2016 AUDI A3 check engine light

.... N
0 > CX)
.... I.Cl U"I
.... I.Cl ....
acceleration and heavy engine loads during
approximately the first 15 minutes when
the engine is cold is recommended. The
amount of time until the engine is warm de­
pends on the outside temperature. Check
the engine oil temperature* if necessary
¢ page 32.
-Auxiliary headlights and other accessories in
front of the cooling-air intake impair the
cooling effect of the coolant . This increases
the risk of the engine overheating during
high outside temperatures and heavy en­
gine load.
- The front spoiler also he lps to distr ibute
cooling air correct ly wh ile driving. If the
spo iler is damaged, the cooling effect will
be impaired and the risk of the engine over ­
heating will increase. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa­
cility for assistance.
@ Tips
Diesel engines: due to the high efficiency of
these engines, the engine may not always
reach operating temperature in cold outside
temperatures. This is normal and not a cause
for concern.
Indicator lights
Description
Fig. 6 Instrument cl uster : example of a d isplay in veh icles
wit h a mo nochrome d isplay
@
®
©
Indicator light
Message
Status line:
- • Im, Central indicator light or addition­
al displays for active systems such as
Instruments and indicator lights
-- (USA models)/ . (Canada models)
electromechanical parking brake
-18;(1 )~1~ (USA mode ls)/ . (Canada models)
cruise control system*
-•III Act ive lane assist*
The
central ind icator light© • or h also
turns on with some indicator lights @.
If the central indicator light © turns on, check
the additional information in the instrument
cluster display @ and @.
In addition to the indicator lights in the display,
there are addit ional ind icators in the tachometer .
They blink or turn on to indicate functions or mal­
functions . Messages @ may also appear briefly
with some indicator lights. A warning tone
sounds at the same time.
If there is more than one malfunction, the indica ­
tor lights will turn on one after the other for a short time.
The ind icator lights and messages in the display
can be covered by other d isplays . In cases where
the indicator light @ is hidden, the central ind i­
cator light © will remain visib le until the mal­
function is corrected.
The messages can be displayed aga in in the driv­
er information system
¢ page 29, Operation .
Overview
Some indicator lights turn on briefly as a funct ion
check when you sw itch the ignition on. These sys­
tems are marked with a./ in the following tab les.
If one of these ind icator lights does not turn on,
there is a malfunction in that system .
Your vehicle has either a monochrome display or
a multicolored disp lay, depending on vehicle
equipment. In a monochrome display, the indica­
tor lights @only appear in white ¢
page 13,
fig. 6. The central indicator light@• / rAi also
appears to indicate the priority of these indicator
lights. Refer to the explanations for red or yellow
indicator lights .
Examples of indicator lights in a monochrome
display :
13

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., -If the indicator light and the message appear
when the vehicle is stationary or after switch­
ing the ignition on,
check if you can release the
parking brake .
If you cannot release the park­
ing brake, see your authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility . If you can re ­
lease the parking brake and the message still
appears , see an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately to
have the malfunction corrected.
- If the indicator light and message appear
while
driving ,
the hill start assist or emergency brak­
ing function may be malfunctioning. It may not
be possible to set the parking brake or release
it once it has been set. Do not park your vehicle
on hills and see an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
(USA models): If the
1111 and EiJ warning lights
turn on together, take your vehicle to an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty immediately to have the brake pads inspected
¢page 22.
There is also a warning tone when the lights turn
on.
A WARNING
- Read and follow the warnings in
¢ page 236, Working in the engine com­
partment before opening the hood and
checking the brake fluid level.
- If the brake system indicator light does not
turn off or it turns on while driving, the
brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low,
and this increases the risk of an accident.
Stop the vehicle and do not continue driv­
ing. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
- If the brake system indicator light turns on
together with the ABS and ESC indicator
lights, the ABS/ESC regulating function may
be malfunctioning. Functions that stabilize
the vehicle are no longer available. This
could cause the rear of the vehicle to
swerve, which increases the risk that the ve­
hicle will slide. Do not continue driving. See
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility for assistance.
Instruments and indicator lights
PARK!<®>/~ Electromechanical parking
brake
If the - (USA models) I. (Canada models)
indicator light turns on, the parking brake was
set.
- (USA models) /. (Canada models) Cau­
tion: Vehicle parked too steep
If the indicator light blinks and the message ap­
pears, there is not enough braking power to se­
cure the vehicle. The brakes have overheated. The
vehicle could roll away even on a small incline.
-(USA models) /. (Canada models)
Please press brake pedal to release parking
brake
To release the parking brake, press the brake
pedal and press the~ button at the same time,
or start driving with hill start assist
¢page 87,
Starting from a stop.
Iii Parking brake!
There is a malfunction in the parking brake. Drive
to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility immediately to have the malfunc ­
tion corrected.
Iii Parking brake: Limited functionality!
There is a malfunction in the parking brake. Drive
to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility immediately to have the malfunc­
tion corrected.
!it]:jJ:j:J:13~ (USA models) / [§'J (Canada models)
Please release parking brake.
Release the parking brake if this message ap­
pears.
lt1:j:t:j:J;1:0 (USA models) / [§] (Canada models)
Parking brake auto release unavailable
If this message appears, press the brake pedal
first and then release the parking brake.
IZ1:j:t:j:(;13~ (USA models) I [§'J (Canada models)
Caution: Vehicle parked too steep
IIJ,,
19

Instruments and indicator lights
If the indicator light blinks and the message ap­
pears, there is not enough braking power to se­
cure the vehicle. The brakes have overheated. The
veh icle could roll away even on a small incline.
11J;J:t :);J;1:0 (USA models) / ¢@'A Parking b rake is applied
If this message appears, press the brake pedal
first and then release the parking brake if neces­
sary .
{D) Tips
For additional information on the parking
brake, refer to¢
page 85.
-L Cooling system
• Switch off engine and check coolant level!
• Park vehicle and check coolant level!
The coolant level is too low.
Do not continue driving and switch the engine
off.
Plug-in hybrid drive *: refer to
c!;> page 108.
Check the coolant leve l¢ page 244.
- If the coolant level is too low, add coolant
¢
page 245. Only cont inue driving once the in­
dicator light turns off.
• Coolant temperature too high! Let engine
run with vehicle stationary
Let the engine run at idle for a few minutes to
coo l off, until the indicator light turns off.
- If the indicator light does not turn off, do not
continue driving the vehicle. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized A udi Service Faci lity
for assistance.
A WARNING
- Never open the hood if you can see or hear
steam or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. This inc reases the risk of
burns. Wait until you no longer see or hea r
steam or coolant escaping.
- The engine compartment in any veh icle can
be a dangerous area. Stop the engine and
20
allow it to cool befo re working in the engine
compartment. Always follow the informa­
tion found in ¢
page 236, Working in the
engine compartment .
Cl) Note
Do not continue driving if the . indicator
light turns on -this increases the risk of en­
gine damage.
"l=7: Engine oil pressure
• Switch off engine! Oil pressure too low
Stop the engine and do not continue driving.
Check the eng ine oil level¢
page 242.
-If the eng ine oi l level is too low, add engine oil
¢
page 240. Only continue driving once the in­
dicator light turns off .
- If the engine oi l level is correct and the indica­
tor ligh t still turns on, turn the engine off and
do not cont inue driving. See an authorized Aud i
dea ler or authorized Audi Service Facility for as­
sistance .
(D Tips
The oil pressure warning is not an oil level in­
dicator. Always check the oil level regularly.
D Alternator/battery
• Alternator fault : battery is not being charg­
ed
There is a ma lfunction in the a lternator or the ve­
hicle electrical system.
Drive to an authorized A udi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediate ly. Because the ve­
hicle battery is dra ining, turn off all unnecessary
electrical equ ipment such as the MMI. See your
authorized Aud i dealer or authorized Audi Serv ice
Facil ity if the battery cha rge level is too low.
(•) Low battery charge: Battery will be charged
while driving
The starting ability may be impaired .
If this message turns off after a litt le whi le, t he
battery ch a rged enough while driv ing.
liJJ,

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., immediately contact your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop to have all
brake pads checked or replaced if necessary.
·~ Hill hold
Hill hold assist: unavailable
If thell indicator light turns on and this mes­
sage appears, hill hold is not available.
II Manual control!
If th is message appea rs, press the brake pedal.
Continue driving w ith the help of the park ing
brake . ¢
page 85
EPC Engine control (gasoline engine)
Applies to vehicles: with gaso line engine
I f the 13:B indicator light turns on if there is a
malfunction in the engine control.
Drive slowly to an author ized Audi dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Service Facility to have the eng ine
checked .
If the
13:B indicator light turns on when you start
the eng ine, there is an automatic start malfunc­
tion . To start the engine, follow these steps :
- Vehicles with ignition lock¢
page 80, Auto-
matic start malfunction
- Vehicles with a convenience key¢ page 83,
Automatic start malfunction.
W Engine control (diesel engine)
Applies to vehicles: with diesel engine
The engine is preheating if the II indicator light
turns on when the ign ition is switched on.
If the indicator light blinks whi le driving, there is
a ma lfunction in the engine control.
Drive slow ly to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility to have the ma l­
function corrected.
If the
II indicator light turns on when you start
the engine, there is an automatic start ma lf u nc­
tion. To start the engine, proceed as follows :
Instruments and indicator lights
vehicles with ignition lock ¢ page 80; vehicles
with convenience key
¢ page 83.
o System indicator light (MIL)
The system indicator light (MIL) is part of the On
Board D iagnost ic system (OBD II). Tht>
¢.,, c;ym­
bol turns on when the ignition is switched on and
turns off again once the engine is started and
running at a steady idle speed . This indicates that
the MIL is functioning correct ly.
The ind icator light turns on if there is a malfunc­
t ion in the engine electronics. See an author ized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac il ity to
have t he malfunction corrected .
The system indicator light (MIL) may turn on if
the fuel filler cap is not closed correctly
¢ page 230.
For additional information, refer to¢ page 26.
.m,, Diesel particulate filter
Applies to vehicles: with diese l eng ine and diese l particulate
filter
II Particulate filter: system fault! See owner's
manual
T he diese l particu late filter requires regenera­
tion . To support the filter's self-cleaning func­
t ion:
Drive for approximately 15 minutes at
40 mph
(60 km/h) or above in the S selector lever posi­
tion . Keep the engine speed around
2,000 RPM .
The temperature increase that will result from
th is can burn off the soot in the fi lter. The indica­
tor light will turn off when the cleaning has com­ pleted successfully .
If the indicator light does
not turn off, drive im­
med iate ly to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility to have the malfunct ion
corrected .
A WARNING
Always adapt your speed to the current
weather, road and traffic condit ions. You
should neve r disobey traffic laws in order to
fo llow driving recommendations.
23

Instruments and indicator lights
(D Tips
For additional information on the diesel par­
ticulate filter, refer to¢
page 233.
!?) Engine speed limitation
A pp lies to ve hicles : w ith e ngin e spee d limit ation
[II Max. engine speed: XXXX rpm
The engine speed is automatically limited to the
speed displayed in the driver information system.
This protects the engine from overheating.
The engine speed limitation deactivates once the
engine is no longer in the critical temperature
range and you have released the accelerator ped­
al once.
If the engine speed limitation was activated by
an engine control malfunction, the
[m indicator
light also turns on. Make sure the engine speed
does not go above the speed displayed, for exam­
ple when downshifting. Drive to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility im­
mediately to have the malfunction corrected.
~ Engine oil level (min .)
II Check oil level
You may continue driving for the time being.
Check the engine oil level as soon as possible
¢page 240.
-If the engine oil level is too low, add engine oil
qpage242.
- If the engine oil level is correct and the indica­
tor light still turns on, drive at low engine
speed to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility.
'1::7' .., Engine oil sensor
• Oil level sensor: system fault!
The sensor to check the engine oil level has
failed. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
Ill Oil level sens.: oil change necessary. Please
contact Service
24
The engine oil level is too high.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected .
(D Note
Refer to the description in the Owner's Man­
ual
q page 242, Checking the engine oil level
and ¢ page 242, Adding engine oil 5) Tank system
ID Please refuel
If the indicator light turns first turns on and this
message appears, the tank contains the follow­
ing amount of fuel:
- Front wheel drive: approximately 1.8 gallons (7
liters)
-All wheel drive: approximately
2.2 gallons (8.5
liters)
fiD Please refuel immediately
If the indicator light turns on the message ap­
pears, the fuel tank is almost empty. Refuel the
vehicle immediately.
ID Fuel tank malfunction! Please contact Serv­
ice
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears:
- there is a malfunction in the fuel tank system,
or
- in vehicles with diesel engines, water may have
collected in the fuel filter.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.

.... N
0 > CX)
.... I.Cl U"I
.... I.Cl ....
When switched on, adaptive light adjusts to
curves depending on the vehicle speed and steer­ing wheel angle. This provides better lighting
through the curve. The system operates in a
speed range from approximately 6 mph (10 km/
h) to 68 mph (110 km/h).
Static cornering light* (vehicles with adaptive
light) -the cornering light switches on automati­
cally when the steering wheel is turned at acer­
tain angle at speeds up to approximately 44 mph
(70 km/h) and when the turn signal is activated
at speeds up to approximately 25 mph (40 km/
h). The area to the side of the vehicle is illuminat­
ed better when turning.
Speed dependent light distribution* -The speed
dependent light distribution adapts the light in
towns and on highways or expressways . Intersec­
tions can also be illuminated on vehicles with a
navigation system* .
Highway light function*
(Vehicles with adaptive light or LED headlights) -
This function adapts the lighting for highway
driving based on vehicle speed .
& WARNING
-Automatic headlights* are only intended to
assist the driver. They do not relieve the
driver of responsibility to check the head­
lights and to turn them on manually accord­
ing to the current light and visibility condi­
tions. For example, fog cannot be detected by the light sensors . So always switch on the
low beam under these weather conditions
and when driving in the dark
io.
-Accidents could occur if you cannot see the
road ahead of you well and if others on the
road cannot see you . Always switch your
headlightsonsothatyoucanseetheroad
ahead of you and others can see your vehicle
from behind.
- The rear fog lights should only be turned on
in accordance with traffic regulations, to
prevent glare for traffic behind your vehicle .
-If the battery has been discharging for a
while, the parking lights may switch off au­
tomatically to conserve the battery charge
Lights and Vision
for the next time the engine is started. Al·
ways make sure your vehicle complies with
legal regulations regarding sufficient and
safe lighting when parking it. Avoid using
the parking lights for several hours.
- Please observe legal regulations when using
the lighting systems described .
@ Tips
-The light sensor for the automatic head­
lights* is in the rearview mirror mount.
Therefore, do not place any stickers in this
area on the windshield.
- Some functions of the exterior lighting can
be adjusted
¢ page 48 .
-If you turn off the ignition while the exterior
lights are on and open the door, you will
hear a warning tone.
- In some market-specific versions, the tail
lights do not turn on when switching on the
daytime running lights .
- In cool or damp weather, the inside of the
headlights, turn signals and tail lights can
fog over due to the temperature difference
between the inside and outside. They will
clear shortly after switching them on. This
does not affect the service life of the light­
ing.
- A message will appear in the instrument
cluster if there is a malfunction in the light
sensor
¢ page 25.
Emergency flasher
Fig. 33 Inst rume nt panel: e merge ncy flasher butto n
The emergency flashers makes other drivers
aware of your vehicle in dangerous situations .
N Cl) M 0
> Cl) (0
47

Driving
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your fuel
consumption by 10-15 percent. This section will
give you some tips on how you can help the envi­ ronment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehicle
load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating.
.. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking .
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating. If you anticipate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and, thus, accel­
erate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possi ­
ble -for example when you see that the next traf­
fic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and im­
proves your mileage.
.. Try and keep well below your car's maximum
speed .
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consumption,
engine wear, and does not disturb the environ­ ment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine
noise increase disproportionately at high speeds.
If you drive at approximately three quarters of
top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by
one half . Never drive faster than the posted
speed limit and weather conditions permit.
78
· Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel .
.. Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle .
.,. Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the en-
gine run at idle .
It is efficient to switch off the engine when stop­
ped at railroad crossings and long red lights.
Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds
saves more fuel than is burned by starting the
engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle . However, wear
and noxious emissions are especially high when
the engine is warming up . So you should drive
away as soon as you start the engine and avoid running at high rpms while the engine is still
warming up .
@ Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after
starting. If warning lights should come on to
indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces
heat, which could result in overheating or
other damage to the vehicle or other proper­
ty.
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot
of fuel.
.. Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
Audi dealer helps to ensure that it runs properly
and economically. The condition of your vehicle
not only affects its safety and ability to hold its
value, it also affects
fuel consumption.
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load
and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new en­
gine to reach its lowest value after a certain mile -
age has been driven . ..,.

.... N
0 > CX)
.... I.Cl U"I
.... I.Cl ....
The selector lever is not locked when shifting
quickly through N, for examp le from R to D . This
makes it poss ible to free the vehicle when it is
stuck by "rocking" it . The selecto r lever lock en­
gages if the lever stays in the N position longer
than approximately 2 seconds when the brake
pedal is not pressed .
Interlock button
The interlock button in the selector lever handle
prevents you from moving the selector lever in­
adverten tly while in some sele ctor lever posi­
tions . The posit ions that require the lock button
to be pressed are marked in color in the illustra­
tion
¢ fig . 82 .
Ignition key safety interlock*
You can only remove the key from the ignition af­
ter switching the ignition off if the selec tor lever
is in the P position . The selector lever will be
l ocked in the P pos ition as long as the key is not
in the ignition .
.&, WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS.¢ & in Selec­
tor lever positions on page 89.
{O) Tips
-If the select or lever does not engage, there
i s a malfunction. The eng ine is disabled to
prevent the vehicle from driving off unin­
tentionally. Press the brake pedal briefly to
allow the selector lever lock to engage
again.
- If the vehicle does not move forward or in
reverse even though a drive position is se­
l ected, proceed as follows:
->If the veh icle does not move in t he desired
direction, the system may not have engaged
the drive position correctly. Press the brake
pedal and select the drive position again .
-> If the vehicle still does not move in the de­
sired direction, there is a system malfunc­
tion. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance
to have the system checked.
Automatic transmission
Driving tips
Applies to vehicles : wit h S t ronic transmiss ion
T he transmission shifts up and down automati­
cally when in the driving gears .
Fig. 83 Section of t he center conso le: sel ector leve r wit h
inte rlock butto n
The engine will only be able start when the selec­
tor lever is in the P or N pos itions . At low temper ­
atures (below 14 °F (-10 °()), the eng ine can only
be started when the selector lever is in the P po­
sition.
Starting from a stop
.,. Press and hold the brake pedal.
.,. Press and hold the interlock butto n in these­
lector lever handle, select the desired selector
lever position such as D ¢
page 89 and release
t he lock button.
.,. Wait a moment until the transmission shifts.
You w ill not ice a slight movement when the
gear engages .
.,. Release the brake pedal and press the accelera­
tor pedal ¢&, .
Stopping temporarily
.,. Keep the vehicle stationary using the braking
pedal, for examp le at traffic lights.
.,. Do not press the accelerator pedal when doing
this .
.,. To prevent the vehicle from rolling when you
start driving, set the parking brake when stop­
ping on steep incl ines ¢&, .
.,. The parking brake will release automat ically
and the vehicle will start moving once yo u press
the acce le rator pedal. Requirement: the driv­
er 's doo r must be closed and the driver's safety
be lt must be fastened . ..,.
91