2020 AUDI A3 Owner´s Manual

8V2012721BK
Checking and Filling

The fuel tank is almost empty. You must antici-
pate a significant power loss. Drive immediately
to a gas station.
Ey Beet Warning! Limited performance
The gasoline engine is no longer available be-
cause there is not enough fuel. Drive immediately
to agas station.
Fuel filler door emergency release
Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive
You must use the emergency release to open the
fuel filler door when there is a malfunction
=> page 301.
The tank is not vented. You can only fill a small
amount of fuel in the tank.
> Fill only until the automatic fuel pump nozzle
turns off for the first time when it is operated
correctly.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
@ Tips.
Pressure can escape if you open the tank cap
after using the emergency release. This can
create noises.
Emissions control
system
(ee eileen)
ZX WARNING
The temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driving and after stopping
the engine.
— Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This could result in burns.

— Do not park your vehicle over flammable
materials such as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the emissions sys-
tem could start a fire.

— Do not apply underbody protectant in the
exhaust system area, because this increases
the risk of fire.
(el e-] Nad (mcl akg
Follow the safety precautions > page 303, Gener-
al information.


The vehicle may only be driven with unleaded
gasoline, or the catalytic converter will be de-
stroyed.
Never drive until the tank is completely empty.
The irregular supply of fuel that results from that
can cause engine misfires. Uncombusted fuel
could enter the exhaust system, which could
cause overheating and damage to the catalytic
converter.
On Board Diagnostic System (OBD)
The On Board Diagnostic System monitors the
engine and transmission components that influ-
ence emissions.


Fig. 245 Footwell on left side of the vehicle: connection
port for the On Board Diagnostic System (OBD)
On Board Diagnostic System
Engine data can be read out at the On Board Di-
agnostic System connection port using a special
testing device > fig. 245.
Indicator light
If the S indicator light blinks or turns on, there
is a malfunction that is causing poor emissions
quality and that could damage the catalytic con-
verter. Drive slowly to an authorized Audi dealer >
303

Checking and Filling

or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction corrected.
The indicator light can also turn on if the fuel fill-
er cap is not closed correctly > page 2991).

ZA\ WARNING
Incorrect use of the connection port for the
On Board Diagnostic System can cause mal-
functions, which can then result in accidents
and serious injuries.
— Only allow an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility to read out the
engine data.

Engine compartment
(ee eel)
Special care is required if you are working in the
engine compartment
For work in the engine compartment, such as
checking and filling fluids, there is a risk of in-
jury, scalding, accidents, and burns. For this
reason, follow all the warnings and general
safety precautions provided in the following in-
formation. The engine compartment is a dan-
gerous area. > /\.

Z\ WARNING
— Turn the engine off.
— Switch the ignition off.
— Set the parking brake.
— Select the “P” (Park) selector lever position.
— Allow the engine to cool.
— Keep children away from the engine com-
partment.
— Never spill fluids on a hot engine. These flu-
ids (such as the anti-freezing agent con-
tained in the coolant) can ignite.
— Avoid short circuits in the electrical system.
— Never reach into the radiator fan. The fan is
temperature-controlled and can turn on
suddenly, even when the ignition is switched
off.


1) Depending on the engine and country
304


— Never open the hood when there is steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart-
ment, because there is a risk that you could
be burned. Wait until no steam or coolant is
escaping.
Plug-in hybrid drive: the coolant expansion
tank cap is equipped with a seal that must
never be removed under any circumstances
=> page 312, fig. 251. If the coolant expan-
sion tank for the high-voltage system is not
sealed, please contact an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
Plug-in hybrid drive: the sealed cap must on-
ly be opened by an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility.
The cap on the coolant expansion tank must
never be opened as long as the coolant is
hot. The cooling system is under pressure.
There is a risk of burns
To protect your face, hands, and arms from
hot steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
thick cloth when opening.
Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns.
Due to the risk of electric shock, never touch
the ignition cable or other components in
the electronic high-voltage ignition system
when the engine is running or is starting.
If a gear is engaged while the vehicle is sta-
tionary and the engine is running, do not
press the accelerator pedal inadvertently.
Pressing the accelerator pedal will cause the
vehicle to move, and this could result in an
accident.
If inspections or repairs must be performed
while the engine is running, moving compo-
nents (such as the ribbed belt, generator,
and radiator fan) pose an additional risk.
— Set the parking brake first and select the
“p” (Park) selector lever position.
— Always make sure that no parts of the
body, jewelry, ties, loose clothing, and
long hair can be caught in moving engine

8V2012721BK
Checking and Filling


components. Before any work, always re-
move any jewelry and/or ties, tie back long
hair, and make sure all clothing fits close
to the body to reduce the risk of anything
becoming caught in engine components.
— 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.
— Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi-
cals to as short a time as possible.


ZA WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
— Engine 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 add any flu-
ids to the wrong reservoirs. Otherwise severe
malfunctions and engine 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.
Opening and closing the hood
The hood is released from inside the vehicle.

j | ON }
li KW
Fig. 246 Section from the driver's side footwell: release
lever

2
SI = & a

Read and follow all WARNINGS before checking
anything
in the engine compartment
=> page 304, General information.
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up from
the windshield. Otherwise the paint could be
damaged.
Opening the hood
Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive:
Switch the ignition off before releasing the hood
so that the gasoline engine does not start auto-
matically.
305
>

Checking and Filling

> With the door open, pull the lever > below
the instrument panel in the direction of the ar-
row > fig. 246.
> Raise the hood slightly > A\.
> Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
> fig. 247. This releases the catch.
> Open the hood.
Closing the hood
> Push the hood down until you override the
force of the strut.
> Let the hood fall lightly into the latch. Do not
press it in. > /\.
Message
2 Warning! Hood is not locked. Stop vehicle
and check the lock
The hood latch is not locked correctly. Stop im-
mediately and close the hood.


AN WARNING
— Never open the hood when there is steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart-
ment, because there is a risk that you could
be burned. Wait until no steam or coolant is
escaping.
— For safety reasons, the hood must always be
latched securely while driving. Because of
this, always check the hood after closing it
to make sure it is latched correctly. The hood
is latched if the front corners cannot be lift-
ed.
— If you notice that the hood is not latched
while you are driving, stop immediately and
close it, because driving when the hood is
not latched increases the risk of an accident.
— If the hood is not latched completely, it
could fly up while you are driving and ob-
struct your vision.


D) The &> symbol on the lever was still being designed at
the time this manual was printed.
306

8V2012721BK
Checking and Filling

Engine compartment overvie

The most important check points.
~ R
S| 8
> 2) ao

Fig. 248 Typical location of the reservoir, engine oil dipstick, and engine oil filler opening
Follow the safety precautions > page 304.
Coolant expansion tank (£) > page 312
Engine oil dipstick > page 308

) Engine oil filler opening (27) > page 308

(4) Sticker* for engine oil specification
=> page 307
Brake fluid reservoir (CO) > page 313

Jump start point (+) under a cover
=> page 316, > page 364
@) Applies to: vehicles with the vehicle battery
in the engine compartment: Vehicle bat-
tery (+) under the battery cover > page 316,
=> page 364
(8) Body ground point (-) > page 316,
=> page 364
Washer fluid reservoir (>) > page 317
Fuse housing > page 360

) Applies to: vehicles with jump start point (+):
The engine oil dipstick, the engine oil filling
opening, and washer fluid reservoir may be locat-
ed in different places within the engine compart-
ment, depending on the engine version.
(i) Tips
Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive:
Note the information for the coolant expan-
sion tank in > page 312 and for the vehicle
battery (+) in > page 365.
Engine oil
If you need to add engine oil, use an oil that is
listed on the sticker. The sticker is located at the
front
of the engine compartment > page 307,
fig. 248.
If the recommended engine oil is not available, in
an emergency you may add a maximum of 1
307
>

Checking and Filling

quart (1 liter) of ACEA C3 or API SN engine oil
one time until the next oil change.
For more information on the correct engine oil
for your vehicle, contact an authorized Audi deal-
er or authorized Audi Service Facility. Have the oil
changed by an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Service Facility.

Audi recommends
Sbastrol/ ZIDIBE Frorzssional
Audi recommends using the LongLife high-per-
formance engine oil from Audi Genuine Parts.
Engine oil pressure


2 Turn off engine! Oil pressure too low
Stop driving and switch the engine off. Check the
engine oil level > page 308.
— If the engine oil level is too low, add engine oil
=> page 309. Only continue driving once the in-
dicator light turns off.
— If the engine oil level is correct and the indica-
tor light still turns on, turn the engine off and
do not continue driving. See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as-
sistance.
Engine oil level
Applies to: vehicles with oil level warning
= Please check oil level
— You may continue driving for the time being.
Check the engine oil level as soon as possible
=> page 308, Checking the engine oil level.
— If the engine oil level is correct and the indica-
tor light still turns on, drive at low engine
speed to an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility.
Engine oil sensor
=. Oil level sensor: oil change necessary. Please
contact Service
Fuel has entered the engine oil. This will cause
the engine oil level to rise slowly and the engine
oil quality to decrease. Do not extract engine oil
to reduce the level, because this will increase the
308
risk of engine damage. Drive to an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility im-
mediately to have engine oil extracted.
& Oil level system: malfunction! Please con-
tact Service
The sensor that checks the engine oil level has
malfunctioned. Drive immediately to an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty to have the malfunction repaired.
& Oil pressure sensor: malfunction! Please
contact Service
The sensor that checks the engine oil pressure
has malfunctioned. Drive immediately to an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility to have the malfunction repaired.
Engine warm-up request*
i Please drive to warm up engine
Fuel has entered the engine oil, either due to low
outside temperatures or frequent short drives.
Drive until the engine is warm so that the fuel in
the engine oil will evaporate. Avoid high engine
speeds, full accelerating, and heavy engine loads
when doing this.
G) Tips
The oil pressure warning EE is not an oil level
indicator. Always check the oil level regularly.
Checking the engine oil level
The engine oil dipstick varies depending on the
engine type.

B8V-0588
&
Fig. 249 Oil dipstick: checking the engine oil level (exam-
ple)

8V2012721BK
Checking and Filling

Observe the safety precautions > A\ in General
information on page 304.
> Park the vehicle on a level surface.
> Shut the engine off when it is warm.
> Wait approximately two minutes.
> Open the hood > page 305.
> Remove the oil dipstick > page 307, fig. 248,
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 > table on page 309.
> Add engine oil if necessary > page 309.

Areas on the oil dipstick > fig. 249.

@| If the engine oil level is just before the
marking (@), then engine oil must be added.
See>O.


@|Do not add engine oil.

() Note
— The engine oil level must not be below the
marking ©, because this increases the risk
of engine damage.
— After adding engine oil, the oil level must
not be above the marking (2) > fig. 249, be-
cause this increases the risk of catalytic con-
verter and/or engine damage. If the oil level
is above the marking Q), drive to an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility immediately to have any engine oil
extracted. Avoid high engine speeds, full ac-
celeration, and heavy engine loads.
@ Tips
— The engine oil consumption may be up to
0.5 quart/600 miles (0.5 liter/1,000 km),
depending on driving style and operating
conditions. Consumption may be higher dur-
ing the first 3,000 miles (5,000 km). The
engine oil level must be checked regularly.
It is best to check each time you refuel your
vehicle and before long drives.
— Because of the lubrication and cooling of
the engine, combustion engines consume
oil. The oil consumption varies depending
on the engine and may change during the
service life of the engine. Engines generally
consume more oil at the beginning during
the break-in period. Then oil consumption
stabilizes after the break-in period.
— Under normal conditions, oil consumption
depends on the quality and viscosity of the
oil, the engine RPM, the climate conditions,
and the road conditions. The dilution of oil
from condensation or fuel residue as well as
the age of the oil also play a role. Because
engine wear increases with mileage, oil con-
sumption will increase again over time until
it may be necessary to replace worn compo-
nents.
— Because all these variables play a role, it is
not possible to define an oil consumption
standard. Therefore, the oil level must be
checked regularly.
— If you believe that your engine has in-
creased its oil consumption, contact an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility to determine the cause.
Please note that an exact oil consumption
measurement must be done with the neces-
sary care and accuracy and may take time.
An authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility is trained in accurately
measuring the oil consumption.
— You can find information on engine oil and
engine oil capacities for the USA at www.
audiusa.com/help/maintenance, or for Can-
ada at www.audi.ca/ca/web/en/
customer-area/care-and-maintenance/
audi-service-schedules.html, or call
800-822-2834.
Adding engine oil

B8K-2120


Fig. 250 Engine compartment: engine oil filler opening
cover
309

Checking and Filling

Observe the safety precautions > A\ in General
information on page 304.
> Turn the engine off.
> Open the hood = page 305.
> Unscrew the cap %~ for the engine oil filler
opening > fig. 250.
> Carefully add 0.5 quart (0.5 liter) of the correct
oil > page 307.
> Check the oil level again after two minutes
=> page 308, Checking the engine oil level.
> Add more oil if necessary.
> Close the engine oil filler cap and push the dip-
stick
all the way in.
> Close the hood > page 305.

Z\ WARNING
—When adding oil, do not let oil drip onto hot
engine components. This increases the risk
of a fire.
— You must seal the cap on the oil filler open-
ing correctly so that oil does not leak out on-
to the hot engine and exhaust system when
the engine is running, because this is a fire
hazard.
— Always clean skin thoroughly if it comes into
contact with engine oil.
—
Engine oil is poisonous and must be kept out
of reach of children.
— Store the engine oil securely in the original
container.

() Note
— The New Vehicle Limited Warranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions if the recom-
mended intended use of the vehicle and
maintenance measures listed in the Audi
Owner's Manual and the Warranty & Main-
tenance Booklet were not followed.
— Only use high-grade engine oil that explicit-
ly meets the Audi oil quality standard for
your vehicle. Using another oil may cause
severe vehicle damage.
— Do not mix any additives with the engine oil.
Additives may cause engine damage that is
not covered by your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
310
@) For the sake of the environment
— Oil should never enter the sewer system or
come into contact with the ground.
— Follow the legal regulations in the country
where you are located when disposing of
empty oil containers.
Changing engine oil
We recommend having the oil changed at an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
Follow the safety precautions > page 304, Gener-
al information.
The engine oil must be changed at the intervals
specified in the Warranty & Maintenance Book-
let. This is very important because the lubrication
function of the oil gradually declines during regu-
lar vehicle operation.
The engine oil should be changed more frequent-
ly under certain circumstances. Have the oil
changed more frequently if you often drive short
distances, your vehicle is predominantly in stop-
and-go traffic situations, is in very dusty environ-
ments, or is operated for long periods of time in
temperatures below zero.
Cleansing additives in the oil make fresh oil ap-
pear darker after the engine has run briefly. This
is normal and no reason to change the engine oil
more frequently than recommended.
Because correctly disposing of engine oil is diffi-
cult and special tools and technical knowledge
are needed for an oil change, having your engine
oil changed by an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility is recommended.
If you change the engine oil yourself, please note
the following important information:

ZA\ WARNING
If you change the engine oil on the vehicle
yourself, the following precautions must be
followed:
— Wear protective eyewear.
— Due to the risk of scalding, allow the engine
to cool down sufficiently.