2016 AUDI A3 check engine

Check ing and F illing
Selective catalytic
reduction (AdBlue)
General information
Applies to vehicles: with diesel engine
In vehicles with selective cata lytic reduction, a
urea solution (AdB lue) is injected into the ex­
haust system before a nitrogen oxide catalytic
converter to reduce nitrogen emissions.
Ad B lue is the marketing name for Diesel Exha ust
Fl uid (DEF).
The AdBl ue is carried in a separate ta nk in the ve­
hicle. The Ad Blue usage accounts for approxi­
mate ly 0.5% to 1.2% of the diesel f uel that is
used .
W hen a message about refilling the Ad B lue ap­
pears in the instrument cluster disp lay, you must
refill the Ad Blue you rself or have it refilled by an
author ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility ¢
page 235.
A WARNING
-
Failure to heed AdBlue refill informat ion in
the instrument cluster can prevent the vehicle
from being started and dr iven . If the vehicle
cannot be driven and an emergency arises,
perso na l in jur y can occur.
- Always have the AdBlue tank refilled well
before the tank runs dry .
(D Tips
-The instrument cluster display indicates the
distance rema ining t hat can be driven
¢ page 234. If the AdBlue tank is com­
plete ly empty, the engine wi ll not start
again after the ignition is sw itched off.
- Ad B lue is req uired by law to operate this ve­
hicle.
234
· Messages in the instrument cluster display
Applies to vehicles: with diesel engine
T he display indicates if the Ad Blue level is low or
if there is a system malfunction .
AdBlue level low
Yo u w ill be informed if the AdB lue in the tank
drops below a certain level.
AdBlue /;) Refill xxx l -xxx l Ad Blue . Range
1500 mi (2400 km)
This message appears w hen the re is on ly enough
Ad Blue left to dr ive the dis tance indicated in the
driver information system . Refi ll the recom ­
mended amount of Ad Blue . The sma ller va lue
given in the message rep resents the minim um
amount and the larger value is the maxim um
amount.
AdBlue /9 Refill xxx l -x xx l Ad Blue ! No restart
in
600 miles ( 1000 km). See owner 's manual
This message appears w hen the re is on ly enough
Ad B lue left to drive the distance indicated in the
driver information system . Refi ll the recom­
mended amount of Ad Blue. Otherwise the engine
will not sta rt again if you stop it once the dis­
tance indicated h as been driven. The smaller val­
ue g iven in the message represents the m inimum
amount and t he larger value is the maxim um
amount . As long as the indicator
li gh t is on , you can chec k the rema ining range in
t h e tr ip comp ute r*.
Refill xxx l -xxx l Ad Blu e! Engine
start not po ssible! See owner 's manu al
This message appears when the Ad Blue tank is
empty . Fill the Ad Blue . Otherwise you w ill not be
able to sta rt the engi ne aga in once you stop it .
The Ad Blue must be refilled when the amount in
the tank has reached the min imum level
¢ page 235 , Filling AdBlue .
¢'4 Incorrect filling /system malfunction
A message appea rs if the Ad Blue tank was fi lled
with a f lu id other than Ad Blue and the system
has detected that the tank was filled incorrectly,
or if there is a system malfunction.

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Ad Blue,/' Ad Blue: sy stem fault! No re start in
600 miles (1000 km ). See owner' s manual.
This mes sage appea rs when it is only poss ible to
d rive the d ist an ce ind icated in the dr iver informa­
tion system . Drive to the nearest autho rized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to have
the ma lfunction corrected . Otherwise the engine
w ill not start again if you stop it once the d is­
tance indicated has been driven .
Ad Blue: system fault . Engine start
not possible! See owner 's manual
This message appears if the sys tem has de te cted
that the tank was filled incorrectly or that there
is a malfunction. Drive immediately to the near­
est authorized Aud i dea ler or a uthorized Aud i
Service Facility to have the malfunction correct­
ed. Otherwise you will not be able to start the en­
g ine again once you stop it .
Filling AdBlue
Applies to vehicles: with selective catalyt ic redu ction
A special refill bottle must be used to fill the
AdBlue.
F ig. 1 89 Right rear s ide of t he veh icle: remov ing the AdB l·
ue cap
F ig. 190 Ad Blue filler neck: insert ing refill bottle
Checking and Filling
T he Ad Blue tank open ing is located near the d ie ­
sel tank opening. Add at least 1 gallon (3.8 lit­
ers) of Ad B lue (two bottles) . This is the min imum
amount required to ensure the system detects
the refilling and to start the engine. You can add a max imum of approximately 4 gallons (15 l it ­
ers).
Opening the filler neck and refilling AdBlue
with a bottle
Requireme nt: T he request to add AdBlue must
appear in the instrument cluster disp lay .
.. Park your veh icle on a level s urface.
• Switch the ignit ion off.
• Open the tank door¢
page 230.
• Turn the cap on the tank opening to the left to
remove ¢
fig. 189.
• Remove the cap from the ref ill bo ttle.
• Posi tion the refill bo ttle on the fil le r tube and
turn the bottle clockwise until it stops t urning
• Press lightly against the bottom of the bottle
@ to empty it. Continue press ing the bottom
of the bottle until it is empty or until f luid
stops f low ing into the ta nk.
• Tu rn the bottle to t he left without pressing on
the bottom .
Closing the filler neck
.. Turn the Ad B lue cap to the right on the filler
tube until the cap clicks into place.
• Close the tank cover.
Afte r filling
The vehicle must be driven . The system may take
u p to two minutes to detect t hat the AdBl ue has
been filled.
• If the re w as no Ad B lue left in the tank and a
range of
O mi (0 km) was displayed in the in­
strument cluster, switch the ign it ion on for
about 30 seconds before starting the engine.
A WARNING
-Ad B lue can irritate the sk in, eyes and respira-
tory system . If there is contact with the flu id,
flus h immed iate ly w it h plenty of water. Con-
su lt a phys ic ian if necessa ry.
~
235

Checking and Filling
CJ) Note
-Only use Ad Blue that conforms to the
standard ISO 22241-1. Do not mix any addi­
tives with the AdBlue and do not dilute it
with water.
- Only use refill bottles that are approved for your vehicle. Using other systems can cause Ad Blue to leak.
- Do not add Ad Blue to the diesel tank or add diesel fuel to the Ad Blue tank. Do not start
the engine under any circumstances if the
wrong fuel is filled in the tank . There is a
risk of damaging the fuel tank system and
the engine . See an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance.
- AdBlue attacks surfaces such as painted ve­
hicle components, plastic and carpet. Re­
move the fluid as quickly as possible with a
damp cloth and plenty of cold water. If the
Ad Blue has already crystallized, 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 vehicle.
If it leaks, the escaping Ad Blue could dam­
age the vehicle interior .
- Do not allow Ad Blue to come into contact
with clothing. If there is contact with the
fluid, flush immediately with plenty of wa ­
ter .
(D Tips
-You can obtain refill bottles from an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility .
- Follow the Ad Blue manufacturer's instruc­
tions for use and storage .
- A permitted refill bottle contains approxi­
mately 1.9 liters of AdBlue .
- Ad Blue can freeze at very low temperatures.
If this happens, the system will not detect
that the Ad Blue was refilled and it will con­
tinue to inform you of the low AdBlue level.
The message turns off as soon as the tank
thaws out again.
236
Engine compartment
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 in­
jury, scalding, accidents, and burns. For this
reason, follow all the following listed warnings
and general safety precautions. The engine
compartment is a dangerous area.
¢ .&. .
.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 flu­
ids (such as the freeze protection contained in the coolant) can catch fire.
- Avoid short circuits in the electrical system,
especially the battery.
- When working in the engine compartment,
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 expan­
sion 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.
- Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances . This increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be performed with the en-
-
gine running, there is additional danger due ~

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to moving components (such as the ribbed belt, alternator and radiator fan) and from
the high-voltage ignition system.
- Never reach into the radiator fan. The elec­
tric auxiliary fan is controlled by tempera­
ture and can switch on suddenly.
- Pay attention to the following warnings list­ ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
- Always d isconnect the vehicle battery
from the vehicle electrical system
- Do not smoke
- Never work near open flames
- Always have a working fire extinguisher nearby
- To reduce the risk of electric shock and in­
jury, never touch the following components when the eng ine is running or is being start­
ed:
- Ignition cable
- Other components in the electronic h igh -
voltage ignition system
- If you must check or perform work on the engine while it is running:
- Set the parking brake and place the selec­
tor lever in the P (park) position first .
- Always proceed with extreme caution so
that clothing, jewelry or long ha ir do not
become caught in the radiator fan, fan
be lt or other moving components or do
not come into contact with hot compo­
nents. Tie back long hair before beginning
work and do not wear cloth ing that can
hang down into the engine.
- L imit your exposure to exhaust and chemi­
cals to as short a time as possible~&.
_& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
em it chem icals known to the State of Cali ­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and reproductive harm. In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
C hecki ng an d Fill in g
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to mix the f lu­
i ds up. Otherwise severe malfunctions and en­
gine damage will occur.
@ For the sa ke of the environment
You should regularly check the ground under
your vehicle in order to detect leaks quickly. If there are visible spots from oil or other fluids, bring your veh icle to an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Aud i Serv ice Facility to be
checked.
Opening the hood
The hood is released from the interior .
Fig. 191 Sectio n from t he driver 's side footwell: release
lever
Fig. 192 Rocker switch under the hood
237

Check ing and F illing
Read and follo w the WARN IN GS before check­
ing anything in the engine compartment
c::> page 236, Working in the engine compart­
ment.
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up from
the windshield. Otherwise the paint could be
damaged .
Applies to vehi cles w ith p lug-in hybrid dr ive* :
switch the ignition off before re leasing the hood
so that the gasoline engine does not start auto­ mat ica lly.
... With the driver's door open, pull the lever be­
low the instrument panel in the direction of the
arrow
c::> fig. 191 .
... Raise the hood s lightly c::> ,&. .
... Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
c::> fig. 192. This releases the catch.
... Open the hood .
A WARNING
Never open the hood when you see that steam
or coolant drips from the engine compart-
238
ment- there is a dange r of bu rns! Wait unt il
no steam or coolant flows out.
Closing the hood
... Push the hood down until the force of the strut
is overcome.
... Let the hood fall lightly into the latch .
Do not
press it in .
c::> ,&..
A WARNING
If the hood is not latched complete ly, it could
f ly up wh ile you are dr iving and obst ruct your
vision .
- For safety reasons, the hood m ust always be
closed securely while driv ing. Because o f
this, always chec k the hood after closing it
to make sure it is latched correctly. The
hood is latched if the front corners cannot
be lifted.
- If you notice that the hood is not latched
while you are driving, stop immed iate ly and
close it, because this increases the risk of an
accident.

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Checking and Filling
Gasoline engine compartment overview
The most important check points .
Fig. 193 Typical location of the rese rvoir , engine oil dipst ick, and engine oil filler opening
CD
@
®
©
®
©
(J)
®
Coolant expansion tank (-L) .... .
Engine oil dipstick ............ .
Engine oil filler opening(~) .. .
Brake fluid reservoir (0))
Battery(+) under a cover ..... . .
Body ground point(-)
Washer fluid reservoir
(O) ..... .
Fuse housing . .... .... ....... .
245
242
242
246
248
251 291
The engine oil filler opening and the dipstick
(items ® and @)
q fig. 193 may be located in a
different area depending on engine version .
_& WARNING
=
Read and follow all WARNINGS before check-
i ng anything in the engine compartment
¢page 236.
(D Tips
Plug-in hybrid drive*: read the information re­
garding the coolant expansion tank under
¢page 108 and the battery(+) under
¢ page 108 .
239

Checking and Filling
Diesel engine compartment overview
The most important check points.
Fig. 194 Typical location of the rese rvoir, engine o il dipstick, and engine oil fille r opening
(D Coolant expansion tank (- L) .. ...
@
®
©
®
®
0
®
Engine oil dipstick ............ .
Engine oil filler opening
(9=:r.) .. .
Brake fluid reservoir ((0))
Battery(+) under a cover
Body ground point( -)
Washer fluid reservoir
(q) ..... .
Fuse housing .. .............. .
245
242
242
246
248
251 291
The engine oil fi ller opening and the dipstick
(items @ and @)¢
fig. 194 may be located in a
different area depending on engine version.
,& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS before check­
ing anything in the engine compartment
¢page 236.
240
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
The service interval display in the instrumen t
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an oi l change. We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by an authorized Audi Serv­
ice Advisor.
If you have to top off the oil between oil changes,
use the Audi oil quality standard specified in the
table .
Audi oil quality standard
Gasoline
VW 502 00 or
engine vw 504 00
Diesel vw 507 00
engine

Using the proper engine oil is important for the
functionality and service life of the engine. Your
engine was factory-filled with a high -quality oil
which can usually be used throughout the entire
yea r.
Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions d ue to failure
to follow rec ommended maintenance and use
requireme nts as s et forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty & Maintenance booklet.
- Use only a high quality engine oi l that ex-
pressly complies with the Au di oil quality
standard specified for your vehicle's engine.
Using any o ther oil can cause serious engine
damage.
- Do not mix any lubricants o r other additives
into the engine oil. Doing so can cause en­
gine damage.
@ Tips
If you need to add oil and there is none availa­
ble that meets the Audi o il quality standard
your eng ine requ ires, you may add a total of
no more than 0 .5 quart/li ter of a h igh-quality
"synthet ic"oil that meets the following speci ­
fications.
- Vehicles with gasoline eng ine: ACEA A3 o r
API SM with a viscosity grade of SAE OW-30,
SAE SW-30 or SAE SW-40.
- Vehicles with diesel eng ine: ACEA C3 or
API CF with a viscosity grade of SAE OW-30
or SAE SW -30.
- For more information about engine oil that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact e ither your authorized Audi dea ler
or Audi Customer Relat ions at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www.aud icanada.ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ode-
;::: quote amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of
~ its moving parts . co ,....,
~ In order to provide effective lubr ication and cool-,....,
:=: ing of internal engine components, all internal
Ch eck ing and Filling
combustion engines consume a certain amo unt
of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to en­
gine and may change s ignificantly over the life of
the engine. Typ ically, engines w ith a specified
break-in period (see¢
page 77) consume more
o il during the break-in per iod than they consume
after o il consumption has stab il ized.
Under normal cond itions, the rate of oil con ­
sumption depends on the quality and viscos ity of
the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
wh ich the engine is operated, the amb ient tem­
perature and road co ndit ions. Further facto rs a re
the amount of oi l di lution from wate r condensa­
tion or fuel resid ue and the oxidat ion level of the
o il. As any engine is subject to wear as mileage
builds up, the oil consumption may increase over
time unti l replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With a ll these variab les coming into play, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be estab ­
li shed or specified. There is no alternative to reg­
u lar and frequent checking of the oi l level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbo l l!I
in the instrument cluster lights up, you should
check the oi l level as soon as possible
¢
page 242. Top off the o il at your earliest con­
venience ¢
page 242.
A WARNING
-Before you check anyt hing in the engine com-
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
INGS
¢page 236.
(D Note
Driving wit h an insufficient oil level is likely to
cause severe damage to the eng ine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressu re wa rning display. is not
an indicator of the oi l le vel. Do not rely on
i t. In stead , check th e oil level in your en­
gine at regular intervals, preferably each
time you refuel, and alway s before goi ng
on a long trip .
241