2017 AUDI Q3 check engine light

Instrumen ts and ind icator ligh ts
Odometer
Fig. 4 Instrument cluster: odometer
Trip odomete r and odomete r
The trip odometer @ shows the distance driven
since it was last reset. It can be used to measure
short distances .
The trip odometer can be reset to zero by press­
ing the
j o.o l reset button @ c> page 8, fig. 3.
The odometer ® shows the total distance that
the vehicle has been driven.
Malfunction indicator
I f there is a malfunction in the inst rument cl us­
ter,
DEF w ill appear in the trip odomete r display .
Have the malfunct ion corrected as soon as possi­
ble.
Indicator lights
Description
The indicator lights in the instrument cluster
blin k or t urn on. They indicate funct ions or ma l­
functions . Wi th some indicator lights, messages
may appear and war ning s ignals may sound.
Some indicator lights are shown in multiple col­
ors in the inst rument cl uste r display.
Display in Driver information sy stem
The indicator lights and messages in the display
can be covered by other displays . D isplay ing driv­
er messages again
c> page 19, Operating using
the windshield wiper lever,
c> page 20, Operat­
ing using the multifunction steering wheel.
10
A WARNING
- Fai lure to heed wa rning lights and other im­
porta nt vehicle information may result in
serious personal inj ury o r vehicle damage.
- Whenever stalled or stopped for repair,
move the vehicle a safe d istance off the
road, s top the eng ine , and turn on the
emergency f lasher
c> page 36.
-The engine compartment of a ny motor veh i­
cle is a potent ia lly ha za rdous area. Before
you c hec k anything in the engine compa rt­
men t, stop the eng ine and let i t cool down.
Always e xercise extreme cau tion when wor k­
ing under the hood
c> page 159.
Overview
Some indicator lights t urn on brief ly as a function
check when you switch the ignition on. These sys­
tems are marked with a./ in the follow ing tab les.
If one of these ind icator lights does not turn on,
there is a malfunct io n in that system.
Red indicator light s
--------------
US A models:
Brake system ./
c>page 12
Canada model s:
Brake system ./
c>page 12
USA model s:
El ec tromechanical parking brake
c> page 12
Canada model s:
E lectromechanical parking b rake
c> page 12
Cooling system
c>page 13
Engine oil pressure
c>page 13
Generator
c>page 13
Safety be lt
c>page 14
Transmission
c>page 72

Instruments and indicator lights
y>))
Canada models:
C ruise contro l system
¢ page 78
Hill descent assist*
¢ page94
Remote control key*
¢page 63
High beams
¢page36
Door open
¢page 17
Hood open
¢ page 17
Luggage compartment lid open
¢ page 17
BRAKE/(©) Brake system
If this ind icator light turns on, there is a malfunc­
tion in the brake system.
llll v ehicle and check brake fluid level
Stop the vehicle and chec k the bra ke fluid level.
See an authorized Audi dea ler or authorize d Aud i
Serv ice Facility for assistance if necessary.
1111 ( USA models )/. (Canad a model s)
Brakes : malfunction! Please stop vehicle safely
If t he A BS indica to r l ight tu) (U SA mode ls) I
[I] (Canada mode ls), t he ESC indica to r li gh t Dl.
and the bra ke sys tem ind ic a tor light 1111 (USA
mo dels)
I. (Canada mode ls) all turn on and
this message appears, then the ABS, ESC and braking distrib ution are malfunct ioning ¢ ,&. .
D o not cont inue drivi ng . See an au thorized Aud i
dea ler or a utho rized Aud i Service Facili ty for as ­
sistance ¢
.&..
1111 (USA models) /. (Canada models ) Park­
ing brake : System fault ! See owner's manual
- If the indica to r li ght and the message appear
when the vehi cle is stationary or aft er switch ­
ing the ignition on ,
check if you can release the
parkin g brake . If you cannot re lease the par k­
ing brake, see yo ur au thorized Audi dea ler o r
12
authorized A udi Se rvice Faci lity . If you can re­
lease the parking brake and the message still
appears, see an a uthorized Audi dea ler or au­
thorized Audi Service Fac ility immediately to
have the malfunction corrected.
- If the ind icator light and message appear
while
driv ing ,
the h ill start assist or emergency brak­
ing function may be ma lfunctioning. It may not
be poss ible to set the parking brake or release
i t once it has been set . Do not park your vehicle
on hills. See an a uth orized Audi dea le r or a u­
thorized A ud i Servi ce Facili ty for assistan ce.
App lies to : USA mode ls
If the 1111 and EIJ tur n on at the same time, the
brake pads are wo rn out ¢
page 15 .
A WARNING
-Read a nd follow the warnings in
¢ page 1 59, Working in the engine com­
partment
befo re o peni ng the hoo d and
checking the brake fluid level.
- If the brake system indi cator lig ht does not
turn off or it turns on wh ile driving, t he
brake fluid leve l in the reservoir is too low,
and this increases the risk of an accident.
Stop the vehicle and do not continue driv­
ing. See an authorized Aud i dea le r or a u­
thorized A udi Service Fac ility for assistance .
- If the brake system indicator light turns on
together w ith the ABS and ESC indicator
lights, the ABS/ESC regu lating function may
be malfunct ion ing . Fu nctions tha t stabilize
the vehicle a re no longer available . Th is
co uld cause the vehicle to swerve, which in­
creases the risk t hat the vehicle will slide.
D o not contin ue driving . See an autho rized
Aud i dea le r o r a uthorized Audi Service Facili ­
ty for ass istance .
PARK/(®) Electromechanical parking brake
If the -(USA mode ls) I. (Canada models)
i ndicato r light turns on, the parking brake was
set.
- (USA models ) /. (Canada mode ls ) Press
brake pedal to relea se parking brake
Ill-

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To release the parking brake, press the brake
pedal and press the~ button at the same time
or start driving with hill start assist
¢ page 66,
S tar ting from a s top.
rlJ Parking brake system fault! See owner's
manual
There is a malfunction in the parking brake. Drive
to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility immediately to have the malfunc­
tion corrected.
@ Tips
For additional information on the parking
brake, see
¢ page 64.
- ~- Cooling system
• Turn off engine and check coolant level.
The coolant level is too low.
Do not continue driving and switch the engine
off. Check the coolant level¢
page 166.
-If the coolan t level is too low, add coolant
¢page 166. Only continue driving once the in ­
dicator light turns off.
• Coolant temperature! Let engine run with
vehicle stationary.
Let the engine run at idle for a few minutes to
cool 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 Audi Service Facility
for assistance.
.&_ 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-
-
Instruments and indicator lights
tion found in ¢ page 159, Working in the
engine compartment.
@ Note
Do not continue driving if the . indicator
light turns on -this increases the risk of en­
gine damage.
• Turn off engine! Oil pressure is too low.
Stop the engine and do not continue driving.
Check the engine oil level
¢ page 164.
- If the engine oil level is too low, add engine oil
c:!;> page 164. Only continue driving once the in­
dicator light turns off.
- If the engine oil level is correct and the indica­
tor light still turns on, turn the engine off and
do not continue driving. See an authorized Audi
dealer 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 .
0 Alternator/vehicle battery
• Alternator fault: Battery is not being charg­
ed.
There is a malfunction in the alternator or the ve­
hicle electrical system .
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately. Because the ve­
hicle battery is discharging, turn off all unneces­
sary electrical equipment such as the radio. See
your authori zed Audi dealer or authori zed Audi
Service Facility if the battery charge level is too
low .
r•j low battery charge: Battery will be charged
while driving.
The starting ability may be impaired.
If this message turns off after a little while, the
vehicle battery charged enough while driving. ..,_
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A WARNING , ~ -
Have the malfunction in the safety systems
inspected immediately. Otherwise, there is a
r isk that the systems may not activate during
a collision, which increases the risk of serious
injury or death.
(0) Brake pads
Ei] Brake pad s!
The brake pads are worn .
Drive to an authorized Aud i dea ler or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the brake pads checked.
App lies to: USA models
The Ei] indicator light turns on together with the
1111 indicator light
EPC Engine control (gasoline engine)
Applies to: vehicl es with gasoline engines
If the 13:a indicator light turns on while driving,
there is an eng ine control malfunction.
Immediately drive slowly to an authorized Audi
dealer or authori zed Audi Service Facility to have
the malfunction corrected.
0 Malfunction indicator lamp (MIL)
The malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) is part of
the On Board Diagnostic system (OBD II). The
¢4 symbol turns on when the ign ition is switched
on and turns off again once the e ngine is started
and running at a steady id le speed . This indicates
that the MIL is functioning correctly.
The indicato r light turns on if there is a malfunc­
tion in the engine electronics. See an autho rized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to
have the ma lfunction corrected. For additiona l
information, see
~ page 17.
The indicator light can also turn on if the f uel fill­
e r cap is not closed correct ly
i::!> page 157.
Instruments and indicator lights
!"-" , Engine speed lim itation
Applies to: vehicles with engine speed limitation
(I! Maximum engine speed XXXX RPM
The engine speed is automatically limited to the
speed displayed in the driver information system.
This protects the engine from overheat ing .
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
13:a in dicator
light also turns on. Make sure that the speed
does not go above the speed displayed . Dr ive to
an authorized Aud i dea le r or authorized Audi
Service Facility immed iately to have the malfunc­
tion corrected.
~;. Engine oil
Ill Check oil level.
Refill engine oil as soon as possible i::!>page 162.
~ .,. Engine oil sensor
• Oil level sensor: System fault!
The sensor to check the eng ine o il level has
failed. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Aud i Serv ice Facility immediately to have
the malfunction cor rected.
i) Tank system
H Please refuel
If the indicator l ight turns on for the first time
and the message appears, there are about
1.8 -2.2 gallons ( 7.0 -8. S liters) of fuel left in the
tank .
H Fuel tank system malfunction! Contact deal­
er
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immed iately to have the
malfunction corrected. ..,.
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consumption to zero (fuel shut-off during decel­
eration).
Shift efficiently
An effective way to save fuel is to upshift earlier .
Staying in a gear too long uses fuel unnecessari­
ly. Press down on the accelerator pedal slowly
and avoid "kick-down".
Avoid full acceleration
You should rarely travel at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproportionately
high increase in fuel consumption, emissions and
traffic noise. Slower driving saves fuel.
Reduce idling time
There are benefits to stopping the engine, for ex­
ample when at railroad crossings or traffic lights
with longer red lights. Stopping the engine for
30-40 seconds already saves more fuel than the
amount of extra fuel needed to restart the en­
gine.
It takes a very long time in idle to warm the en­
gine up to operating temperature . Wear and
emissions are especially high in the warm-up
phase. Therefore, you should begin driving im­
mediately after starting the engine. Avoid high
RPMs while doing this.
Have maintenance performed regularly
By having maintenance performed regularly on
your vehicle, you can help to reduce fuel con­
sumption before you even start to drive. The maintenance condition of your vehicle not only
affects traffic safety and long-term value but al­
so impacts
fuel consumption. A poorly main­
tained engine can lead to fuel consumption that
is 10% higher than normal.
Also check the
oil level when refueling. The oil
consumption
depends largely on the engine load
and speed . It is normal for the oil consumption
of a new engine to reach its lowest point only af­
ter a certain amount of use. Therefore, the oil
consumption can only be properly judged after
approximately 3,000 miles (5,000 km) have been
driven.
Driving
Fewer short trips
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach
their optimal
operating temperature to reduce
fuel consumption and noxious emissions effec­
tively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid-size car
only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 mpg
(30-40 l/100 km). After about a half a mile, fuel
economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100 km). After
about 2.5 mi
(4 km), the engine is at its proper
operating temperature and fuel economy has
reached a normal level. So you can see that you
should avoid short trips whenever possible .
The
outside temperature is also critical in this re­
gard. Your car consumes more fuel in the winter
than in the summer.
@ 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.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and
in accordance with the service recommenda­
tions in your Warranty & Maintenance book­
let. Lack of proper maintenance as well as
improper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system and could lead to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such as
heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Emission Control System and other
important vehicle components .
(j) Tips
The consumption estimates as published by
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not
59

Driving
Under certain circumstances, (such as driving in
the mountains or towing a trailer), it may be use­
ful to switch temporarily to the manual shift pro­ gram in order to manually adapt the gear to the
driving conditions
c::> page 71.
On inclines, activate the parking brake first and
then move the selector lever to the P position
c::> page 65. This prevents the locking mechanism
from being loaded too heavily and will make it
easier to move the selector lever out of the P po ­
sition .
_& WARNING
-The vehicle can also roll when the engine is
stopped.
- Unintended vehicle movement can cause se­
rious injury.
- Never leave your vehicle with the engine
running while in gear. If you must leave
your vehicle when the engine is running, ac­
tivate the parking brake and move the selec­
tor lever to P.
- Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To pre­
vent the vehicle from "creeping", you must
keep your foot on the brake when the en­
gine is running and the selector lever is in D/
Sor R or "tiptronic" mode is selected.
- Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing the selector lever position while
the vehicle is stationary and the engine is running .
- Never shift into R or P while driving.
- Before driving down a steep slope, reduce
your speed and shift into a lower gear with
"tiptron ic".
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake
pedal too often or too long when driving
down a hill. Constant braking causes the
brakes to overheat and substantially re­
duces braking performance, increases brak­
ing distance or causes complete failure of
the brake system.
- To prevent the vehicle from rolling back
when stopping on inclines, always hold it in
place with the brake pedal or parking brake.
70
- Never hold the vehicle on an incline with a
slipping clutch. The clutch opens automati­
cally when it becomes too hot from the
overload. An indicator lamp . illuminates
and a driver message appears
c::> page 72
when the clutch is overloaded.
- If the engine must remain running, never
have any driving position engaged when
checking under the hood. Make sure these­
lector lever has securely engaged and is
locked in P with the parking brake set
c::> page 159. Otherwise, any increase in en­
gine speed may set the vehicle in motion,
even with the parking brake applied.
(D Note
- When stopping on an incline, do not try to
hold the vehicle in place by pressing the ac­
celerator pedal while a driving gear is se­
lected. This can cause the automatic trans­
mission to overheat and can damage it. Set
the parking brake or press the brake pedal
to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
- Allowing the vehicle to roll when th@ engine
is stopped while the selector lever is in the
N position will damage the automatic trans ­
mission, because it is not lubricated under
those circumstances
c::> page 211, Towing
with a tow truck.
- The transmission can overheat and be dam­
aged under certain driving and traffic condi­
tions such as frequent starts, creeping for a
long time, or stop-and-go traffic. If the.
indicator light turns on, stop the vehicle at
the next opportunity and let the transmis­
sion cool down
c::> page 72.
Hill descent control
The hill descent control system assists the driver
when driving down hills.
Hill descent control is activated when the selec­
tor lever is in the D or S position and you press
the brake pedal. The transmission automatically
selects a gear that is suitable for the hill. Hill de­
scent control tries to maintain the speed ach- ieved at the time of braking, within physical and ..,.

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Operating instructions
6" r-2
~·~
1/2"
1·1/2"
ill
Fig. 79 Perm itted ball pos itio n of th e t rail er hitch
Trailer towing weights
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible trailer weight is
2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) . The maximum permissible
unbraked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg) .
These specifications apply when driving on roads having an incline of less than 12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these changed
conditions, adjust the trailer load so that the
tongue load is at the maximum allowable or
slightly lower. You can get an approximation of
the tongue load with a bathroom scale or you can
measure the load at a trucking company or
weighing station.
With a
factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer
hitch, the maximum permissible load on the ball
hitch may not exceed 220 lbs (100 kg) .
It is rec­
ommended to use the maximum permissible
load.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 76 .
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suitable ball mount and ball¢
fig. 79. Installation of the
hitch ball must be carried out in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions .
Trailer towing
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load" on the tire pressure label
¢page 181. In­
flate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufactur­
ers' specifications.
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check to
make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are
working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle .
Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners. When you install safety chains, make
sure they will not drag on the road when you are
driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch.
· Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
ond consideration.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results
in a highly unstable distribution of weight. If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced " rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow vehicle while observing tongue load require-
ments and vehicle loading considerations. .,.
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Checking and Filling
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Using the right fuel helps keep the environment
clean and prevents engine damage .
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recommended for your veh icle is unlead­
ed premium
grade gasoline. Audi recommends
using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline with a mini­
mum octane rat ing of 91 AKI (95 RON). For more
in fo rmation on TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline,
p lease go to the offic ial website
(www.toptiergas.co m).
The recommended gasoline octa ne rating for
your eng ine can a lso be fo und o n a label located
on the inside of the fue l filler flap. Th is rat ing
m ay be s pec ified as A KI or RON.
Your ve hicle may also be operated us ing unlead­
ed regular gasoline with a minimum octane rat­ in g of 87 AKI/9 1 RO N. However, using 8 7 AKI/9 1
RO N octa ne f uel w ill slightly reduce engi ne pe r­
f o rm an ce.
Use unleaded gasoline only. Unleaded gasoline
i s available throug hout t he USA, Canada, and in
m ost European co untr ies . We recom mend that
you do not t ake your veh icle t o area s or co untries
w here un leaded gaso line m ay not be av a ila ble.
For mo re informa tion on re fueling your veh icle,
see
r=;, page 15 6 .
Octane rating
Octane rati ng indicates a gasoline's ability to re­
sist engine damaging "knock" caused by prema­
ture ignit ion and detonation . The refore, buy ing
the co rrect grade of gasoline is ve ry important to
h e lp p revent poss ible e ngine damage and a loss
of eng ine pe rforma nce.
Gasoline mos t commonly used in the United
S tates a nd C anada has the following octane ra t­
in gs that ca n usually be fo und o n the filler pump:
- Premium Grade: 91 - 96 AKI
- Regular Grade: 87 - 90 A KI
Checking and Filling
Explanation of the abb reviations:
A KI=
A nti K nock Index= ( R+ M )/2 = (R ON+M ON )/
2
RON = Resea rch Octa ne Number
MON= Motor Octane Number.
(D Note
- Do not use any f uel w ith octane ratings low ­
er than 87 A KI or 9 1 RO N ot herwise e xpe n­
sive engine damage w ill occur.
- Do
not use lea ded gasoline . T he use of lead ­
ed gasoline will severe ly damage you r vehi­
cle's catalyt ic converter and its ability to
cont rol exhaust emissions .
Blended gasoline
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unlead ed gasoli ne b le nded with al­
c o hol o r MTB E (commonly referre d to as oxyge n­
ates) if the blende d m ix tu re meets the fo llow ing
c rit e ri a:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
- Anti-knoc k index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must contain no more than 3% metha-
nol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co-solvents.
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol or
ethyl alcohol)
- An ti- kno ck index mus t be 87 A KI or hi gher.
- Blend must not co nta in mo re than 15% etha-
nol.
Blend of gasoline and MTBE
- Anti -knock index must be 87 AKI or h igher.
- Blend must contain not mo re than 15% MTBE .
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades a re blended to perform es­
pecially well for w in ter o r su mmer dr iv ing . D ur ­
i ng seasonal cha nge-ove r, we sugges t that yo u
fill up a t busy gas st at io ns w here the seasonal
adjus tme nt is mo re li kely to be made in t ime. ..,.
155