2016 AUDI A3 engine overheat

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Launch Control-Program
Applies to vehicles: with launch control
The Launch Control Program enables maximum
acceleration .
Requirement: the engine must be at operating
temperature and the steering wheel must not be
turned .
.. With the engine running, press the
l~OFF ! but­
ton briefly one time
ll .
.. Pull the selector lever back out of the D/S posi­
tion briefly to select the S position, or press it
toward the right into the tiptronic pos ition or
select the
D ynami c driving mode in drive se­
lect*
~page 148.
.. Press the b rake peda l firmly wi th you r left foot
and hold it all the way down for at least 1 sec­
ond.
.. At the same time, press the gas pedal all the
way down with your right foot until the engine
reaches and stays at a high RPM level.
.. Remove your left foot from the brake.
A WARNING
-Always adapt yo ur driv ing to the traffic flow.
- Only use Launch Control when road and traf-
fic cond itions allow it and other dr ivers will
not be endangered or impacted by you r d riv­
ing and the vehicle's accele ration.
- Please note that the drive whee ls can sp in
and the vehicle can break away when sport
mode is swit ched o n, especia lly when the
road is s lippery.
- Once t he vehicle has sta rted moving, press
the
I $? OFF ! button briefly to t urn the sport
mode off.
(D Tips
- The transmiss ion temperature may increase
s ignificantly after using the lau nch cont rol
program.
If that happe ns, the program m ay
l) In vehicles w ith a d river information system, an ESC light
in the instrument cluster stays o n continuous ly and the
message
Stabili za tion contro l (E SC ): sport . Warning! Re·
stricted st abi lity
appears temporar ily.
Autom atic tran sm iss ion
not be ava ilab le for a few minutes. It will be
avai lab le again after a cool-down period.
- Whe n accelerating using the launch contro l
program, all vehicle parts a re su bject to
heavy loads. This can lead to increased
wear.
Emergency mode
Applies to vehicles: wit h S tronic transmiss ion
In the event of o system mo/function, there is on
emergency program.
If all of the selector lever positions are hig hlight­
ed with a light background in the instrument
cluster disp lay, there is a system malfunction and
the S tronic transmission is running in the emer­
gency program. The vehicle can still be driven in
emergency mode, but only with reduced speed
and not in all gears . In some cases, the vehicle
cannot drive in rever se .
(D Note
If the transm ission runs in emergency mode,
drive to an authorized A udi dealer or author­
iz ed Audi Se rvice Facility immed iate ly to have
the malfunc tion corrected.
Transmission malfunction
• Tran smi ssion malfunction ! Pl ea se stop the
vehicle and select P
The re is a ma lfunction in the transmission. Park
the vehi cle secure ly and do not cont in u e driv ing.
See a n author ized Audi dealer or au thori zed A udi
Service Facility for assis tance.
• Tran smission overheating! Plea se stop the
vehicle!
The transmiss ion is too hot and can become dam­
aged. Stop and let the transmiss ion cool w ith the
engi ne r unning (at idle) in the P se lector lever po­
s it ion. Then the ind icator lig ht and the message .,.
95

Automatic transmission
turn off, drive to an authorized Audi dea ler or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediate ly to have
the malfunction corrected . If the ind icator light
and the driver message do not turn off, do not
continue driving. See an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility for assistance .
rm Transmission malfunction: you can continue
driving
Drive to an autho rized Audi dea ler or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunct ion corrected .
rm Transmission malfunction: no reverse gear
(you can continue driving)
Drive to an authorized Aud i dea ler or authorized
Aud i Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunct ion corrected.
[O] Transmission malfunction: You can continue
driving in D until engine off
Drive the vehicle away from moving traffic and
park. See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility for assistance .
rm Transmission overheating! Please adapt
driving style
Continue driving moderately. When the indicator
light turns off, you can continue driving normal­
ly .
rm Transmission: Press brake pedal and select
gear again.
If the transmission malfunctions because the
temperature is too high, a message appears
when the transmission is cooled.
96
Selector lever emergency release
App lies to vehicles: wit h S tronic transmission
If the vehicle's power supply fails, the selector
lever can be released in an emergency.
Fig. 86 Se lector leve r: remov ing the cover
Fig. 87 Selector lever: us ing the emergency release to
move out of the Pa rk posit ion
The emergency release mechanism is located in
the right area under the selector lever shift gate.
Using the emergency release can be complicated.
We recommend contacting an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as­
sistance, if necessary .
The screwdr iver from the vehicle tool kit located
i n the luggage compartment is needed to for the
eme rgency release¢
page 280 . Use the flat side
of the reversible screwdriver blade.
Removing the selector lever cover
.,. Set the parking brake(®)¢,& to secure your
vehicle from rolling .
.,. Insert the flat side of the screwdriver s ideways
in the slot near the s hift cover and pry the shift
cover up
¢ fig. 86 .
.,. Pull up the corners of the shift cover carefully
with your hands and fo ld it over the shifter
knob
¢ fig . 87. ..,.

e-tron
overhangs, carports or similar structures . Switch
the ignition
off. Have the problem corrected by
an author ized Audi dealer or authorized A udi
Serv ice Facility .
• Elec tric s ystem: o verheated. Safel y park ve­
hicle and check coo lant
The coolan t leve l is too low or the coolant tem ­
pera ture is too high .
S top the vehicle in the outdoo rs as soon as it is
safe ly possible . Switch the ignition off.
Read the important safety precautions ¢.&.
in
Coolant on page 109 and check the coolant level
¢page 108.
If the coolant level is OK, the malfunction may be
caused by the system overheating . Let the vehi­
cle's electric drive system cool down for some
time .
If the message turns
off after cooling down and
sw itching the ign ition back on, you ca n continue
driving. Contact an author ized Audi dealer or au­
thor ized A udi Se rvice Facility immed iate ly to have
the ma lf u nction co rrected.
If the indicator lig ht stays on, contact an author­
ized A ud i dealer or authorized Aud i Serv ice Faci li­
ty .
Bil Drive system : sys tem fault! Pleas e contact
work shop
There is a malfunction in the plug-in hybrid sys ­
tem. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Service Facility immediate ly to have
the ma lfunction corrected .
II Drive sy stem: system fault! Restart not po s·
sible. Ple ase contact wo rkshop
There is a mal func tion in the plug -in hybrid sys­
tem . Do not open the engine compartment lid .
Drive to an a uth orized Aud i dea le r or authorized
Aud i Serv ice Facility immediately to have the
malfunct io n corrected.
II Batter y temperature too low . Engine start
not possible . See owner's manual
The outside temperature is too low. The vehicle
can no longer start at temperat ures below -18 °F
102
(- 28 °C) . Contact your author ized Audi dealer or
autho rized Audi Service Facility.
POWER LIMIT Warning! Limited power
If the indicator l ight turns on and this message
appears , there may be an engine cont rol mal­
funct ion. The
(m ind icator light in t he instr u­
ment clus ter a lso turns on. The e ng ine o utput is
reduced. Dr ive to an a utho rized Audi dea ler or
autho rized Audi Service Facility immedia tely to
have the malfunction corrected.
II e -tron mode : EV curr ently unavailable
This message appears w hen the 1-,$ 1 button is
pressed and the conditions for e lectric drive
mode are no t me t.
IIJ Vehicle sound: malfunction! Pedestrians
cannot h ear vehicle. P lease contact Service
if the indicator light t urns on and this message
appears, pedestrians and bicyclists can no longer
hear the vehicle when it is driving in electric
mode. Turn off the veh icle and switch to dr iv ing
with the gasoline e ngine . To activate the gasoli ne
engine, select the
Charge batt ery mode
¢page 103 with the kl"I button. Drive to a n au­
tho rized Audi dea le r or a uthorized Audi Service
Facility immediate ly to have the malfunction cor ­
rected.
Range display
Applies to vehicles: wit h pl ug-in hy brid drive
Fig. 89 Ins trument cluster example image: range disp lay
The range can be d isplayed in the on -board com­
p uter ¢
page 29.
Depend ing o n the selected p lug-in hybrid mode,
the d isp lay disp lays the follow ing informa tion:
Ill>

Intelligent Technology
A WARNING
-New brake pads do not achieve their full
braking effect during the first 250 mi
-
(400 km). They must be "broken in" first .
However, you can compensate for the
slightly reduced braking force by pressing
firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy brak­
ing during the break-in period.
- Only apply the brakes for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system when road and
traffic conditions permit. You must not en­
danger other road users. This increases the
risk of an accident.
- On steep slopes, reduce the speed and se­
lect a lower gear or lower selector lever po­
sition. Drive as little as possible while press­
ing the brake pedal and avoid putting your
left foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This could cause the brakes to overheat and
impair the efficiency of the brakes.
- Do not let the brakes "grind" by always
keeping your foot on the brake pedal. This
can cause the brakes to overheat, increase
wear and increase braking distance unneces­
sarily.
- Certain weather and operating conditions
such as driving through water, driving in heavy rain or driving after washing your ve ­
hicle can impair the effectiveness of the
brakes . In the winter, ice may build up on
the brake pads, rotors and drums. Check
these components by braking carefully. Ap­
plying the brakes carefully several times
dries the brakes and removes ice build-up .
- The efficiency of the brakes can also be im­
paired by driving for long stretches on roads
covered with salt without using the brakes.
You can remove salt deposits from the brake rotors and pads by carefully applying
the brakes several times.
- If the front spoiler is damaged or you install
another spoiler, make sure the front wheel brakes are ventilated properly . Otherwise,
the brake system could overheat, which re­
duces their effectiveness .
- Failure of a brake circuit impairs braking
performance, which increases braking dis -
162
tance. Avoid driving the vehicle and have it
towed it to the nearest authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
- Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is
stopped because this increases the risk of an
accident .
- If the brake booster is not working, you will
have to press much harder on the brake
pedal to compensate for the lack of the
booster.
(D Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
pedal lightly when braking is not really nec­
essary. This causes the brakes to overheat
and increases braking distance and causes
wear .
- Before driving on a long stretch with steep
slopes, reduce your speed and shift to the
next lower gear This makes use of the en­
gine braking effect and relieves the brakes.
If you need to brake additionally, brake in
intervals and not continuously.
(D Tips
- If the brake booster is not working, you
must press the brake pedal with much more
force than normal.
- If you retrofit your vehicle with a front spoil­
er, wheel covers or similar items, make su re
that the air flow to the front wheels is not
interrupted. Otherwise the brake system
can become too hot.
Electromechanical
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
The vehicle still has full steering functionality if
the power steering fails or when the engine is
stopped (towing) . To steer, you must apply much
more force than usual. .,.

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., ~ Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 242, Adding engine oil ~ Never try to push-or tow-start your vehicle.
The cata lytic converter is an efficient "clean -up"
device bui lt into the exhaust system of the vehi­
cle. The catalytic converter burns many of the
pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are re­
leased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fue l is critica lly im­
portant for the life of the catalytic converter and
proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
The temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driving and after stopping
the engine.
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This could result i n burns .
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas
where the hot exhaust system may come in
contact with dry grass, brush, fuel spill or
other material which can cause a fire .
-Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing o n or near the exhaust mani­
fold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converte r o r
heat s hields. During dr iving, t he substance
used for under coati ng could ove rheat and
c ause a fire.
(D Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fue l wi ll al ready ser iously degrade
the pe rformance of the ca talytic converter.
- Do not ex ceed the correct eng ine o il level
~page 242.
- Do not d rive until the fuel tank becomes
complete ly empty. The engine co uld m is­
fire. Unburned fuel could also get in to the
exhaust system and this co uld cause t he
cata lytic converter to overheat .
- Do no t sw itch off t he igni tion while t he vehi­
cle is moving.
- Do no t continue to operate your vehicle un­
der these cond it ions, as othe rwise fue l can
reach the catalytic converter. This cou ld re ­
su lt in overheating of the converter, req uir­
i ng its replacement.
Ch eck ing and Filling
-To ass ure eff icient operat ion of the Emis ­
sion Contro l System:
- Have yo ur vehicle maintained p roperly and
i n accordance with the serv ice recommen­
dat ions in yo ur War ranty
& Ma intenance
booklet.
- L ack of proper ma intenance as well as im­
p roper use of the ve hicle will impa ir the
f u nction of t he emission control system
a nd could lead to damage.
~ For the sake of the environment
Eve n when the Em iss ion Control System is op­
era ting properly, t he exhaus t gas can have a
su lf ur -li ke exhaus t gas sme ll under some op­
erating s tates . This depends on the sul fur
content of the fuel being used. Using a differ­
ent brand of fuel may help, or fi lling the tank
with lead-free super grade gasoline.
Diesel particulate filter
Appl ies to vehicles: wit h diesel eng ine
The diese l particu late filter filte rs nearly all of
the soot part icles out of the exhaust. The filter
cleans itself automatically under norma l driving
condit ions. If the filter cannot clean itself (for ex­
amp le, because yo u are o nly dr iving short distan ­
ces), the filte r becomes clogged with soot and
the
II symbol fo r the diese l par ticu late filter il­
l u minates
¢page 23.
A WARNING
-Do not park your veh icle over flammab le
materia ls such as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the diesel particu ­
late filte r cou ld start a fi re.
-
- Do not app ly an underbody protectant in the
exhaust system area or a fire could start .
233

Checking and Filling
-To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine
oil, let the engine cool down to the touch.
- When removing the oil drain plug with your
fingers, stay as far away as possible. Always
keep your forearm parallel to the ground to
help prevent hot oil from running down your
arm.
- Drain the oil into a container designed for
this purpose, one large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in your engine .
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of
the reach of children .
- Continuous contact with used engine oil is
harmful to your skin. Always protect your
skin by washing oil off thoroughly with soap
and water .
CD Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil.
These additives can damage your engine and
adversely affect your Audi Limited New Vehi­
cle Warranty.
@ For the sake of the environment
-Before changing your oil, first make sure
you know where you can properly dispose of
the used oil.
- Always dispose of used engine oil properly.
Do not dump it on garden soil, wooded
areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains.
- Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a used
engine oil collection facility in your area, or
contact a service 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 sealed and generally re­
quires little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the factory
with a permanent coolant which does not need to
be changed. The coolant consists of a mixture of
244
specially conditioned water and the manufactur­
er's glycol-based coolant additive Gl3 antifreeze
with anticorrosion additives (50% for USA mod­ els; 60% for Canadian models). This mixture
both assures the necessary frost protection and
protects metal components in the engine's cool­
ing system from corrosion and scaling. It also
raises the boiling point of the coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the coolant in
the summer by adding plain water.
The propor­
tion of coolant additive must be at least 50%
but not more than 60%
to maintain antifreeze
protection and cooling efficiency. If the coolant
frost protection is too low, the coolant could
freeze and damage the vehicle heating and en­
gine cooling system.
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at the
factory for temperatures down to:
--31°F(-35°C)USA
- - 40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
If you must add coolant, use a mixture of water
and coolant additive. Mixing the coolant additive
with distilled water is recommended.
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
INGS
~ page 236.
CD Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant additive in your
vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate con­ ditions. This is especially important if you
live in a region where the winter is extreme­
ly cold.
If necessary, increase the proportion
of coolant additive to 60%.
- When adding coolant additive to your cool­
ing system, remember:
- We recommend using only coolant addi­
tive Gl2++ or G13 (check the label) for
your vehicle. This coolant additive is avail­
able at authorized Audi dealers. Other
types of antifreeze can significantly re­
duce corrosion protection. The resulting

.... N
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.... I.Cl U"I
.... I.Cl ....
corrosion can cause a loss of coolant and
serious engine damage .
- Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant
to your vehicle's engine coolant . Adding ra­
diator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling
system and could result in damage not cov­
ered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Adding coolant
F ig . 198 Engine compa rtment: mark in gs on t he coo lant
expa nsion tank
Read and follow the WARNINGS before check­
ing anything in the engine compartment
¢ page 236, Working in the engine compart­
ment.
Checking the engine coolant level
• Park your vehicle on a level surface .
• Switch the ignition off .
• Read the coolant level on the coolant expansion
tank
¢ fig. 198 . The coolant level must be be­
tween the markings when the engine in cold .
When the engine is warm it can be slightly above the upper marking.
Adding coolant
Plug-in hybrid drive*: your vehicle has two cool­
ant expansion tanks that are separate from each
other. The smaller of the two expansion tanks
must not be opened
¢ page 108. Read and fol­
low the important safety precautions ¢
A in
Coolant on page 109.
Requirement: there must be a residual amount of
coolant in the expansion tank ¢(D .
• Let the engine cool down .
Checking and Filling
• Place a cloth over the coolant expansion tank
cap and unscrew the cap counterclockwise
¢ A .
• Add coolant mixed in the correct ratio
¢
page 244 up to the upper marking.
• Make sure that the fluid level remains stable.
Add more coolant if necessary.
• Close the cap securely .
A coolant loss suggests a leak. Immediately drive
your vehicle to an authorized Audi dealer or au ­
thorized Audi Service Facility and have the cool­
i ng system inspected. If the cooling system is not
leak ing, a loss can come from the coolant boiling
through overheat ing and being pushed out of the
cooling system .
,&_ WARNING
-= -The cooling system is pressurized and can be­
come very hot. To reduce the risk of burns
from hot coolant:
- Do not open the coolant expansion tank cap
with the engine hot. There is a risk of burns.
- Stop the engine and allow it to cool.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from es-
caping coolant and steam by covering the
coo lant tank cap with a large, thick cloth.
- Turn the coolant tank cap counterclockwise
slowly and keep light pressure on the cap.
- To reduce the risk of burns, do not allow any
antifreeze or coolant to drip onto the ex ­
haust system or hot engine components.
The ethylene glycol in engine coo lant can
catch fire under certain circumstances .
- The coolant additive and the coolant can be
dangerous to your health . For th is reason,
keep the coolant in the original container
away from children. There is a risk of poi­
soning .
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, wh ich
increases the risk of persona l injury.
(J) Note
Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty . Air could enter the cooling system and
damage the eng ine.
If this is the case, do not ..,_
245