2018 AUDI A3 SEDAN ECU

Seats and storage
Pass-through
Applies to: vehicles with pass-through
Fig. 78 Vers ion 1: left side: backrest: pass-through cover;
Vers io n 2: right side : luggage co mpartment: relea se lever
Opening/closing the pass-through from the
vehicle interior
.,. Applies to: version 1: To open the pass­
through, fold down the center armrest in the backrest and fo ld down the pass-through cover
in the direct ion of the arrow
c:> fig. 78 .
.,. Applies to: version 1: To close the pass­
through, fold up the pass-through cover and
the center
armrest¢ fig. 78.
Opening/closing the pass-through from the luggage compartment
.,. Applies to: version 2: To fold the backrest for­
ward, pull the release lever on the respect ive
seat in the direction of the arrow. The backrest
will fo ld forward automat ically after it has been
released
¢ &_ .
.,. Applies to: version 1: To open the pass­
through, press the lever in the rear seat back­
rest downward .
.,. To close the pass-through, fold the backrest
back until it latches
securely¢ &_.
A WARNING
-The backrest must be securely latched to
ensure the safety belt is protecting the rear
seat positions .
- The backrest must be securely latched so
objects cannot slide forward out of the lug­
gage compartment during sudden braking .
- Make sure that all objects that you are
transporting in the pass-through are secure.
66
They could slide during sudden braking ma­
neuvers and cause injuries.
- Sharp edges on objects that are loaded
must be covered for protection.
- When releasing the rear seat backrest,
make sure there are no people or anima ls
with in its range of motion. The backrest will
fold forward automatically after it is re­ leased.
(D Note
Make sure the safety belt is not pinched in the
backrest lock and damaged when the rear
seat backrest if folded back.
Roof rack
Applies to: vehicles without roof rail
Fig. 79 Mounting po ints for the roof rack
Applies to: vehicles with roof rail
Fig. 80 Moun ting points fo r the roof rack
If luggage or cargo is to be carried on the roof,
you must observe the following:
- Only a specially designed roof rack may be used
on your vehicle. These roof racks are the basis
for a complete roof rack system. Additional at­
tachments/carr ier systems are necessary to
transport luggage and sports equipment. We
..,.

Driving
When not being used, a roof rack should be re­
moved to decrease the wind resistance of the ve­
hicle. This will save you approximately 12% fuel
at speeds from 62
-75 mph (100 -120 km/h).
Save energy
The engine drives the generator, which generates
electricity; the fuel consumption also increases
with the demand for electricity. Therefore, switch
electrical equipment
off when you no longer
need it. Examples of equipment that uses a lot of
energy are air blowers at a high setting, the rear
window defogger and seat heating* .
(D 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 prop­ erty.
- 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.
@ Tips
The consumpt ion estimates as published by
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehicle
load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc.
74
Steering
Adjusting the steering wheel position
The steering wheel position is fully adjustable up
and down and forward and back.
Fig . 83 Steering column : steering column adjustment lever
.. Tilt the lever -c> fig. 83 downward¢ ,&..
.. Bring the steering wheel into the desired posi­
tion.
.. Push the lever against the steering column un­
til it is secure.
A WARNING
Incorrect use of the steering wheel adjust­
ment and an incorrect seating position can
cause serious injuries.
- Only adjust the steering column when the veh icle is stationary so that you do not lose
control of the vehicle.
-
-Adjust the driver's seat or steer ing wheel so
that there is at least 10 inches
(25 cm) dis­
tance between your chest and the steering
wheelr::!>page250, fig. 217. If you do not
maintain this distance, the airbag system
will not be able to provide its full protec­ tion.
c:> page 250, fig. 217.
- If your physical characteristics prevent you
from sitting at least 10 inches
(25 cm) or
more away from the steering wheel, see if
an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility can provide adapters that will help.
- If your face is level with the steering wheel,
the airbag does not provide as much protec­
tion during a collision. Always make sure
that the steering wheel is level with your
chest.

Drivin g
~ To start driving and re lease the parking brake
automatica lly, press the acce lerator pedal as
usua l.
I n addition to re leasing the par king brake auto ­
matica lly, other convenience and sa fety functions
are available when you start driving
r=;, poge 83,
Starting from a stop.
Pre venting th e automatic parking bra ke
r el eas e
The vehicle could begin ro lling unintentiona lly,
dep ending on the hill or if towing a trailer .
~ To preve nt the parking b rake from releasing au­
tomatica lly, pull and hold the
®l switch and
press the acce lerator pedal. The parking brake
remains set and pr events the vehicle from ro ll­
ing backward.
~ You can re lease the(®) switch again once you
are sure that you are g iv ing enough dr iv ing
force to the wheels by pressing the accelerator pedal.
Emergenc y bra king function
You can use the emergency brak ing funct ion in an
emergency situation, or if the standard brake op­
eration malfunctions or is disabled .
~ Pull and hold the(®) switch.
~ As soon as you release the (®) switch or acceler-
ate, the brak ing stops .
Pu lling and holding
the(®) switch while driving
the vehicle activates the emergency braking f unc ­
tion . The vehicle is braked at all four wheels by
activating the hydraulic brake system. The brak­
ing effect is s imilar to heavy braking
r=;, .,&. .
To reduce the risk of activating the emergency
braking by mistake, a warn ing tone (bu zzer)
sounds when the
®l swi tch is pulled. Emergency
braking stops as soon as the
®l switch is released
or the accelerato r pedal is pressed .
Parking
~ Press the brake peda l to stop the vehicle.
~ Pull the C® switch to set the parking brake.
~ Place the selector lever in the P pos ition.
~ T urn the eng ine off r=;, .,&. .
82
~ Turn the steering w hee l when parking on in­
clines so that the w heels wi ll roll into the curb
if the vehicle starts moving .
A WARNING
- Do not press the acce lerator pedal inadver­
tently if a gear is selected when the vehicle
is stationary and the eng ine is running . Oth­
erwise, the vehicle will start to move imme­
d iate ly and this could resul t in an accident.
- Emerge ncy brak ing should only be used in
a n emergency, when the norma l bra ke pedal
has fa iled or the bra ke peda l is obstr ucted.
D ur ing eme rgency bra king, you r vehicle w ill
brake s imilar to he avy braking. ESC and the
associated components (ABS, AS R, EDL)
cannot overcome the laws of physics.
Around curves and when road or weather
conditions a re bad, a full brake applicat ion
can cause the veh icle to skid or the rear end
to swerve, wh ich increases the risk of an ac­
cide nt.
- If the power supply fails, you cannot set the
parking brake if it is released. In this case,
pa rk the veh icle on leve l ground and secure
it by p lac ing the sele cto r leve r in the P pos i­
tion. See an au thor ized A udi dealer or au ­
thor ized A udi Se rvi ce Fa cility for assis tan ce.
- I f you leave the vehi cle, sw itch the ignition
off and take the veh icle key wi th yo u. Thi s
app lies pa rticular ly when children remain in
the vehicle. Otherwise, chi ld ren co uld start
the engine, release the parking brake or op ­
erate e lectr ica l equipment s uch as power
w indows, wh ich increases the r isk of an acci­
dent.
- No one, especially c hildren, should rema in
in the vehicle when it is locked. Locked
doors make it more difficu lt for emergency
workers to get into the vehicle, which puts
lives at ris k.
(D Tips
When stopp ing at a traff ic signa l or stopp ing
i n city traffic, you can set the park ing brake
manually . The veh icle does not have to be
h eld with the brake pedal. The par king b rake
e liminates t he tendency to creep when a

u. co ... N l'­ N
A WARNING
Please note that the wheels could spin on
slick or slippery roads when kick-down is ac­
tive .
Launch control program
App lies to: ve hicles with S tro nic tra nsm issio n an d La unch
Co ntrol P rogram
-
The launch control program provides the best
possible acceleration when starting from a stop .
Requirement: the eng ine must be at operating
temperature and t he steer ing whee l must not be
turned.
.,. Deact ivate l) the S tart/Stop system*
~ page 81. The L ED in the ~ button turns on .
.,. Wi th the engine runn ing, p ress the I.!, O FF ! but­
ton briefly one time . The
11 indicator light
turns on and the message
Stabili zation control
( ESC ): s port. W arning! Rest ricted st a bilit y
ap­
pears in the instrument cluster display.
.,. Pull the selector lever back out of the "D/S" po­
s it ion br iefly to select the S pos it ion, or press it
toward the right into the t iptronic pos ition or
select the
Dynamic d riving mode in d rive se­
lect* ~ page 140.
.,. Press t he b rake peda l firmly with you r left foot
and hold it all the way down for at least one
second .
.,. At the same time, press the gas pedal a ll the
way down with your right foot unt il the engine
reaches and stays at a high RPM level.
.,. Remove your left foot from the brake pedal
within five
seconds ~,&. .
A WARNING
-Always adapt yo ur driv ing to the traffic flow.
- Only use Launch Control when road and traf-
fic cond itions allow it and other dr ivers will
not be endangered or impacted by you r driv­
ing and the vehicle 's accele ration.
- Please note tha t the drive whee ls can sp in
and the vehicle can break away when sport
8 l ) It is n ot poss ib le to deac tiv ate t he system wit h all ve rs io n s N &j of th e tran sm iss ion.
Driving
mode is switched on, especially when the
road is slippery.
- Once the vehicle has started moving, press
the !.!> OFF I button briefly to turn the sport
mode off.
(D Tips
- The transmission temperat ure may increase
significant ly after using the launch control
program. If that happens, the program may
not be ava ilable for a few minutes. It will be
availab le aga in after a cool-down period.
- When accelerating using the launch contro l
program, all vehicle parts are subject to
heavy loads . This can lead to increased
wear .
Transmission malfunction
Applies to: vehicles wit h automatic transmissions
• Transmis sion : malfunction! Pl eas e s top ve ­
hicle and shift to P
There is a malfunction in the transmission . Park
the vehicle securely and do not cont inue driv ing .
See an author ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi
Se rvice Facility for assistance .
• Transmission o verhe ating! Plea se stop th e
vehicle!
The transmission is too hot and can become dam­
aged. Stop and let the transmiss ion cool w ith the
engine running (at idle) i n the "P" selector lever
pos ition . T hen the ind icator light and the mes­
sage turn off, d rive to an authorized Aud i dealer
o r auth o rized Aud i Serv ice Facility immediately to
have t he malfunct ion cor rected . If the indicato r
light and the driver message do not turn off, do
not continue driving . See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as­
s istance.
[O] Tran smission: malfunction! You can contin-
u e dri ving. See owne r's manual
.,.
89

Driving
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunct ion corrected .
[i1 Transmission: malfunction! You can contin­
ue driving with limited function. No reverse
gear
There is a system malfunction in the transm is­
sion. The transmission is switching to emergency
mode. This mode only shifts into certain gears or
will no longer shift at all. The engine may stall.
You cannot engage the reverse gear. Drive to an
authorized Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service
Facility immediately to have the malfunction cor­
rected .
[i1 Transmission: malfunction! You can contin­
ue driving in
D until engine is off
Drive the vehicle away from movi ng traffic and
park. See an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Aud i Serv ice Facility for assistance.
[i1 Transmission: too hot . Please adapt driving
style
The transmission tempe rature has increased s ig­
n ificant ly. Dr ive very cautiously or take a break
from driving unt il the temperature returns to the
normal range and the indicator light turns off.
[O] Transmis sion: please press brake pedal and
select gear again
If the transmission malfu nctions because the
temperature is too high, a message appears
when the transmission is cooled .
90
Selector lever emergency release
Applies to : vehicles wi th automatic transmissions
If the vehicle's power supply fails, the selector
lever can be released in an emergency .
Fig. 95 Selector leve r: remov ing the shifter boot
Fig. 96 Selector lever: using the emergency release to
move out of the Pa rk posit ion
To maneuver or tow the vehicle, the emergency
release must be used to move the selector lever
from the P position .
The emergency release mechanism is located in
the right area under the selector lever shift gate .
Using the emergency release can be complicated .
We recommend contacting an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Aud i Service Facility for as­
s is tance, if necessary.
The screwdr iver from the vehicle tool kit located
i n the luggage compartment is needed to for the
emergency re lease
c::> page 360 . Use the flat side
of the reversible screwdriver blade.
Removing the shifter boot
.,. Set the park ing brake(®) ¢.& to secure your
veh icle from rolling. If this is not possible, se­
cure your vehicle from rolling using another
method .
.,. Switch the ignit ion off.

u. 00 ... N l'­ N ... 0 N > 00
~ To loosen the s hifter boot, carefu lly insert the
flat side of the screwdriver sideways into the s li t near the shifter
boot ¢ fig. 95 .
~ Carefully pry the shifter boot out with the
screwdriver while gr ipping the boot at the fold
and pulling it upward and out -arrow -until all
four corners are released .
~ Fold the shifter boot up aro und the shifte r knob
¢ fig. 96.
Selector le ver eme rgenc y release
~ Press and hold the yellow re lease button with
the
screwdriver ¢ fig. 96 .
~ Press the release button in the selector lever @
and move the leve r into the "N" position .
~ Clip the shift cover back i nto t he shift gate after
us ing t he emergency release .
A WARNING
-Only activate the emergency re lease while
on a level s urface or a slight slope.
-Only move the se lec tor lever out of the "P"
position when the parking brake is set . If it
is not functioning, sec ure t he vehicle from
rolling using the brake peda l or other su ita­
ble means, such as block ing a front and a
rear wheel. An unsecured ve hicle may ro ll
away, wh ich increases the risk of an acc i­
dent .
-
Driving
91

u. 00 ... N l'­ N ... 0 N > 00
injuries. When the vehicle enters drive ready
mode, the status message
e-no"' ~... ap­
pears briefly in the instrument cluster display
and the needle in the power meter points to
READY ¢ page 9 5.
-Make sure that the selector lever is in the P
position and the ignition is switched off
when leaving the vehicle.
@ Note
-The high-voltage system can be damaged if
the vehicle underbody comes into contact
with the ground . Immediately drive your ve­
hicle to an authorized repair facility and
have it inspected.
- The electric drive motor can become very
hot during operation . Do not stop the vehi­
cle if there is oil, fuel residue or other flam­
mable substances under or next to the vehi­
cle.
Special considerations for the high-voltage
battery
Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive
Please first read and note the introductory infor­
mation and heed the warnings
¢page 92.
All batteries age with use and over time. There
are things you should know about the care of the
high voltage battery that will help it keep giving
you good service and reliability over time. Please
read and keep the following information in mind
while you enjoy the performance and economy of
your vehicle.
- Be sure to charge the high voltage battery be­
fore leaving the vehicle parked and unused for a longer period of time. Ideally the high-voltage
battery should have a charge level between
40 % and 60 % when parked for a long t ime .
- If the battery charge level is below 3 %, never
park the vehicle for more than 21 days without
charging the high-voltage battery. Should you
have to park the vehicle for a long time, make
sure that the charge level is sufficient to help
prevent the battery from aging prematurely.
- Frequent and consecutive charging of the high­
voltage battery when the charge level is above
e-tron
98 % can also decrease the capacity of the
high-voltage battery. Make sure the charge lev ­
el is be low 98 % when you start the charging
process.
- Should the vehicle be parked for longer than
2 days at temperatures below -13 °F ( -25 °C),
the high-voltage battery could free ze and not
be able to provide energy to the electric motor.
The battery will start working again, once it
warms up . The battery can be warmed up when
the outside temperature rises or when the vehi­
cle is garaged appropriately. The battery will al­
so warm up when being used (sw itching on the
air conditioner, the heater or by driving the ve­
hicle) . Should you have to park your vehicle at
very low temperatures for longer than 1 day,
make sure that the high-voltage battery does
not freeze by parking the vehicle in a garage
that is heated or protected from the outside
temperature.
- The high-voltage battery can be damaged and
the capacity can be decreased when the vehicle
is parked for longer than 24 hours when the
ambient temperature is higher than 118 °F
(48 °C). Always make sure that the h igh-volt­
age battery is not exposed to temperatures
above 118 °F (48 °C) for a long time.
- Never park the veh icle in areas that are lik ely to
be flooded, such as beaches or river banks, and
never drive the vehicle in WA TER, on flooded
roads or through water that is higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body. The high-voltage
battery, along with other vehicle components,
can be damaged severely if the high-voltage battery is exposed to open water especially for
a longer time. However, you can drive through
water on roads under certain conditions
~ page 72.
Failure to heed any of these requirements can
age the battery prematurely and lead to a perma­
nent decrease of the high-vo ltage battery's ca­
pacity.
(D Tips
Always make sure that the high-voltage bat­
tery is not exposed to extremely low and high
temperatures as well as to water espec ially
for a longer time. Failure to protect and care
93

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
.,,_