2020 AUDI A3 warning light

Care and cleaning

Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi-
cle's value. It can also be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The required cleaning and care products can be
obtained from an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Service Facility. Read and follow the in-
structions for use on the packaging.

ZA WARNING
— Using cleaning and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
— Always store cleaning and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the risk of poi-

soning.

@ For the sake of the environment
— Purchase environmentally-friendly cleaning
products if possible.
— Do not dispose of cleaning and care prod-
ucts with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the ve-
hicle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect.
Before washing, rinse off heavy deposits with
plenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once
road salt stops being used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your vehicle with a pressure wash-
er, always follow the operating instructions pro-
vided with the pressure washer. This is especially
important in regard to the pressure and spraying
distance. Do not aim the spray directly at seals on
342
side windows, doors, the hood, the luggage com-
partment lid, or the panoramic glass roof* or at
tires, rubber hoses, insulating material, the pow-
er top*, sensors*, or camera lenses*. Keep a dis-
tance of at least 16 in (40 cm).
Plug-in hybrid drive: do not direct the stream of
water towards the wall mount clip*.
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use cone nozzles or high pressure nozzles.
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °C).
Automatic car wash
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows, the panoramic glass
roof*, and the power top” are closed and the
windshield wipers are off. Follow instructions
from the car wash operator, especially if there are
accessories attached to your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes.
Washing by hand
Clean the vehicle starting from the top and work-
ing downward using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush. Use solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To reduce the risk of damaging the paint when
washing, first remove dust and large particles
from your vehicle. Insects, grease spots, and fin-
gerprints are best removed with a special cleaner
for matte finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To re-
duce the risk of damaging the paint surface, do
not use too much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft micro-
fiber cloth.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a chamois. >

8V2012721BK
Care and cleaning


ZA\ WARNING
—To reduce the risk of accidents, only wash
the vehicle when the ignition is off and fol-
low the instructions from the car wash oper-
ator.
—To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash-
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings.
— After washing the vehicle, the braking effect
may be delayed due to moisture on the
brake rotors or ice in the winter. This in-
creases the risk of an accident. The brakes
must be dried with a few careful brake appli-
cations.

() Note
— If you wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash, you must fold the exterior mirrors in
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
Power folding exterior mirrors* must only
be folded in and out using the power folding
function.
—To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not wash
decorative decals* with a pressure washer.
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not wash
the power top* with a pressure washer.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the surface,
do not use insect removing sponges, kitchen
sponges, or similar items.
— When washing matte finish painted vehicle
components:
— To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polishing agents or hard
wax.
— Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect.
— Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle components painted with
matte finish paint. The paint could be
damaged when the stickers or magnets
are removed.
(@) For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle in facilities specially de-
signed for that purpose. This will reduce the
risk of dirty water contaminated with oil from
entering the sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individual vehicle
components, refer to the following tables. The
information contained there is simply recommen-
dations. For questions or for components that
Exterior cleaning
are not listed, consult an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility. Also follow
the information found in > A.





Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper | Deposits Soft cloth with glass cleaner > page 50
blades
Headlights/ Deposits Soft sponge with a mild soap solution®
Tail lights
Sensors/ Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with solvent-free cleaning solution
Camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with alcohol-free cleaning solu-
tion
Snow/ice Hand brush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution >

343

8V2012721BK
Care and cleaning


Component Situation Solution

Plastic parts Deposits Damp cloth

Heavier deposits Mild soap solution 2), detergent-free plastic cleaning solu-
tion, if necessary


Water-based deposits
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
Displays/instru- | Deposits Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
ment cluster
Controls Deposits Soft brush, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solution®)
Safety belts Deposits Mild soap solution ®), allow to dry before letting them re-
tract
Textiles Deposits adhering to | Vacuum cleaner
artificial leather, |the surface
Alcantara Absorbent cloth and mild soap solution®

Oil-based deposits
such as oil, make-up,
etc.
Apply a mild soap solution ®), blot away the dissolved oil or
dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary

Certain types of de-
posits such as ink,
nail polish, latex
paint, shoe polish,
etc.
Special stain remover, blot with absorbent material, treat
afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary ®

Natural leather Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mild soap solution®

Water-based deposits
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
Dried stains: stain remover suitable for leather

Oil-based deposits
such as oil, make-up,
etc.
Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
for leather
Dried stains: grease dissolving spray

Certain types of de-
posits such as ink,
nail polish, latex
paint, shoe polish,
etc.
Spot remover suitable for leather


nents

Care Regularly apply conditioning cream that protects from
light and penetrates into the material. Use special colored
conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon compo- Deposits Clean the same way as plastic components

a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quart (1 liter) of water

ZA WARNING

The windshield must not be treated with wa-
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un-
favorable conditions such as wetness, dark-
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare.
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.


345

Care and cleaning


ZA WARNING
— Never immerse the Audi e-tron charging sys-
tem and connectors in water.
— The Audi e-tron charging system must only
be cleaned when the control unit is com-
pletely disconnected from the power supply
and from the vehicle.

@) Note
— Headlights and tail lights
— Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
— Do not use any cleaning products that con-
tain alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
— Wheels
— Never use any paint polish or other abra-
sive materials.
— Damage to the protective layer on the
rims, such as stone chips or scratches,
must be repaired immediately.
— Camera lenses
— Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens. This
could cause the lens to crack.
— Never use abrasive cleaning materials or
alcohol to clean the camera lens. This
could cause scratches and cracks.
— Power top
— Remove bird droppings immediately.
— Never use gasoline, spot remover, ben-
zene, paint thinner or other solvents to re-
move.
— Door windows
— Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plastic scraper. To re-
duce the risk of scratches, move the scra-
per only in one direction and not back and
forth.
— Never remove snow or ice from door win-
dows and mirrors using warm or hot water
because this could cause cracks to form.
—To reduce the risk of damage to the rear
window defogger, do not apply any stick-
ers on the heating wires on the inside of
the window.
346
— Decorative parts and trim
— Never use chrome care or cleaning prod-
ucts.
— Paint
— To reduce the risk of scratches, the vehicle
must be free of dirt and dust before pol-
ishing or waxing.
—To prevent paint damage, do not polish or
wax the vehicle in direct sunlight.
—To reduce the risk of paint damage, do not
polish away rust spots.
— Remove cosmetics and sunscreen immedi-
ately because they could damage the
paint.
— Decorative decals
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not use
any rough powder or abrasive cleaning
products.
—To reduce the risk of damage, do not pol-
ish decorative decals that have a matte or
printed finish.
— Due to the risk of damage, do not use an
ice scraper to remove snow and ice on win-
dows with decorative decals on them.
— Displays and instrument cluster
— The displays/instrument cluster and the
trim surrounding them must not be
cleaned with dry cleaning methods be-
cause they could be scratched.
— Make sure that the instrument cluster is
switched off and has cooled off before
cleaning it.
— Make sure no fluids enter the spaces be-
tween the instrument cluster and the
trim, because that could cause damage.
— Controls
— Make sure that no fluids enter the con-
trols, because this could cause damage.
— Safety belts
— Do not remove the safety belts to clean
them.
— Never clean safety belts or their compo-
nents with chemicals or with corrosive flu-
ids or solvents and never allow sharp ob-
jects to come into contact with the safety
belts. This could cause damage to the belt
webbing.

Emergency assistance

Replacing wheels
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own
and your passenger's safety when changing a
wheel.
>» After you experience a tire failure, pull the car
well away from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before you stop > A\.
> All passengers should leave the car and move
toa safe location (for instance, behind the
guardrail) > A\.
> Engage the parking brake to prevent your vehi-
cle from rolling unintentionally > A\.
> Move selector lever to position P > /\.
> If you are towing a trailer, unhitch the trailer
from your vehicle.
> Take the jack* > page 348 and the spare tire*
=> page 357 out of the luggage compartment.

ZA\ WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while
changing a wheel if you do not follow these
safety precautions:
— If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance
off the road. Turn off the engine, turn the
emergency flashers on and use other warn-
ing devices to alert other motorists.
— Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
—To help prevent the vehicle from moving
suddenly and possibly slipping off the jack*,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the front and back of the wheel diagonally
opposite the wheel being changed. When
one front wheel is lifted off the ground,
placing the Automatic Transmission in P
(Park) will not prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing.
— Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm. If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack”.
— Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack*
and the replaced tire in the luggage com-
partment > page 60.

352
G) Tips
Obey all laws.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly that
order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For
more details see also > page 353, Decorative
wheel covers or > page 353, Wheels with
wheel bolt caps.
2. Loosen the wheel bolts > page 353.
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack* and align the jack* below that point
=> page 354.
4. Raise the car with the jack* > page 354.
Remove the wheel with the flat tire and then
install the spare > page 355.
6. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
Lower the vehicle with the jack*.
8. Use the wheel bolt wrench and firmly tighten
all wheel bolts > page 353.
9. Replace the decorative wheel cover*.
wn
=

ZA WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and in-
formation > A\ in Raising the vehicle on
page 355 and > page 356.
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the do-
ing the following.


> Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack* and
the replaced tire in the luggage compartment
=> page 60.
> Check the tire pressure on the spare wheel im-
mediately after mounting it.
> As soon as possible, have the tightening tor-
ques on all wheel bolts checked with a torque
wrench. The correct tightening torque is
90 ft lb (120 Nm).
> Have the flat tire replaced as soon as possible.

Fuses and bulbs

Fuses and bulbs
Fuses
(ener aye mates

Fuse color identification








Fig. 280 Left side of the engine compartment: fuse cover
A fuse that has blown will have metal strips that
have burned through.
The fuses are located behind a cover in the steer-
ing column area > fig. 279 or under a cover on
the left side of the engine compartment
> fig. 280.
> Switch the ignition and all electrical equipment
off.
> Check the following table to see which fuse be-
longs to the equipment > page 361.
> Remove the cover.
> Remove the plastic clip from the fuse panel
cover in the engine compartment > fig. 280.
> Remove the fuse using the plastic clamp.
> Replace the blown fuse with a fuse that has the
same amp rating.
>» Reinsert the cover.
360

Color Current rating
in amps
Black a
Purple 3
Light brown 5
Brown 15
Red 10
Blue 15
Yellow 20
White or transparent [25
Green 30
Orange 40
5| | A\ WARNING
Do not repair fuses and never replace a blown
fuse with one that has a higher amp rating.
This can cause damage to the electrical sys-

tem and increases the risk of fire.

(!) Note
If a new fuse burns out again shortly after you
have installed it, have the electrical system
checked as soon as possible by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty.
@ Tips
— The following table does not list fuse loca-
tions that are not used.
— Some of the equipment listed in the follow-
ing tables applies only to certain model ver-
sions or certain optional equipment.

8V2012721BK
Fuses and bulbs

long term damage from water that can enter
housings that have not been properly resealed.
For your safety, we recommend that you have
your authorized Audi dealer replace any bulbs for
you, since your dealer has the proper tools, the
correct bulbs and the expertise.
Gas discharge lamps (Xenon lights)
Due to the high electrical voltage, have the bulbs
replaced by a qualified technician. Headlights
with Xenon light are identified by the high volt-
age sticker.
LED headlights*
LED headlights require no maintenance. Please
contact your authorized Audi dealer if a bulb
needs to be replaced.

ZA\ WARNING
Changing Xenon lamps without the necessary
equipment can cause serious personal injury.
— Bulbs are pressurized and can explode when
being changed. Potential risk of injury!
— On vehicles equipped with gas discharge
bulbs (Xenon light) life-threatening injuries
can result from improper handling of the
high-voltage portions of such lamps!
— Only your authorized Audi dealer or quali-
fied workshop should change the bulbs in
gas discharge lamps. There are parts with
sharp edges on the openings and on the
bulb holders that can cause serious cuts. If
you are uncertain about what to do, have the
work performed by an authorized Audi deal-
er or qualified workshop. Serious personal
injury may result from improperly per-
formed work.

@ Tips
—If you still prefer to replace the light bulbs
yourself, be aware that the engine compart-
ment is a hazardous area to work in > A\ in
General information on page 304.
—Itis best to ask your authorized Audi dealer
whenever you want to change a bulb.
363

Emergency situations

8. Clamp the other end of the black jump start
cable only to the ground point @) on your ve-
hicle >@.
9. Route the jump start cables so they cannot
get caught in the moving parts in the engine
compartment.
Starting the engine
10. First start the engine in the vehicle giving the
charge and let it run at idle.
11. Now start the engine in the vehicle with the
drained vehicle battery and wait two to three
minutes until it “runs smoothly”.
12.
procedure after 10 seconds and then repeat
it after approximately 30 seconds.
13. In the vehicle that is being jump started,
switch the heater fan and rear window de-
froster on to reduce any voltage peaks that
may occur when disconnecting the jumper ca-
bles. The headlights must be switched off.
While the engines are running, remove the
cables in reverse order from the way they
were installed, as described in > page 365.
Make sure the cables do not get caught in
moving engine components.
Fold the cover back on the battery correctly.
Switch the heater fan and rear window de-
froster off.
14.
15. 16.
If the engine does not start, stop the starting

ZX WARNING
— Do not touch the non-insulated parts of the
terminal clamps. The cable must also not
come into contact with vehicle components
that conduct electricity when it is connected
to the positive terminal. This can cause a
short circuit.
— The plugs on the battery cells must not be
opened.
— Keep ignition sources (such as open flames,
burning cigarettes, etc.) away from the vehi-
cle batteries to reduce the risk of an explo-
sion.
— Route the jump start cables so they cannot
get caught in the moving parts in the other
vehicle's engine compartment.

366
C@) Note
Do not use the negative terminal on the vehi-
cle battery for jump starting. A malfunction
could occur in the vehicle electrical system.
— Please note that the connecting process de-
scribed below for the jump start cables is in-
tended for when your vehicle is being jump
started.
G) Tips
Make sure that the connected positive termi-
nal clamps have sufficient contact with metal.
RS models: jump starting
Applies to: vehicles with conventional drive system
Both jump start cables must be connected in th
correct order.
Fig. 285 Engine compartment: connectors for a charger
and jump start cables
Fig. 286 Connecting the jump start cables
ie
2 a rte}
S| 3 & co

Jump start points are located on the left side of
the engine compartment instead of the vehicle
battery > fig. 285. Open the cap on the positive
terminal. The procedure for connecting jump
start cables that is described next is designed to
help jump start your vehicle.

>