2016 AUDI A3 load capacity

Instruments and indicator lights
(+S °C), a snowflake symbol appears in front of
the temperature display.
If your vehicle is stationary or if you are driving at
very low speeds, the temperature displayed may
be slightly higher than the actual temperature
outside due to the heat radiating from the en­
gine.
A WARNING
Do not assume the roads are free of ice based
on the outside temperature display . Be aware
that there may be ice on roads even when the
outside temperature is around 41 °F (+S
0
()
and that ice can increase the risk of accidents .
@ Tips
You can change the measurement units, for
example for temperature or speed, in the
MMI.
Fuel level
The display @ q page 10, fig. 3 only works when
the ignition is switched on. When the display has reached the reserve mark, the bottom LED will
turn red and the
tj] indicator light turns on
q page 24. Th e bottom LED blinks red when
the fuel level is very low.
The on-board computer shows the range based
on the fuel level~
page 29, On-board comput­
er display.
For the tank capacity in your vehicle , refer to the
Technical Data
qpoge 303.
(D Note
Never drive until the tank is completely emp­
ty . The irregular supply of fuel that results
from that can cause engine misfires . Uncom­
busted fuel will then enter the exhaust sys­
tem. This can cause overheating and damage
to the catalytic converter.
Coolant temperature indicator
In vehicles without a coolant temperature indica­
t or, an indicator light . will turn on when the
12
coolant temperature is too high q page 20. Re­
fer to
q 0 .
The coolant temperature indicator @ q page 10,
fig. 3
only works when the ignition is switched
on. To prevent engine damage, please observe
the following notes about the temperature rang­
es .
Cold range
If only the LEDs at the bottom of the gauge turn
on, the engine has not reached operating tem­
perature yet. Avoid high engine speeds, full ac­
ce lerating and heavy engine loads.
Normal range
The engine has reached its operating tempera­
ture once the LEDs up to the center of the gauge
turn on under normal driving conditions. The
LEDs higher up may turn on if the engine is under
heavy load or the outside temperature is high.
T his is no cause for concern as long as the. in­
dicator light in the instrument cluster does not
turn on.
Hot range
If the LEDs in the upper area of the display and
the . indicator light in the instrument cluster
display turn on, the coolant temperature is too
high
q page 20 .
A WARNING
-Never open the hood if you can see or hear
steam or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment . This increases the risk of
burns . Wait until you no longer see or hear
steam or coolant escaping.
- The engine compartment in any vehicle can
be a dangerous area. Stop the engine and
allow it to cool before working in the engine
compartment. Always follow the informa­
tion found in¢
page 236, Working in the
engine comportment.
([) Note
-In vehicles with a boost pressure indicator*,
this indicator replaces the temperature dis­
play. To promote a long engine service life,
avoiding high engine speeds, full

Sea ts and stor age
Lowering the cargo floor
Applies to veh icles: w ith adj ustable cargo f loor
The cargo floor can lower to expand the storage
area in the luggage compartment.
F ig. 62 L uggage compartment: lowered cargo floor
The cargo floor can also be inse rted at a lower
point depending on vehicle eq uipment .
., Lift the cargo floor in order to lower it.
., Pull the cargo floor back slightly a nd insert it in
the lowe r pos it ion
@ .
To make loading and un load ing eas ier, br inging
the cargo floo r back into position @ afte r trans­
port ing b ulky i tems is recommended.
Tie-downs and cargo net
The cargo net* prevents small objects from slid­
ing.
F ig . 63 Luggage compartment: location of the tie -downs
66
F ig. 6 4 Luggage compartment: luggage compartment net•
spread out
., Secure the cargo to the tie-downs c::> fig. 63
-arrows- .
., To secure the cargo net, first hang the front
hooks in the tie-downs then hang the rear
hooks -arrows-
c::> fig. 64.
., Obse rve
the safety precaut ions c::> page 172,
Storing cargo correctly .
.&_ WARNING
Weak, damaged or fau lty straps used to se­
cure objects to the tie-downs can fail during
heavy braking or a co llision and lead to seri­
ous injur ies .
- Always use s uitable straps and secure ob­
jects to the tie-downs in the luggage com­
partment to prevent objects from shifting
and sliding forward.
- Never secure a child seat restraint to a tie­
down.
- Because of their load capacity, the hooks
should only be used to secure objects that
weigh a maximum of 10 lbs (5 kg). Heavy
objects will not be secured sufficiently, and
this increases the risk of inju ry.
-

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Loading the roof rack
Always distribute loads evenly. Make sure any­
thing on the roof rack is securely tied down .
11-Always distribute the loads on the roof rack
evenly .
11-Always attach items to the roof rack securely
before you drive off.
The maximum permiss ible roof weight is
165 lb
( 7 5 kg ). The roof weight is the total of the
weight of the roof rack, the attachments and the
cargo you are carrying. You must also not exceed
the maximum load weight fo r th e roof rac k you
are using.
When us ing a roof rack system wh ich has a lower
l oad carry ing capacity, you must not use up the
to ta l maximum permissible load car rying capaci­
ty specified above. Instead, you s hou ld load the
r oof rack system only to the maximum capac ity
specified by the manufacturer of the roof rack
system .
A WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used to
secure items to the roof rack can fa il during
hard braking or in a collision and cause seri­
ous personal injury.
- Make sure the roof rack is installed exactly
as spec ified above
c> page 68.
- Always use su itab le mounting straps for se­
curing items to the roof rack to help prevent
items from shifting or fly ing forward .
- Items on the roof rack must always be se­
curely mounted.
- The use of a roof rack can negatively affect
the way a vehicle handles. Cargo that is
large, heavy, bulky, long or flat will have a
greate r negative influence on the vehicle's
aerodynamics, cente r of g ravity and ove rall
hand lin g. A lways d rive slowly, avoid sudden
bra king and mane uvers when transpo rting
cargo on the roof of you r vehicle .
- Never exceed the maxim um permissible
load carrying cap aci ty of the roof of you r ve­
hicle, the permissib le ax le weigh ts and the
permissible total weight of your vehicle
c> page 301, Weights.
-
Seat s and sto rage
{® For the sake of the environment
As a result of the increased wind resistance
created by a roof rack, your vehicle is using
fuel unnecessarily. So remove the roof rack
after using it.
69

.... N
0 > co .... .... -Please observe information on safe driving
~page 166.
A WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas from
being drawn into the vehicle, always keep the
rear lid closed while driving .
- Never transport objects larger than those
fitting completely into the luggage area be­
cause the rear lid cannot be fully closed .
-If you absolutely must drive with the rear lid
open, observe the following notes to reduce
the risk of poisoning:
- Close all w indows,
- Close the power roof*,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument pan-
el,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed .
A WARNING
-
Always make sure that the doors, all win­
dows, the power roof* and the rear lid are se­
curely closed and locked to reduce the risk of
injury when the vehicle is not being used.
- After closing the rear lid, always make sure
that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your vehicle unattended espe­
cially with the rear lid left open. A child
could crawl into the vehicle through the lug­
gage compartment and close the rear lid be­
coming trapped and unable to get out. Be­
ing trapped in a vehicle can lead to serious
personal injury.
- Never let children play in or around the vehi­
cle.
- Never let passengers r ide in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must al­
ways be properly restrained in one of the ve­
hicle's seating positions.
(D Tips
- Air circulation helps to reduce window fog­
ging. Stale air escapes to the outside
through vents in the trim panel. Be sure to
keep these slots free and open.
Driving safety
-The tire pressure must correspond to the
load. The tire pressure is shown on the tire
pressure label. The tire pressure label is lo­
cated on the driver's side B-pillar . The tire
pressure label lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the vehicle at its
maximum capacity weight and the tires that
were on your vehicle at the time it was man­ ufactured. For recommended tire pressures
for normal load conditions, please see chap­
ter
~ page 263.
' Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with four
tie-downs to secure luggage and other items.
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo properly
~ page 172, Loading the luggage compartment.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even
smaller items that are loose in the vehicle will
become heavy missiles that can cause serious in­
jury. Items in the vehicle possess energy which
vary w ith vehicle speed and the weight of the
item. Vehicle speed is the most significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed of
30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a 10-lb
(4.5 kg) object are about 20 times the normal
weight of the item. This means that the weight
of the item would sudden ly be about
200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imagine the injuries
that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flying freely through
the passenger compartment could cause in a col­
lision like th is.
A WARNING
-Weak, damaged or improper straps used to
secure items to tie-downs can fail dur ing hard
braking or in a collision and cause serious per­
sona l injury.
- Always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help prevent
items from shifting or flying forward as dan­
gerous missiles .
- When the rear seat backrest is folded down,
always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
173

Tires and wheels
(D Tires for passenger vehicles
(if applicable)
P indicates a tire for a passenger
vehicle. T indicates a tire desig­ nated for temporary use.
@ Nominal width
Nominal width of the tire be­
tween the sidewalls in millime­
ters. In general: the larger the number, the wider the tire.
@ Aspect ratio
Height/width ratio expressed as a
percentage.
@ Tire construction
R indicates a radial tire.
® Rim diameter
Size of the rim diameter in inches.
@ Load index and speed rating
The load index indicates the tire's
load-carrying capacity.
The speed rating indicates the maximum permitted speed
¢ & in
Winter tires on page 269 .
"EXTRA LOAD", "xl" or "RF" indi­
cates that the tire is reinforced or
is an Extra Load tire.
Speed rat- Maximum permitted speed
ing
p
up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (160 km/h )
254 Speed rat- Maximum permitted speed
ing
R
u p to 106 mph (170 km/h)
s up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
u up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)al
z above 149 mph (240 km/h)al
w up to 168 mph (270 km/h)al
y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)al
a) Tire manufacturers sometimes use "ZR"
for ti res with a maximum speed above
149 mph (240 km/h).
(j) US DOT number (TIN) and
manufacture date
The manufacture date is listed on
the tire sidewall (it may only ap­
pear on the inner side of the tire):
DOT ... 2215 ...
means, for example, that the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of
the year 2015.
@ Audi Original equipment
tires
Audi Original equipment tires
with the designation "AO" or "RO"
have been specially matched to
your Audi . When used correctly,
these tires meet the highest standards of safety and handling.
An authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility will .,..

Tires and wheels
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim .
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recom­
mended by the vehic le manufac­
turer for a tire of a designated
size that has not been driven for more than a couple of miles (kilo­
meters) at low speeds in the
three hour period before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor ve­
hicle with standard equipment in­
cluding the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi ­
tioning and additiona l weight of
op tional equipment.
E x tra load tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at h igher in-
2 56
flation pressures than t he corre­
sponding standard tire. Extra load
tires may be identified as "XL",
"xl" , "EXTRA LOAD" , or "RF" on
the sidewall.
Gross A xle Weight Rating
("GAWR" )
means the load-carrying capacity
of a single axle system , measured
at the tire-ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the max im um total loaded
weight of the vehicle .
Groove
means the space between two ad­
jacent tread ribs .
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load tha t a
tire is rated to carry for a given in­
flation pressure. You may not find
this informat ion on all tires be­
cause it is not required by law .
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at
t he maximum permissible infla­
tion p ressure for that tire .
Maximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of:

(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible )
inflation p ressure
means the maximum cold infla­
tion pressure to which a t ire may
be inflated. Also called "maxi ­
mum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the to­
tal seating capacity of your vehi­
c le.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants
in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an
inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance be­
tween the exteriors of the side­
walls of an inflated tire, including elevations due to labeling, deco­
rations, or protective bands or
ribs .
Tires and wheels
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords .
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not pre­
viously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
roof rack, heavy duty battery, and
specia l trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which
the ply cords that extend to the beads are laid at substantially 90
degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Recommended inflation
pressure
see ~ page 256, Cold tire infla­
tion pressure .
Reinforced tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in­
flat ion pressures than the corre­
sponding standard tire. Rein ­
forced tires may be identified as .,.
257

Uniform Tire Quality Gr ading
is a tire information system devel­
oped by the United States Nation­
al Highway Traffic Safety Admin­
istration (NHTSA) that is designed
to help buyers make relat ive com­
parisons among tires. The UTQG
is not a safety rating and not a
guarantee that a tire will last for
a prescribed number of miles
(kilometers) or perform in acer­
tain way. It simply gives t ire buy ­
ers additional information to
combine with other considera­
tions, such as price, brand loyalty
and dealer recommendations . Un­
der
UTQG, tires are graded by the
tire manufacturers in th ree areas:
treadwear, traction, and tempera­
ture resistance. The UTQG infor­
mation on the tires, molded into
the sidewalls .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN )
This is the tire's "serial number".
It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards . The next
two numbers or letters indicate
the plant where it was manufac­
tured, and the last four numbers represent the week and year of
manufacture. For example,
Tires and wheels
DOT ... 2215 ...
means that the tire was produced
in the 22nd week of 2015. The
other numbers are marketing co­ des that may or may not be used
by the t ire manufacturer. This in­
formation is used to contact con­
sumers if a tire defect requires a
recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and lug­
gage load plus 150 lbs . (68 k ilo­
grams) times the vehicle's desig­
nated seating capacity.
Vehicle ma ximum load on the
tire
means that load on an indiv idual
tire that is determined by distrib­
ut ing to each axle its share of the
maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual
tire that is determined by dist rib­
uting to each ax le its share of the
curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weigh t (dis­
tributed in accordance with
c:::> ta­
ble on page 265) and dividing by
two. .,.
259