Checking and Filling
@ Tips
-The oil pressure warning display. is not
an indicator of the oil level. Do not rely on
i t. Instead , check the oil level in your en
gine at regular intervals, preferably each
time you refuel, and always before going
on a long trip.
- If you have the impression your engine con
sumes excessive amounts of oil, we recom
mend that you cons ult an autho rized Aud i
dealer to have the cause of your concern
properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that the
accurate measurement of oil consumption
requires great care and may take some
time. An authorized Audi dealer has instruc
tions about how to measure oil consump
tion accurately .
Checking the engine oil level and adding
engine oil
Fig. 141 Oil d ipst ick: check ing engine o il level
Fig. 142 Engine co mpa rtment : en gin e oi l fille r opening
cove r
Obse rve the safety p recau tions c:::> & in Working
in the engine comportment on page 159.
Checking the engine oil level
-Park the vehicle on a level surface.
164
- Shut the engine off when it is warm . Wait ap
proximate ly two minutes so that the engine oil
can flow back into the oil pan.
- Open the hood c:::>
page 161.
-Remove the oil d ipstick c:::> page 162, fig . 140,
w ipe it off with a clean cloth and inse rt it all the
way in again.
- Remove the oil dipstick again and then read the
oil level c:::>
table on page 164.
-Add engine o il if necessary.
Area on oil dipstick
c:::> fig. 141.
@ If
the engine oil leve l is just before the
mark ing@ , then engine oil must be added.
See
c:::> (D.
@ Do not add engine o
il.
Adding engine oil
- Unscrew the cap "t!:;f; c:::> fig. 142 for the engine
oil f illing opening c:::>
page 162, fig . 140.
- Carefully add 0.5 quart (0.5 liter) of the correct
oil c:::>
page 162.
-Check the oil level again after two minutes.
- Add a smaller amount of engine oil if necessa-
ry . The mark ing@c:::>fig .
141 must not be ex
ceeded c:::>
(D.
-Sc rew the engine oil filler cap "t!:;f; and slide the
dipstick all the way in.
A WARNING
- When adding engine oil, do not let oil drip
onto hot engine components. This increases
the risk of a fire.
- You must seal the cap on the oil filler open
ing correctly so that oil does not leak out
onto the hot engine and exhaust system
when the engine is running, because this is
a fire hazard.
-A lways clean sk in thoroughly if it comes into
contact with engine oil.
(D Note
-The engine oil level must not be under the
marking @, because this increases the risk
of engine damage .
- After adding engine oil, the oil leve l must
not be above the mark ing@ , because this
00
00
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00
increases the risk of catalytic converter and/
or engine damage. Do not start the engine. Contact an authorized Audi dealer or au
thorized Audi Service Facility to have excess
engine oil extracted if necessary.
- Do not mix any additional lubricants into
the engine o il. Damage caused by such addi
tives is not covered by the warranty.
@ For the sake of the environment
-Engine o il should never enter the sewer sys
tem or come into contact with the ground under any circumstances.
- Pay attention to legal requirements when
dispos ing of empty oil containers.
@ Tips
The engine oil consumption may be up to
0.5 quart/600 m iles (0.5 liter/1,000 km), de
pending on driving style and operating condi
tions. Consumption may be higher during the
fi rst 3,000 miles (5,000 km). The engine o il
level must be checked regularly.
It would be
best to che ck each t ime you refue l yo ur vehi
cle and before long dr ives.
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service sta tion.
B efore you check a nyth ing in the eng ine compart
ment,
alw ay s read and heed all WARNINGS ~ .&.
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 159.
The engine oil must be changed according to the
inte rvals spec ified in you r Warranty
& Mainte
nance booklet. This is very important because the
l ubri cat ing propert ies of o il diminish gradually
d uring normal vehicle use.
Unde r some ci rcumstances the eng ine o il should
be changed more frequently. Change oil mo re of
ten if yo u drive mos tly short distances, ope rate
the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominant ly
stop -and -go traffic condit ions, or have your vehi
cle where temperat ures remain below freezing
for extended periods.
Ch eck ing and Filling
Detergent add itives in the oi l will make fresh oil
l ook dark after the engine has been running for a
short time . This is normal and is not a reason to
change the oi l more often than recommended.
Beca use of the problem o f proper disposal, along
with the specia l too ls and necessary expertise re
quired, we strongly recommend that yo u have
your o il changed by an authorized
Audi dealer or
a qual ified service stat ion.
If you choo se to change you r oil yourself , please
note the following important info rmation:
A WARNING "--
To reduce the risk of persona l injury if you
must change the eng ine oil in your vehicle
yourself:
- Wear eye protect ion.
-
- To reduce the r is k of burns from hot engine
oil, let the engine coo l down to the touch.
- When remov ing the oil drain plug w ith your
f ingers, stay as far away as possib le. 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 large enough to hold at least the tota l amou nt of oil in you r engine.
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of
the reach of childre n.
- Continuous contact with used engine o il is
harmf ul to your skin. Always protect your
skin by wash ing oil off thoroughly with soap
and wate r.
«I) Note
Neve r mix oil additives with your engine oil.
These additives can damage your engine and
adverse ly affect yo ur Audi limited New Vehi
cle War ranty.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Before chang ing yo ur oi l, first make sure
you know where you can properly d ispose of
the used oil.
- Always dispose of used engine o il properly .
Do not dump it on ga rden soil, wooded
165
Check ing and F illing
areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains .
- Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a used
engine oil collection facility in your area, or
contact a service station .
Cooling system
Coolant
The engine coo ling system is filled wi th a mixture
of pur ified w ate r a nd coolan t addit ive at the fa c
tory . T h is coo lant must not be not changed.
The coolant leve l is monito red throug h the . in
d icator light~
page 13 . Howeve r, we do re com
mend occasionally check ing the coo la nt level
manually.
I f you must add coolant, use a m ixt ur e of wa ter
and coolant addit ive. M ixing the coolant additive
with d istilled wate r is recommen ded .
Coolant additive
The coolant additive is made of a nti-freezi ng a nd
corros ion protection agents . Only use the fo llow
i n g coolant add it ives. These additives may be
mixed w it h each other.
Coolant additive Specification
G13 TL774J
G12++ T
L 774 G
The amount of coo lant additive that needs to be
mixed wit h wate r depends on the climate where
the vehicle will be operated . If the coolant addi
tive percentage is too low, the coolant can freeze
and damage the engine.
Coolant Freeze protec-
additive tion
Warm reg ions min . 40% m in . -13 °F
max . 45% (
- 25
°()
Co ld regions min. 50% max
. -40 °F
max. 55% (-40 °()
0 Note
- Befo re the start of winter, have your author
i zed Audi dealer or authorized A udi Service
Fac ility check if the coolant additive in you r
166
vehicle matches t he percentage app ropriate
for the climate . This is especially important
when driving in colder climates.
- If the app ropriate coo lant additive is not
available in an eme rgency, do not add any
other additive. You could damage the en
gine. If this happens, only use water and re
store the correct m ixture ratio with t he
specified coo lant add itive as soo n as poss i
bl e.
- Only ref ill w ith new coolant.
- Radiator sealant must not be mixed with
the coolant.
· Adding coolant
Fi g. 14 3 En gin e compartment: coo lant expa nsio n ta nk
cove r
Observe the safety precautions ~.& in Working
in the engine compartment on page 159 .
Checking the engine coolant level
.. Park the vehicle on a level surface .
.. Switch the ignit io n off.
.. Read the coolant level on the coolant expansion
t ank ~
page 162, fig. 140. The coolant leve l
m ust be be twee n the m arkings when the en
gi ne i n co ld. W hen t he engine is warm it can be
slightly above the upper mar king.
Adding coolant Requirement: there must be a residua l amount of
coolan t in the expansion tank ~(}).
.,. Let the engi ne cool down .
.. Place a clot h over the coolant expans ion tank
cap and unscrew the cap counte rclockw ise
~ .& -
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00
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00
~ Add coolant mixed in the correct ratio
¢ page 166 up to the upper marking.
~ Make sure that the fluid level rema ins stable.
Add more coolant if necessary.
~ Close the cap securely.
Coolant loss usually indicates there is a leak. Im
mediately drive your vehicle to an authorized
Audi dealer or authori zed Audi Service Facility
and have the cooling system inspected. If the
cooling system is not leaking, a loss can come
from the coolant boiling through overheating
and be ing pushed out of the cooling system.
.&, WARNING
The cool ing system is pressu rized and can be
come very hot. To reduce the r is k of burns
from hot coolant :
- Do not open the coo lant expansion tank cap
when the engine is hot. This increases the risk of burns.
- Stop the engine and allow it to cool.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from es -
caping coolant and steam by covering the
coolant tank cap with a large, thick cloth .
- T urn the coo lant tank cap co unterclo ckwise
slowly and keep light pressu re on the cap .
- T o reduce the risk of burns , do not allow any
antifreeze o r coolant to drip onto the ex
haust system or hot engine components.
T he ethylene glycol in engine coolant can
catch fire under certain circumstances .
- T he coo lant add itive and the coolant can be
dangerous to your health . For this reason,
keep the coolant in the original container
and away from children. There is a risk of
poisoning.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of injury .
Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty. Air could enter the cooling system and
damage the engine. If this is the case, do not
cont inue driv ing . See an authorized Audi deal -
Check ing and Filling
er or authorized Aud i Service Facility for assis
tance .
- Before the start of winter, have your author
ized Aud i dea ler or a uthorized Audi Serv ice
Facility check if the coolant additive in your
vehicle matches the percentage appropriate
for the climate. This is especially important
when driving in colder climates.
- If the appropr iate coo lant add itive is not
availab le in an emergency, do not add any
other additive . You could damage the en
gine. If this happens, only use water and re
store the correct m ixtu re ratio with the
specified coolant add it ive as soo n as poss i
ble .
- Only refill w ith new coolant.
- Radiator sealant must not be mixed with
the coolant .
Radiator fan
T he radiator fan switches on automatically by it
self.
An auxiliary e lectr ic radiator fan switches on and
off depend ing on coolant temperature and other
vehicle operating conditions.
After you switch the engine off, the auxiliary fan c a n continue running for up to 10 m inutes - even
with the ignition off . It can even switch on aga in
later by itself ¢.& , if
- the temperature of the engine coolant rises due
to the heat build-up from the engine in the en
gine compartment, or
- the engine compartment heats up bec ause the
veh icle is parked in in tense sunlight.
.&, WARNING
--
- To reduce the r isk of personal injury never
touch the radiator fan .
- The auxiliary e lectr ic fan is temperature
controlled and can switch on s uddenly even
when the engine is not runn ing .
- The auxiliary radiator fan sw itches on auto
mat ica lly when the eng ine coolant reaches a
certa in temperature and will continue to run
until the coolant temperature d rops .
167
Checking and Filling
Brake fluid
N
N
~ N ,l: a, CXl
Fig. 14 4 Engine compartment: cap on brake fluid reservoir
Observe the safety precautions c:::> .&. in Working
in the engine compartment on page 159.
Checking th e br ake fluid l evel
.- Read the brake fluid level on the brake fluid
reservoir
c:::> page 162, fig . 140 . The brake fluid
level must be between the MIN and MAX mark
ings
c:::> ,&. .
The brake fluid level is monitored automatically .
Chang in g the b ra ke flu id
Have the brake fluid changed regularly by an au
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility .
A WARNING
-If the brake fluid level is below the MIN
marking, it can impair the braking effect
and dr iving safety, which increase the risk of
an accident. Do not cont inue driving . See an
authorized Aud i dealer or autho rized Audi
Service Facility for assistance.
- If the brake fluid is o ld, bubbles may form
in the b rake system du ring heavy b raking.
This would impair brak ing performance and
driving safety, which increases the risk of an
accident.
- T o ensure the brake system functions cor
rectly, only use brake fluids t hat comply
with VW standard 501 14 or
FMVSS-116 DOT 4.
(D Note
-If the brake fluid level is above the MAX
mark ing, brake fluid may leak out over the
168
edge of the reservoir and result in damage
to the vehicle.
- Do not get any brake fluid on the vehicle
paint, because it will corrode the paint.
Battery
General warnings about batteries
Because of the comp lex power supp ly, all wo rk
on batter ies such as d isconnecting, replacing,
etc. should
only be performed by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized A udi Service Fac ility
c:::> &. .
The term "veh icle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
ba tte ry in your vehicle.
D etail ed warning s for th e vehicle batte ry:
®
Wear eye protection.
A
Battery acid is highly corrosive. Wear pro-
tect ive gloves and eye protection.
@
Fire, sparks, open flame and smoking are
forbidden .
&
A highly explosive m ixture of gases can
form when charging batter ies.
@
Keep children away from battery acid and
batteries.
A WARNING
All work on the battery or electrical system in
your vehicle can result in injuries, chem ica l
bu rns, acciden ts or burns. Because of this, all
wo rk mus t be performed
only by an autho r
i zed A udi dealer or authorized Aud i Service
Facility.
A WARNING
Ca lifornia Proposition 65 Warning:
- Batte ry posts, te rm inals and related acces
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems.
Wash hands after handling.
-
a:,
a:,
...... N r--. N .... 0 0 ::, a:,
(D Note
Protect the vehicle battery against freezing if
the vehicle will be parked for long periods of time so that it is not destroyed by "freezing"
c;,page 169. Make sure that the vehicle bat
tery is charged.
@) For the sake of the environment
¥ Batteries contain polluting substances such
as sulfuric acid and lead. Contact an author
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility for more information .
Charging the vehicle battery
Applies to: Q3
Fig. 145 Engine compartment: connections for a charg er
and jump start cables
Requirement : only use chargers with a maximum
charging current of 30 amps/14.8 Volts .
The ve
hicle battery cables remain connected.
The battery is located in the engine compart
ment. The ground point
0 is always located on
the vehicle body .
.,. Read the warnings
c;, .&. in General warnings
about batteries on page 168
and c;, .&, .
.,. Switch off the ignition and all electrical equip-
ment .
.,. Open the hood
c;, page 161 .
.,. Fold the battery cover upward c;, fig. 145 .
.,. Clamp the terminal clamps on the charger cor
rectly onto the ground point
0 and the positive
terminal
0 .
.,. Now insert the power cable for the charging de
vice into the socket and switch the device on.
.,. Switch the charger off and pull the power cable
out of the socket .
Checking and Filling
.,. Now remove the charging device terminal
clamps.
.,. Close the battery cover.
.,. Close the hood
c;, page 161.
A WARNING
-- A highly explosive mixture of gases can form
when charging batteries. Only charge the
veh icle battery in well-ventilated areas.
- A drained battery can freeze at tempera
tures around 32 °F (0 °C) . A frozen or
thawed vehicle battery must not be charged
and must not be used anymore . The battery
housing can crack and battery acid can leak
out if ice forms, which increases the risk of
an explosion and chemical burns. Contact an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for more information.
- Do not connect or disconnect the charging
cable while charging because this increases
the risk of an explosion.
@ Tips
- Only charge the vehicle battery through the
connections in the engine compartment.
- Read all of the manufacturer's instructions
for the charger before charging the vehicle
battery.
Windshield washer system
Fig. 146 Engine compar tmen t: win ds hiel d washer flu id
re servoir
M N
-N ~ (D a,
The windshield washer fluid reservoir W contains
the cleaning solution for the windshield and the rear window
c;, page 162, fig . 140, . The reservoir
capacity can be found in
c;,page 216. .,.
169
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00
tires according to the load and
the size of the tires installed .
Model/
Tire designation
Engine
Wheels
Tire pressure
Normal load Maximum load
(up to 3 people)a>
front rear front rear
PSI
Q3: 235/50 Rl8 97H
32 2.0L All Season
4 cylinders 235/50 Rl8 97V
High Performance
32
255/40 Rl9 l00Y
33 High Performance
255/35 R20 97Y
33 High Performance
255/40 Rl9 l00H
33 All Season
a) 2 people in the front, 1 person in the rear
A WARNING
Please note the important safe
ty precautions regarding tire pressure
c:::> page 181 and load
limits
c:::> page 183.
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of
load or weight that any vehicle
and any tire can carry. A vehicle
that is overloaded will not handle
well and is more difficult to stop.
Overloading can not only lead to
loss of vehicle control, but can al
so damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden
tire failure, including a blowout
kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI
220 32 220 33 230 36
220 32 220 33 230 36
23 0 33 230 44
300 4
6
230 33 230 44 300 46
23 0
33 230
44 3
00 4
6
and sudden deflation that can
cause the vehicle to crash.
kPA
250
250
320
320
3 20
Your safety and that of your pas
sengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not ex
ceeded. Vehicle load includes ev
erybody and everything in and on
the vehicle . These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehi
cle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat
ing
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight
of the basic vehicle, all factory in
stalled accessories, a full tank of
fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
plus maximum load. The maxi
mum load includes the number of.,.
183
a:,
a:,
...... N r--. N .-< 0 0 ::, a:,
Emergency assistance
General information
.. Park the vehicle as far as poss ible from moving
traffic in the event of a breakdown. In the event
of a flat tire, park the vehicle on a leve l surface .
It you are on a steep h ill, be especially careful.
.. Set the parking brake .
.. Switch the emergency flashe rs on .
.. Put on a reflective vest .
.. Set up the warn ing triang le, if available .
.. Have the passengers exi t the veh icle. They
sho uld move to a safe place, for example be
hind a guard rail.
_& WARNING
Follow the steps given above. This is for your
protection and the for the safety of other d riv
ers.
_& WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack can cause se
rious personal injuries .
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
t ighten whee l bolts, since the bolts cannot
attain the necessary tighten ing torque if you
use the hex head, potentially causing an ac
c ident .
- The factory-supplied jack is intended only
for your vehicle model. Under no circum
stances should it be used to lift heavy
vehicles o r other loads; yo u ris k inju ring
yo urself.
- Never start the engine when the vehicle is
ra ised, which could cause a n accident.
- Support the veh icle secure ly with app ropr i
a te s tan ds if wor k is to be performed under
neath t he vehicle; otherwise, the re is a po
tent ial ris k for i njur y.
- Never use the jack s upplied with yo ur Audi
on another vehicle, pa rtic ularly o n a heav ie r
one. The jack is only suitable for u se on the
vehicle it came wit h.
Emergen cy a ssis tanc e
Equipment
Vehicle tool kit
Fig. 151 Lu gg age compartmen t: cargo floo r cove r fo lded
u pwa rd
T he veh icle tool k it is located in the luggage com
partment under the cargo floor cover.
.. Push on the p lastic handle and lift up the cargo
floor .
.. Open the cargo floor.
Completely retract the veh icle jack a rm before
stor ing the ve hicle jack*.
_& WARNING
- Never use the screw driver hex head to
tighten wheel bo lts, since the bolts cannot
attain the necessary tightening torque if yo u
use the hex head, potentially causing an ac
cident.
- The factory-supp lied jack is intended only
for your ve hicle model. Under no circum
stances shou ld it be used to lift heavy
veh icles or other loads; you risk injuring
yourse lf.
- Never start the engine when the ve hicle is
raised, which could cause an accident.
- Support the vehicle securely with appropri
ate stands if wo rk is to be performed under
neath the vehicle; otherwise, there is a po
tential risk fo r injury .
@ Tips
The vehicle jack * in your vehicle is mainte
nance-free.
197