2016 AUDI A3 check oil

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0 > co ,...., Driver messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Audi active lane assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Audi side assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Audi drive select (drive settings) . . . . . . . . 148
Parking systems
General information ............ .... .
Rear parking system .......... .. .... .
Parking system plus ...... ... .. .. .. .. . 151
151
152
152
Rearview camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Adjusting the display and the warning
tones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Intelligent Technology . . . . . . . . . . 158
Notice about data recorded by the Event
Data Recorder and vehicle control
modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Electronic stabilization control (E5C) . . . . 159
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Electromechanical steering . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
All wheel drive (quattro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Energy management 164
Safety ... . .. .. ............. .. .. .. . 166
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Correct passenger seating positions . . . . . 167
Driver's and front passenger's footwell . . 171
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Storing cargo correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 4
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Why use safety belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Important information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System . 196
Knee airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Table of contents
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Side curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Important information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Securing child seats. ............... .. 219
LATCH system (Lower anchorages and
tethers for children) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Additional information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Checking and Filling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Gasoline fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Diesel fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Selective catalytic reduction (AdBlue) . . . 234
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Service interval display 252
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Wheels ... .. .. .. .. ... ... .... ..... .. 253
T ire pressure monitoring system 271
Care and cleaning ......... ... .. .. 274
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Car washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 4
Cleaning and care information . . . . . . . . . 275
Placing your vehicle out of service . . . . . . 279
Do It Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Emergency a ssistance . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Trunk escape latch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Genera l information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Tire mobility kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Replacing wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Spare tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
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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

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,

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
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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.

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.
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· 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 . ..,.

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. .,.

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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
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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