrogen g as wh ich i s ex plo sive
and could c au se per sonal injury .
®
Always keep the battery well out of
re ac h of children .
A WARNING
Whenever working on the battery o r on
the elect rical system, there is the risk of
injury, accident and even fire. Read and
heed the following WARNINGS :
- Always wear eye protection. Do not let
-
battery ac id or any lead particles get on
your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes.
Exp losive gases can cause blindness or
other inju ry.
- Battery acid conta ins sulfuric acid. Sulfu­
ric acid can cause blindness and severe
bu rns.
- Always wear g loves and eye protection.
Do not tilt the battery because acid
could leak out of the ventilat ion open­
i ngs.
- If you get battery aci d in your eyes or
on your skin, immediately rinse with
cold water for several minutes and get med ica l attent ion.
- If you should ingest any battery acid,
seek medical attention immediately . •
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230 Checking and Filling
-Do not expose the battery to an open
flame, electric sparks or an open light.
- Do not smoke.
- Do not interchange the positive and neg-
ative cables.
- When working on the battery, be sure
not to short-circuit the terminals with
tools or other metal objects. This would
cause the battery to heat up very quickly,
which could lead to damage or explosion
and personal injury.
- When a battery is charged, it produces
hydrogen gas which is explosive and
could cause personal injury.
- Always keep the battery well out of the
reach of children.
- Before work is done on the electrical sys­
tem, disconnect the negative ground ca­ ble.
- Before performing any work on the elec­
trical system, switch off the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equip ­
ment . The negative cable on the battery
must be disconnected . If you are just go­
ing to replace a light bulb, then it is
enough to switch off the lights.
- Before disconnecting the battery, switch
off the anti-theft alarm system! Other­
wise you will set off the alarm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first
disconnect the negative cable and then
the positive cable .
- Before reconnecting the battery, make
sure all electrical consumers are switch­
ed off. Reconnect the positive cable first
and then the negative cable. Never inter­
change the cables -this could start a fire!
- Never charge a frozen or a thawed-out
battery. It could explode! If a battery has
frozen, then it must be replaced. A dead battery can free ze over at 32°F (O°C).
- Make sure the vent hose is always attach­
ed to the opening on the side of the bat­
tery.
- Never use batteries which are damaged.
There is the danger of an explosion! Al­
ways replace a damaged battery . A WARNING
-California Proposition 65 Warning:
- 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 problems . Wash hands after han­
dling.
(D Note
- Do not disconnect the vehicle battery
when the ignition is on or when the en ­
gine is running, otherwise, you will dam­
age electronic components in the electri­
cal system.
- If your vehicle is going to stand for a
long period of time without being driven,
protect the battery from "freezing", oth­
erwise it will be damaged and will then
have to be replaced.
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged
battery.
Fig. 166 E ngin e compart men t: co nnecto rs for a charg­
e r and jump st art ca bles
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below
~ .&_ and q .&_ in Working on the battery on
page 229.
~ Switch off the ignition and all electrical con­
sumers.
~ Make sure the area is well ventilated when
you charge the battery.
~ Open the engine hood q page 219 .
~ Open the red cover on the positive pole
qfig. 166 .

Tires and wheels 24 7
It is important to check the tire sure for the spare wheel
pressure when the tires are
¢page 268.
cold.
When should I adjust the
-Read the required tire pres-tire pressures?
'
sure from the tire pressure la-
Adjust the tire pressure to the •
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bel. The tire pressure label is load you are carrying. After
located on the driver's side B- changing a wheel
or replacing
pillar. wheels you have to adjust the
-Turn the valve stem cap coun- tire pressures on all wheels. In
ter-clockwise to remove it addition, you must then store
from the tire valve. the new tire pressures in the
-Place the air pressure gauge tire pressure monitoring sys-
on the valve. tern
¢ page 264.
-The tire pressures should only
A WARNING
be checked and adjusted when
Incorrect tire pressures and/
the tires are cold . The slightly
or underinflation can lead
raised pressures of warm tires
sudden tire failure, loss of
must not be reduced.
control, collision, serious per-
-Adjust the tire pressure to the
sonal injury or even death.
load you are carrying.
-When the warning symbol
-Reinstall the valve stem cap
RI] appears in the instru-
on the valve.
ment cluster, stop and in-
When should I check the tire spect the tires.
pressure? -Incorrect tire pressure and/
The correct tire pressure is es- or underinflation can cause
pecially important at high increased tire wear and can
speeds. The pressure should affect the handling of the
therefore be checked at least vehicle and stopping ability.
once a month and always be- -Incorrect tire pressures
fore start ing a journey. Do not
and/or underinflation can
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reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your veh icle has also been equ ipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicato r to indica te when
the system is not operating properly . The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure tellta le . When the sys­
tem detects a malfunct ion, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then
remain cont inuous ly illuminated. This se ­
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the ma lfunction ex ists .
When the malfunct ion indicator is illuminat­
ed, the system may not be able to detect or
sig nal low t ire pressure as intended . TPMS
malfunct ions may occur for a variety of rea­
sons, including the installa tio n of replace­
ment or a lternate tires or whee ls on the veh i­
cle that prevent the TPMS from funct ion ing
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
tellta le after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your veh icle to ensure that the re­
placement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the
TPMS to continue to function properly.
If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System
indicator appears
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monito ring system
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too
low or if there is a system malfunction .
Fig . 173 In strum ent clus te r: indica tor l igh t w ith mes ­
sage
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure moni­
toring system compares the t ire tread circum­
ference and vibration characteristics of the in­
d iv idual tires . If the pressure changes in one
Tire s an d wheel s 265
or more tires, this is indicated in the instru ­
ment cluster disp lay with an indicator light
ti] and a message c:::> fig . 17 3. If only one tire
is affected, the locat ion of that tire will be in­
dicated. The message turns off after a few mi­
nutes . You can d isplay the message aga in
c:::> page 2 9 .
The tire pressures must be stored in the menu
display again each time the pressures change
(sw itching between partial and full load pres ­
sure) or after chang ing or replacing a t ire on
your vehicle
c:::> page 266 . The t ire press ure
monitori ng system only monito rs the tire
pressure yo u have stored . Yo u can find the rec ­
ommended t ire press ures for your vehicle on
the labe l on the driver 's doo r pillar
c:::> page240 .
Tire t read circumference and vib rat ion charac­
teristics can change and cause a tire pressu re
warning if :
- I f the tire pressure in one or mo re tires is
t oo low,
- the t ire has structural damage,
-The tire was replaced or the t ire p ressure
changed and it was not stored again
c:::> page 266 .
- The spare tire is installed .
Indicator light s
ti]-Loss of pressure in at least one tire c:::> &.
Check the tires and replace or repair if neces­
sary. Check/correct the pressures of all four
tires . Then store the t ire pressures in the MMI
c:::> page 266 .
DI (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) T ir e
press ure: S ystem malfunct ion!. If Ill ap­
pears afte r switching the ignition on or while
driv ing and the
ti] indicator l ight in the in­
str ume nt cluster b links for app rox imately one
minute and then stays on , the re is system
malfunction. Try to s to re the co rrec t ti re pres­
s u res
c:::> page 266. If the indicator ligh t does
turn off or tu rns on again after a short period
of time, drive to yo ur authorized Aud i dea ler
or qualified repa ir facility immed iate ly to have
the malfunction corrected. .,..
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266 Tire s and wheels
& WARNING
-If the tire pressure warning light ti] in
the instrument cluster turns on, the
pressure in one or more tires is too low.
Reduce the vehicle speed immediately
and avoid any hard steering or braking
maneuvers . Stop as soon as possible,
check the t ire and inflate the tire to the
correct pressure, which is specified on
the tire pressu re label on the veh icle
¢ page 240. Driving with a t ire with low
pressure causes the tire to overheat and
can result in failure of the tire . Low pres ­
sure can a lso have a negative effect on
the driving and braking behavior of the
vehicle.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining
the correct tire pressures. You must
check the t ire pressures regularly.
- Under certain conditions (such as a spor­
ty driving style, winter conditions or un­
paved roads), the pressure monitor ind i­
cator may be delayed .
- Ask your author ized dealer if run-flat
t ires may be used on your vehicle.
- The tire pressure monitoring system can
also stop work ing when there is an ESC
malfunction.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The tires with the identification "AO" or
"RO" ¢ page 254 have been matched
with your Audi tire pressure monitoring
system. We recommend that you use
these tires.
- The tire pressure monitoring system can
only mon itor the t ire pressure of the
driving tires . Check the tire pressure of
the spare wheel in the luggage compart­ ment so that if necessary it is ready for
us e.
-
Storing tire pressures
Applies to vehicles: wit h tire press ure mo nitor ing system
A change in tire pressure or a change in tires
must be stored in the system.
The tire pressure is stored in the MMI.
.. Make sure before storing that the tire pres ­
sures of a ll four tires meet the specified va l­
ues and are adapted to the load. Otherwise
the system could malfunction
¢ page 240.
.. Switch on the ignition.
.. Select: the
I MENU I button >Car > Systems*
control button > Service & control > Tire
pressure monitor > Store tire pre ssure >
Yes, store now.
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow
chains are installed. Otherwise the system
could malfunction.

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@ Tips
Note that the following table was accurate
at the time of pr int ing and is subject to
change.
Bulbs
Replacing light bulbs
For your safety, we recommend that you have
your authorized Audi dealer replace burned out bulbs for you.
It is becoming increas ingly more and more
d ifficult to replace veh icle light bulbs since in
many cases, other parts of the car must first
be removed before you a re able to get to the
bu lb. This app lies especia lly to the light bu lbs
in the front of your car which you can on ly
reach through the engine compartment .
Sheet metal and bulb ho lders can have sha rp
edges that can cause ser ious c uts, and parts
must be co rrectly taken apart and then prop ­
erly put back together to help prevent break­
age of parts and long term damage from wa­
ter that can enter hous ings that have not been
properly resealed.
F or your safety, we recommend that you have
your authorized Audi dealer rep lace any bulbs
for you, since your dealer has the proper tools,
the correct bulbs and the expertise.
G as discha rge l amps (Xenon light s):
Due to the high elect rical voltage, have the
bu lbs rep laced by a qualified technician.
Headlights wi th Xenon light can be identified
by the high voltage sticker .
L ED headlights* requ ire no ma intenance .
Pl ease contact yo ur a uthorized Aud i dealer if a
bu lb needs to be replaced.
A WARNING
Contact with high-voltage components of
the electrica l system and improper re­
placement of gas discharge (Xenon) head­
light bulbs can cause serious personal in­
jury and death .
Fuses and bulb s 2 79
- Xenon bu lbs are pressur ized and can ex­
plode when being changed.
- Changing Xenon lamps requires the spe­
cial tra ining, instructions and equip­
ment.
- On ly an authorized A udi dealer or other
qualified workshop should change the bulbs in gas discharge lamps.
A WARNING
There are parts with sharp edges on the
openings and on the bulb holders that can
cause ser ious cuts .
- If you are uncertain about what to do,
have the work performed by an author­
ized Audi dealer or othe r qualified work­
shop. Ser ious personal inju ry may result
from imprope rly performed wo rk.
(D Tips
- If you still prefer to replace the light
bulbs you rself, be aware that the engine
compartment is a hazardous area to
work in
c:::> page 21 lc:::> &
- It is best to ask your authorized Audi
dealer whenever you need to change a
bulb.
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