2016 AUDI Q3 oil

Driving and the
environment
Breaking in
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1, 500 km).
For the first 600 miles (1 ,000 kilometer s):
"' Do not use full throttle .
"' Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than
2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1 ,000 to 1 ,500
kilometers):
"' Speeds can gradually be increased to the maxi­
mum pe rm issib le road or engine speed .
During and after break-in pe riod
"' Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it
is cold. This applies whether the transmission is
in N (Neutral) or in gear .
After the break-in period
"'Do not exceed maximum engine speed under
any c ircumstances .
"'U pshift into the nex t higher gear
before reach­
ing the red area a t the end of the tachometer
sca le
c=> page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the eng ine's
internal fric tion is higher than later when all the
mov ing parts have been broken in . How well this
b reak-in process is done depends to a considera­
b le exte nt on the way the veh icle is d rive n during
t he first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
(D Note
Extremely high eng ine speeds a re au toma ti­
cally reduced . However, these rpm limits are
programme d for a n engine well run-in, not a
new engine.
@) For the sake of the environment
D o not dr ive with u nnecessari ly high eng in e
spee ds -ups hifting ea rly saves fuel, reduces
noise and pro tec ts the envi ronme nt.
Driving and the envir onment
New tires
If your vehicle is runn ing on new tires, d rive very
car efu lly fo r the firs t 35 0 miles (500 kilometers)
a ft er fit ting.
WARNING
New tires tend to be slippe ry and must a lso
be "bro ken-in". Be sure to remembe r th is dur­
i ng the fi rst 350 m iles (500 kilometers).
Brake gent ly. Avoid following closely behind
other vehicles or other s ituations that m ight
r equire sudden, hard b raking .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When yo u are dr iv ing o n poor roa ds, or over
cur bs, stee p ramps, e tc., ma ke cert ain that low­
ly ing parts s uch a s spo ile rs a nd exh aust sy stem
parts do no t bottom o ut and get dama ged.
T his is espec ially true for ve hicles with low-s lung
c h ass is (sports c hass is) * and fully loaded
vehicles.
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission control
system (catalytic converter) is functioning prop­
erly to ensure that your vehicle is running in an
environmentally sound manner.
"' Always use lead -free gasoline c> page 173,
Fuel supply.
"' Never run the tank down all the way to empty.
"' Never put too much moto r o il in you r engine
c=> page 181, "t':::r. Adding engine oil .
"'Never try to push -or tow -start your veh icle .
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean-up" device built into the exhaust system of the veh i­
cle. The catalyt ic converter b urns ma ny of the
pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are re­
leased into the atmosphere .
The exclusive use of un leaded fuel is critically im­
portant for the life of the catalytic converter and
prope r fu nct ion ing of the eng ine. ..,.
159

Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are acceler­
ating .
11-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 ­
f ic light is red .
Avoid full throttle
Driving a t modera te speeds saves fuel and im­
proves your mileage .
11-Try and keep well be low your car's max imum
speed.
Accelerating gent ly reduces fuel consumption,
engine wear, and does not disturb the environ ­
ment.
F ue l cons umption, exha ust emissions and engine
noise increase disproportionately at high speeds.
If you drive at approximately three quarters of
top speed, fuel consumpt ion will be reduced by
one half. Never drive faster than the posted
speed limit and weather conditions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling i t burns up fuel.
11-S hut the engine off w hen you are not driving
the vehicle.
11-Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the en-
gine ru n at idle .
It makes sense to shut off the eng ine in traffic
jams, when wa iting for trains to pass at rai lroad
crossings, or at traffic lights that have long waits
on red . Turn ing the eng ine off for just 30 -40 sec ­
onds saves more fue l than is bu rned starting the
engine agai n.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fu lly when it is runni ng at idle . However, wear
and noxious emiss ions are especially high when
the eng ine is wa rm ing up . So you should d rive
Driving and the envir onment
away as soon as you start the eng ine and avoid
running at high rpms w hil e the engine is sti ll
warming up .
(D Note
Do not leave eng ine idling una ttended after
starting. If wa rning lights shou ld come on to
i ndicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also prod uces
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 .
11-Have your vehicle serviced at regular interva ls.
By having your vehicle regular ly serv iced by an
authorized Audi dea ler helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically. The cond ition of
your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability
to hold its value, it also affects
fuel con sump­
tion .
Chec k your oil each t ime you fill your tank.
T he amount o f oi l used is related to engine load
and speed.
It is normal fo r the oil consump tion of a new en­
gine to reach its lowest value after a ce rtain m ile­
age has been dr iven.
You m ust dr ive your ve hicle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) befo re yo u can prope rly as­
sess oil consumpt io n.
T h is also app lies to fuel consumption and eng ine
output.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the se rvice recommenda­
tions i n your Warranty
& M aintenance book-
le t. La ck of prope r maintenan ce as we ll as
imp roper use of the ve hicle will im pair the
function of the em ission cont rol sys tem and
co uld lead to damage . .,.
161

Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
T ex til es
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
art ifici al leat her, the surface
A lcan tara Water-based depos- Absorbent cloth and mild soap
solutional
its such as coffee,
tea, blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Apply a mild soap solution al, blot away the dissolved oil or
such as oil, make-up, dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
etc.
Special deposits such Special stain remover, b lot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, nail polish, la-afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary al
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natu ral le ath er Fresh stains Wool cloth with a mild soap solution al
Water-based depos-Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
its such as coffee, Dried sta ins: stain remover su itable for leathe r
tea, blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable for
such as oil, make-up, leather
etc . Dried stains : grease dissolving spray
Special deposits such Spot remover suitable for leather
as ink, nail polish, la-
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Ca re Regularrly apply cond itioning cream that p rotects from light
and penetrates into the ma ter ial. Use spec ially-colored con-
ditionirng cream, if necessary.
Carbon p art s Deposits clean the same way as plastic parts
a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 q uart (1 liter) of water
.8, WARNING
The windshield may not be trea ted with wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un ­
favorable cond itions such as wetness, dark­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare.
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
@ Note
- Headlight s/tail li ghts
- Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
- Whe els
-
- Never use a ny pa int polish or other abra­
sive materials .
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as sto ne ch ips or scratches must
be repaired immediately .
-Sen sor s/camera lenses
-Neve r use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens . This
could ca use the lens to crack .
- Neve r use ab rasive cleaning materials or
a lcohol to clean the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Door window s
-Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors w ith a plast ic scraper. To
171

Checking and Filling
-Keep children away from the engine com­
partment.
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary
electric fan is temperature controlled and
can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap when
the engine is still warm. The coolant system
is pressurized and hot coolant could spray
out.
- Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
- Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns .
- If work on the fuel system or the electrical
system is necessary:
-Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open
flames. Fluids in the engine compartment
could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher imme­
diately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal injury
while the engine is running or being started,
never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair with
the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake, move
selector lever of automatic transmission
to "P" (Park).
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get-
178
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts or
other moving parts, or from contacting
hot parts. Tie back hair before starting,
and do not wear clothing that will hang or
droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and chemi­
cal hazards
c::> & .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals 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
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.
([) Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container or
filler opening, otherwise serious damage to
vehicle systems will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly. If you
see spots from oil or other vehicle fluids, have
your vehicle inspected by an authorized Audi dealer .

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Checking and Filling
Engine compartment
Engine compartment overview
The most important check points.
Fig. 149 Typical location of the reservoir a nd the engine o il fil ler ope ning
(D Coolant reservoir (-L) . . . . . . . . . . 183
@ Oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
@ Engine oil filler opening ('1!::r.) . . . 181
@ Brake fluid reservoir (0) . . . . . . . 186
® Jump start point(+) under a cover, 189, 223
® Jump start point(-) with hex head
screw, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
189, 223
0 Washer fluid reservoir($) . . . . . . 190
@ Fuse housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
The oil dipstick (position @) and the engine oil
filler opening (position @) can be located in dif­
ferent positions depending on the engine ver­
sion.
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN- INGS
9 .&. in Working in the engine
compart­
ment on page 177.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
T he serv ice interval d isplay in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an oil change . We recommend that you
have your oil changed by an authorized Audi Serv­
ice Advisor.
If you have to top off the oil between oil changes,
us e the Audi oil quality standard specified in the
tab~ .
~
179

Check ing and F illing
Audi oil quality standard
Gas olin e
VW 502 00 or
engi ne vw 50400
Using the proper engine oil is important for the
functionality and service life of the engine. Your
engine was factory-filled with a high-quality oil
which can usually be used throughout the entire
year .
Q) Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions due to failure
to follow recommended maintenance and use
requirements as set fo rth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Wa rranty
& Maintenance booklet.
- Use only a high qua lity eng ine oi l th at ex-
pressly complies with the Audi oil qua lity
stan dard specified for your vehi cle's engine.
Using any o ther oil can cause serious engine
damage .
- Do not mix any lubricants o r other addit ives
i nto the engine oil. Doing so can cause en­
gine damage.
(D Tips
I f you nee d to add oi l and there is none availa­
ble that meets the Audi o il qu ality st andard
your engine requires, you may ad d a total of
no more than 0 .5 quart/liter of a high-quality
"synthet ic"oil that meets the following speci­
fications.
- ACEA A3 o r API SM with a viscosity g rade of
SAE OW-30, SAE 5W-30 or SAE 5W-40.
- For more information about engine oi l that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact either your authorized Audi dea ler
or Audi Custome r Relat ions at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www .aud icanada .ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of
its moving parts .
In order to provide effective lubrication and cool­
ing of internal engine components, all internal
180
combust ion engines consume a certa in amo unt
of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to en­
gine and may change significantly over the life of
the engine. Typically, engines w ith a specified
break-in period (see
c:::;, page 159) consume more
o il dur ing the break-in per iod than they consume
af ter o il consumption has stab ilized .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil con­
sumption depends on the quality and viscos ity of
the oil, the RPM (revo lutions per m inute) at
wh ich the engine is operated, the amb ient tem­
perature and road condit ions. Further factors a re
the amount of o il di lution from wate r co ndensa­
tion or fue l resid ue an d the oxidation level of the
o il. As any engine is sub ject to wear as mileage
builds up, the oi l cons umption may increase over
time unt il replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With a ll these variab les coming into p lay, no
standard rate of oil consumption can be estab­
li shed or specified. The re is no alternative to reg­
u lar and frequent checking of the oi l level, see
Note.
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbo l Ell
in the instrument cluster lights up, you sho uld
check the oil level as soon as possible
c:::;, page 181. Top off the oil at your earliest con­
venience
c:::;,page 181.
A WARNING
Before you check anyth ing in the e ng ine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
I NGS
c:::;, .&. in Working in the engin e compart­
ment on page 177.
(D Note
Driving w ith an insuffic ient oil level is likely to
cause severe damage to the eng ine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warn ing d isplay. is not
an indicator of the oil level. Do not rely on
it. Instead, check the oil level in your en­
g ine at regular int ervals , pr eferably each
time you refuel, and alway s before going
on a long trip .

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-If yo u have the impression your engine con ­
sumes excessive amounts of oil, we recom ­
mend that you consu lt an autho rized Aud i
dealer to have the cause of your concern
properly d iagnosed . Keep in mind that the
accurate measurement of oil consumption
r equ ires great care and may take some
time . An authorized Audi dea ler has instruc­
tions about how to measure oil consump­
tion a ccura tely .
Checking the engine oil level
Fig . 1 50 G uide fo r d ete rm ini ng le v e ls on t he o il d ips tic k
(exam ple)
Det ermining the oil level
.,. Park yo ur veh icle on a level su rface .
.. Let the engine run in id le briefly while it is at
operating t emperature and then shut the en­
gine off .
.. Wait approx imately two minutes.
.. Remove the o il dipstick . W ipe off the oil d ip­
stick with a clean cloth and insert it all the way
in again .
.,. Remove the dipstic k aga in a nd then read the oil
level. Add e ngine o il if necessary
r=;, page 181.
Oil level in the~ area
.. Do not add any oil.
Oil level in the @ area
.. You may add o il. After add ing oi l, the leve l
sho uld be in the
G) area.
Oil l evel in the@ area
.,. Yo u m ust add o il. After adding oil , the level
should be in the
G) area.
Checking and Filling
T he oil consumpt ion of the engine may be up to
1/2 quart per 600 miles (0 .5 liters/1,000 km),
depending on driving style and ope rational cond i­
tions. Consumption may be higher during the
first 3,000 miles (5,000 km) . Because of th is, the
engine oil level must be checked regularly . It
would be best to check each time you refuel your
vehicle and before long dr ives.
~ Adding engine oil
Fi g. 15 1 En g in e co mpa rtm ent: Cove r on the oil f iller nec k
.. Before you check anything in the eng ine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS ¢ &. in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 177 .
.,. Shu t the eng ine off .
.,. Unscrew the cap~ to the engine oil fi lling
hole
r=;, fig. 151, r=;,page 179, fig . 149 .
.. Carefully top off with 0 . 5 quarts (0 .5 liters) of
the appropriate oil¢
page 179 .
.. Check the oi l level again after two minutes
¢page 181.
.. Top off the o il aga in, if necessary .
.,. Screw the cap back on the fi lling ho le .
_& WARNING
- W hile topping off, the o il must not come in
con ta ct with hot e ngine parts - fi re hazard!
- The oi l filler cap must be p rop erly secured
to p revent o il from being sprayed on the hot
engine and exha ust system whe n the eng ine
is ru nning -fi re haz ard!
- If you r skin has come in contac t wit h the en­
g in e oil, yo u m ust s ubsequently clea nse i t
thoroug hly.
~
181

Check ing and F illing
CJ) Note
- Check the oil level us ing the radio or MMI*.
If the message Please reduce oil l evel a p­
pears, contact your authorized Audi dealer
or qual ified workshop to have excess oil ex­
tracted if necessary.
- Audi does not recommend the use o f oil
add itives. Th ey may dam age the eng ine
and ad ve rse ly aff ect your N ew Vehicl e
Warranty .
@ For the sake of the environment
-Under no circumstances can the o il come in
contact with the sewage network or the soil.
- Observe and follow legal regulations when
dispos ing of empty oil containers .
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service sta­ tion .
Before you check anyth ing in the eng ine compart­
ment,
a lways r ead and heed all WARNINGS ¢&.
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 177 .
The engine oil must be changed accord ing to the
intervals specif ied in your Warranty
& Mainte­
nance booklet. This is very important because the
lubricat ing propert ies of oil d iminish gradually
du ring normal vehicle use.
Under some circumstances the eng ine o il should
be changed more frequently . Change oil more of­
ten if you drive mostly short distances, ope rate
the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominantly
stop-and-go traffic cond it ions, o r have your vehi­
cle where temperatu res remain below freezing
for extended periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil
look dark afte r the engine has been ru nning fo r a
short t ime. This is no rmal and is not a reason to
change the oil more often than recommended.
Because of the prob lem of proper disposa l, along
with the special tools and necessa ry expe rt ise re­
qu ired, we s trong ly recommend that you have
182
you r oi l changed by an authorized Audi d ealer or
a qua lified service station.
If you choo se to chang e your oil your self, please
note the follow ing important information:
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of persona l injury if you
must change the eng ine oil in yo ur vehicle
yourself:
- Wear eye protection .
-
-To reduce the r isk of b urns from hot engine
oil, let the engine cool down to the touch.
- When removing the oil d rain plug with yo ur
fingers, stay as far away as possible. Always
keep your forearm parallel to the gro und to
he lp prevent hot oil from running down your
arm.
- Drain the oil into a container designed for
this purpose, one la rge enough to hold at
least the tota l amount of oil in your engine.
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of
the reach of children.
- Continuous contact with used engine o il is
harmf ul to your skin. Always protect your
skin by washing oil off thoroughly with soap
and water .
(D Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil.
These additives can damage your engine and adverse ly affect your Audi Limited New Vehi­
cle Warranty.
@I For the sake of the environment
- Before chang ing you r oi l, first make sure
you know where you can properly dispose of
the used oil.
- Always dispose of used engine o il properly.
Do not dump it on garden soi l, wooded
areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains.
- Recycle used engine o il by tak ing it to a used
eng ine oil collect ion fac ility in your area, or
contact a service station .