coolant level AUDI A3 2011 Owner´s Manual

Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Engine cold
As long as the need le remains at the lef t en d of the gauge, the engine
s till has not reac hed its operati ng te mperature . Avoid hig h eng ine
speeds, heavy engine loads a nd heavy throttle.
Normal temperature
W hen the eng ine has reached its operating temperature, the need le
w ill move into the middle of the gauge and rema in there . If the
engine is working ha rd at high outsi de temperatures, the needle may
tur n further to the rig ht. Thi s is no cause fo r concern as long as the _F_
wa rning light in the i nstr ument cluster does not ill uminate.
Wh en the _;_ w ar ning light sta rts to fla sh, thi s can mea n one of two
things : either the coolant
temperature is too h igh, or t he coolant
level is too low => page 32.
& WARNING
• Always observe the warning in=> page 218, "Engine com part·
ment " before opening the engine hood and checking the engine
c oolant level.
• Never open the engine hood if you see or hear steam, or if you
see engine coolant dripping from the engine compartment. You
could burn yourself. Let the engine cool off first so that you cannot
hear or see any steam or engine coolant.
0 Note
• Moun ting addition al lights or accessorie s in fron t of the a ir inlets
red uces the cooling effect of the radiator. At high o utside tempera ­
tu res o r high eng ine lo ad, t he e ngine cou ld over heat .
• The front spoi ler has been designed to prope rly d istribute the
c oo ling a ir w hen the vehicle is moving. If the spoiler is d amaged, this
co uld reduce the coo ling effect and the eng ine could t hen overheat.
Ask your au thor ized A udi d ealer for assist ance .•
Fuel gauge
T he f uel gauge wo rks only whe n the ignition is on.
W hen the nee dle rea ches the red area, t he war ning ligh t in t he ins tru­
ment cl uster will illum inate=>
page 34 . This mea ns you have
app roximate ly 1.8 gallons (7 liters) of f uel left in t he tank.
Time to
refuel!
The tota l tan k capacity of your vehicle is listed in => page 296 , "Data".
0 Note
Never run the ta nk completely d ry ! An irregular s upply of f uel can
c a us e eng ine mi sfir ing and f uel could ente r into t he e xhaus t system.
T he catalyt ic converter could the n overheat a nd be damaged. •
Speedometer with odometer
The spee do meter sh o ws you the ve h icle s pee d, an d th e
o do met er sho ws yo u ho w many mile s (k il om eters) you
have d riv en .
Fig. 4 Spee dometer
close-up : odometer
di splay
The o dometer and tri p odometer are located inside the speedomete r.
• USA mo dels - Mile s
• Canad ian models -Kilometers

Driver info rmation d isplay
- Briefly press the button in the instrument cluster
=>
page 29, fig . 22. The odometer and the digital clock are
now i lluminated .
- Press the button for at least 2 seconds . The currently
stored maximum speed appears in the display.
- Press the reset button in the wiper lever@=>
page 29,
fig. 23 until the crossed out speed warning symbol for
warning th reshold 2 appears in the display.
A few seconds after the ad justment is completed, the illuminat io n for
the odometer and the digital clock will go out.
[ i J Tips
This warning thresho ld can also be contro lled through the trip
computer~
page 24, "Navigat ing the menu" .•
Warnings and symbols
Red symbols
A red symbol means DANGER
- P ull of the road and stop the vehicle .
- Turn off the engine.
- Check the malfunctioning syst em. Contact you r au tho-
rized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop for assistance.
BRAKE USA models : ~page32 Malfunction in the brake system

Canada models : ~page32
Malfunction in the brake system
_i_ Engine coolant level too low/ ~page32
-engine coolant temperat ure too
high
~ Engine oil pressure too low ~page33
When a red symbo l appears , a warn ing tone will sound three t imes in
succession. The symbo l continues to flash until the malfunction has
bee n repaired. If there is
more than one malfunction , the symbols
appear one after the other for about two seconds.
[ i J Tips
• The message for a malfunction can be shown by pressing on the
left knob.
• During route guidance on vehicles with a navigat ion system, the
wa rni ng symbo l is shown in the fie ld above. •
Yellow symbols
Ayellow symbol means WARNING.
Clutch pedal ~page33
- -
Low fuel level ~page34
Check eng ine oi l level ~ page34

Driver information display
Brake system malfunction
BRAKE (USA models)/ {©) (Canada models)
The indicator light flashes if the brake fluid level is too
low , if there is a malfunction in the ABS system or when
the parking brake is engaged.
If the BRAKE /((D) symbol flas hes in the display wit h the
parking brake released, there is a malfunction in the brake
system. In addition to the symbol, o ne of two messages
appears in the display:
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid
ABS fault ! See owner's manual
- Pull off the road and sto p the ve hicle.
- Obtain professio nal assistance .
USA models: if there is a ma lfunct io n in the ABS system, the/.
w ar ning/ind ica tor ligh t illum inates along wi th the BRAKE system
ma lf u nction warning/indicator light~&.
Canada models: if there is a malfu nction in the ABS system, the
wa rning/ind icator ligh t illuminates togethe r with the ((i)) bra ke
system malfunction warn ing/indicator light~& .
Parking brake set
T he parking bra ke warning light Brake/((i)) (Canada mo dels) ill umi­
nates when the pa rking brake is set. In addit ion, a warning tone will
so und after yo u have driven for longer than 3 secon ds and faster than
3 mph (5 km/h).
& WARNING
• Always observe the warning s in ~ page 218 , "Engine compart­
ment" , before opening the engine hood and checking the brake
fluid.
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• Driving with low brake fluid i s a safety hazard! Stop the car and
get profe ssional assistance .
• If the brake sy stem warning/indicato r light illuminates
together with the ABS warning /indicator light, then th e ABS
system is malfunctioning. The rea r wheels could quickly lock up
when you apply the brakes . Th is could lead to lo ss of control and
your vehicle could slide! Dri ve carefully to the nea rest authorized
Audi dealer and hav e the malfunction corrected. •
Engine cooling system malfunction _L
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
rep aired as s oon as possible .
When t he -L symbol in th e d isplay flashes , then either the
engine coolant
temperature is too h igh , or the coolant level
is too low. In add it ion to the symbol , the fo llow ing message
also appears i n the d isplay:
Switch off engine and check coolant level
- Pull off th e road and stop the v ehicle.
- Tur n off the engine .
- Chec k coo lant level~
page 235 .
-Add co olan t if ne cessary ~ page 236.
-Con tinue drivi ng o nly a fter the e ngin e coolant
wa rnin g/ind icato r lig ht go es out .
- Con tact you r au tho rized Audi dealer fo r assis tance if
necessary .
If the eng ine coolant leve l is correct, then the radiator fa n may be the
c ause of the m alfun ction.
~

If the generator warning/indicator light shou ld also illuminate
=> page 15, t hen t he fan belt m ay be damaged .
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons , pa rk at a safe distance from mo ving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights=>
page 59, "Emer­
gency flasher
A. ".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment -you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant
escaping .
• The engin e compartment of any vehicle i s a dangerou s ar ea .
Before you p erform any work in the engine compartment , turn off
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning sti ckers
=> page 218 , "Engine compartment ".
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the -¥- symbol illuminates . There is a
ma lf u nction in the engine coo ling sys tem -yo u could damage your
eng ine. •
Engine oil pressure malfunction ~
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate se rv ice o r repair.
If the 9=r. symbo l app ears in the d is pl ay a nd flash es, th e oil
p ressure is to o lo w . In add ition to the sym bol, the f ollow ing
messag e al so a pp ea rs in the dis play :
Switch off engine and check oil level
- P ull off the road a nd stop t he ve hicle.
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Driver information display
-
Shut the eng ine down .
- Check t he eng ine oi l level=>
page 231 .
-Contact your authorized Aud i dea le r for assis tance i f
necessary .
Engine o il level too low
If the eng ine oi l leve l is too low , top off oil to t he p roper level
=>page 232.
Engine oil level OK
If the 't'!::;r. symbol starts flashing again even thoug h the engine oil
level checks O K on t he d ipstick,
do not start driving again and do not
let the engine run at idle .
Instead, contact you r authorized Audi
dealer fo r assis tance.
[ i ] Tips
• The engine oil pressure symbol 'I=:?: is not an indic ato r for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it . Instead , check the oil level in your
engine at regular intervals , preferably each t ime you refuel, and
always before going on a long tr ip .
• The yellow oil level warning indication requires oil refill or
workshop service without de lay . Do not wait until the red oil pre s­
s ure warning symbol~ starts to flash before you respond to the
low oil level warning _, . By then, your engine may already have
s uffered serious damage. •
Applies to vehicles: with manual trans miss ion
-;y Clutch pedal
T he indica tor lig ht illuminates if you do no t press t he cl utch pedal
when starting the engine . For safety reasons, the engine will only
sta rt when the clut ch pedal is pressed. •
Vehicle care Technical data

Checking and filling --------------------=------=:;______,.J VPII
You can mix the G12++ coolant additive with other additives G12+ or
Gl2. Always check with yo ur authorized Aud i dealer.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "W orking in the engine
co mpartment " on
page 226.
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolan t checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the clima te
conditions. This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold . If necessary, increase the proportion of
coo lant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system, remember :
- We recommend using only coolant additive
G12++ (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is available at autho­
rized Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protection . The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage.
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's
eng ine coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig. 166 Engine
co mpartm ent: cool ant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 226.
- Turn off the ignition.
- Read the engine coolant level from the coolant expansion
tank=> fig. 166 . With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
"max" marking .
The location of the coolant expans ion tank can be seen in the engine
compartment illustration=>
page 227.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be sw itched off.
The expans ion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric coolant
level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warn ing light in the Auto-Check
System =>
page 32 will blink until you add coolant and the level has
been restored to normal. Even though there is an elect ric coolant
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

___ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_il _l_in _ g _________________________________________ _
level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant leve l from
ti me to time.
Coolant loss
Coolan t loss may ind ic a te a leak in the coo ling sys tem. In the event of
coo lant loss, the cooli ng system should be inspected immed iately by
your au thor ized A udi dealer.
It is no t enough merely to add coolan t.
In a
s ealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coo lant is exceeded as a res ult of overheating .
(D Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to yo ur vehicle's engine
c oo lant. Addi ng radia tor repa ir fluid m ay adverse ly affect the fun c­
tion and perfo rmance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not cove red by yo ur New Vehi cle Lim ited Warranty .•
Adding coolant
B e very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anyt hing in the eng ine compartment ,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in " Working i n
the e ngine compartment" on page
226.
-Tur n off the eng ine.
- Let t he engi ne c ool d ow n.
- Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
=> pa ge 235, fig . 166 and carefully twist t he cap cou nte r­
clockwis e
=> &.
- Add coo lant.
- Tw ist the ca p on aga in
tightly .
Replacement eng ine coolant must conform to exact spec ificat ions
=> page 234, " Coolant" . Even in a n emergency, if coolant additive
Gl2 ++. Gl2+ or Gl2 is not available , do not use a d ifferent addit ive .
Use pla in w ate r ins tead until you can ge t the cor rect addi tive and can
restore the co rrect ratio . This sho uld be done as soon as possib le .
If you have lost a considerable amount of coolant, then you s houl d
ad d c old antifree ze and cold water only when the engine is cold .
Always use
new engine coo la nt w hen refilling .
Do not fill coolant above the "M AX" mark. Excess coo lant will be
forced out th rough the p ress ure relief va lve in the cap w hen the
eng ine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot.
Reduce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
- Protect your face , hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light , downward pressure on the top
of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhaust system or hot engine parts . Under certain condi­
tions, the ethylen e gly col in engine coolant can catch fire .
• Antifreeze i s poi sonou s. Always store antifreeze in it s original
container and well out of the reach of children.
• If you drain the coolant , it mu st be caught and safely stored in
a p roper container clearly marked "poison ".
(D Note
• Coolant pollutes the environment and could cause an engine fire.
E xcess coolant w ill be forced o ut thro ugh the pressure relie f va lve in
the cap when the e ngine becomes hot .
~

___________________________________________ C_ h _ e_c _k _ i_n -=g .._ a_n _ d_ f_i _ll _i _ n -=g '-- ....... m
• If, in an emergency, only water can be added, the correct ratio
between water and antifreeze=>
page 234 must be restored as soon
as possible.
~ For the sak e of the environment
Ora i ned coolant should not be reused . Always dispose of used coolant
while observing all environmental regulations .•
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by itself.
T he electric radiator fan is controlled by thermoswitches that switch
on and off depending on coolant a nd engine compartment tempera­
tures.
An auxilia ry e lectr ic rad iator fan* sw itches on a nd off depend ing on
coo lant temperature and other vehicle operation cond itions .
After switch ing off t he engine, the auxiliary fan -even with the igni­
tion off -can continue running for up to 10 minutes . It can even
switch on again later by itself=>& , if
• the temperature of the engine coolant rises due to the hea t build­
up from the engine in the engine compartment, or
• the engine compar tment hea ts up because the vehi cle is parked in
intense sunlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injur y never tou ch the radi ator
fan .
• The auxiliary ele ctric fan i s temperatur e controll ed and can
switch on sudd enly even wh en the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator f an swit che s on aut omati cally when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temp eratur e and w ill continue to
run until the coolant temperature drop s. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checke d with a quick glance.
Fig. 167 Eng ine
compartment : b rak e
fl uid res ervoi r
Before you check a nything in t he engine compartment ,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working in
the eng ine compartment" on
page 226 .
-Read the brake fluid level from the bra ke fluid reservoir.
The brake fluid level must be between the "MIN" and
"MAX" markings ~ fig . 167 .
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side=>
page 227.
The fluid level may drop
slightly after some time due to the auto­
m atic adjus tment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably below the "MIN" mark, t he
brake warning/ind icator light (U .S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian mode ls:
ill ) will come on=> page 15 and=> page 32. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle . The complete brake system should be thorough ly
chec ked by an au thor ized Aud i deale r o r other qualified facility and
the cause corrected. If the brake fluid leve l is too low, the brake .,,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

____________________________________________ _::C :.:o::.:...: n:..:s =..=u::.. m :....:.:..:: e:..:.r...: I ~n:..:...'.. f.::o ~r...:. m~ a~ t~ io~ n'..- __
& WARNING (co ntinued )
been remo ved. The radiator fan switches on automatically when
the coolant reache s a certain temperature and will continue to run
until the coolant temperatu re drops.
• Always remove the ign ition key before anyone gets under the
vehicle.
• Alway s support your v ehicle w ith safety stands if it i s nece ssary
to work underneath the vehicle. The jack supplied with the vehicle
is not adequate for th is purpose and could collapse causing
serious personal injury.
• If you must work underneath the vehicle with the wheels on
the ground, always make sure the vehicle is on level ground , that
the wheels are always securely blocked and that the engine cannot be started.
• Always make sure the transmi ssion selector lever (automatic
transmission) is in "P" (Park position ) (automatic transmission)
or Neutral (manual transmission) and the hand brake is firmly
applied.
'i> For the sake of the environment
• Chang ing the engine settings will adversely affect emiss ion levels.
Thi s is detr imenta l to the environme nt and increases fue l co nsump ­
tion .
• Alw ays obse rve enviro nmen tal regula tion s when dis pos ing of o ld
eng ine oil, used brake fl uid, d irty engine coo lant, spent batter ies or
wo rn out t ires .
• Undeployed a irbag modules and pretensione rs m ight be classi fied
a s Pe rchlo ra te Ma ter ia l -s pec ia l han dlin g m ay apply , see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. When the vehicle or
part s of th e re st ra int system i ncludi ng air bag modu les s afe ty belts
with pretens ioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regulat ions
must be observe d. Yo ur a uthor ized Au di dealer is f amiliar wi th these
requirements and we recommend that you have your dealer perform
this service for yo u.•
Safety first
Additional accessories,
modifications and parts
replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
Always co nsult an autho riz ed Audi d ealer bef ore
p urchasing acces sories.
Yo ur vehicle incorporates the latest safety design feat ures ens uring a
high standard of active and pass ive safety .
Th is safety could be compromised by non-approved changes to the
veh icle . F o r th is reaso n, if p arts have to be rep la ce d , ple ase obse rve
the following points when installing addit ional accessories:
Approved Audi accessories an d genuine A udi parts are avai lable from
au thori zed Aud i dea le rs .
These dea lers a lso have the necessary facilities, tools and tra ined
specialists to i nstall t he pa rts and ac cesso ries properly.
& WARNING
Using the wrong spare parts non-approved accessories can cause
damage to the vehicle and serious per sonal injury.
• Use only accessories expressly approved by Audi and genuine
Audi spare parts
• These parts and accessories have been specially designed to be
used on your vehicle.
• Never install accessories such as telephone cradles or beverage
holder s on airbag covers or within the airbag deployment zones .
Doing so will increase the risk of injury if airbags are triggered in
an accident!
• Before you check anything
in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~
page 218. .,
Do-it,yourself service Technical data

-Alphabetical inde x _...,___ _ ______:_:__:_=.:..:...._ _________________ _
Emergency release for selector lever ... 121 Engine hood
Emergency starting ...... .. .. .. ... .. 286 Closing
............. ... .. ... .... 226
Emergency towing . .. .... .. ..... .... 289 Release lever
.............. .... .. 225
Energy management ........ .. .... .. 194 Releasing and open
ing .. .... .... .. 225
Battery power ................. .. 196 Engine malfunction (diesel engine)
Dr iver not ification .... ..... ....... 196 Warning light ............
.. .. .. .. 13
Engine E
ngine oil ........ ...... .... .. .. ... 228
4-cylinde r diesel (140 hp) ...... ... 228 Add
ing ... ... .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ... 232
4-cylinder gasoline (200 hp) . ..... . 227 Add
itives . ... ... ... .. .... .. .. ... 232
Coolant ................ ...... .. 234 Changing
....... ... .... .. .. .... . 232
Hood . ............. .... .. .... .. 225 Checking the engine oil leve
l ..... .. 231
Preheater .... .. .. .. .... ......... 103 Diesel engine .........
.... .. ..... 233
Starting . .. ... ... .... .. .. ... 106, 107
Starting w ith jumper cables . ....... 286
Stopping .. .. ... ... .. ........ ... 108
Engine compartment .. ....... ... . .. . 227
Safety instructions ............. .. 226
Work ing in the eng ine compartment 226
Engine coo lant system . ....... ... . ... 234
Add ing coolant ....... .. ... .... .. 236
Checking coo lant level ... .. .. .. ... 235
Checking the engine coolant level . .. 235 Indicat
ions and conditions requir ing extra
c heck ing .. .................... 231
O il cons ump tion . .... .. .. ... .. .. . 230
Oil grades .... .. .... ...... .. ... . 228
Recommended oil check intervals . .. 231
Specification and viscosity .. .... .. . 228
Specifications D iese l engine . .. ..... 233
Specifications gaso line engine . .... . 228
Engine oil leve l ... .. .... .. .. ...... .. . 3 4
E ngine oil p ressure (mailf u nctio n) ... .. . . 33
Radiator fan ............ ...... .. 237 Engine oil sensor defective
... .. .. ... .. 35
Engine coo lant tempe ra tur e E
ngine preheater ........ .... .. ..... 103
Ga uge ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... . .. .. .. .. 9 Connecting ................
.... . 103
E ngine coo ling system Engine speed lim
itation . .... ... .... ... 34
Malf unct io n .. ... ......... .... .... 32 Environment
E ngine data ................ ...... .. 296 Brea
k-in period .. .... .. .. ... .... . 197
Engine fau lt
W arning light ........... ...... ... 13 Catalytic converter . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . 198
Diesel particulate filter ............ 199
Disposing of your vehicle battery . .. . 242
Dr iv ing at hig h speeds .......... .. 200 Dr
iv in g to mi nimize pollution and noise ..
20 0
Fuel . ... .. .. .. ...... ... .. .. . ... 222
Fue l economy . ... .. .. .. ... .... .. 200
Leaks under yo ur vehicle ... .. .. .. . 226
Letting the vehicle stand and warm up ... 200
Proper disposa l of dra ined br ake fluid 238
Proper disposa l of dra ined engine coo lant
236
Prope r disposal of dra ined engine oil 232
Recycl ing used eng ine o il .......... 232
Unleaded fue l ............. .. .. .. 219
W hat sho uld I do w it h an old batte ry?
242
EPC
See Electronic power control . . . . . . . . 13
ES P
See Elect ronic Stability P rogram .. .. 188
Event Data Recorder ( EDR) .. ......... 188
Exhaust ta il pipes
Cleaning ... .... .... .. .. ...... .. 213
Expans ion tank .. ... ................ 235
F
Fahrenheit
Switching between Fahre nhe it and
Centigrade ..... .. .............. 99
Fan Adjusting the fan s peed .. ......... 1 00
Climate cont rols . ... .. .. ... .. ... . 10 0
Radiator ... .. ... ..... ... ...... .. 237