2018 AUDI A3 SEDAN light

Checking and Filling
~ After the fuel pump has switched off, wait five seconds before removing it to allow the rest of
the fuel to finish dripping into the fuel tank.
~ Turn the fue l cap clockwise until you hear it
lock.
~ Close the fuel filler door and then press on the
left side until it latches .
The correct fuel type for your vehicle can be
found on a label located on the inside of the fuel
filler door. For additional information on fuel,
see
Qpage 314 .
For the tank capacity in your vehicle, refer to the
Technical Data
Qpage 382.
To reduce the risk of fuel leaking out or vapors
escaping, make sure that the fuel tank is closed
correctly. Otherwise
thP ¢..iff indicator light will
turn on.
If the centra l locking system malfunctions, the
fuel filler door may emergency release
Qpage317.
A WARNING
An improper fueling procedure and improper
handling of fuel can lead to explosions, fires,
severe burns and other injuries.
-Do not smoke and keep away from open
flames.
-The ignition must be switched off when re­
fueling.
-Cell phones, radio devices and other radio
equipment should always be switched off
when refueling. Electromagnetic rays could cause sparks and start a fire.
-If you do not insert the fuel pump nozzle all
the way into the filler tube, then fuel can
leak out. Spilled fuel can ignite and start a
fire.
-Never get into the vehicle when refueling. If
there is an exceptional situation where the
vehicle must be entered, close the door and
touch a metal surface before touching the
fuel pump nozzle again. This will reduce the
risk of electrostatic discharge that can cause
flying sparks. Sparks can start a fire when
refueling.
316
A WARNING
We recommend that you do not transport any
fuel containers in the vehicle. Fuel could leak
out of the container and ignite, especially dur­
ing an accident. This can cause explosions,
fires and injuries.
-If you must transport fuel in a fuel contain­
er, please note the following:
-Always place a fuel container on the
ground before filling. Never fill the fuel
container with fuel while it is in or on the
vehicle. Electrostatic charge can occur
while refueling and the fuel vapors could
ignite .
-For fuel containers made of metal, the
fuel pump nozzle must always maintain
contact with the container to reduce the
risk of static charge.
-Insert the fuel pump nozzle as far as pos­
sible into the filler opening while refuel­
ing.
-Follow legal requirements when using,
storing and transporting fuel containers.
-Make sure that the fuel container meets
the industry standards, for example ANSI
or ASTM F852-86.
@ Note
-Remove fuel that has overflowed onto any
vehicle components immediately to reduce
the risk of damage to the vehicle.
-Never drive until the fuel tank is completely
empty. The irregular supply of fuel that re­
sults from that can cause engine misfires.
Uncombusted fuel will enter the exhaust
system and increase the risk of damage to
the catalytic converter.
@I For the sake of the environment
Do not overfill the fuel tank, otherwise fuel
can leak out when the vehicle is warming up.
© Tips
The fuel filler door on your vehicle does not lock if you lock the vehicle from the inside us-
ing the central locking switch.
II>-

Checking and Filling
-Do not a pply u nder body protectant in t he
exhaust system area, because this increases
the risk of fire.
On Board Diagnostic
System (OBD)
The On-Board Diagnostic System monitors the
engine and transmission componen ts that influ ­
ence emissions.
F ig . 2 64 Footwell o n left s ide o f th e veh icle : co nn ect io n
port fo r the O n-Boa rd D iagno stic Syste m (OBD)
On-Board Diagnostic System
Engine data can be read out at the On-Board D i­
agnostic System connec tion po rt usi ng a special
tes ting device
~ fig . 264.
Indicator light
If thP ¢.j indicato r light bli nks or tu rns o n, there
is a malfunction that is causi ng poor emissions
qua lity and tha t could damage the ca talytic con­
ve rte r.
Drive s lowly to an author ized A udi dealer or au ­
thor ized Audi Se rvice Facility to have the ma l­
function co rrected .
The indicator light can also tur n on if t he fuel fill­
er cap is not closed
correct ly ~ page 315.
A WARNING
Incorrect use of the connection port fo r the
O n- Board Diag nostic System can ca use mal­
functions, which can then result in ac ciden ts
and ser ious injuries.
-Only allow a n author ized Audi dealer or au­
t h o riz e d Aud i Ser vice Faci lity to re ad o ut the
engi ne dat a.
318
-
Engine compartment
Working in the engine compartment
Special care is required if you are working in the
engine compartment
For work in the engine compartment, such as
checking and fill ing fluids, there is a risk of in­
jury, scalding, accidents , and burns . For thi s
reason, follow all the w arnings and general
safety p re caut ion s prov ided in the following in­
formation. The engine compartment is a dan­
gerous are a.
~ .&,.
A WARNING
To reduce the ris k of injur ies, comp lete the
follo wing steps before opening t he hood:
- Tur n t he engine off.
- Switch the igni tio n off.
- Set the park ing brake.
-Move the selector lever into the P position.
-N ever open the hood when there is steam o r
coo lant escaping from t he engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that yo u could
be burned . Wait unt il no steam or coolant is
escapi ng.
- L et the eng ine cool down .
-Keep children away from the eng ine com-
pa rtment .
-Never sp ill fluids on a hot engine . These flu­
ids (such as the anti-freezing agent con­
tained i n the coolant) ca n ignite .
- Avoid short c ircuits in the electrical system .
-When working in the engine compa rtment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, wh ich
increases the r isk of persona l injury .
-Never open the cap on the coolant expan­
sion tan k when t he engine is warm . The
coo ling system is under p ressure.
-To protect your face, hands , and a rms from
hot steam or coolant , cover the cap wit h a
large cloth when op ening .
-Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances. This increases the r isk of
burns .

Checking and Filling
Opening/closing the hood
The hood is released from inside the vehicle .
Fig. 265 Sect ion from th e driver's side footwell: release
l ever
F ig. 266 Rocker switc h under the hood
Read and foll ow all WARNINGS before checking
anyth ing in the eng ine compartment
~ page 318, Working in the engine comport­
ment .
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up from
the windshield . Otherwise the pa int could be
damaged .
Opening the hood
Applies to vehicles w ith plug-in hybrid dr ive:
switch the ignition off before re leasing the hood
320
so that the gasoline engine does not start auto­
matically .
.,. With the drive r's door open, p ull the lever be­
low the instrument pane l in the d irec tion of the
arrow ~ fig. 265 .
... Raise the hood slightly c:> .&, .
... Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
<=:> fig. 266. This releases the catch .
... Open the hood .
Closing the hood
... Push the hood down unti l you override the
force of the strut.
... Let the hood fall lightly into the latch . Do not
press it in.
<=:> .&, .
A WARNING
-Never open the hood when there is steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment, because there is a risk that yo u could
be burned. Wait unt il no steam or coolant is
escaping.
- For safety reasons, the hood m ust always be
closed securely while driv ing. Because of
this, always c hec k t he hood after closing i t
to make sure it is latched correctly. The
hood is latched if the front corners cannot
be lifted.
- If you no tice that the hood is not latched
while you are driving, stop immediate ly and
close it, because driving when the hood is not latched increases the risk of an accident .
-If the hood is not latched comp letely, it
could f ly up wh ile you are driving and ob­
struct your vision.

Check ing and F illing
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 lw ays re ad and h eed all WARNING S c> .&
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 318.
The engine oil must be changed accord ing to the
intervals specif ied in your Warranty
& Mainte­
nance booklet. This is very impo rtant because the
lubricat ing p ropert ies of o il d iminish gradually
du ring normal vehicle use.
Under some c ircumstances the eng ine o il should
be changed more frequently . Change oil more of­
ten if you d rive most ly short distances, ope rate
the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominant ly
stop -and-go traffic cond it ions, o r have yo ur vehi ­
cle where temperatures remain below freezing
for extended periods .
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh o il
look da rk afte r th e e ng ine
has been run ning fo r a
short time. This is norma l and is not a reason to
change the oil more often than recommended.
Because of the prob lem of p roper d isposa l, along
with the special tools and necessa ry expe rt ise re ­
quired, we strong ly recommend that you have
your oil changed by an authorized
Audi dealer or
a qualified service station .
If you choo se to change your oil your self , please
note the fo llowing important information:
A WARNING
T o red uce the risk of personal injury if you
must c hange the engine oil in your veh icle
yourself:
- Wear eye protection .
-To reduce the risk of bu rns from ho t engine
oi l, let the engine cool down to the touch .
-
-When removing the o il drain pl ug with you r
fingers, stay as far away as possible . A lways
keep your forearm paralle l to the ground to
help prevent hot oi l from running down your
arm.
324
- Drain the oil into a container designed for
this purpose, one large 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 oi l is
harmf ul to your skin. Always protect your
skin by washing oil off thoroughly with soap
and water .
@ 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 .
{® For the sake of the environment
- Before chang ing your oi l, first make sure
you know where you can properly dispose of
the used oil.
- Always dispose of used eng ine o il properly.
Do not dump it on garden so il, wooded
areas, into open streams or down sewage
dra ins.
- Recycle used eng ine o il by tak ing it to a used
eng ine oi l collect ion fac il ity in your area, or
contact a service station .
Cooling system
Coolant
The engine cooling system is filled w ith a mixture
of purified water and coolant additive at the fac­
tory. This coolant must not be not changed.
The coo lant level is monitored thro ugh
the . in­
dicator light
c> page 25. However, we do recom­
mend occas ionally checking the coolant leve l
manually.
If you must add coo lant, use a mixture of water
and coolant additive . Mix ing the coo lant add itive
with dist illed water is recommended.
1111-

Check ing and F illing
~ Applies to: vehicles with the vehicle battery in
the engine compartment: open the battery cov­
er
¢ fig. 272 .
~ Applies to: vehicles with jump start point(+):
open the cover on the posi tive term inal
¢ fig . 273 .
~ Clamp the charger terminal clamps as instruct­
ed on the
p os itiv e t erminal (+ ) and only on the
bo dy ground p oin t(-).
~ Inse rt the powe r cable for the charg ing device
into the socket and switch the device on.
~ At the end of the charging process, switch the
charger off and pull the power cab le out of the
socket.
~ Remove the charger terminal clamps.
~ Applies to: vehicles with the vehicle battery in
the engine compartment: fold the cover back
on the battery correctly .
~ Applies to: vehicles with jump start point(+):
close t he cover on the positive term inal.
~ Close the hood ¢ page 320.
A WARNING
-A highly exp losive mixture of gases can form
when charging batteries . On ly charge the
vehicle battery in well -venti lated areas.
- A drained vehicle battery can freeze at tem ­
peratures around 32
QF (0 QC). A frozen or
thawed vehicle battery must not be charged
and must not be used anymore. If ice forms,
the battery housing can crack and battery electrolyte can leak out, which increases the
risk of a n explos ion and chemical burns .
Contact an autho rized Aud i deale r or au ­
tho rized Aud i Serv ice Facility fo r more info r­
mation .
-Do not connect o r disconne ct the c ha rg ing
cable while charg ing beca use th is increases
the risk of an exp losion.
(D Tips
-Only charge the vehicle battery through the
con nections in t he e ng ine compartment.
-Read all of the manufacture r's instructions
fo r th e cha rger befo re charg ing t he ve hicle
battery.
32 8
Windshield washer
system
Fig . 274 En gin e compar tmen t: w inds hield was he r fl ui d
cove r (example)
Observe the safety precautions ¢ page 318 ,
Working in the engine compartment .
M N
-N
"' "' m
The windshield washer fluid reservo ir W contains
the cleaning solution for the w indshield and the
headlight washer system*
¢ page 321, fig . 267 .
The reservoir capacity can be found in
¢page 382.
To reduce the risk of lime scale depos its on the
sp ray nozzles, use clean water with low amounts
of calcium . Always add w indow cleaner to the wa­
ter . When the outside temperatures are cold , an
ant i-freez ing agent sho uld be added to t he wate r
so that it does no t freeze.
@ Note
-Th e concentration of ant i-freez ing agent
must be adjusted to t he ve hicle operat ing
c ondi tions i n the respective clima te . A con ­
centration t hat is too high can lead to vehi ­
cle damage .
-Never add radia to r an ti- free ze o r o ther ad di­
t ives to the washer fluid.
-Do not use a glass clea ner th at conta ins
paint so lvents, because t his could damage
the paint.
Service interval display
The service interval display detects when your ve ­
hicle is due for service .
The service interval display works in two stages: .,.

Wheels
Wheels
Wheels and T ires
General information
~check your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts, cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob ­
jects from the tire tread.
~ If driving over curbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap­ proach the curb at an angle.
~Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
~ Protect your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
~ Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running
direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled.
~Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry location
with as little exposure to light as
possible.
_&. WARNING -
-Never drive faster than the maximum permitted speed
for your tires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much.
This increases the risk of an
accident because it can cause
the tire to burst .
-Always adapt your driving to the road and traffic condi-
330
tions . Drive carefully and re­
duce your speed on icy or slip­
pery roads . Even winter tires
can lose traction on black ice.
(@ Note
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical
i n those seasons . Aud i recom­
mends using winter tires dur­
ing the winter months . Low
temperatures significantly de­
crease the elasticity of summ­
er tires, which affects traction
and braking ability. If summer
tires are used in very cold
temperatures, cracks can form
on the tread bars, resulting in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be used in winter driving condi­
t ions. The surface of the r ims
does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam ­
aged by road salt or similar
substances.

u. 00 .-< N l'­ N .-< 0 N > 00
individual tires. If the pressure changes in one or
more tires, this is indicated in the instrument
cluster display with an
RE ind icator light and a
message . If only one tire is affected, the location
of that tire w ill be ind icated.
The tire pressures must be stored in the menu
d isp lay aga in each time the press ures c hange
(sw itching between part ial and fu ll load p res­
sure) or after changing or replac ing a tire on your
ve hicle
r=>page 349 . The t ire pressure monitor­
in g sys tem only monito rs t he tire pressure you
have stored . Refe r to the ti re p ressure labe l for
the recommended ti re p ressure for you r veh icle
r=>page 341, fig. 278.
Tire tread circumference and v ibrat ion character­
i stics can change a nd cause a t ire pressure warn­
in g if:
- the tire pressure i n one or more tires is too low
- the tire has structura l damage
- the tire was replaced o r the tire p ressure was
changed and it was not stored
r=> page 349
- one si de of the vehicle is more heavily loaded
than the other
- th e whee ls on one ax le are mo re heavi ly loaded
t h an the others (for examp le, w hen tow ing a
trailer or when driv ing up and down hills)
- snow c hains a re installed
- the spare t ire* is ins talle d
- on ly one tire w as replaced on each ax le
Indicator lights
RE -loss of pressu re in at least one tire r=> ,&. .
Check the ti res and rep lace o r repa ir if necessary .
C heck/ co rrect t he p ressures of a ll four tires. Then
s to re t he ti re p ressures i n the men u
r=> page 349 .
mm (Ti re Pressure Monitori ng System) Tire
pressure: malfunction! See owner's manual. If
mm appears after switching t he ign it io n on o r
while driving and the
RE i ndicato r light in the in­
s trumen t cluster blinks fo r approxim ately one
minu te and t hen stays o n, there is system ma l­
f u nction. Check/cor rect the pressu res on all fo ur
tires an d sto re t he p ressures
r=> page 349. If the
ind icator light does turn
off or turns on again af­
ter a short per iod of t ime, drive to an author ized
Wheels
Audi dealer or author ized A udi Se rvice Fac ility im ­
med iate ly to have the ma lfu nction co rrected.
A WARNING
--
- If the tire p ressure ind icator appears in the
instr ument cluster disp lay, reduce your
speed immediately and avoid any hard
steer ing o r braking maneuvers . Stop as soon
as poss ible and check the tires and the ir
p ressures.
- The drive r is responsible fo r maintain ing the
correct tire press ures . You must check the
tire p ressures regularly.
- Unde r ce rtain condit ions (such as a sporty
d riving s tyle, win ter condi tions or unpaved
roads), the pressu re moni tor indicator may
be de layed.
- Do not use run -flat tires on your vehicle. Us­
ing them when no t pe rm itted can lead to
veh icle d amage o r acc id en ts .
(D Tips
- The tire p ressure mon itoring system can al ­
so s top working w hen
th ere is a n ESC/ ABS
m alfunc tion.
- Us ing snow chains may resul t in a system
m alfu nction.
- The tire p ressure mon itoring system in your
Audi was calibrat ed with "Audi Original
Ti res"
r=>page 33 7. Usi ng these tires is rec­
ommende d.
- The tire p ressure mon itoring system can on­
ly moni to r the tire p res sure o f the d riving
t ires. Check the tir e press ure o f the spare
wheel in the l uggage compa rtment so tha t
if necessary it is ready for use .
Storing tire pressures
Applies to: vehicles wit h Tir e Pressure Monito rin g Syste m in·
dicator
A change in tire pr essure or a change in tires
must be stored in the system.
Make su re before stori ng that the tire p ressures
of all fo ur tir es meet the specified val ues and a re
adapted to the load
r=> pag e 339. .,,.
349

u. 00 .-< N l'­ N .-< 0 N > 00
A WARNING
-The tire pressure monitoring system assists
the driver in monitoring tire pressures . The
driver is responsible for having the tires in­
flated to the correct pressure.
- Do not change the tire pressure when the
temperature of the tire is extremely high.
This could result in serious damage to the
tire and even cause the tire to burst, in­
creasing the risk of an accident.
- A tire with low pressure flexes more. This
heats the tire up too much. This could cause
the tread to separate and even cause the
tire to burst, increasing the risk of an acci­
dent.
- The tire pressure monitoring system does
not warn about damage or defects in the
tire construction that could cause the tire to burst, for example . Inspect your tires regu­
larly .
(D Tips
-If tires are replaced, the sensors/valves do
not need to be removed or replaced. Just re­
placed the valve stem and, if necessary, the
valve and the wheel electronics. If you have
questions, see an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility .
- An incorrect display or a malfunction in the
tire pressure monitoring system can occur
after using the tire mobility kit . Have the
sensors replaced by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
- For an explanation on conformity with the
FCC regulations in the United States and the
Industry Canada regulations, see
r=;,page 386.
Displaying tire pressures/temperatures
Applies to: vehicles with tire pressure mo nito ring system
Requirement: you must be driving the vehicle.
"'Select in the Infotainment system: the I MENU I
button > Vehicle > left control button > Service
& checks > Tire pressure monitoring > Display
tire pressures.
Wheels
The current tire pressures are shown in green,
yellow or red numbers in the Infotainment sys­
tem:
- Green: the current tire pressure and the speci­
fied tire pressure are approximately the same.
- Yellow: the current tire pressure is too low
compared to the specified tire pressure.
-Red: the current tire pressure is extremely low
compared to the specified tire pressure .
The specified tire pressure is the last tire pres­
sure that was stored
r=;, page 352.
Note that the tire pressure also depends on the
temperature of the tire. The tire pressure in ­
creases as the engine becomes warmer while
driving.
A WARNING
Read and follow the important information
and notes
"*page 350.
(D Tips
The tire pressure or temperature is not dis­
played while the vehicle is stationary and in
adaptation mode. Dashes--.-- are shown in
place of the pressure and temperature.
ill Tire pressure loss
Applies to: vehicles with tire press ure mo nito ring system
-
If the [tE indicator light turns on, the pressure in
at least one tire is too low or new sensors were
not adapted:
RE Indicator light turns on after turning the
ignition on
The tire pressure is too low compared to the
specified pressure .
.,. Check and store the tire pressure(s) the next
time it is possible
"*page 352.
RE Indicator light turns on while driving
Wheels with new sensors were not adapted or
the tire pressure has reached a critical level com­
pared to the specified pressure.
"'Avoid unnecessary steering and braking maneu-
vers.
..,_
351