2016 AUDI A3 ignition

Check ing and F illing
Not running th e vehicle for long p eriod s of
t im e
If you do not drive your vehicle for several days or
weeks, electrical components are gradually re­ duced or sw itched off. Th is reduces energy con­
sumpt io n and maintains the vehicle's ability to
start over a long period of time
c:::, page 164 .
Some convenience functions, such as interior
lighting or power seats* may not work . These
convenience functions will be available again
once yo u sw itch the ignition on and start the en­
gine.
Winter operation
During the winter months, it is common for the
battery capacity to decrease as the temperatures
become lowe r. This is because mo re power is
needed to sta rt the veh icle and components s uch
as the headlights and the rear window defogger
are used more frequently .
Avoid using power unnecessar ily, especially in
ci ty driving or on sho rt trips. Have yo ur author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty check the battery capacity before the start of
winter c:::, page 249. A well-charged battery will
not on ly reduce starting problems in cold weath­
er, but it will also last longer .
A WARNING
-Work on the battery requires expert knowl­
edge. Contact an authorized Audi dealer or
autho rized Aud i Service Facility for informa­
t ion regarding the vehicle battery. There is a
risk for chemical burns or explosions.
- Never open the vehicle battery. Do not t ry to
c hange the batte ry electro lyte level. Othe r­
wise explosive gas wi ll escape from the bat­
te ry and increase the risk of an explos ion .
(D Tips
If your vehicle is not driven for several weeks
in very cold temperatu res, remove the batte ry
and sto re it in a pla ce where it wi ll not freeze.
This prevents the battery from being dam­
aged and needing to be replaced.
248
· Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
Plug- in hybrid drive*: For important informat ion
about the high-voltage battery, refer to
c:::, page 98 .
The battery is located in the engine compart­
ment . Before you check anything in the engine
compartment,
r e ad and heed all WARNING S
¢,&. .
Always heed the safe ty wa rnings , when working
on the vehicle battery or the veh icle electrical
system to prevent injury .
The following WARNINGS are very important
w hen wor king on the batter y:
Alwa ys heed the following WARNING S YM-
BOLS and safet y precaut ions when wo rking on
the batte ry.
®
Alwa ys wear e ye protection .
&
Batt ery ad d co ntains sulfu ric acid . Al-
way s w ear glove s and ey e prot ect ion .
@
No
-spark s
- flame s
- smoking .
~
When a battery is cha rged , it p roduce s
h yd rog en gas which is e xplo siv e and
could cause personal in jur y.
®
Alway s kee p the ba tter y w ell out of
r each of children.
A WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the
e lectr ical system, there is the r isk of injury,
accident and even fire. Read and heed the fol­ low ing WARNINGS:
- Always wear eye protection. Do not let bat­
tery acid or any lead particles get on your
skin or clothing . Shield your eyes. Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other in ju ry .
- Battery acid contains sulfuric acid . Sulfuric
acid can cause blindness and severe burns .

.... N
0 > CX)
.... I.Cl U"I
.... I.Cl ....
-Always wear gloves and eye protection. Do
not tilt the battery because acid could leak
out of the ventilation openings.
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or on
your skin, immediately rinse with cold wa­
ter for several minutes and get medical at­
tention .
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek
medical attention immediately.
- Do not expose the battery to an open flame,
electric sparks or an open light.
- Do not smoke.
- Do not interchange the positive and nega-
tive cab les.
- When working on the battery, be sure not to
short-circuit the terminals with tools or oth­
er metal objects. This wou ld cause the bat­
tery to heat up very quickly, which could
lead to damage or explosion and personal
injury.
- When a battery is charged, it produces hy­
drogen 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 cable.
- Before performing any work on the electri­
cal system, switch off the engine and igni­
tion as well as any electrical equipment . The
negative cable on the battery must be dis­
connected. If you are just going 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! Otherwise you
will set off the a larm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first dis­
connect the negative cable and then the
posit ive cab le.
- Before reconnecting the battery, make sure
all electrical consumers are switched off.
Reconnect the positive cab le first and then
the negative cable . Never interchange the
cables - th is could start a fire!
- Never charge a frozen o r a thawed-out bat­
tery. It could explode! If a battery has fro-
Checking and Filling
zen, then it must be replaced. A discharged
battery can freeze over at 32 °F (0 °C).
- Make sure the vent hose is always attached
to the opening on the side of the battery.
- Never use batteries which are damaged.
There is the danger of an exp losion! Always
replace a damaged battery.
_8 WARNING ~
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, term inals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems.
Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
-Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when
the ignition is on or when the engine is run­
ning, otherwise, you will damage electronic
components in the electrical system.
- If your vehicle is going to stand for a long
period of time without being driven, protect
the battery from "freezing", otherwise it
w ill be damaged and will then have to be re­
placed .
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged bat­
tery.
Fig. 200 Eng ine compartmen t: co nnectors fo r a charger
a n d jump start cab les
Plug-In hybrid drive* : The connect ion points for
the jump start cables vary~
page 108. .,.
249

Check ing and F illing
Al ways read and heed all WARNING S below
¢
A and ¢ A in Working on the battery on
page 248.
... Swi tch off the ignition and all electrical con­
sumers .
... Make sure the area is well ventilated when you
charge the battery.
... Open the engine hood ¢
page 23 7.
... Open the red cover on the positive pole
¢fig . 200.
... Clamp the cha rge r terminal clamps as instruct­
ed on the
batt ery terminal (+ ) and only on the
bo dy ground poin t(·).
... Only now pl ug the mains lead for the charging
equipment into the wall outlet and turn it on
¢£ .
... Make su re the ch arg ing rate is not o ver
3 0 a mp s/ 1 4.8 Volt.
... When the battery is fully charged: Turn the
charg ing equipment off and remove the mains
lead from the wall outlet.
... Now remove the clamps fo r the charging equ ip-
ment .
... Close the red cover on the positive pole.
... Close the hood ¢
page 238.
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures
of only 32 F
0 (0 °C). A llow a frozen battery to
thaw comp letely before attempt ing to c harge it
¢
.&. . However, we recommend not us ing a
thawed batte ry again because the battery casing
can be cracked due to ice formation and can leak
battery acid.
Battery charging (Ma ximum charging rate of
30 amp s/ 14.8 Volt )
When charging at low voltages (e.g. with a trick­
le charger ),
the battery cables do not have to be
d isconnected first. The battery caps should
not
be opened when charging a battery.
It is not necessary to remove the battery from
the lu ggage compartment, and it is also not nec­
essary to disconnect the cables.
250
Fast charging the battery (charg ing rat e
abov e 14.8 Volts )
For technical reasons do not use a battery charg­
er that uses voltage greater than 14.8 Volts to
charge your veh icle's battery.
A WARNING
Charg ing a battery can be dangerous .
-Always follow the operating instructions
provided by the battery charger manufactur­
er when charging your battery .
- Never charge a frozen battery.
It may ex­
plode because of gas trapped in the ice. Al­
low a frozen battery to thaw out first.
- Do not reuse batteries which were frozen.
The battery hous ing may have cracked and
weakened when the battery froze.
- Charge the battery in a well ventilated area .
Keep away from open flame or electrical
spark. Do not smoke . Hydrogen gas generat­
ed by the batte ry is explosive .
- To reduce the danger of explosion, never
connect or d isconnect charger cables while
the charger is ope rating .
- Fast charg ing a battery is dangerous and
should only be attempted by a competent
technician w ith the prope r equipment.
- Batte ry acid that may spill during charging
should be washed off w ith a so lution of
warm water and baking soda to neutra lize
the ac id.
{[) Note
Never use a fast cha rge r as a booster to start
the eng ine. This will se riously damage sensi­
tive elec tronic components, such as control
u nits, re lays, ra dio, e tc., as well as the ba ttery
charger.
Battery replacement
The new battery must hove the some specifica­
tions and dimensions as the original equipment
battery .
Intelligent energy man agement in yo ur vehicle is
r esponsib le for d istr ib uting the elec trica l energy ..,.

Checking and Filling
Service interval display
The service interval display detects when your ve­
hicle is due for service.
The service interval display works in two stages:
-Inspection or oil change reminder: after a cer-
tain distance driven, a message appears in the
instrument cluster display each time the igni ­
tion is switched on or off . The remaining dis­
tance or time is displayed briefly.
- Inspection or oil change due: if yo ur vehicle
has reached an inspection or oi l change interval
or both intervals at the same time, the mes­
sage
Inspection due! or Oil change due! or Oil
change and inspection due!
appears briefly af­
ter switching the ignition on/off .
Checking service intervals
You can check the remaining distance or time un­
til the next oil change or next inspection in the
MMI. Select the
I MENU I button> Car> Systems *
control button > Service & control > Service in­
tervals .
Resetting the indicator
Your authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Serv ice Facility will reset the serv ice interval dis­
p lay after performing service.
If you perform an oil change yourself to the Audi
specifications, you must reset the service interval
d isp lay.
To reset the display, select the
I MENU ! button >
Car > Systems * control button > Service & con­
trol
> Service intervals > Reset oil change inter­
val.
([) Note
-Only reset the oil change indicator if the oil
was changed.
- Following the service intervals is critical to
maintain ing the service life and va lue of
your vehicle, especially the engine. Even if
the m ileage on the vehicle is low, do not ex­
ceed the time for the next service.
- Calculating the time to the next oil change
i s interrupted when the ve hicle battery is
disconnected. If the vehicle is not driven for
252
a long period of time, check the mainte ­
nance schedule so that you can fo llow the
maintenance intervals.

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Indicator lights
IE-Loss of pressure in at least one tire 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
c::> page 2 73 .
mm (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
pressure: System malfunction!.
If m 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 2 73. 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
Facility 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 avoid any hard
steering or braking maneuvers. Stop as soon
as possible, check the tire and inflate the
t ir e to the correct pressure, which is speci­
fied on the tire pressure label on the veh icle
c::> page 263. Driving with a ti re with low
pressure causes the tire 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 .
- Th e driver is responsible 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.
Tires and wheels
-Using snow chains may result in a system
ma lfunction.
- The tires with the identification "AO" or
"RO"
c::> page 260 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
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure mon itor 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 befo re storing that the tire pressures
of all four tires meet the specified va lues and
are adapted to the load. Otherwise the system
could malfunction
c::> page 263.
.. Switch on the ign ition.
.,.. Select: the I MENU I button> Car> Systems "
control button > Service & control > Tire pres­
sure monitor > Store tire pressure > Yes, store
now .
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
a re installed . Otherwise the system could
malfunction.
273

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., & 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 sharp metal components when wash­
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
-After washing the vehicle, the brak ing effect
may be delayed due to mo isture on the
brake rotors or ice in the w inter . The brakes
must be dried first w ith a few careful brake
applica tions .
{[) Note
-If you wash t he vehicle in an automatic car
wash, yo u m ust fold the e xterior m irrors i n
to reduce the risk of damage to the mi rrors.
Power folding exte rior m irrors* must o nly
b e fo lded in a nd out usin g the power folding
f u nct io n.
-
Ca re and cleaning
- To prevent pa int damage, do not wash the
vehicle in direct s un light .
- To re duce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitche n
sponges o r similar items .
- Matte finish painted veh icle components:
- To reduce the r isk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use po lish ing 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 cou ld be damaged
when the stickers or magne ts 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
W hen clea ning and ca ring for individua l vehicle
comp onents, refer to the following t ables. The
inf ormat ion cont ained there is s imp ly recom ­
mendations. For q uest ions or for components t
h at are not l isted, cons ult an autho riz ed Aud i
de aler or author ized A udi Se rvice Fa cility. Also
f o llow the information fo und in ~ .&. .
Ext erior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper
D eposits ~ page 53, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
blades
Headlights /
Deposits So
ft spo nge with a m ild soap solutiona)
Tail lights
Sensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth w ith solvent-free cleaning solution
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth w ith alcohol-free cleaning solu-
tion
Snow/ice Hand br
ush/solven t-free de -icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special clean
ing so lution
Exhaust tail p ipes Road salt Water, clea ning so lu tion su itab le for s tainless stee l, if nee-
essary
Decorati ve parts / Deposits Mild soap so lution a>, a cleaning solution su itable for stain-
Trim less stee l, if necessary
275
...

Emergency assistance
-If an allergic reaction occurs, seek immedi­
ate medical attention .
- Keep the tire sealant away from children .
- In vehicles with a tire pressure monitoring
system*, using tire sealant can results in an
incorrect display or a system malfunct ion.
Drive carefully to the nearest author ized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty.
@ Tips
- If sealant leaks, allow it to dry in place. You
can then pee l it off like a sticker.
- Note the expiration date on the sealant bot­
tle . Replace the tire sealant at an author­
i zed Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
- Radio reception can be interrupted when operating the compressor*.
- Obey all laws.
Repairing tires
App lies to veh icles: W it h tir e re p air set
F ig . 211 Compo nents of the tire mobili ty k it
F ig. 212 Tire mob ilit y kit co nn ectio n
Requirement: the tire mobility kit must be laid
out and ready for use
9 page 280, Vehicle tool
kit.
282
Plug-in hybrid drive*: the placement of the vehi­
cle tool kit varies
9 page 107.
Installing the tire mobility kit
.,. Open the cover @on the compressor
<=)fig. 211 .
.,. Remove the connector@and press ure hose ®
with press ure gauge from the housing .
.,. Insta ll the compressor pressure hose ® onto
the flange ® of tire sealant bottle ©-
.,. Insert the sealant bottle with the flange at the
bottom into the opening ® on the compressor
cover .
.,. Remove the valve cap from the faulty tire.
.,. Insta ll the filler hose@onto the valve (!)
<=)fig. 212 .
.,. Connect the plug @~ fig. 211 to a socket in
the vehicle.
.,. Switch on the ignition.
Inflating a tire
.,. Move the switch@ 9 fig. 212 on the compres­
sor into position
I.
.,. Inflate the tire to between 29 psi (200 kPA)
and 36 psi (250 kPA) and read the pressure on
the gauge .
.,. If this tire pressure is not reached, drive your
veh icle approximately 33
ft (10 meters) for­
ward or backward so that the sealant can be re­
distr ibuted inside the tire.
_& WARNING
-Read and follow the manufacturer's safety
precaut ions on the compressor and in the
instructions on the bottle of sealant.
- If a tire pressure of 29 psi (200 kPA) cannot
reached after inflating for 6 minutes, then
the tire is too severely damaged. Do not
continue driving.
- If the tire cannot be repaired with the tire
sealant, see an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
(D Tips
Do not operate the compressor for more than
6 minutes continuously, or it can over heat.
Once the compressor has cooled, you can con­
tinue to use it.

.... N
Fuses and bulbs
Electrical fuses
Replacing fuses
A fuse that has blown will have metal strips tha t
have burned through .
Fig. 224 Steer ing colu mn area : cove r
Fig. 225 Left side of the engin e com partment : fus e cover
Fuses in the interior
The fuses are behind the cover in the steering
column area
¢fig. 224.
• Switch the ign ition and all electr ical equipment
off .
• Check the following table to see which fuse be­
longs to the equipment
r::!.> page 292.
• Remove the cover ("AIRBAG" label)
¢ fig. 224.
Begin at the bottom right corner -arrow- .
• Remove the plastic clip from the fuse panel
cover in the engine compartment ¢
fig. 225.
• Remove the fuse using the plastic clamp.
• Replace the burned fuse with an identical new
one .
• Install the cover .
~ Fuses in the engine compartment CX)
rl
~ •Turnoff the ignition and the failed electrical
~ equipment . ....
Fuses and bulbs
• Check the following table to see which fuse be­
longs to the equipment¢
page 293.
• Remove the fuse panel cover r::!.> fig. 225.
• Remove the plastic clip from the fuse panel
cover¢
fig . 225 .
• Remove the fuse using the plastic clamp .
• Replace the burned fuse with an identical new
one .
• Reinstall the cover.
The individual circu its are protected by safety
fuses . The fuses are located under the steering
wheel beh ind a cover and in the left side of the
engine compartment .
Fuse color identification
Color Current rating
in amps
Black 1
Purple 3
Light brown 5
Brown 7.5
Red 10
Blue 15
Yellow 20
White or transparent 25
Green 30
orange 40
A WARNING
Do not repair fuses and never replace a blown
fuse with one that has a higher amp rating .
This can cause damage to the electr ical sys­
tem and a fire.
(D Note
If a new fuse burns out again shortly after you
have installed it, have the electrical system
checked as soon as possible by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty.
(0 Tips
- Th e following table does not list fuse loca­
tions that are not used.
291