2016 AUDI A3 warning light

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., A WARNING
You should only switch sport mode on or switch ESC/ASR off if your driving abilities
and road conditions permi t.
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is sw itched on . T he driving
w heels could spi n and the veh icle cou ld
swerve, espec ially on s lick o r sli ppery road
s u rf aces.
- T here is no veh icle stabilization when ESC/
ASR a re swi tched off.
(D Tips
- ESC/ASR cannot be switched off or sport
mode cannot be sw itched on if t he cru ise
contro l system* or the adaptive c ruise con­
tro l* is sw itched on .
- Mal functions in the Audi magnet ic r ide may
make it imposs ible to sw itch the ESC/ASR
off or to switc h sport mode on .
Brakes
New brake pads
New brake pads do not ac hieve the ir full braking
effect during the first 250 mi (400 km) . They
must be "b roken in " fi rs t . However, you can com­
pensate for the slightly reduced bra king fo rce by
p ressing firmly o n the brake pedal. Avoid heavy
b raking during the break -in period .
Wear
Brake pad
wear depends largely on the way th e
ve hicl e is driven a nd on operat ing cond itions.
This is especially true if you are d riving frequently
in the c ity and on c urves o r wi th a sporty driving
style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when bra kin g depend ing on the
speed , braking force and ou ts ide cond it ions s uch
as tempe rature and humidity .
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situations, for example after dr iving
through water, in heavy ra in, after ove rnig ht con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the b raking
Intellig ent Technology
effect ca n be reduced by moist ure o r ice on the
bra ke rotors and brake pads . The brakes must be
"d ried" first with a few caref ul brake applica­
tions.
At h igher speeds and w ith the wi ndshield wipe rs
tu rned on, the brake pads press against the brake
roto rs fo r a short amount of time. This action
wh ich is not felt by the dr iver happens at reg ular
interva ls and facilit ates a be tter reaction t ime for
the brakes in wet weather .
The braking effect can a lso be reduced if yo u are
driv ing on salted roads and yo u do not app ly the
brakes for long per iods of time . The layer of salt
o n the brake rotors and pads must be wor n off
first whe n the bra kes are applied .
Corrosion
Leaving the vehicle pa rked for long periods of
time, low mileage and avoiding heavy braking
can contribute to corros ion on the brake rotors
and dirty brake pads .
If you usua lly avoid heavy brak ing or if there is
corrosion present, occasiona l heavy brak ing at
high speeds is recommended to clean the b rake
roto rs and pads<=>,& .
Brake system malfunction
if you notice that t he b rake pedal travel has sud­
denly gotten larger, t hen a b rake c ircuit may have
failed. Drive to an author iz ed Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Serv ice Facility immediately to have
t h e problem corrected. On the way there, drive
with red uced speed and keep in mind that a long
bra king d ista nce and increased pressu re on the
br ak e pedal w ill be necessary.
Low brake fluid level
When the brake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
the brake system may occur . The b rake fluid level
i s elec tronica lly monito red .
Brake booster
The brake booster amp lifies the press ure you ap­
ply to the brake pedal. It on ly operates wh ile the
engine is run ning o r when the ignition is switched
on (p lug-i n hyb rid dr ive*) . .,.
161

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 ,...., 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.

.... N
0 > CX)
rl I.Cl U"I
rl I.Cl ....
.. Make sure that all windows are clean and afford
good visibility to the outside .
.. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
r=> page 64, r=> page 63.
.. Make sure that nothing can interfere with the
pedals .
.. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height .
.,. Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints accord ing to their height .
.. Make sure to use the right ch ild restraint cor­
rectly to protect children
r=> page 209, Child
safety .
.. Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same
r=> page 58, Front
seats .
.. Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly . Al­
so instruct your passengers to fasten their safe­
ty belts properly
r=> page 176.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle, the driver as well as the driver 's abili­
ty to concentrate on the road without being dis­
tracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the ve·
h ide and all of its occupants. If your ability to
drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody in the
veh icle increase and you also become a hazard to
everyone else on the road
r=> ,&. . Th erefo re :
.. Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers
or by using a cell ular telephone.
.. NEV ER drive when yo ur dr iv ing abili ty is im­
paired (by medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
.. Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and
speed limits and plain common sense.
.. ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and
weather conditions.
.. Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive
for more than two hours at a stretch.
.,. Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pres­
su re or when you are stressed.
Dr iving safety
A WARNING
-Impaired driving safety increases the risk of
serious personal injury and death whenever a
vehicle is being used .
Correct passenger
seating pos itions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 148 Correct seating pos ition
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of in·
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the dr iver's seat to the follow ing
position:
.,. Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily
push the pedals all the way to the floor while
keep ing your knee(s) slightly bent
r=> ,&. .
.. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position so that your back comes in
full contact with it when you drive .
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a d is­
tance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the
steering wheel and your breast boner=>
fig. 148.
If not poss ible, see your authorized Audi deal·
ership about adapt ive equipment .
.,. Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering
wheel and airbag cover points at your chest and
not at your face .
.. Grasp the top of the steering wheel with your
elbow(s) slightly bent .
.. For adjustab le head restraints: Adjust the head
restraint so the upper edge is as even as possi­
ble with the top of your head . If that is not pos­
sible, try to adjust the head restraint so that it ..,.
167

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.

Safe ty belts
Autom ati c s afet y belt retr actors
Every safety belt is equ ipped with an automa tic
be lt retractor on the shoulder belt. This feature
locks the belt when the belt is pulled out fast,
during hard braking and in a n accident . The belt
may a lso lock when you drive up or down a steep
hill or through a sharp curve. Dur ing normal driv­
ing the belt lets you
move freely .
Safety belt p ret en sion ers
The safety belts are equipped with a belt preten­
sioner that helps to t ighten the safety belt and
remove slack when the pretensioner is activated
c;, page 182 . The function of the pretensioner is
mon itored by a warn ing light
c;,page 21.
Convertible loc king retracto r
Every safety belt except the one on the driver
seat is equipped with a convertible locking retrac­
tor that
must be used when the safety belt is
used to attach a child seat. Be sure to read the
important information about this feature
¢ page 219 .
.&_ WARNING
Improperly pos it ioned safety be lts can cause
ser ious injury in an accident ¢
page 180,
Safety belt position.
- Safety belts offer optimum protection only
when the seatback is upright and belts are
properly positioned on the body.
- Always make sure that the rear seat bac k­
rest to which the center rea r safety belt* is
attached is secure ly latched whenever the
rear center safety belt is being used. If the
backrest is not securely latched, the passen­
ger will move forward with the backrest dur­
ing sudden braking, in a sudden maneuver
and especially in a crash.
- Never attach the safety belt to the buckle for another seat. Attaching the belt to the
wrong b uckle will reduce safety belt effec­
t iveness and can cause serious persona l in­
jury.
- A passenger who is not properly restrained can be seriously in jured by the safety be lt it­
self when it
moves from the stronger parts
180
of the body into critical areas like the abdo­ men.
- Always lock the convertible locking retractor
when you are securing a child seat in the ve­
hicle
c;, page 221.
(D Tips
For information on safety belt pretensioners,
refer to
c;, page 182 .
Safety belt position
Correct belt position is the key to getting maxi­
mum protection from safety belts.
Fig. 158 Safety belt posit ion
Use the height adjustment to change the posit ion
of the shoulder belt of the front safety belts .
.&_ WARNING
Imp roperly positioned safety belts can cause
serio us pe rsonal injury in an a cc ident.
- The shou lde r belt should lie as close to the
center of the collar bone as possib le and
should fi t well on the body. Ho ld the belt
above the latch to ngue and pull it evenly
across the chest so that it sits as low as pos ­
sible on the pe lvis and there is no pressure
on the abdomen. The belt should a lways f it
snug ly
c;, fig. 158. Pull on the belt to tighten
if necessary.
- The lap belt portion of the safety belt must
be positioned as low as possible across pel­
vis and never over the abdomen . Make sure
the belt lies flat and snug
c::> fig. 158 . Pull on
the belt to tighten if necessary.
Ii-

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Always remember, a child seat or infant carrier
installed on the front seat may be struck and
knocked out of position by t he rapidly inflating
passenger's airbag in a frontal co llision . The air­
bag could greatly reduce the effectiveness of the
chi ld restraint a nd even seriously i njure the ch ild
during inflation .
For this reason, and because the back seat is the
safest place for ch ildren -when properly restra in­
ed according to the ir age and size -we strongly
recommend that children always sit in the back
seat
Q page 209, Child safety.
.8, WARNING
A child in a rearward-facing chi ld seat insta l­
led on the front passenger seat will be ser i­
ously injured and can be k illed if the front air­
bag inf lates -even with an Advanced Airbag
System.
- The inflating a irbag w ill hit the child seat or
infant carrier with great fo rce and will
smash the ch ild seat and child against the
backrest, center arm rest, door or roof.
- Always ins tall rear-facing child seats on the
rear seat.
-If you must install a rearward fac ing child
seat on the front passenger seat because of
exceptiona l circumstances and the
PASSEN·
GER AIR BAG OFF
light does not come on
and stay on, immediately insta ll the rear­
facing child seat in a rea r seat ing position
and have the airbag system inspected by
yo ur Audi dealer.
- Forward-fac ing ch ild seats insta lled on the
front passenge r's seat may interfe re with
the deployment of the airbag and ca use se­
rious person al injury to the child.
.8, WARNING
If, in except io nal circumst ances, you mus t in­
stall a forward-f acing chi ld restraint on the
front passenger's seat:
- Always ma ke sure the forwar d-fa cing se at
has been designed and ce rtified by its man ­
ufact urer for use on a front seat with a pas­
senger front and s ide a irbag .
.
Airb ag sys tem
-Never put the fo rward-facing child restraint
up aga inst or very near the instrument pan­
el.
- Always move the passenger seat into its
rearmost posit ion in the seat's fore and aft
adjustment range, as far away from the a ir­
bag as possible before installing the for­
ward-facing chi ld restraint. The backrest
must be adjusted to an upr ight position .
- Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
li ght comes on and stays on a ll the time
wheneve r th e ignit ion is switched on.
.8, WARNING
To reduce t he ris k of serious injury, ma ke sure
that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF li gh t will
be d isplayed whenever a child res traint is in­
stalled on the front passenger seat and the ignition is switched on.
- If th e
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF li ght does
not stay on, perform the checks described
¢ page 196, Monitoring the Advanced Air ­
bag System.
- Take the child restra int off t he front passen ­
ger seat and install it prope rly at one of the
rear seat positions if the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light does not stay on.
- Have the ai rbag system inspected by your
Aud i deale r immediately.
- Always care fully follow instructions from
child restraint manufacture rs when instal­
ling child restra ints.
.8, WARNING
--
If, in exceptional c ircumstances, you must in­
stall a forward or rearward-facing child re­
stra int on the fron t passenger's seat :
- Improper installat io n of child restraints can
reduce the ir effectiveness or even prevent
them from providing any pro tect ion.
- An improperly installed child restra int can
interfere wi th the airbag as it deploys and
serio usly injure or even kill th e chi ld -even
with a n Advan ced A irbag System.
- Always carefully follow the manufacturer's
i n str uctions provided with the child seat or
car rie r.
187