2018 AUDI Q3 warning

Checking and Filling
Engine compartment overview
The most important check points.
Fig. 137 Typical location of the rese rvoir and the engine o il fil le r open ing
(D Coolant reservoir ( - L) ¢ page 162
@ Oil dipstick ¢ page 160
® Engine oil filler opening ('t:::r.) ¢page 160
© Eng ine oil label* w ith VW standard
evpage 158
® Brake f luid reservoir ((0)) ¢ page 163
® Vehicle battery(+) ¢ page 164, evpage 203
(?) Jump start point( -) w ith hex head screw
ev page 164, ev page 203
@ Washer fluid reservoir (O) ev page 165
® Fuse housing c:::> page 199
The oil dipstick (item @) and the engine oil fi ller
open ing (item @) can be located in different po­
sitions depend ing on the engine version.
_& WARNING
Read and follow all WARN INGS before check­
ing anything i n the engi ne compa rtment¢ &.
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 155 .
158
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
The serv ice interval d isplay in the inst rumen t
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an o il change . We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by a n authorized Audi Se rv­
i ce Advisor.
If you must add oil betwee n oil changes, use an
oi l that matches the Audi oil quality standard
li sted on the sticker. The sticker is located at the
front of the eng ine compartment ¢
page 158,
fig. 137 .
Audi re commend s
~Castrol /fg/j;Sf.g;fg f'r Aud i recomme nds Longlife high performance
eng ine oil from Aud i Genuine Pa rt s
liJI,

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Using the prope r engine oil is important for the
functionality and s ervice life of the engine. Your
engine was factory-filled with a high -quality oil
which can usually be used throughout the entire
year .
Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions due to failure
to follow recommended maintenance and use
requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's Manual and Warranty & Maintenance booklet .
- Use only a high quality engine oil that ex-
pressly complies with the Aud i oil quality
standard specified for your vehicle's engine.
Using any o ther oil can cause serious engine
damage.
- Do not mix any lubricants o r other additives
into the engine oil. Doing so can cause en­
gine damage.
@ Tips
If you need to add oil and there is none availa­
ble that meets the Audi o il quality standard
your eng ine requ ires, you may add a total of
no more than 0 .5 quart/li ter of a h igh-quality
"synthet ic"oil that meets the following speci ­
fications.
- ACEA A3 or API SM with a v iscosity grade o f
SAE OW-30, SAE SW -30 or SAE SW-40.
- Fo r more information abou t engine o il t ha t
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact either your authorized Audi dea ler
or Audi Custome r Relat ions at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www .audiusa.com or www .aud icanada .ca.
Engine oil consumption
T he engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
qua te amoun t of oil to lubricate and cool all of
i t s moving par ts.
In order to provide effective lub rication and coo l­
ing of in te rnal engine components, a ll internal
combustion engines consume a cer tain amount
of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to en ­
g ine and may change sign ificantly over the life of
the eng ine . Typically, eng ines with a spec ified
Ch eck ing and Filling
break-in period (see ¢ page 57) consume more
oi l during th e break-in period than they consume
after oil consumption has stabilized.
Under normal cond itions, the rate of oil con­
sumption depends on the q uality and viscos ity o f
the oil , the RPM (revolutions per minut e) at
which the engine is operated, the amb ient tem­
perature and road condit ions. Further factors are
the amount of oil dilution from w ater condensa­
tion or fuel resid ue and the oxidation level of the
o il. As any engine is subject to wear as mileage
builds up, the oi l consumption may increase ove r
t ime unt il repla cement of worn components may
become necessary.
With al l these variables coming into play, no
standard rate of o il consumption can be estab­
l ished or spec ified . T he re is no alte rnative to reg­
u la r and fre quent chec king of the o il level , see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbo l II
in the instrument cluster lights up , you sho uld
check the o il level as soon as possible
¢ page 160. Top off the o il at your earliest con­
venience.
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN ­
INGS¢ .&.
in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 155.
(D Note
D riving wit h an insufficient oil level is likely to
cause severe damage to the engine .
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warn ing display. i s not
an indicato r of the o il le vel. Do not rely on
it . Instead, check the oil level in your en ­
gine at regular intervals , pre fe rabl y each
time you refuel, and alw ays befo re go ing
on a long trip .
-If you have the impression your engine con­
sumes excessive amounts of oi l, we recom­
mend that you consult an author ized Audi
dea ler to have the cause of your concern
159

Checking and Filling
properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that the
accurate measurement of oil consumption requires great care and may take some
time. An author ized Audi dealer has instruc­
tions about how to measure oil consump­
tion accu rately.
Checking the engine oil level and adding
engine oil
F ig. 138 Oil d ipstick (example): c hecki ng the engine oi l
level
F ig. 139 Engine compartment: eng ine o il filler opening
cove r
Observe the safety precautions c:> page 155,
Working in the engine compartment .
Checking the engine oil level
- Park the vehicle on a level surface.
- Shut the engine
off when it is warm. Wait ap-
0 N
-N ~ a, (D
prox imately two m inutes so that the engine oil
can flow back into the oil pan.
- Open the hood
c:> page 157.
-Remove the oi l dipstick <=> page 158, fig . 137,
wipe it off with a clean cloth and insert it all the
way in again.
- Remove the oil dipstick again and then read the
oil level
c:> table on page 160.
-Add engine oil if necessary.
160
Areas on the o il dipstick c::> fig. 138.
(D If the engine oil leve l is just before the
mark ing
(D , then engine oil must be added .
See
c:> @ .
@ Do no
t add engine oil.
Adding engine oil
- Unscrew the cap
't=:rl c:> fig. 139 for the engi ne
oil fil ling open ing
c:>page 158, fig. 137.
- Carefully add 0 .5 quart (0.5 lite r) of the correct
oil
<=> page 158.
-Check the oil level again after two minutes .
- Add a smaller amount of engine oil if necessa-
ry . The mark ing @ c:>
fig. 138 must not be ex­
ceeded c:>Cl) .
- Screw the eng ine oil filler cap
't=:rl and slide the
dipstick all the way in .
.&, WARNING
-When adding eng ine oi l, do not let o il d rip
on to hot engine components. Th is increases
t he risk of a fire.
- You must sea l the cap on the oi l filler open­
ing correct ly so that oi l does not leak ou t
onto the hot engine and exha ust system
when the engine is running, beca use this is
a fire hazard .
- Always clean skin thoro ughly if it comes into
contact with engine oi l.
(D Note
- The engine o il level mus t not be under the
marking
(D , because this increases the risk
of engine damage .
- After add ing engi ne oil, the oil leve l must
not be above the mar king @, because this
increases the risk of catalytic converte r and/
or engine damage . Do not start the engine.
Contact an authorized A udi dealer or au­
thorized Aud i Service Facility to have excess
engine oil extracted if necessary.
- Do not mix any addit iona l lubr icants into
the engine oil. Damage caused by such addi-
t ives is not covered by the warranty. .,_

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@ Fo r the sa ke of the env ironment
- Engine oi l should never enter the sewer sys­
tem or come into contact with the ground
under any circumstances.
- Pay attention to legal requirements when
disposing of empty oil containers.
The engine oil consumption may be up to 0.5 quart/600 m iles (0.5 liter/1,000 km), de­
pending on driving style and operating condi­
tions. Consumption may be higher during the
first 3,000 miles (5,000 km). The engine oil
level must be checked regularly . It would be
best to check each time you refuel your vehi­
cle and before long dr ives.
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that have your oil changed by an
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service sta­
tion.
Before you check anyth ing in the eng ine compart­
ment,
alw ays r ea d and heed all WARNINGS Q .&.
in Working in the engine compartment on
page 155.
The engine oil must be changed according to the
intervals specified in your Warranty
& Mainte­
n ance booklet. This is very important because the
l ubri cat ing propert ies of o il diminish gradually
d ur ing normal vehicle use.
Under some c ircumstances the eng ine o il should
be changed more frequently . Change oil more of­
ten if yo u drive mostly short distances, ope rate
the vehicle in d usty areas or under predominant ly
stop-and -go traffic conditions, or have your vehi­
cle where temperatures remain below freezing
for extended periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil
l ook da rk after the engine has been running for a
short time. This is normal and is not a reason to
change the oil more often than recommended.
Because of the problem of p roper disposal, along
with the special tools and necessa ry expertise re­
qu ired, we strong ly recommend that you have
Ch eck ing and Filling
your oi l changed by an authorized Audi dealer or
a qualified service station .
If yo u choo se to ch ange yo ur oil your self, please
note the follow ing important info rmation:
A WARNING
=
To reduce the risk of persona l injury if you
must change the engine oil in your vehicle
yourself:
- Wear eye protect ion .
-
-To redu ce the r is k of burns from hot eng ine
oil, let the engine cool down to the touch.
- W hen remov ing the oil d rain plug w ith your
fingers, stay as far away as possib le. Always
keep your forearm parallel to the ground to
he lp prevent hot oil from running down your
arm.
- Drain the oil into a container designed for
this purpose, one la rge 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 oil is
harmful to your skin. Always protect your
skin by washing oil off thoroughly with soap
and water.
(D Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil.
These additives can damage your engine and
adverse ly affect yo ur Audi Limited New Vehi­
cle Warranty.
@ For the sa ke of the environment
- Before chang ing your oi l, first make sure
you know where you can properly d ispose of
the used oil.
- Always dispose of used engine o il properly.
Do not dump it on garden soil, wooded
areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains.
- Recycle used engine o il by tak ing it to a used
eng ine oil collection fac ility in your area, or
contact a service station .
161

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Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
and have the cooling system inspected. If the
cooling system is not leaking, a loss can come
from the coolant boiling through overheating
and being pushed out of the cooling system.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure . Do
not open the coolant expansion tank cap
when the engine is hot . This increases the
risk of burns .
- The coolant additive and the coolant can be
dangerous to your health. For this reason,
keep the coolant in the original container
and away from children. There is a risk of
poisoning.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of injury.
CD Note
-
Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty . Air could enter the cooling system and
damage the engine.
If this is the case, do not
continue driving. See an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance.
Brake fluid
Fig. 141 Eng ine compartment: cap on brake flu id reservoir
Observe the safety precautions ¢ page 155,
Working in the engine compartment .
Checking the brake fluid level
~ Read the brake fluid Level on the brake fluid
reservoir ~
page 158, fig . 13 7. The brake fluid
Checking and Filling
Level must be between the MIN and MAX mark­
ings
~ A .
The brake fluid Level is monitored automatically.
Changing the brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed regularly by an au­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility .
A WARNING
- If the brake fluid level is below the MIN
marking, it can impair the braking effect
and driving safety, which increase the risk of
an accident. Do not continue driving. See an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized A udi
Service Facility for assistance.
- If the brake fluid is old, bubbles may form
in the brake system during heavy braking .
This would impair braking performance and driving safety, which increases the risk of an
accident .
- To ensure the brake system functions cor­
rectly, only use brake fluids that comply
with VW standard 501 14 or
FMVSS-116 DOT 4.
CD Note
- If the brake flu id level is above the MAX
marking, brake fluid may Leak out over the
edge of the reservoir and result in damage
to the vehicle.
- Do not get any brake fluid on the vehicle
paint, because it will corrode the paint.
Battery
General warnings about batteries
Because of the complex power supp ly, all work
on batteries such as disconnecting, replacing,
etc. should
only be performed by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
¢ .&,.
The term "vehicle battery " refers to the 12 Volt
battery in your vehicle.
163
...

Checking and Filling
Detailed warning s for the vehicle b atter y:
®
Wear eye protection .
A
Battery acid is high ly corrosive . Wear pro-
tective gloves and eye pro tect ion.
@
F ire, spark s, open flame an d smok ing are
forb idden .
~
A highly explosive mix ture of gases can
form when charging batteries.
®
Keep c hildren away from battery acid and
ba tteries .
A WARNING
All work on the battery or electrical system in
your vehicle can result in injuries, chemical
burns, accidents or burns. Because of this, all
work must be performed
onl y by an author­
i z ed Aud i dealer or authorized Audi Serv ice
Facility.
A WARNING
California Proposit ion 65 Warning :
- Battery posts, termina ls and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chem icals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems .
Wash hands after handling .
(D Note
Protect the vehicle battery against freezing if
the vehicle wilt be parked for long periods of
time so that it is not destroyed by "freezing"
9 page 164, Charging the vehicle battery .
Charging the vehicle battery
Fig . 14 2 Eng ine co mpartment: con nect ors fo r a c har ger
and jump start cab les
164
Observe the safety precautions 9 pag e 155,
Working in the eng ine compartm ent.
Requirement: only use chargers with a maximum
ch arg ing curr ent of 30 amps /14 .8 V olt s.
The ve­
hicle battery cables remain connected .
The battery is located in the engine compart­
ment . T he ground po int
0 i s always located on
the veh icle body .
.,. Read the wa rnings
9 .&. in General warnings
about batteries on page 164
and 9 ,&. .
.,. Switch off the ig nitio n and all electrica l equ ip-
men t.
.,. Open the hood
9 page 157 .
.,. Fold th e battery cover upward 9 fig. 142.
.,. Clamp the terminal clamps on the charger cor­
rectly onto the ground point
O and the pos it ive
termin al(v .
.,. Now insert the power cable for the charging de ­
vice into the socket and switch the device on .
.,. At the end of the charging p rocess, switch the
charger off and pull the power cable ou t of the
socket.
.,. Now remove the charging device term inal
clamps.
.,. Close the batt ery cov er.
.,. Close the hood
¢ page 15 7.
A WARNING
- A high ly explosive mixture of gases can form
when charg ing batteries . Only charge the
veh icle battery in we ll-ventilated 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 anymo re . T he battery
housing can crack and batte ry a cid can leak
out if ice forms, which increases the risk of
an explosion and chemical burns. Contact an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for more information.
- Do not connect or disconnect the charging
cable wh ile charging because this increases
the risk of an explosion .

Wheels
Wheels
Wheels and Tires
General information
1>-(heck 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.
1>-Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
1>-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.
1>-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-
166
tions. Dr ive carefully and re ­
duce your speed on icy or slip­
pery roads. Even winter tires
can lose traction on black ice .
(D Note
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical
in those seasons. Audi 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
tions. The surface of the rims
does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or similar
substances.

Wheels
maximum permissible road
speeds . See also ¢&.
in General
information on page 166 .
Tire pressure monitoring
system *
means a system that detects
when one or more of a vehicle's
tires are underinflated and illumi­ nates a low tire pressure warning
telltale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread
from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators {TWI)
means the projections within the principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees
of wear of the tread. See
¢ page 175, Treadwear indicator
for more information on measur­
ing tire wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system devel ­
oped by the United S tates Nat ion­
a l Highway Traffic Safety Admin­
istration (NHTSA) that is designed
to help buyers make relative com-
1 72
parisons among tires . The UTQG
is not a safety rat ing and not a
guarantee that a tire will last for
a prescribed number of miles (kilome ters) or perform in a cer­
tain way. It simply gives tire buy­
ers add it iona l information to
combine with other considera ­
tions, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recommendations. U n­
der UTQG , tires are graded by the
tire manufacturers in three areas:
treadwear, tract ion, and tempera ­
t ure res istance. The UTQG infor­
mation on the tires , molded into
the sidewalls .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number {TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number".
It beg ins with the letters "DO T"
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards . The next
two numbers or letters indicate
the plant where it was manufac ­
tured, and the last fo ur numbers
represent the week and year of
manufacture. Fo r example,
DOT ... 2217 ...
means that the ti re was produced
in the 22nd week of 2017. The
other numbers are ma rketing co­
des that may or may not be used .,..