2015 AUDI S3 ESP

204 Trailer towing
different weight distribution. Safety, perform ­
ance and economy wi ll greatly depend on how
carefu lly you load your trailer and operate
your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in a n area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become comp letely fam iliar with the way
your veh icle-trailer comb ination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is d iff icult and requires practice.
Backing up with a tra iler genera lly requires
steering action opposite to that when back ing
up your veh icle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your ve­
h icle 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 yo u 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
p lenty of room for your tra iler before chang­
ing lanes aga in.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a tra iler dur ing the break-in
period of you r vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may re­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the ext ra load
¢ page 289.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it can­
not be avoided, do so only after doing the fol­
lowing:
Wh en park ing:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Have someone place chocks under both the
vehicle and the trailer wheels. ..
With chocks in place, slowly release the
brakes unti l the whee l chocks absorb the
load.
.. Turn the whee ls towards the curb.
.. App ly the parking brake.
.. Select the P selector lever posit ion.
When re starting afte r park ing :
.. App ly the foot brake.
.. Start the engine.
.. Select the D/S se lector lever position.
.. Release the parking brake and s lowly pull
out and away from the wheel chocks .
.. Stop and have someone retr ieve the wheel
chocks .
@ Tips
If you move the selector leve r of the auto­
matic transmission to P befo re applying
the pa rking brake and before bloc king the
whee ls, you may h ave to use more force
la ter to move the lever out of the P posi­
tion .

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Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your
vehicle's val ue . It can also be a requirement
when submitting warranty claims for corro­
sion damage and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your a uthorized Audi dea ler . Read and
follow the instructions for use on the packag­ ing.
A WARNING
- Us ing clean ing and care products incor­
rect ly can be dangerous to your hea lth .
- Always store cleaning and care products
out of reach of children to reduce the r isk
of po isoning.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and
care products with household trash.
-
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road sa lt rema in on the
veh icle, the more the surface can be dam­
aged . High tempe ratures such as those
caused by sunlight increase the damag ing ef­
fect .
Before washing, rinse off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water .
Stubborn depos its s uch as bird dropp ings or
tree sap are best removed with plenty of wa­
ter and a m icrof iber cloth.
A lso, wash the underside of your vehicle once
road salt stops be ing used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icles w ith a pressure
washer, always fo llow the operating instr uc­
tions provided with the pressure washer. This is especially important in regard to the pres -
Care and cleanin g 205
sur e and sp raying distance. Do not aim the
spray direct ly at sea ls on side windows, doors,
the hood, the rear lid or the sunroof* or at
tires, rubber hoses, insulating material, sen­
sors* or camera lenses*. Keep a d istance of at
least 16 inches (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rotary nozzles or h igh pressure noz­
zles .
T he wate r temperature m ust not be above
140
° F (60 °().
Automatic car washes
Spray off t he ve hicle before washing .
Make sure that the w indows and roof* are
closed and the winds hield wipers are off. Fol­
low instructions from the car wash operator,
especially if there are accessories attached to
you r vehicle .
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean t he ve hicle starting from the top and
working down us ing a soft sponge or cleaning
brush. Use solvent-free clean ing products .
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and large particles from
your vehicle. Insects, grease spots and finger­
pri nts are best removed w ith a spec ial cleane r
for matte finish paint .
Apply the product us ing a microfiber cloth. To
avo id damaging the paint surface, do not use
too much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft mi­
crofiber cloth.
Rinse the ve hic le thoroughly again and let it
air dry . Remove any water residue using a
shammy.
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Care and cleanin g 207
Component Situ ation Solution
D eco ra ti ve
Deposits Mild soap solution a) if necessary a cleaning solution
part s/ suitable for stain less steel
t ri m
P ai nt
Paint damage Refer to the paint number on the vehicle data label, re-
pair with touch up paint¢
page 286
Spilled fuel Rinse with water immediately
Surface rust Rust remover, then protect with hard wax; for ques-
tions, refer to an authorized Audi dea ler .
Corrosion Have it removed by an authorized Audi dealer.
Water no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on the surface
of clean paint
No shine even Treat with suitable po lish; then app ly paint protectant if
though paint has the polish that
was used does not contain any protec-
been protected/ tant
paint looks poor
Deposits such as in- Dampen with water immediately and remove with a m i-
sects, bird drop- crofiber cloth
pings, tree sap and
road salt
Grease-based con -Remove ii mmediately with a mild soap solution al and a
taminants such as soft cloth
cosmetics or sun-
blo ck
C arb on p art s Deposits clean the same way as painted parts¢ page 205
Deco rati ve d ee-Deposits Soft sponge with
a m ild soap solutiona >
als
a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neu tral soap in 1 quart ( l lit er) of water
Int ernal cleaning
Component Situ ation Solution
Wind ows
Deposits Glass cleaner, then wipe dry
Deco ra tiv e Deposits Mild soap solutional
parts/
tri m
Pl as tic part s
Deposits Damp cloth
Heavier deposits Mild soap solution a>, detergent-free plastic clean ing
so lution, if necessary
D ispla ys Deposits Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
Cont rols Deposits Soft brush,
then a soft cloth with a mild soap sol utional
Saf ety b elt s Deposits Mild soap solution a), allow to dry before letting them
retract
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208 Care and cleaning
Component Situ ation Solution
Tex tile s,
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
art ifi cial l eather , 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 solut ion a>, blot away the dissolved oil
such as oil, make- or 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 necessary a)
ish, latex paint, shoe
polish, etc.
Natu ral leathe r Fresh stains Wool
cloth with a mi ld soap so lutiona >
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 po l-
ish, latex paint, shoe
polish, etc.
Ca re Regularly apply cond it io ni ng cream that protects from
light and penetrates into the mater ia l. Use spec ially-
co lored! conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carb on p art s Deposits clean th e same way as plastic parts
a) Mi ld soap solution: maximu m two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quart (l 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.

Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
especially well for winter or summer driving. During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stations where the sea­ sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time.
Q;) Note
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo­ nents in the fuel system .
- Do not use fuels that fail to meet the
specified criteria in this chapter .
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
specificat ions, ask your service station or
i ts fuel supp lier.
- Do not use fuel for which the contents cannot be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the responsibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Vehicle or the
Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy
or driveability and performance prob­
lems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufac­
turers is carbon deposit build-up caused by
the type of gasoline you use .
Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another, they have certain
things in common. All gasoline grades contain substances that can cause deposits to collect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline
brands include additives to keep engine and
M
N fuel systems clean, they are not equally effec-o
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Checking and Filling 211
Audi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline . For more information on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www.toptiergas .com).
After an extended period of using inadequate
fuels, carbon deposit build-ups can rob your engine of peak performance.
CJ) Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Audi New Ve­
hicle Limited Warranty.
Diesel fuel
App lies to vehicles : wit h diese l eng ine
Always use ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel)
No. 2 . The ULSD No. 2 meets the ASTM D975.
Diesel fuel with concentrations of biodiesel
higher than 5
% such as B11, B2O or B1OO are
strictly prohibited.
Service station fuel pumps are labeled with
the correct fuel information for easy recogni­
tion by the user.
If the diesel fuel pump is not
labeled ask the station operator what fuel is
being dispensed before filling up your vehicle.
ULSD No. 2 may not be available outside the
USA and Canada. Be sure to check before trav­
eling to other countries.
ULSD No. 2 can become thicker in very cold
temperatures, and this can impair the en­
gine's starting and running. Depending on the
season, gas stations provide ULSD No . 2 that
flows better in cold temperatures so that you
can continue operating your vehicle as usual.
(D Note
- Your vehicle's diesel engine was de­
signed solely for use with ULSD No. 2.
Therefore, never use gasoline, heating
oil, other fuels or flow improvers. These
contain substances that will severely
damage the fuel system and the engine.
Such damage will not be covered by your
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
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~ If there was no Ad Blue left in the tank and a
range of
O mi (0 km) was displayed in the
instrument cluster, switch the ignition on
for about 15 seconds before starting the en­ gine.
_& WARNING
Ad Blue can irritate the skin, eyes and res­piratory system. If there is contact with
the fluid, flush immediately with plenty of
water. Consult a physician if necessary.
(D Note
- Only use Ad Blue that conforms to the standard ISO 22241-1. Do not mix any
additives with the Ad Blue and do not di­lute it with water .
- Do not add Ad Blue to the diesel tank or
add diesel fuel to the Ad Blue tank. Mix­
ing can lead to damage to the engine
and the Ad Blue tank system. Warranty
does not cover damage caused by this.
- AdBlue attacks surfaces such as painted
vehicle components, plastic and carpet.
Remove the fluid as quickly as possible
with a damp cloth and plenty of cold wa­
ter. If the Ad Blue has already crystal­ lized, use warm water and a sponge .
AdBlue residue that is not removed will
crystallize and can damage the affected
surface .
- Do not store the refill bottle in the vehi­ cle. If it leaks, the escaping Ad Blue could
damage the vehicle interior.
- Do not allow AdBlue to come into con­
tact with clothing . If there is contact
with the fluid, flush immediately with
plenty of water.
@ Tips
- You can obtain refill bottles from an au­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
- Follow the AdBlue manufacturer's in­
structions for use and storage.
Checking and Filling 217
Hood
Working in the engine compartment
Special care is required if you are working in
the engine compartment
For work in the engine compartment such as
checking and filling fluids, there is a risk of
injury, scalding, accidents, and burns. For
this reason, follow all the following listed
warnings and general safety precautions.
The engine compartment is a dangerous
area.
c::> .&. .
_8 WARNING
To reduce the risk of injuries, complete the
following steps before opening the hood:
- Turn the engine off.
- Switch the ignition off.
- Set the parking brake.
- Place the selector lever in the P position.
- Let the engine cool down.
- 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 .
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment.
- Never spill fluids on a hot engine . These
fluids (such as the freeze protection con­
tained in the coolant) can catch fire .
- Avoid short circuits in the electrical sys­
tem, especially the battery .
- When working in the engine compart­
ment, remember that the radiator fan
can switch on even if the ignition is
switched off, which increases the risk of
personal injury.
- Never open the cap on the coolant ex­
pansion tank when the engine is warm.
The cooling system is under pressure.
- To protect your face, hands, and arms
from hot steam or coolant, cover the cap
with a large cloth when opening.
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Always keep your forearm parallel to the
ground to help prevent hot oil from run­
ning down your arm.
- Drain the oi l into a conta iner designed
for this p urpose, one large eno ugh to
hold at least the total amount of oil in
your engi ne.
- Engine oil is poisono us. Keep it well out
of the reach of c hildren .
- Cont inuo us contact with used engine oil
is harmful to your skin. Always protect
you r sk in by washing oil off thoroug hly
with soap and water .
(D Note
Never mix oil addit ives with your engine
oil. These additives can damage your en­
gine and adversely affect y our Aud i Limit­
ed New Vehicle Wa rra nty .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Before changing your oi l, f irst make sure
you know whe re you can proper ly dispose
of the used o il.
- Always d ispose of used engine oil proper­
l y. Do not dum p it o n ga rden so il, wood ­
ed a reas, into open streams or down
sewage dra ins.
- Recycle used engine o il by taking it to a
u se d engine oil collection facility in your
a rea, or contact a servi ce station .
Cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro­
tects the engine from freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sea led an d generally re ­
q uir es little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the f ac­
tory with a pe rm anen t coo lan t which does no t
n eed to be changed. The coolant consists of a
mixture of specia lly conditioned water and the
manufacturer's glyco l-based coo lant add i-
tive Gl3 antifree ze with ant icorros ion addi-
Checking and Fillin g 225
tives (50% for USA mode ls; 60% fo r Canadian
models) . This mixture both ass ures the neces­
sary frost protection and protects metal com ­
ponents in the eng ine's cooling system from
corros io n and scaling. It also raises the bo il­
ing point of the coolant .
Do not reduce the concentration of the cool ­
ant in the s ummer by adding p lain water.
The
proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50°/o but not more than 60 %
to main­
ta in antifreeze protect io n and cool ing eff ic ien­
cy . If the coo lant frost p rotection is too low ,
t he coo lan t could freeze and damage the vehi ­
cl e heating and engine cooling sys tem.
Fo r year- round drivi ng, a ntifreeze is added at
the factory fo r temperatures down to:
- -31 °F
< -3s0c) u sA
- -40°F ( - 40°C) Canada.
If you must ad d coo lant, use a mixture o f wa ­
te r and coolant additive. Mixing the coo lant
additive with dist illed water is recommended.
A WARNING
Before you chec k anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNI NGS
c:> page 217.
-
(D Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coo lant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli­ mate condit ions. This is especially impor­
t ant if you l ive i n a region where the win-
t er is extremely cold. If necessary, in-
c rea se t he p ropo rtion of coo lant add itive
t o 6 0% .
- Whe n ad d ing coolant addi tiv e to yo ur
c ooling sys te m , reme mbe r:
- We recommend using on ly coo lant ad­
d itive Gl2 ++ or Gl3 (check the labe l)
for your vehicle. This coolant additive is ava ila ble at autho rized Aud i dea le rs .
Othe r ty pes of antifreeze ca n sig nifi­
cantly reduce cor ros io n protec tion . The
r esu lting co rrosion can cause a lo ss of
c o o lant a nd serio us e ng ine da mage.
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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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