2017 AUDI A3 SEDAN mirror

Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on the
ve hicle, it also ca lls for more concentration from
the dr iver.
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross tra iler weight. The hitch must be suitab le
for your veh icle and tra iler and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
locat ion . Use on ly a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ba ll mount . Always che ck with the t rail ­
er hitch man ufac tur er to make s ure t hat you are
using the co rrect hi tc h.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system. No mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and b rake systems .
Fr om t ime to t ime, che ck tha t all hitch mo unti ng
bol ts rem ain securely f aste ned.
W hen you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra ile r hitc h ba ll mount . This prevents the hit ch
from caus ing damage s hou ld your veh icle be
s truck from be hind
c> ,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing system,
check to be su re that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
120
The t rai ler hydraulic bra ke system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
bra ke system.
Safety chains
A lways use s afety chains between you r vehi cle
and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Traile r lights must meet all regula tions . B e s ure
to check w ith your Aud i dea le r fo r cor rect wir ing,
switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see t he traffic behind you us­
i ng t he regular outs ide mir rors, then yo u
must in­
stall extended mirro rs . It is impo rtant that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
&, WARNING
Afte r remov ing the tr ailer hi tch, do not s to re
i t i n yo ur vehicle. In case o f su d den braking,
the hitch could fly fo rwa rd and injure you or
your passengers .
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A tra iler f or yo ur vehicle is lim ite d to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the t rai le r i s he ld se curely in
pla ce to p revent i t from shi fting forward, bac k­
ward or si deways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer c> &.
in Driving instructions on page 121.
Engine cooling system
Towing a tra iler makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load . Make sure tha t
the coo ling system has enoug h flu id.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inf late the tires of your
vehicle to the tire pressure listed under "Full load" on the label
c> page 336. Inflate trailer

a, a, ... N
" N ..... 0 N > 00
This message appears if you are not steering by
yourself . Active lane assist is activated, but is not
ready to give warning
Setting the vibration warning
Ap plies to: ve hicles with Audi active lane assist
You con adjust individual Audi active lone assist
settings in the Infotainment system .
.,. Select in the Infotainment system: !MENUI but­
ton
> Vehicle > left control button > Driver a s­
sistance > Audi active lane assist.
Vibration warning
You can switch the additional vibration warning
in the steering wheel on or off.
_& WARNING ,..__
With the vibration warning switched off,
there will also be no visual warning in the in­
strument cluster display when crossing a lane
marker line.
(D Tips
Your settings are automatically sto red and as­
signed to the remote contro l key being used.
Audi side assist
Description
Applies to: vehicles with Audi side assist
Fig. 144 Sensor detect ion ran ge
Assistance systems
Fig. 145 Disp lay on t he exterio r m irr or
ffl 0 0
> (X)
"'
Sid e assist (lane change ass ist) helps you mon itor
your blind spot and traffic behind yo ur vehicle .
Within the limits of the system, it warns you
about vehicles that are com ing closer or that are
traveling with you within sensor range
(D
¢ fig. 144. If a lane change is classified as criti­
cal, the display @in the exterior mirror turns on
¢ fig . 145.
The display in the left exterior mirror provides as­
s istance when making a lane change to the left,
while the display in the right exterio r mir ror pro­
vides assistan ce when making a lane change to
the righ t.
Information stage
As long as you do not activate the tu rn signal,
side assist
informs yo u about vehicles that are
detected and classified as critical. The display in
the mirror turns on, but is dim .
The display remains dim in the information stage
so that your view toward the front is not distur­
bed.
Warning stage
If the display in a mirror blinks brightly when you
activate a turn signal, side assist is
warning you
about detected vehicles that it has classified as
critical. If this happens, check traff ic by glancing
in the exterior m irrors and over your shoulder
¢ & in General information on page 141 .
Applies to: vehicles with Audi act ive lane ass ist
The display in the mirror can also blink if you
have not activated a turn signal: if you are ap ­
proaching a detected lane marker line and it ap­
pears you will be leaving the lane, side assist w ill
liJl,,
139

Assistance systems
warn you about detected vehicles that it has clas­
sified as critical.
@ Tips
You can adjust the brightness on of the dis­
play on the rearview mirror¢
page 141.
General information
App lies to: ve hicles w ith Audi side assist
@
Fig. 146 Driving s it u ations
Fig. 147 Rear of the veh icle: pos it ion of the sensors
Side assist functions at speeds above approxi­
mately 9 mph (15 km/h) .
@Approaching vehicles
In certain cases, a vehicle will be classified as
critical for a lane change even i f it is still some ­
what far away. The faster a vehicle approaches,
140
the sooner the display in the exterior mirror will
turn on .
@Vehicles traveling with you
Vehicles traveling with you are indicated in the
exter ior mirror if they are classified as critical for
a lan e change . All vehicles detected by side assist
are indicated by the time they enter your "blind
spot", at the latest .
@ Vehicles you are passing
If you slow ly pass a vehi cle that side assist has
detected (the differe nce in speed between the
vehicle and your vehicle is less than approximate­
l y 9 mph (15 km/h)), the disp lay in the exterior
mirror turns on as soon as the vehicle enters your
blind spot.
The display wi ll not turn on if you quickly pass a
vehicle that side assist has detected (the differ­ ence in speed is greater than approximate ly 9
mph (15 km/h)) .
Functional limitations
The radar sensors are designed to detect the lef t
and right adjacent lanes when the road lanes are
the normal width . In some situations, the display
in the exterior m irror may turn on even though
there is no vehicle located in the area that is criti­
ca l for a lane change. For example:
- If the lanes are narrow or if your
are dr ivin g on
the edge of your lane. If this is the case, the
system may have detected a vehicle in another
lane that is
not adjacent to your cur rent lane.
- If you are driving through a curve. Side ass ist
may react to a vehicle that is one lane over
from the adjacent lane.
- If side assist reacts to other objects (such as
high or displaced guard ra ils).
- In poor weather conditions. The side ass ist
functions are limited.
Do not cover the radar
sensors ¢ fig. 147 with
stickers, deposits, bicycle wheels or other ob ­
j ects, because they will impair the function. Do
not use s ide assist when towing a trai ler. For in-
format ion on cleaning,
see ¢ page 347. .,..

CXl CXl .... N r--­N .... 0 N > 00
A WARNING 1=
- Always pay attention to traffic and to the
area around your vehicle. Side assist cannot
replace a dr iver's attention. The dr iver alone
is always responsible for lane changes and
similar driving maneuvers.
- In some situat ions, the system may not
function or its funct io n may be limited. For
example:
- If vehicles are approaching or being left
behind very quickly. The display may not
turn on in time.
- In poor weather conditions such as heavy
rain, snow or heavy mist.
- On very wide lanes, in tight curves, or if
there is a rise in the road surface. Vehicles
in the adjacent lane may not be detected
because they are outside of the sensor
range.
(D Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, wheel housing and
underbody. Th is can impa ir the system. Have
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Serv ice Facility check their function .
(Di Tips
If the window glass in the driver's door or
front passenger's door has been tinted, the
disp lay in the exterior mirror may be incor­
rect.
Switching on/off
A ppl ies to: ve hicles with Audi side assis t
The system can be switched on/off in the Info­
tainment system.
-
If the system is activated, the displays in the ex­
terior mirrors will turn on briefly when the ign i­
tion is sw itched on .
.,. Select in the Infotainment system: !MENUI but­
ton
> Vehicle > left control button > Driver as­
sistance
> Audi side assist . Off switches the
system off.
Assistance systems
Setting the display brightness
Applies to : vehicles wi th Audi side ass ist
The display brightness can be adjusted in the In­
fotainment system .
.. Select in the Infotainment system: I MENU! but­
ton
> Veh icle > left control button > Driver as­
sistance
> Audi side assist .
The display brightness adjusts automatically to
the brightness of the surroundings, both in the
information and in the warning stage. In very
dark or very bright surround ings, the automatic
adjustment will set the display to the minimum
or max imum level. In such cases, you may notice
no change when adjusting the brightness, or the
change may only be noticeab le once the sur­
roundings change.
Adjust the br ightness to a level where the display
in the information stage will not disrupt yo ur
view ahead. If you change the brightness, the dis­
play in the exterior mirror will briefly show the
brightness level in the information stage. The
brightness of the warning stage is linked to the
brightness in the information stage and is adjust­
ed along with the information stage.
Q') Tips
- Side ass ist is not act ive while you are mak­
ing the adjustment.
- Your settings are automatically stored and
assigned to the remote control key being
used.
141

Parking systems
Parking systems
General information
A ppl ies to: ve hicles w ith parking system plus/rearview cam ­
era
Depending on your vehicle's equipment , various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma­
neuvering.
The
parking system plus assists you when park­
ing by audibly and visually indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the vehicle
¢page 147.
The rearview camera shows the area behind the
vehicle in the Infotainment system display. This display assists you when you are cross or parallel parking. The parking system plus functions are
also available ¢
page 148.
A WARNING
-
-Always look for traffic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it directly
as well. The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attention. The driver is always
responsible when entering or leaving a park­
ing space and during similar maneuvers .
-Please note that some surfaces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system .
-Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
which people and objects cannot be detect­
ed . Be especially cautious of small children
and animals .
-Always pay attention to the area around the
vehicle -us ing the rearview mirror, too.
-The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody . The park­
ing system may be impaired as a result.
Have an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility check their func­
tion .
(D Note
-Some objects are not detected or displayed
by the system under certain circumstances:
-objects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, vertical poles or fences
146
-objects above the sensors such as wall ex­
tensions
-objects with certain surfaces or structures
such as chain link fences or powder snow
-If you continue driving closer to a low ob­
ject, it may disappear from the sensor range. Note that you will no longer be
warned about this obstacle.
-Keep enough distance from the curb to re­
duce the risk of damage to the rims.
(D Tips
-T he system may provide a warning even
though there are no obstacles in the cover­ age area in some situations, such as:
-certain road surfaces or when there is tall
grass .
-external ultrasonic sources such as from
cleaning vehicles.
-in heavy rain, snow, or thick vehicle ex­
haust.
-We recommend that you practice parking in
a traffic-free location or parking lot to be­
come familiar with the system . When doing
this, there shou ld be good light and weath­
er conditions.
-You can change the volume and pitch of the
signals as well as the display¢
page 150.
-What appears in the infotainment display is
somewhat time-delayed .
-The sensors must be kept clean and free of
snow and ice for the parking aid to operate .

a, a, ..... N
" N ..... 0 N > 00
-Only use the rearview camera to assist you if
it shows a good, clear p icture. For examp le,
the image may be affected by the sun sh in­
ing into the lens, dirt on the lens, or if there
is a malfunction.
- Use the rearview camera only if the luggage
compartment lid is completely closed . If the
luggage compartment l id is open the orien­
tation lines and blue su rfaces are hidden .
Make su re any objects you may have mount­
ed on the luggage compar tme nt lid do not
block the rearview camera.
- T he came ra lens enlarges and distorts the
field of v is ion. The object appea rs both al­
tered and inaccurate on the screen.
- In cert ain situations, people or objec ts in
the display appear closer or farther away:
- For objects that do not touch the ground,
such as the bumper of a parked vehicle, a
tra iler hitch or the rear of a truck . Do not
use the orientation lines in this case.
- If driven from a level surface onto an in ­
cline , or a downward slope.
- If driven toward protrud ing objects .
- If the veh icle is carry ing too much load in
the rear.
(D Note
- Always read and follow the applicable warn­
i ngs
<* 0 in General information on
page 146 .
-The orange-colored orientatio n lines in the
Infotainment display show the veh icle path
based on the steering wheel angle. The
front of the vehicle swings out more than
the rear of the veh icle. Ma inta in p lenty of
distance so that an exterio r mirror or a cor­
ner of the veh icle does not co llide with any
obstacles.
Switching on /off
Appl ies to: ve hicles with rearv iew camera
Switching on
• S hift into reverse , or
• Press the P' 1! bu tton in the center console
~ page 147 , fig. 152 . A short confirmat ion
Parking systems
tone sounds and the LED in the button turns
on.
Switching off
• Dr ive faste r th an 6 mp h (10 km/h), o r
• Press the p, q! button, or
• Switch t he ignit ion off .
(0 Tips
- The visu al display in the righ t part of the
display sho uld help you de te ct the c riti cal
vehicle area .
- Yo u can ch ange the vol ume o f the signa ls
and the display ¢
page 150.
Perpendicular par king
Applies to: veh icles w ith rearv iew camera
This view may be used when parking in a garage
or in a parking space.
Fi g. 157 In fota inme nt sys tem: a im ing at a par king space
Fig . 1 58 In fotai nment syste m: alig ning t he vehicl e
.. Turn the Infotainment system on and shift into
reverse gear .
• The orange orientation lines (D show the direc ­
tion of travel of the vehicle . Turn the steering
wheel unti l the orange or ientation lines appea r
in the parking
space ~ fig. 157. Use the mar k­
ings @to help you es timate the distance from
an obsta cle. Each marking represents approxi­
mately 3 ft (1 m) . The b lue area represents an
.,..
149

CXl CXl .... N ,.__
N .... 0 N > 00
Driving safety
Basics
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings 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
belts, airbags, child restraints as well as child
safety. Your safety is for us
priority number 1. Al­
ways observe the information and warnings in
this section - for your own safety as well as that
of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle. Some of the fea­
tures descr ibed in this sections may be standard
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 this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the in­
terest of your passengers .
-
-Always keep the complete Owner's Litera­
ture in your Audi when you lend or sell your
vehicle so that this important information
will always be available to the driver and
passengers.
- Always keep the Owner's literature handy so
that you can find it easily if you have ques­
tions.
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.
Your safety and the safety of your passengers
should not be left to chance. Advances in tech­
nology have made a var iety of features available
to help reduce the risk of injury in an accident.
Driving safety
The following is a list of just a few of the safety
features in your Audi:
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all pas­
senger seat ing pos itions,
- safety belt pretensioners,
- safety belt height 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 curtain airbags with ejection mitigation features*,
- special LATCH anchorages for child restraints,
- head restraints for each seating position,
- adjustable steering column.
- pre sense* (preventat ive passenger protection)
These individual safety features, can work to­ gether as a system to help protect you and your
passengers in a wide range of accidents . These
features cannot work as a system if they are not
always correctly adjusted and correctly used.
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
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 that all lights and signals are operat­
ing correctly .
.,. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
.,. Make sure that all windows are clean and afford
good visibility to the outside .
.,. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
¢ page 66, ¢ page 65.
.,. 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 according to their height .
247

CXl CXl .... N ,.__
N .... 0 N > 00
-Never use abrasive cleaning materials or
alcohol to clean the camera lens. This
could cause scratches and cracks.
-Power top
-Remove bird droppings immediately.
-Never use gasoline, spot remover, ben-
zene, paint thinner or other solvents to re­
move.
-Door windows
-Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plastic scraper. To
avoid scratches, move the scraper only in
one direction and not back and forth.
-Never remove snow or ice from door win­
dows and mirrors using warm or hot water
because this could cause cracks to form.
-To avoid damage to the rear window de­
fogger, do not apply any stickers on the heating wires on the inside of the window.
-Decorative parts/trim
-Never use chrome care or cleaning prod-
ucts.
-Paint
-To reduce the risk of scratches, the vehicle
must be free of dirt and dust before pol­
ishing or waxing.
-To prevent paint damage, do not polish or
wax the vehicle in direct sunlight .
-To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
polish away rust spots .
-Remove cosmetics and sunscreen immedi­
ately- these could damage the paint.
-Displays/instrument cluster
-The displays/instrument cluster and the
trim surrounding them must not be
cleaned with dry cleaning methods be­
cause they could be scratched.
-Make sure that the instrument cluster is
switched off and has cooled off before
cleaning it.
-Make sure no fluids enter the spaces be­
tween the instrument cluster and the
trim, because that could cause damage.
-Controls
-Make sure that no fluids enter the con-
trols, because this could cause damage.
-Safety belts
Care and cleaning
-Do not remove the safety belts to clean
them.
-Never clean safety belts or their compo­
nents chemically or with corrosive fluids
or solvents and never allow sharp objects
to come into contact with the safety belts.
This could cause damage to the belt web­ bing .
-If there is damage to the webbing, the
connections, the retractors or the buckles
,
have them replaced by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility .
-Textiles/artificial leather/ Alcantara
-Never treat artificial leather/Alcantara
with leather care products, solvents , floor
polish, shoe polish, spot remove or similar
products.
-Have a specialist remove stubborn stains
to prevent damage.
-Never use steam cleaners, brushes , hard
sponges, etc. when cleaning.
-Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry the
seat.
-Objects with sharp edges, such as zippers
or rivets on clothing or belts, can cause
damage to the surface.
-Open hook and loop fasteners, for exam­
ple on clothing, can damage seat covers .
Make sure hook and loop fasteners are
closed.
-Natural leather
-Never treat leather with solvents, floor
polish, shoe polish, spot remover or simi­
lar products.
-Objects with sharp edges, such as zippers
or rivets on clothing or belts, can cause
damage to the surface.
-Never use steam cleaners, brushes, hard
sponges, etc . when cleaning.
-Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry the
seat.
-To help prevent the leather from fading,
do not leave the vehicle in direct sunlight
for long periods of time. If leaving the ve ­
hicle parked for long periods of time, you
should cover the leather to protect it from
direct sunlight.
Ill>
351