2018 AUDI Q3 service

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Service and disposal of safety belt preten­
sioner
The safety belt pretens ioners are parts of the
safety be lts on your Audi. Installing, removing,
servicing or repairing of belt pretensioners can
damage the safety belt system and prevent it
from working correctly in a collision .
There are some important things you have to know to make sure that the effectiveness of the
system w ill not be impaired and that discarded
components do not cause injury or pollute the
environment.
A WARNING
-
Improper care, serv icing and repa ir proce­
dures can increase the r isk of personal injury
and death by preven ting a safety be lt preten­
sioner from activating when needed or acti­
vating it unexpectedly:
- T he be lt pretensione r system can be act ivat­
ed only once.
If belt pretensioners have
been ac tiva ted, the system must be re ­
placed.
- Never repair, adjust, or ch ange any parts of
the safety be lt system .
- Safety belt systems in cl ud ing safety belt
pretens ioners cannot be repaired. Specia l
procedures are req uired for removal, insta l­
lation and disposa l of this system.
- For any work on the safety bel t system, we
strongly recommend that you see your au­
thorized Aud i dea ler or qualified technician
who has an A udi approved repair manual,
train ing and spec ial equ ipment necessary.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undep loyed airbag modu les and pretension­
ers might be classified as Perch lorate Materi­
al -spec ia l handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo­ rate. When the veh icle or parts of the re­
straint system including air bag modules safe­
ty belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all
app licabl e laws and regula tions must be ob­
served. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar
w it h these req uirements and we recommend
S afet y be lts
that you have your dealer perform this service
for you .
113

Airbag system
service action is entered in your Audi War­
ranty
& Maintenance book let under AIRBAG
REPLACEMENT RECORD.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretension­
ers might be classified as Perchlorate Materi­
al -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo­
rate. When the vehicle or parts of the re­
straint system including airbag modules safe­
ty belts with pretens ioners are scrapped, al l
applicable laws and regulat ions must be ob­
served. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar
with these requ irements and we recommend
that you have your dealer perform this service
for you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag System
performs in a crash. For examp le, using t ire-rim
combinations not approved by Audi, lower ing the
veh icle, changing the stiffness of the suspens ion,
including the springs , suspension struts, shock
absorbers etc . can change the forces that are
measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the
electronic control unit. Some suspension changes
can, for example, increase the force levels meas­
ured by the sensors and make the airbag system
deploy in crashes in which it would not deploy if
the changes had not been made . Other kinds of
changes may reduce the force levels measured by
the sensors and prevent the airbag from deploy­
ing when it should .
A WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including
use of unapproved tire-rim combinations can
change Advanced Airbag performance and in ­
crease the risk of serious personal in jury in a
crash.
- Never install suspension components that
do not have the same performance charac­
teristics as the components originally instal­
led on your veh icle .
128
.
-Never use tire-rim combinations that have
not been approved by Aud i.
A WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle
and the center conso le can cause the sensors
in the buckle to send the wrong information
to the electronic control module and prevent
the Advanced A irbag System from wo rking
p roperly.
-Always make sure that nothing can interfere
w ith the safety belt buckles and that they
are not obstructed.
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 116 Sid e a irbag locatio n in the dr ive r's seat
The side airbags are located in the s ides of the
front seat backrests
~ fig . 116 facing the doors .
They are identified by the word "AIRBAG ".
The side airbag system basically consists of:
-the electronic control module and external side
impact sensors
- the two airbags located in the sides of the front
backrests
- the airbag warning light in the instrument clus-
ter.
The airbag system is mon itored electron ically to
make certain that it is functioni ng properly at a ll
times. Each time you turn on the ignition, the air ­
bag system indicator light will come on for a few
seconds (self diagnostics). .,,_

Check ing and F illing
Checking and Filling
Fuel
Gasoline grade
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith gaso li ne 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 w ith
unleaded ga soli ne.
Aud i recommends using TOP TIER Detergent Gas­
oline. Additional information on TOP TIER Deter­
gent Gaso line can be found on the offic ial web­
site (www .toptiergas.com) .
The individua l gasoline grades are differentiated
by
octane ratings . This value is given with (R +M)/
2 equating to AK I or in RON.
The fo llow ing headings match the co rrespon ding
sticker in the fue l fi ller door .
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY MIN . (R+M) /2 87
Regular/ MIN. RON
91 Regular
Use regu lar gaso line with minim um 87 AKI/
9 1 RON ~@ .
The max imum engine power is only reached if
p rem ium gasol ine
91 A KI/ 95 RO N is used.
0 Note
- Fi lli ng the tank just one t ime with leaded
fuel or o ther meta llic additives will cause
p ermanent de ter iorat io n to the catalyt ic
conve rter func tion.
- Whe n gasoline with an octane rati ng that is
too low is used, high speeds o r heavy engi ne
l oad can lead to engine damage .
(D Tips
The vehicle may be fi lled wi th fu el tha t h as a
higher octane ra ting than wh at is required by
t he engine .
152 ·
Blended gasoline
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or MTBE
(methyl tertiary butyl ether)
Yo u may use unleaded gasoline b lended wi th al­
cohol o r MTBE (commonly referred to as oxygen ­
ates) if the blended mixt ure meets the fo llowing
criteria :
Blend of ga soline methanol (wood alcohol or
meth yl alcohol)
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AK I or h igher.
- Blend must contain no more than 3% metha-
nol.
- Blend must contain more tha n 2% co -solvents.
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol or
ethyl alcohol )
-Anti -knock index must be 87 AK I or higher .
- Blend must not co ntai n mo re t han
15% etha-
nol.
Blend of ga soline and MTBE
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must contain not more than 15% MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades a re blended to pe rform es­
pec ially well for w in ter o r su mme r dr iv ing . D ur ­
i ng seasonal change-ove r, we s ugges t th at yo u
fill up at busy gas stat ions where the seasona l
adjustment is more likely to be made in time.
(D Note
- Meth ano l fuels which do not meet these re­
q uirements may cause corrosion and dam ­
age to plastic and rubber com ponents in the
fuel system.
- Do not use fue ls that fa il to meet the speci­
fied cr iteria in th is chapter .
-If you are una ble to dete rm ine whether or
not a part icu lar f uel blend meets the speci ­
fications, ask yo ur service station or its fue l
supplier.
- Do not use fue l for which the contents can­
not be ident ified .

Checking and Filling
-Never open the cap on the coolant expan­
sion tank when the engine is warm. The
cooling system is under pressure.
- To protect your face, hands, and arms from
hot steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
large cloth when opening.
- Do not remove the engine cover under any circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be performed with the en­
gine running, there is additional danger due
to moving components (such as the ribbed belt, alternator and radiator fan) and from
the high-voltage ignition system.
- Do not under any circumstances give gas in­
advertently (for example, by hand from the
engine compartment) if the vehicle is sta­
tionary but the engine is running and a gear
is engaged. Otherwise, the vehicle will start
to move immediately and this could result
in an accident.
- Pay attention to the following warnings list­
ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
- Do not smoke .
- Never work near open flames.
- Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby.
- All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi­
cal burns, accidents or burns. Because of
this, all work must be performed
only by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
- To reduce the risk of electric shock and in­
jury, never touch the following components when the engine is running or is being start­
ed:
- Ignition cable
- Other components in the electronic high-
voltage ignition system
- If you must check or perform work on the
engine while it is running:
- Set the parking brake and place the selec­
tor lever in the P (park) position first .
- Always proceed with extreme caution so
that clothing, jewelry or long hair do not
156
become caught in the radiator fan, fan
belt or other moving components or do
not come into contact with hot compo­
nents. Tie back long hair before beginning
work and do not wear clothing that can
hang down into the engine .
- Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi­ cals to as short a time as possible
¢ &, .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engi ne exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm . In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm .
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Wash hands after handling.
@ Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to mix the flu­
ids up. Otherwise severe malfunctions and en­
gine damage will occur .
@ For the sake of the environment
You should regularly check the ground under
your vehicle in order to detect leaks quickly. If there are visible spots from oil or other fluids,
bring your vehicle to an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility to be
checked.

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-
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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

Check ing and F illing
Cooling system
Coolant
The engine coo ling system is filled with a mixture
of pur ified wate r and coolan t addit ive at the fa c­
t ory . T his coo la nt must not be not changed .
The coolant leve l is monito red throug h the . in­
d icator light
¢ page 12. Howeve r, we do recom­
mend occasionally chec king the coo la nt level
manually.
If you must add coolant, use a m ixt ure of wa ter
a nd coo lant add it ive. Mixing the coolant additive
with d istilled water is recommended.
Coolant additive
The coolant additive is made of ant i-freezing and
corros ion protection agents. Only use the fo llow­
ing coolant add it ives. These addit ives may be
m ixed w it h each other.
Coolant additive Specification
G13
TL 774 J
G12++ TL 774 G
The amount of coo lant add itive that needs to be
mixed wit h water depends on the climate where
the vehicle will be operated . If the coolant addi ­
tive percentage is too low, the coolant can free ze
and damage the engine.
Coolant Freeze protec-
additive tion
Warm min . 40% m in. -13 °F
reg ions max . 45% (
- 25 °C)
Co ld min. 50% max. -40 °F
reg ions max. 55% (-40 °C)
CJ) Note
- Befo re the start of winter, have an author­
i zed Audi dealer or authorized A udi Service
Fac ility check if the coolant additive in yo ur
vehicle matc hes the percentage approp riate
for the climate . Th is is especially important
whe n driving in co lde r clima tes.
- If the approp riate coolant additive is not
available in an emergency, do no t add any
other addi tive . You cou ld damage the en-
162
gine . If this h appens, on ly use wa ter and re ­
store the correct m ixt ure ratio with t he
specified coo lant ad ditive as soon as poss i­
ble.
- Only refill w ith new coolant .
- Radiator sealant mus t not be mixed wi th
the coolant .
Adding coolant
Fig. 140 En gine co mpar tm ent: coo la nt expans io n ta nk
cove r
Observe the safety precautions¢ page 155,
Working in the engine compartment .
Checking the eng ine c oolant level
.,. Park the vehicle on a level surface .
.,. Sw itch the ignit ion off.
-"' -"' •
"" co a,
.,. Read the coolant level on the coolant expansion
tank ¢
page 158 , fig. 137. T he coolant leve l
must be betwee n the markings when the en­
gi ne i n cold . When t he e ng ine is warm it can be
slightly above the uppe r mar king .
Adding coolant
Requirement: there must be a residual amount of
coolant in the expansion ta nk
¢ (D .
.,. Let the engine coo l down.
.,. Place a clot h over the coolant expansion tan k
cap and unscrew the cap counterclockw ise
¢ .&._ .
.,. Add coo lant m ixed in the cor rect rat io
c;, page 162 up to t he up per ma rk ing .
.,. Make sure that the fluid level remains stab le.
Add mo re coolan t if necess ary.
.,. Close the cap sec urely .
Coo lant loss usually ind icates there is a lea k. Im-
med iate ly dr ive you r ve hicl e to a n author ized .,.

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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
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