2018 AUDI A3 SEDAN check engine light

Driving
- If the vehicle sti ll does not move in the de ­
sired direction, there is a system malfunc­
tion. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thori zed Audi Service Facility for assistance
to have the system checked.
(D Tips
Plug -in hybrid drive* : the transmission
switches automatically to the normal mode
" D" if the
l.,,f' I button ¢ page 98 is pressed
while i n sport mode "S" .
Driving tips
Applies to: ve hicles with a utomat ic transmissions
F ig . 9 2 Sect io n of the cente r co nso le: se le cto r lever w it h
i nte rlock butto n
Starting the engine
• Select the "P" or "N" selector lever position . At
low temperatu res (be low 14 °F ( -10 °C)), the
engine can only be started when t he se lec to r
l ever is in the "P " posit io n.
Starting from a stop
• Press and hold the brake pedal.
• Press and hold the interlock button in these­
lector lever handle, se lect the des ired sele ctor
lever posit io n such as "D" ¢
page 84 and re­
lease the loc k bu tton.
• Wait a moment unti l the transmission shifts.
Yo u w ill not ice a slight movement when the
gear engages.
• Release the brake pedal and press the accelera­
tor
pedal ¢,&. .
Various convenience functions are avai lab le for
starting on hills ¢
page 83.
86
Stopping temporarily
• Keep the vehicle st ationary using the bra kin g
peda l, for examp le a t traffic ligh ts.
• Do not press the acce le rato r pedal when doing
this.
• To prevent the vehicle from rolling when you start driving, set the pa rking brake when stop­
ping on steep
hills ¢.&. and ¢(Q).
• The parking brake will release a utomat ica lly
and the vehicle will start moving once yo u press
the acce le rato r pedal. Requirement: the d riv­
er's doo r mus t be closed.
Stopping/parking
If the selector lever is not in the "P" pos ition
whe n you open the d river's door, the vehicle
could roll. In vehicles with a conven ience key *,
the message :
Shift to P, otherwise vehicle can
roll away. Door s do not lock if lever is not in P
appe ars . A wa rning tone wi ll also sound.
• Press and hold the brake peda l¢ ,&. .
• Set t he par king brake.
• Select the "P" se lector lever posi tion .
Un der certai n circumstances, (such as dr iving in
the mo unta ins or towi ng a trailer), it may be use­
ful to switch temporar ily to the m an ual shift pro­
gr am in or der to ad ju st t he gears to the driv ing
cond it ions by hand ¢
page 88.
When parking on a level surface, s imp ly place the
se le ct or lever i n the "P" pos ition. On inclines, a c­
tivate the par king b rake first and then move the
se lector lever to the "P " posit ion ¢
page 81. Thi s
prevents the locking mechanism from being
l oaded too heavily and will make it easier to
move the selector lever out of the "P" position.
A WARNING
- The vehicle can roll even whe n the engi ne is
sw itched off .
- Unintended vehicle movement can lead to
serio us injuries.
- Never leave your veh icle with the engine
r u nning while in gear. If you must leave
your veh icle when the eng ine is r unning, set
t he par king brake and move the se lecto r lev ­
er to the "P " posi tion .

e-tron
For additional information, see ¢ page 17, Trip
computer (Audi virtual cockpit).
~ Applies to: vehicles with analog instrument
cluster: Open the
Tachometer display by turn­
ing the left thumbwheel on the multifunction
steering wheel.
When opening the driver's door, the charge level is shown in the instrument cluster when the igni­
tion is switched on, or the charge level and the
remaining charge time for the high -voltage bat ­
tery is displayed when charging .
The power meter gives feedback about the partic­ ular accelerator pedal position and shows the
current demand
(%) for electricity or fuel regard­
less of which engine is active.
An economical driving and recuperation range is
shown in green
¢ page 99, Energy recovery (re­
cuperation) .
A driving range that is not economi­
cal is shown in orange .
(D Vehicle not drive ready (OFF)
@ Recuperation (CHARGE)
@ Vehicle ready to drive (READY) or
coasting
© Efficient driving with electric motor
and/or gasoline engine (EFFICIEN­
CY)
® Economic driving while the electric
motor or gasoline engine is in the
partial power range
@ Driving in full power range
0 100% output
@ BOOST: the electric motor supports
the combustion engine
® High-voltage battery charge level
@ EV mode: active a=,v, standby, a=,v
or currently unavailable. ~v
@ Speed limit for electric driving in EV
mode (80 mph/ 130 km/h)
Indicator lights and messages
Applies to: vehicles with plug -in hybr id drive
Also note the indicator lights in¢ page 20.
The gasoline engine is active when the II'§] indica­
tor light turns on.
96
•• Drive system: system fault! Safely park
vehicle
There is a malfunction in the plug-in hybrid sys­
tem. The brake booster and the power steering
may stop working. Stop the vehicle immediately
or as soon as possible. Park the vehicle in a safe place outdoors that is not near buildings, roof
overhangs, carports or similar structures. Switch
the ignition off. Have the problem corrected by
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
•• Electric drive: overheated! Safely stop
vehicle and check coolant
The coolant level is too low or the coolant tem­
perature is too high.
Stop the vehicle in the outdoors as soon as it is
safely possible. Switch the ignition off.
Read the important safety
precautions ¢.& in
Coolant on page 103
and check the coolant level
¢page 102.
If the coolant level is OK, the malfunction may be
caused by the system overheating. Let the vehi­
cle's electric drive system cool down for some
time .
If the message turns off after cooling down and
switching the ignition back on, you can continue
driving. Contact an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
If the indicator light stays on, contact an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty.
lltll Drive system: system fault! Please con­
tact workshop
There is a malfunction in the plug-in hybrid sys­
tem . Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
1/1111 Drive system: system fault! Restart not
possible. Please contact workshop
There is a malfunction in the plug-in hybrid sys­
tem. Do not open the hood. Drive to an author- ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
.,,_

e-tron
The gaso line engine is no longer ava ila b le be ­
cause there is not enough fue l. Drive immediate ly
to a gas station.
Fuel filler door emergency release
A pp lies to : ve hicles w ith plug- in hybrid drive
You must use the emergency re lease to open the
fue l filler door when there is a malfunct io n
c::;, page317 .
The tank is not vented. You can only f ill a small
amount of fuel in the tank.
~ Fill only unti l the automatic fue l pump nozzle
turns off for the first time when it is operated correctly.
Drive to an a utho rized Aud i de aler or a uth o rized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunctio n corrected .
(D Tips
Pressure can escape if you open the tank ca p
after using the emergency release . This can
create noises.
Charging
General information
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith plug -in hybrid drive
Two options are ava ilab le for cha rging the vehi ­
cle:
- Charge at a p ublic charging stat ion w ith a spe­
c ia l charging cable*
c::;, page 106 .
-Charge with ho useho ld and industrial power
sockets using the Audi e-t ron c harg ing system
¢ page 106.
Environmental condition s when using the
Audi e-tron charging system
- Operat ing temperatu re : -13 °F (-25 °C) to 95 °F
(+35 °C)
- Humidity: 5% to 95%, non-co ndensing
- 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) maximum above
sea leve l
- Protected against dust and spray (IP54 (USA:
enclosure 3 R))
104
Warnings when using the charging system
&
Surfaces ca n become very hot when
i n d irect su nlight .
&~
Incorrect use increases the risk of
electric shock.
~¼
Do not use any extens ions co rds o r
c abl e reels.
~
Do not use any travel adapters.
~~
Do not use any power str ips.
~~~
Do not use any charg ing cables with
damage to the electronics or the
con necti ng w ires .
.&_ WARNING -
Sockets that are inst alled incorrect ly can
cause elect ric shock or fire when charging the
h igh -vo ltage battery using the vehicle charg ­
ing connection .
- Installation and set up of the household con­
nection for the Audi e-tron charging system
may only be performed by a qualified e lec­
trician. The q ualified electrician is thereby
fully responsib le for adhering to applicable
standards and regu lations.
- Make sure that the selected charg ing con­
nection is suitable for drawing 16 amps .
- Make sure that the household soc ket is
grounded and shielded from water.
- The A udi e-tron charging system may only
be used with a prope rly grounded power
network. It cannot be used with non­
gro unded power networks (s uch as IT net­
wo rks) .
- Please follow the safety precautions in the
assembly instr uctions for the A udi cha rging
dock* or the Audi cha rging clips* .
.&_ WARNING
If you are not fam il iar with the socke t or the
e lectr ica l installation or it has not been
checked by qualified e xperts, never use i t fo r
cha rging. Even very low ch arg ing cu rrents can
cause ser ious damage and in particular fires if
the socket or electrical installation is in bad
Ill>

Outside mirrors
If yo u cannot see the traffic behind the tra iler
with the standard exterior mirrors, then you
must attach additiona l exterior mirrors . Adj ust
them so you have a sufficient visibility behind
you .
Exterior lighting
Follow the legal regulat ions regard ing the light­
ing equipment on your trailer . Contact an author ­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty for more information.
Before starting to drive, check all lighti ng equip­
ment on the hitched trailer.
The headlight range contro l adjusts automatical­
l y to the light range of the headl ights.
Safety chains
Make sure the safety chains are correctly applied
when pull ing a trailer . The chains should hang
enough so that the trailer can dr ive around
curves. However, they must not touch the
g ro und .
(D Tips
-Use chocks whe n parking on incl ines if the
trailer is load ed.
- We recommend also hav ing the veh icle in­
spected between the inspect ion intervals if
you are towing a trailer frequently.
- Avo id driving with a trailer during the vehi­
cle break- in period .
Driving with a trailer
Driving with a trailer requires extra caution.
Speed
Adhere to the legal speed limits. Follow the legal
regulations specific to the country.
As the speed increases, the driving stability of
the trai ler decreases. Therefore you should not
exceed the maximum legal speed limit when
u. there are unfavorable road, weather and/or wind 00
~ conditions . This especially applies when driving
~ downhill.
0 N > 00
Trailer towing
You m ust always reduce your speed as soon as
you notice even the slightest swinging motion of
the tra iler. Never try to "stra ighten out" the tra il­
er by acce lerating.
T he weight distribution is very poor if the vehicle
is empty and the trai ler is loaded . However if you
must drive under these circumstances, then dr ive
especially slowly .
Brakes
Brake in a timely manner. Downshift before driv ­
ing down hill so that t he engine can assist with
braking ~.&. .
When using a trailer w it h overrun brakes, first
brake gently then quickly. This reduces the r isk of
jerking while braking if the trailer wheels lock up .
Engine coolant temperature
Pay attention specifically to the coo lant tempera­
ture display when there are high outside temper­
a tur es, and when driving on long inclines
~page 11. Shift to a hig her gear in a timely man­
ner .
A WARNING
= -
Constant braking causes the brakes to over-
heat and substantially reduces braking per­
formance, increases braking distance or caus­
es complete failure of the brake system.
119

Assistance systems
-The rear cross-traffic assist will not provide
alerts if the veh icle is in a paralle l parking
space or an angled parking space.
(LlJ Note
Also read the information in <=:>@ in General
information on page 138 .
(D Tips
-You can cancel the automa tic brake activa ­
tion with increasing braking force if you ap­
ply the brakes yourse lf or accelerate consid ­
erab ly.
- In some situations, rear cross-traffic assist
may warn you even if there is no cross traffic
i n a critical area, for example when backing
i nto a parking space or maneuver ing.
- The rear cross-traffic assist also switches off when you switch off the ESC.
- The system is not available when towing a
trailer.
Messages
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith Audi side assis t
If the side assist sw itches off automatically, a
message appears in the instrument cluster dis­
play.
@j Aud i side assist: malfunction! Please contact
Service
The system cannot guarantee that it wi ll detect
veh icles correctly and it has switched off. The
sensors have been moved or are faulty. Have the
system checked by an authorized Audi dealer or
author ized Audi Service Facility soon .
(ij Audi side assist: currently unavailable. No
sensor view
(ij Audi side assist: currently unavailable. Sen­
sor vision restricted due to surroundings. See
owner 's manual
The radar sensor vis ion is impaired . Do not cover
the area in front of the sensors with bike wheels,
stickers, dirt or other objects. C lean the area in
front of the sensors, if necessary
c> page 13 7,
fig . 141.
140
(ij Audi side assist: currently unavailable
Sid e assist cannot be switched on at this time be­
cause there is a malfunction (for ex am ple, the
battery charge level may be too low).
@j Audi side assist: unavailable in towing mode
(ij Audi side assist: unavailable in towing mode
Side assist switches off automatically after a
short time when a factory-insta lled trai ler hitch
i s connected to the electr ica l connector on the
trailer. There is no guarantee the system will
switch off when using a retrofitted trailer hitch .
Do not use side assist when tow ing a tra iler .
[I! Rear parking aid : obstacle detection restrict­
ed
The rear cross-traffic assist is not available . Ei ­
ther t he ESC is switched off, or the radar sensors
may be covered by a bike rack, stickers, leaves,
snow or other objects. Switc h the ESC on, or
clean the area in front of the sensors if necessary
<=:>page 137 , fig . 141. If th is message continues
to be displayed, dr ive immed iate ly to an author­
iz ed Audi dealer or authorized Audi Se rvice Facili­
ty to have the malfunction repaired.
Audi drive select
Introduction
App lies to : vehicles wi th Audi drive se lec t
Audi drive select makes it poss ible to experience
different types of vehicle settings in one vehicle.
The dr iver can select from three modes,
Comfort ,
Auto
and Dynamic , using the ~.'/:.1 button in the
center console or by using the Infotainment sys­
tem. This allo ws you to switch between a sporty
and a comfo rtable driving mode, for example. In
the
Individual* mode, the settings can be adjust ­
ed to your personal preferences . This makes it
possible to comb ine settings such as a sporty en­
gine setting with light steering.
Description
Applies to: vehicles wit h Audi drive se lect
The vehicle setup in each mode depends on the
vehicle 's features. However, the engine and
steering are a lways affected .

Checking and Filling
Checking and Filling Fuel
Gasoline grade
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith gasoline engines
The correct gasoline grade is stated on the inside
of the fuel filler door .
The vehicle is equipped with a catalytic converter
and must only be driven with
unleaded gasoline .
Audi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent Gas­
oline. Additional information on TOP TIER Deter­
gent Gasoline can be found on the official web­
site (www .toptiergas.com).
The individual gasoline grades are differentiated
by
octane ratings. This value is given with (R +M)/
2 equating to AKI or in RON.
The following headings match the corresponding
sticker in the fuel filler door .
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY MIN. (R+M)/2 87
Regular/ MIN. RON 91 Regular
Use regular gasoline with minimum 87 AKI/
91 RON
i::>@ .
The max imum eng ine power is only reached if
p rem ium gasol ine 91 AKI/ 95 RON is used.
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY PREMIUM MIN. (R
+M)/2 91 / SUPER MIN. RON 95
Using premium gaso line with minimum 91 AKI/
95 RON is recommended.
If premium gasoline is not available, you can also use regular gasoline 87 AKI/ 91 RON . However
this does reduce th e engine powe r slight ly.
0 Note
- Fillin g the tank just one time with leaded
fuel or other metallic additives will cause
permanent deter iorat ion to the catalytic
converter function.
- When gasoline with an octane rat ing that is
too low is used , h igh speeds or heavy engine
load can lead to engine damage.
314
(D Tips
The vehicle may be filled with fuel that has a
h igher octane rating than what is required by
the eng ine.
Blended gasoline
App lies to : vehicles wi th gaso line e ngi ne
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or MTBE
(methyl tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unleaded gasoline blended with al ­
cohol or MTBE (commonly referred to as oxygen­
ates) if the blended mixture meets the following
criteria:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or h igher.
- 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)
-Anti-knock index must be 87 AK I or h igher.
- Blend must not conta in more than 15% etha-
nol.
Blend of gasoline and MTBE
- Anti -knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must not contain more than 15% MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform es­
pecially well for winter or summer dr iv ing . Dur­
i ng seasonal change-over, we suggest that you
fill up at busy gas stat ions where the seasonal
adjustment is more lik ely to be made in t ime.
@ Note
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these re­
quirements may cause corrosion and dam­
age to plastic and rubber components in the
fuel system.
- Do not u se fue ls that fail to meet the speci-
fied criteria in this chapter.
...

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 .