2016 AUDI A3 CABRIOLET warning

Your safety and that of your pas­sengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not ex­
ceeded. Vehicle load includes ev­
erybody and everything in and on
the vehicle. These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehi­
cle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat­
ing
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight
of the basic vehicle, all factory in­
stalled accessories, a full tank of
fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
plus maximum load. The maxi­
mum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is in­
tended to carry ("seating capaci­
ty") with an assumed weight of
150 lbs. (68 kg) for each passen­
ger at a designated seating posi­
tion and the total weight of any luggage in the vehicle. If you tow
a trailer, the weight of the trailer
hitch and the tongue weight of
the loaded trailer must be includ­
ed as part of the vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle's two axles .
; The fact that there is an upper
N
~ limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi-
o
s: a:,
Tires and wheels
cle Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including
the weight of a trailer hitch and
the tongue weight of the loaded
trailer) is limited. The more pas­
sengers in the vehicle or passen­
gers who are heavier than the
standard weights assumed mean
that less weight can be carried as
luggage.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker label located on the driver's side B-pillar
9page 214,
fig. 170.
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per­
sonal injury, and even death.
-Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and increase the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that
has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance.
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the availab le cargo an d lug­
gage loa d capaci ty o f yo ur vehi­
c le.
.,,. Chec k the tire s idewall
(¢ page 204 , fig. 16 8) to deter ­
min e th e des ig nate d lo ad ratin g
for a speci fic tir e.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel b olts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/t ighten
eas ily.
Rims
R ims with a bolted rim ring* or w ith bolted wheel
covers* consist of mu ltip le pieces . These compo­
n ents we re bolted toge ther using specia l bolts
and a specia l procedure . You must not repair or
disassemble them¢
A.
A WARNING
-
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control, which increases the risk of
an acc ident. For the correct tightening specif i­
cation, refer to¢
page 235, After changing a
wheel .
-Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of
grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim.
-Always have damaged r ims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Aud i
Service Facility. Never repair or d isassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident.
Winter tires
W inter tires s ignificantly improve the vehicle's
h andling w hen d riving in w inter condit ions. Be­
cause of the ir constr uction (width, compound,
tread pattern), summe r tires provide less trac­
tion on ice and snow.
Tir es and wheel s
.. Use winter tires on all four wheels.
.. On ly use winter tires that are approved for your
veh icle.
.. Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires¢,&. An
author ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv ­
ice Facility can inform you about the maximum
perm itted speed for your t ires .
.. Check the tire p ressure afte r insta lling wheels
¢ page 214.
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when the tread is wo rn down to a depth of
0.157 i nch (4 mm). The characte ris tics of winter
t ir es also decrease g reatly as the ti re ages, re­
gard less of the rema ining t read.
A WARNING
-- Never drive faster than the max imum per­
mitted speed for your tires . This could cause
the t ires to heat up too much. This increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the t ire to burst.
- Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic cond itions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads . Even
winter t ires can lose tract ion on black ice .
(® For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropr iate
time, because they prov ide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road no ise, tire wear and fue l
consumpt ion.
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun­
tries where winter tires are required, on ly
winter tires w ith the
& symbo l may be per­
mitted.
Snow chains
Snow chains improve traction in the snow.
.. Only install snow chains on the front wheels .
This applies a lso to vehicles with a ll wheel
drive*.
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Reduced performance in winter /cold season
conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes. The
low aspect ratio, ultra high performance t ires
originally installed on your vehicle are intended
for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling . They are not suitable for cold, snowy or
i cy weather cond it ions. If you dr ive under those
circumstances, you shou ld equ ip your vehicle
with all-season or winter tires, whic h offe r better
traction under those conditions. We suggest you
use the recommended snow or all-season tires
specified for you r vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to¢
page 219 for more detailed informa­
tion regarding winter tires.
Uniform tire quality grading
-Tread wear
- Traction AA A B C
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and
maximum section w idth ¢
page 204, fig . 168 .
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA, Tem­
perature
A .
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades.
Tread wea r
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under contro lled conditions on a specified gov­
ernment test course.
F or example, a tire graded
150 would wear one
and one ha lf
( 1 1/2) times as well on the govern­
ment course as a tire graded
100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, howeve r, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B and
C. Those grades represent the tire's
Tires and wheels
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured un ­
der controlled conditions on specified govern­
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
¢ &.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and
C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the mate ­
rial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure¢ &.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of perform ­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un­
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No.
109 . Grades Band A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
&, WARNING
The traction gra de assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor­
nering, hydroplaning or peak traction charac­
teristics.
.&_ WARNING
= -
The temperature grade for this tire is estab­ lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in comb inat ion, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure .
.&_ WARNING
--
Temperature grades apply to tires that are
properly inflated and not over or underinflat­
ed.
221

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Indicat or lights
IE -Loss of pressure in at least one ti re c::> ,& .
Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires. Then
store the tire pressures in the MMI
<=:>page 223.
mm (T ire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
press ure: System malfuncti on!.
Ifm appears
after switching the ignition on or whi le driving
and the
IE indicator light in the instrument clus­
ter blinks for approximately one minute and then
stays on, there is system malfunction . Try to
store the correct tire pressures
c::> page 223 . If
the indicator light does not turn off or turns on
again after a short period of time, drive to an au­
thor ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Faci lity immediately to have the malfunction cor­
rected.
A WARNING
- If the tire pressure warning light IE in the
instrument cluster turns on, the pressure in
one or more tires is too low . Reduce the ve­
hicle speed immediately and avo id any hard
steering or braking maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible, check the tire and inflate the
t ire to the correct pressure, which is speci­
fied on the tire pressure label on the veh icle
<=:> page 214. Driving w ith a t ire with low
pressure c auses the t ire to overheat and can
result in failure of the tire . Low pressure can
also have a negative effect on the driving
and braking behavior of the vehicle .
- T he driver is responsib le for maintaining the
correct tire pressures . You must check the
tire pressures regularly .
- Under certain conditions (such as a sporty
driv ing style, winter conditions or unpaved
roads), the pressure monitor indicator may
be delayed.
- Do not use run-flat tires on your vehicle . Us­
ing them when not permitted can lead to
vehicle damage or accidents .
(D Tips
-The tire pressure monitoring system can al ­
so stop working when there is an ESC mal­
function.
Tir es and wheel s
- Us ing snow chains may result in a system
ma lfunction.
- The tires with the identification "AO" or
"RO"
c::> page 211 have been matched with
your Audi tire pressure monitoring system .
We recommend that you use these tires.
- The tire pressure monitoring system can on­
ly monitor the tire pressure of the driving
tires. Check the tire pressure of the spare
wheel in the luggage compartment so that if necessary it is ready for use.
Storing tire pressures
App lies to : vehicles wi th Tir e Pressure Mo nito rin g Sys te m in­
dic ator
A change in tire pressur e or a change in tires
must be stored in the syst em .
The tire press ure is stored in the MM I.
.,. Make sure before storing that the t ire pressures
of all four tires meet the specified values and
are adap ted to the load. O therwise the system
could malfunction
c::> page 214.
.. Switch on the ignition.
.,. Select: the I MENU I button> Ca r> Sys tem s*
con trol button > S er vice & control > Tire pre s­
s u re m on itor > Stor e tire pressu re > Yes , sto re
no w.
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
are installed. Otherw ise the system could
malfunction.
223

Care and cleaning
Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, prope r care helps to maintain your vehi ­
cle's value.
It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting war ranty claims for cor rosion damage
and pa int defects on the body.
The necessary care prod ucts can be obtained
from an autho rized Audi deale r or authorized
Aud i Service Facility. Read and follow the instruc­
tions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
- Using clean ing and care products incorrectly
can be dangero us to your hea lth .
- Always store clean ing and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the r isk of po i­
so ning .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not dispose of leftove r clean ing and care
products with household t rash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits s uch as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the ve­ h icle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
i n crease the damag ing effect .
Before washing, r inse off heavy deposits with
p lenty of water.
St ubb orn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of wate r and a
microfiber cloth.
Also, wash the underside of yo ur vehicle once
road sa lt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icles with a pressure
washer, always follow t he ope ra ti ng ins tructions
p rovided w ith the pressure washer. This is espe­
cially important in regard to the pressure and
spraying distance . Do not direct the stream of
224
water d irect ly onto seals for the side windows,
doors, luggage compartment lid or hood or onto
the tires, r ubber hoses, insulat ing mater ia l, the
power top, sensors* or camera lenses*. Keep a
distance of at least 16 in (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washe r.
Never use rot ary no zzles or high pressure no z­
z les .
The wate r temperatu re must not be above 140 °F
(60 °().
Automatic car washes
Spray off the ve hicle before wash ing.
Make su re t hat the windows and power top are
closed and the windsh ield wipers are off. Follow
i nstruct ions from the car wash operator, espe­
c ially if there are accessories attached to your ve ­
hicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes.
Washing by hand
Clean the vehicle starting from the top and work ­
ing down using a soft sponge or cleaning brush .
U se solvent-free cleaning products .
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avoid damaging the pa int when washing, first
remove dust and large part icles from your vehi­
cle. Insects, grease spots and f ingerprints are
best removed w ith a special cleaner for matte
finish paint .
Apply the product using a microf iber cloth. To
avo id damag ing the pa int surface, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the veh icle thorough ly with water. Then
clean using a neutra l shampoo and a soft m icro­
fiber cloth.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a sham my.
Stubborn deposits such as bird dropp ings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty o f water and a
microfiber cloth. .,..

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A WARNING
-Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
wash operator to reduce the risk of acci­ dents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself from sha rp metal components when wash­
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the bra king effect
may be de layed due to mo isture on the
bra ke rotors or i ce in the w inte r. The brake s
must be dried fi rst w ith a few care ful brake
applications .
Q) Note
-If yo u wash t he vehi cle in an au toma tic car
wash, yo u m ust fold the exte rior m irrors i n
to re duce the risk of damage to the mirrors .
Power folding exterior m irrors * must on ly
be fo lded in and out using the power folding
funct ion.
- To p revent paint damage, do not wash the
vehicle in d irect sunlight.
Ca re and cleaning
- To re duce the risk of damage, do not wash
the power top with a pressure washer .
- T o red uce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitche n
sponges o r similar items .
- M atte finish painted veh icle components:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polishing agents or hard
wax.
- Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with matte
finish paint. The paint could be damaged
when the stickers or magnets are re­
moved.
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash t he veh icle in facili ties s pec ially de­
s igned for that pu rpose. This will reduce the
r isk of dirty wate r contamina ted with o il from
ente ring the sewe r sys tem.
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individua l vehicle
components, refer to the follow ing tables . The
information contained there is simp ly recom­
mendations. For quest ions or for components t
h at are not listed, cons ult an authorize d Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac ility . Also
f o llow the information found in c> ,& .
Exterior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper
Deposits <=> page 50 , Cleaning windshield wiper blades
blades
Headlights /
Deposits So
ft sponge with a mild soap solutiona)
Tail light s
Sensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth w it h solvent-free cleani ng solut io n
Camera len ses Camera lenses: soft clot h w ith alcoho l-free cleaning sol u-
tion
Snow/ice Hand br ush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
Exhaust tail pipe s Road salt Wate
r, clean ing so lution su itab le for s tainless stee l, if ne e-
essa ry
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Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
T ex til es
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
art ifici al leat her, the surface
A lcan tara Water-based deposits Absorbent
cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
b lood, etc.
Oil -based deposits Apply a m ild soap solution
a), blot away the dissolved o il or
such as oil, make-up, dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
etc.
Special deposits such Special stain
remover, blot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, nail polish, la- afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary
a)
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natu ral le ath er Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mild soap solution a>
Water-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dried stains : stain
remover suitable fo r leather
b lood , etc.
Oi l-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain
remover suitable
such as oil, make-up, for leather
etc. Dried stains : grease dissolving spray
Special deposits such Spot remove r suitab le for leather
as ink, nai l polish, la-
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Care Regularly apply condit ion ing c ream that protects from
lig ht and penet rates into the material. Use specia lly-co l-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary .
Carbon part s Deposits clean the same way as plast ic parts
a) Mi ld soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 q uart (1 liter) of water
.8, WARNING
The windshield may not be trea ted with wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un ­
favorable cond itions such as wetness, dark­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare.
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
@ Note
- Headlight s/tail li ght s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
- Whe els
-
- Never use a ny pa int polish or other abra­
sive materials .
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as sto ne ch ips or scratches must
be repaired immediately .
-Sen sor s/camera l enses
- Neve r use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens . This
could cause the lens to crack .
- Neve r use ab rasive cleaning materials or
a lcohol to clean the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Power top
- Remove bird droppings immediately .
227

Emerg ency assis ta nce
Emergency assistance
Trunk escape latch
Applies to: vehicles with trunk escape latch (A3 sedan)
In case of an emergency, the rear lid can be
opened from the inside using the trunk escape
latch.
Fig. 172 luggage compartment: t runk escape latch
.,. Push the latch in the direction of the arrow un­
til the lock releases .
The trunk escape latch inside the rear lid is made of fluo rescent mater ial to glow in the dark.
_& WARNING
The trunk escape latch is to be used only in an
emergency .
General information
.,. Park the vehicle as far as poss ible from moving
traff ic in the event of a flat tire. In the event of
a flat t ire, park the vehicle on a level surface. It
you are on a steep incline, be especia lly careful.
.,. Set the park ing brake.
.,. Place the selector lever in the P position.
.,. Switch the emergency flashers on.
.,. Put on a reflective vest, if available .
.,. Set up the warning triangle, if available .
.,. Have the passengers exit the vehicle . They
should move to a safe place, for example be­
hind a guard rail.
_& WARNING
Pay attention to the steps above. They are for
your protection and the for the safety of other
drivers.
2 30
Equipment
Vehicle tool kit
Applies to: vehicles with vehicle tool kit
Fig. 173 lu gg age compartmen t: cargo floor cove r fo lded
upward (example)
The vehicle tool kit, t ire repa ir set* and compres­
sor* are stored in the luggage compartment un­
der the floor cover~
fig. 173 .
.,. Hook the p lastic hook@ into the luggage com­
partment seal.
.,. Unhook the cargo floor before closing the lug­
gage compartment lid.
_& WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack can cause se­
rious personal injuries.
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
tighten wheel bolts, since the bolts cannot
attain the necessary tightening torque if you
use the hex head, potentially causing an ac­
cident.
- The factory-supplied jack is intended only
for your veh icle model. Under no circum­
stances should it be used to lift heavy
vehicles or other loads; you risk injuring
yourself .
- Never start the engine when the veh icle is
raised, which co uld cause an accident .
- Support the vehicle securely with a ppropri ­
ate stands if work is to be pe rformed under­
neath the vehicle; otherwise, there is a po­
tential risk for injury.
- Never use the jack supplied with your Audi
on another vehicle, particularly on a heavier
one. The jack is only su itable for use on the
vehicle it came with. ..,.