2016 AUDI A3 warning lights

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0 > co ,...., Trailer mode Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
T railer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount . Always check with the trail­
er hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system . No modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From time to time, check that all hitch mounting
bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer,
remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount . This prevents the hitch
from causing damage should your vehicle be
struck from beh ind
~ ,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
Trailer mode
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
T ra iler lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check with your Aud i dea ler for correct wiring,
switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outside mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors . It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
,8. WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store
it in your vehicle. In case of sudden braking,
the hitch could fly forward and injure you or
your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer~.&.
in Driving instructions on page 128.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Full ..,.
127

Trailer mod e
load" on the la bel located on the driver's side B ­
pillar (visib le when the door is open) . Inflate
tra iler tires to trailer and tire manufacturers'
specif ications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and t railer lights
are working p roper ly.
Safety chains
Be sure t railer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trai le r to the hi tch on the veh icle.
L eave enough sla ck in the cha ins to permi t turn­
ing corners. When yo u install safety chains, ma ke
sure they wi ll not drag on the road when yo u are
driving .
The cha ins s hou ld cross under the trailer tongue
t o prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the h itch .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration .
To obtain t he best poss ible handling of vehicle
and traile r, please note the fo llow ing :
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself
is not loaded.
.. Be especi ally ca ref ul when pass ing othe r
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limi ts .
.. Do not d rive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded t railer w ith an empty car res ults
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds on ly
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easie r to operate and cont rol.
This means that the tow vehi cle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while
keep ing the tra iler as light as possib le under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the l uggage compartment of the
128
tow veh icle wh ile observing tong ue load require ­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the mo re diff icu lt i t be­
comes for the driver to con trol the r ig. Do not
drive at t he maxim um permissible speed. Reduce
you r speed even more if load, weather or wind
con dit ions are unfavorab le - partic ularly when
go ing downh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limi ts. In some areas, s peeds fo r
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles .
A lways apply bra kes early. Whe n driving down­
hill, shift in to a lower gea r to use the engine
b raki ng effect to slow the vehi cle. Use of the
brakes alone ca n cause them to over heat and fai l.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge 9 page 12 must
be obse rved caref ully. The coolant temperature
c a n incre ase if yo u drive o n long incl ines in a low
gear a t high engine speeds . Red uce your speed
immediately if the LE Ds in the top part of the dis­
play turn on .
Fo r more info rm ation abou t indicator lights, re­
fer to . ¢
page 20 .
A WARNING
-
Anyone not prope rly restrai ned in a moving
vehicle is at a much greate r risk in an acci ­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wear ing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differen tly when towing a
trailer because o f the additiona l weight and di f­
ferent weight distribution. Safety, performance
and economy will g reatly depend on how caref ul-
l y you load your trai ler and operate you r rig. ..,_

.... N
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"' U"I
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-Please note that unconsciously "resting"
your foot on the accelerator pedal prevents the cruise control from braking. This is be­
cause pressing the accelerator pedal over­
rides the cruise control system .
-If there is a brake system malfunction such
as overheating when the speed warning sys­
tem is switched on, the braking function in
the system will be deactivated. The remain­
ing speed warning system functions will re­
ma in active, as long as the~ (USA mod­
els) /
fil (Canada models) indicator light is
on.
{i) Tips
- The cruise control system is ideal for
stretches w ith speed limits. The d river is re­
sponsible for adhering to the correct speed.
- The cruise control remains active when
shifting gears.
- The brake lights turn on when the brakes
are act ivated.
Switching on
Appl ies to vehicles: with c ru ise control system
0
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Fig. 114 Operat ing lever: cruise contro l system
.. To switch the cruise control on, pull the lever
into position @~
fig. 114.
.. Drive at the speed to be maintained .
.. To store the speed, press the button @. The
@;\1)~14 (USA models) / l'I (Canada models)
turns on in the instrument cluster.
Assist
Changing speed
App lies to vehicles: w ith cruise control system
., To increase or decrease the speed in incre­
ments,
tap the lever in the 010 direction
~ page 131, fig. 114.
.. To increase or decrease the speed quickly, hold
the lever in the 0 / 0 direction until the de­
sired speed is reached.
Overriding the speed
You can press the accelerator pedal down to in­
crease your speed, for example if you want to
pass someone. The speed you saved earlier will
resume as soon as you let off of the accelerator
pedal.
If, however, you exceed your saved speed by 5
mph (10 km/h) for longer than 6 minutes, the
cruise control turns off temporarily .
The@;\!)~14
(USA mode ls) ;fil (Canada models) indicator
light in the instrument cluster turns off and the
stored speed is maintained.
Preselecting the speed
Appl ies to vehicles: w it h cruise co ntrol system
You can pre-select your desired speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
., Switch on the ign ition .
.. Pull the lever into position
(D 9 page 131,
fig. 114 .
.. To increase or decrease the speed, tap the lever
in the
010 direction.
This function makes it possible, for example, to
save the speed you want before driving on the
highway. Once on the highway, activate the
cruise control system by pulling the lever toward
the position
(D .
Switching off
Applies to veh icles: w it h cru ise co ntrol system
Temporary deactivation
.. Press the brake pedal, or
.. Press the lever into position@ (not clicked into
place)
~ page 131, fig. 114, or ..,
131

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Switching adaptive crui se control on
"' Pull the lever toward you into position @
¢fig. 119 . ACC: stan dby appears in the instru­
ment cluster disp lay .
Saving the speed and activating regulati on
"'T o save the c urrent speed , press the ISETI
¢fig. 119 button. The stored speed is shown in
t h e tachomete r LED line @and appears briefly
in the information line @¢
fig. 120.
"' To activate the regu lation whi le stationary, you
must press the brake pedal.
Sw itching adaptiv e cruis e control off
"' Push the lever away from you into position @
until it clicks i nto place. The message
AC C: off
appears .
The stored speed in the LED line is erased.
@ Indicato r lights
II -adaptive cruise control is switched on. No
objects are detected ahead. The stored speed is
maintained.
• -An object a head was detected . The adaptive
cruise control system regulates the speed and
d istance to the object ahead and brakes/acce ler ­
ates automatica lly.
fij -adaptive cru ise control is switched on. An
object ahead was detected. Your vehicle remains
stopped and w ill not start driving automatica lly.
• -T he automatic bra king is no t enough to
maintain a sufficient distance to a n object ahead.
You must intervene ¢
page 138, Request for
driver intervention.
© Instrument clu ster display
If adaptive cruise control is not shown in the in­
s trument cluster disp lay, yo u can call it up using
the mu ltifunction steering wheel b uttons
¢ page 29 .
Based on the g raph ics in the d isp lay, you can de­
termine if the system is m ainta ining a distance to
a vehicle ahead and what that distance to this ve­
hicle is:
No vehi cle -No object ahead was detected.
Assist
White vehicl e -An object ahead was de tected .
Red vehicl e -Request for the dr iver to take action
¢page 138.
Both arrows on the scal e© indicate the d istance
to the object ahead . No arrow appears when the
vehicle is on an open road and t here is no object
ahead. If an object is detec ted ahead, the a rrow
moves on the sca le.
T he green zone o n the scale indicates the store
distance. For informat ion on changing the dis­
t a nce, refer to ¢
page 13 7. If the distance se­
l ected is exceeded or not reached, the arrow
moves into the red zone on the scale.
A WARNING
- Using adaptive cruise control incorrectly can
cause collisions, other accidents and ser ious
in ju ries.
- If you press the
!SET ! button w hen driving at
speeds be low 20 mph (30 km/h), the vehi­
cle acce lerates automatically up to 20 mph
(30 km/h), wh ich is the minimum speed
that can be set.
{!) Tips
- If you switch the ignit ion or the adaptive
cruise control system off, the set speed is
erased for safety reason.
- The Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) and Anti-S lip Regulat ion (ASR) both sw itch
on when the adaptive cruise control is
switched on . ESC and ASR ca nnot be switch­
ed off when adapt ive cruise control is
switched on.
- With the adaptive cruise control act ivated
t he ESC spo rt mode cannot be activated.
135

Inte llig ent Techn olo gy
tak ing risks . This could increase your risk of
a collision.
- Please note the risk of a collision increases
when driving fast, especially through curves
and on slippery or wet roads, and when driv­
ing too close to objects ahead. The ESC and
its integrated systems cannot always pre­
vent collisions - there is still a r isk of acci­
dents!
- Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
accelerating on even, s lippery surfaces such
as ice and snow. The drive wheels can spin
Switching on/off
even when these control systems are instal­
led and this can affect dr iving stability and
increase the risk of a collision.
@ Tips
- ABS and ASR only function correctly when
all four wheels are equipped with identical
tires . Different tire sizes can lead to a reduc­
t ion in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working.
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine .
Fig . 1 47 Upper center conso le: ESC butto n
function of the ESC is limited or switched off. The
amount of stabilization contro l will differ de­
pending on the level.
In the follow ing unusual situations it may make
sense to switch the ESC sport mode on to allow
the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iving in deep snow or on loose g ro und
The ESC is des igned to function in levels. Depend­
ing on the level that is selected, the stabilization
Sport mode on ESC/ASR off Sport mode off or
ESC /ASR on
Beh avio r
The ESC and ASR stabiliza-
The stabilization function is The full stabilization tune-
tion functions are limited not available
¢ &.
. ESC and
tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢&_ . ASR are switched off. avai lable again.
Operati on Press the I~ OFF I button P ress and hold the I~ OFFI Press the I~ OFFI button
briefly . button longer than 3 sec -again.
onds .
Indicat or II turns on. II and lf11f•lH * turn on . II turns off or II and
lights lf111,n~ · turn off .
Driv e r mes- Stab ilization cont rol (E S C): Stabilization control (ESC ):
Stabilizat ion cont rol
sa ge s s port. Warning ! Re st ric ted off . Warning ! Re stri cted (E
SC ): On
st ability stability
160

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Indicator lights and messages
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defective
If th is ind icator light turns on and stays on and
this message appears, the power steering may
h ave fa iled.
Do
not cont inue driving . See an authorized Aud i
dealer or authorized Aud i Serv ice Faci lity for as­
sistance.
• Do not dr ive vehicle: steering defective
There is a malfunction in the electronic steering
lock. You cannot turn the ignition on.
Do
not tow your vehicle beca use it cannot be
steered. See an authorized A udi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
':r- ij Steering malfunction : you can continue driv­
ing
I f the indicator light turns on, the steering whee l
may be more diff icult to move o r more sensitive
than usual. The steering wheel may also be at an
angle when driving st raight.
Drive slowly to an author ized Audi dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Service Facility to have the mal­
function corrected.
1;11 Steering lock: system fault! Please contact
Service
There is a malfunction in the electronic steering
lock.
Drive to an authorized Aud i dea ler or authorized
Aud i Service Faci lity immediately to have the
malfunct ion corrected.
A WARNING -
Have the system malfunction corrected as
soon as possible by an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility, as this in­
creases the risk of an accident .
(D Tips
If the . or t~ff indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue dr iv in g.
Intelligent Technology
All wheel drive (quattro)
Applies to vehicles: with all wheel drive
In all wheel drive, all four wheels ore powered.
General information
In all wheel dr ive, the driving power is div ided be­
tween all fou r wheels . This happens automatical­
ly depending on yo ur driving behavior as well as
the current road conditions . A lso see
c> page 159, Electronic stabilization control
(ESC).
The all whee l drive concept is designed for high
engine power. Yo ur vehicle is exceptionally pow­
erfu l and has excellent driving characteristics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre­
cautions
c> ,&. .
Winter tires
By using all wheel drive, your vehicle has good
forward motion with standard tires in winter con­
ditions. However, in winter we recommend using
winter or all season tires on
all four wheels, be­
cause this will improve the
broking effect.
Snow chains
If there are snow chain laws, snow chains must
also be used on veh icles w ith all wheel dr ive
c> page 269, Snow chains.
Replacing tires
For vehicles with a ll wheel d rive, only wheels with
the same rolling circumference should be used .
Avoid wheels with different tread depths
c> poge 260.
Offroad vehicle?
Your Audi is not an offroad vehicle -there is not
enough ground clearance. For this reason, avoid
difficu lt terrain . Also see<=)
page 302.
A WARNING
--Also, in veh icles with all whee l drive, adapt
your driving style to the current road and
traffic cond itions. Do not let the increased
safety prov ided tempt you into taking r isks.
163

Driving sa fe ty
Driving safety
Basics
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safe ty first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instruct ions and warn ings that you need to
read and observe for your own safety, the safety
of your passengers and others. We have summar­ ized here what you need to know about safety
be lts, a irbags, child restra ints as well as child
safety. Your safety is for us
priority number 1 . Al­
ways observe the i nfo rmation and wa rn ings in
this section - for your own safety as well as that
of your passengers.
The information i n this section applies to all
model versions of yo ur vehicle . Some of the fea­
tures descr ibed in t his sections may be s tanda rd
equipment on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others . If you are not sure, ask
your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
structions and heed the WARNINGS in th is
Manual.
It is in your interest and in the in­
te rest of your passengers .
- Always keep the comp lete Owner's Litera­
ture in your A udi when you lend or se ll your
vehicle so that this important information
will always be available to the d river and
passenge rs.
- Always keep the Owner 's literature handy so
that you can find it easily if you have ques­
t ions.
- Always adjust your speed to the weather
traff ic and conditions. Follow the speed lim­
its.
- Always dr ive in such a way that you can s top
yo ur vehicle s afely.
- Always adjust your speed to the genera l
flow of traffic. Follow the speed l imits.
166
· Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant re­
straint system and work together to help reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of accident sit­
uations.
You r safety and the safety of your passengers
should not be left to chance . Advances in tech­
no logy have made a va riety of features available
to help red uce the risk of inj ury in an accident.
The following is a lis t of jus t a few of the safe ty
fea tures in yo ur Audi :
- sophisticated safety be lts fo r drive r and all pas-
senge r seat ing pos itions,
- safety belt pretensioners,
- safety bel t force lim ite rs fo r the front seats,
- safety belt he ight adjustment systems for the
front seats,
- front airbags,
- knee airbags for the front seats*
- side airbags in the front seats and outer rear
seats *,
- side c urtain airbags with eject ion mit igat ion
features,
- special LATCH anchorages for chil d rest raints,
- head rest raints fo r each seating position,
- adjustab le steer ing column .
- pre sense bas ic * (preventative passenger pro-
tect ion)
These ind iv idual safety features, can work to­
gether as a system to he lp protect you and your
passengers i n a wide range of acc idents . T hese
feat ures cannot wo rk as a system if they are not
always correctly ad justed and cor rect ly used.
Safet y is everybody's responsibil ity!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job! Vehicle and occupant
safety always depends on the informed and care­ ful driver .
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
.. Make sure tha t all lights and signals a re operat­
ing correctly .
.. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.

Safety belts
Safety belts
General notes
Always wear safety belts!
Wearing safety belts correctly saves lives!
This chapter explains why safety belts are neces­
sary, how they work and how to adjust and wear
them correctly.
.. Read all the information that follows and heed
all of the instructions and WARNINGS.
&_ WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them im­
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death .
- Safety belts are the single most effective
means available to reduce the risk of serious
injury and death in automobile accidents .
For your protection and that of your passen­
gers, always correctly wear safety belts
when the vehicle is moving .
- Pregnant women, injured, or physically im­
paired persons must also use safety belts.
Like all vehicle occupants, they are more
likely to be seriously injured if they do not
wear safety belts. The best way to protect a
fetus is to protect the mother -throughout
the entire pregnancy .
Number of seats
Your Audi has a total of five seating positions:
two in the front and three in the rear. Each seat­
ing position has a safety belt.
&_ WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them im­
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death.
- Never strap more than one person, includ­
ing small children, into any belt .
It is espe­
cially dangerous to place a safety belt over a
child sitting on your lap.
- Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are safety belts available.
176
-Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is
properly restrained with a separate safety
belt or child restraint.
~ Safety belt warning light
Your vehicle has a warning system for the driver
and front seat passenger (on USA models only) to remind you about the importance of buckling­
up .
Fig. 151 Safety be lt warning light in the instrument clu s­
ter -enlarged
Before driving off, always:
.. Fasten your safety belt and make sure you are
wearing it properly .
(0
"'
"' 9
"' .. Make sure that your passengers also buckle up
and properly wear their safety belts .
.. Protect children with a child restraint system
appropriate for the size and age .
The warning light . in the instrument cluster
lights up when the ignition is on as a reminder to
fasten the safety belts. In addition , you will hear
a warning tone for a certain period of time.
Fasten your safety belt and make sure that your
passengers also properly put on their safety
belts.
&_ WARNING
-
-Safety belts are the single most effective
means available to reduce the risk of serious
injury and death in automobile accidents.
For your protection and that of your passen­
gers, always correctly wear safety belts
when the vehicle is moving.
- Failure to pay attention to the warning light
that come on, could lead to personal injury.