height AUDI A3 2015 Owners Manual

52 Seat s a nd s tor ag e
Seats and storage
General information
Important information
& WARNING
Refer to the chapter Driving Safely
r::!>poge 121, Driving safety for important
information, t ips, suggestions and warn­
ings that you should read and follow for
your own safety and the safety of your pas­ sengers.
Why is your seat adjustment so important?
The safety belts and the airbag system con
only provide maximum protection if the front
seats ore correctly adjusted.
There are various ways of adjusting the front
seats to provide safe and comfortable support
for the driver and the front passenger. Adjust
your seat properly so that :
- you can easily and quickly reach all the
switches and controls in the instrument
panel
- your body is properly supported thus reduc­
ing physical stress and fatigue
- the safety belts and airbag system can offer
maximum protection
r::!> page 140.
In the following sections, you will see exactly
how you can best adjust your seats .
There are special regulations and instructions
for insta lling a child seat on the front pas­
senger's seat. Always follow the information regarding child safety provided in
r::!> page 166, Child Safety .
& WARNING
Incorrect seating position of the dr iver and
all other passengers can result in serious
personal in jury.
- Always keep your feet on the f loor when
the vehicle is in motion - never p ut your
feet on top of the instrumen t panel, out of the window or on top of the seat c
ush­
ion. This applies espec ially to the passen­
gers. If your seating position is incorrect,
you increase the risk of injury in the case
of sudden braking or an accident .
If the
airbag inflates and the seating position is incorrect, this could result in pe rsonal
inj ury or even death.
- It is important for both the drive r and
front passenger to keep a distance of at least 10 inches ( 25 cm) between them­
selves and the steering wheel and/or in ­
strument panel. If you're sitting any
closer than this, the airbag system can­ not protect you properly. In addition, the
front seats and head restraints must be
adjusted to your body height so that they
can give you max imum protect ion.
- Always try to keep as much distance as
possible between yourself and the steer­
ing wheel o r instrument panel.
- Do not adjust the driver's or front pas­
senger's seat whi le the vehicle is moving.
Your seat may move unexpectedly, caus­
ing sudden loss of veh icle cont ro l and
pe rsonal injury. If you adjust yo ur seat
while the veh icle is moving, yo u are ou t
of posit ion .
Driver's seat
The correct seat position is important for safe
and relaxed driving.
We recommend that you adjust the dr iver's
seat in the fo llow ing manne r:
.. Adjust the seat in fore and aft direction so
that you can easily push the peda ls to the
floor wh ile keeping your knees sl ightly bent
r::!> &. in Why is your seat adjustment so im­
portant? on page 52.
.. Ad just the bac krest so tha t when you sit
w ith your back against the backrest, you can
still hold the top of the steering wheel.
.. For adjustab le head restraints: adjust the
head restra int so the upper edge is as even
as poss ible with the top of your head. If that
is not possible, try to adjust the head ..,.

54 Seats and storage
maximum protection when the backrest
is upright and the safety belts are prop­
erly positioned on the body. The more
the backrest is reclined, the greater the
risk of personal injury from an incorrect
seating position and improperly posi­
tioned safety belts.
Power seat adjustment
Appl ies to vehicles: with power a djustable seats
Fig. 43 Front seat: power seat adjustment
@-Adjusting the lumbar support: press the
button in the desired direction.
@-Moving the seat up/down: press the but­
ton up/down . To adjust the front seat cushion,
press the front button up/down. To adjust the
rear seat cushion, press the rear button up/
down .
@-Moving the seat forward/back: press the
button forward/back.
©-Adjusting the backrest angle: press the
button forward/back.
@-Lengthening/shortening the upper thigh
support*: lift the handle.
.&_ WARNING
- Only adjust the front seat with when the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, this in­
creases the risk of an accident
- The power adjustment for the front seats
also works with the ignition switched off
or with the ignition key removed. For this
reason, children should never be left un­
attended in the vehicle -they could be in­
jured! -
Exerc ise caution when adjusting the seat
height. Unsupervised or careless seat ad­
justment can pinch fingers or hands
causing injuries .
- The front seat backrests must be not tilt­
ed too far back when driving, because
this affects the effectiveness of the safe­
ty belts and airbag system, which in­
creases the risk of injury.
- To reduce the risk of injury in the case of sudden braking or accident, front pas­
sengers must never ride in a moving ve­
hicle with the backrest reclined. Safety
belts and the airbag system only offer
maximum protection when the backrest
is upright and the safety belts are prop­
erly positioned on the body. The more
the backrest is reclined, the greater the
risk of personal injury from an incorrect
seating position and improperly posi­
tioned safety belts.
Front center armrest
App lies to vehicles: wit h front cente r armrest
The center armrest con be adjusted to several
levels.
Fig. 44 A rmr est between the driver's/fro nt passenger's
seats
.. To adjust the ang le, raise the armrest
¢ fig. 44 notch by notc h.
.. To bring the armrest back down, raise it out
of the top notch and fold it back down . Then
lift the armrest to the desired position, if
necessary .
Please note that the driver 's arm movements
may be restricted with the armrest folded
Ill>

down. For this reason, the armrest should not
be folded down when driving in city traffic.
The arm rest can slide forward and back.
There is a storage compartment under the
armrest .
Rear center armrest
Applies to vehicles : wit h rear center armrest
The storage compartment and cupholder are
integrated in the armrest.
Fig. 45 Rear armrest
Folding the armrest down
~ Tilt the armrest all the way down .
Opening the storage compartment
~ Lift the cover on the upper rim.
For more information on the use of the cu­
pholders, see¢
page 57 .
Head restraints
Front head restraints
Applies to vehicles : wit h adjustab le head restra ints
Fig. 46 Front seat : adjusting standard head restraints
Seats and storage 55
Applies to vehicles with super sport seats* (no
illustration): The head restraints are integrat­
ed in the backrest and cannot be adjusted.
Adjusting standard head restraints
Adjust the head restraints so the upper edge
i s as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possible, try to adjust as
close to this position as possib le. Push the
head restraint as close as possible to the back
of the head.
~ To move the head restraint up or forward,
slide it until it locks into place.
~ To move the head restraint down or back,
press the side button -arrow-¢
fig. 46 and
slide the head restraint until it locks into
place .
Refer to ¢
page 12 5, Proper adjustment of
head restraints
for guidelines on how to ad­
just the height of the front head restraints to
su it the occupant's body size.
A WARNING
-Driving without head restraints or with
head restra ints that are not properly ad­
justed increases the risk of ser ious or fa­
tal neck injury dramatically.
- Read and heed all WARNINGS
¢ page 12 5, Proper adjustment of head
restraints
(D Tips
Correct ly adjusted head restraints and
safety belts are an extreme ly effective
combina tion of safety features.
, Rear head restraints
Fig . 47 Outer rear head restraint s: release point
-

Roof rack
Description and mounting locations
Additional cargo can be carried with a roof luggage rack .
Fig. 53 Roof rack attachment po in ts
.,. Always read and follow the instructions pro­
vided by the roof rack manufacturer when
insta lling the roof rack system.
If luggage or cargo is to be carried on the
roof, you must observe the following:
- Only use roof racks approved for your vehi·
cle. These approved roof racks are the basis
for a complete roof rack system. Add itional
attachments or carrier systems are needed
to transport luggage and sports equipment.
We recommend using roof racks from the
Audi original accessories program.
- When installing the roof rack, make sure it is only mounted on the designated locations
on the
roof c:;>fig. 53.
-We recommend that you keep the installa·
t ion instructions for your roof rack system
together with your Owner's literature in the
vehicle.
Wh en shoul d th e r oof rack b e re mo ved ?
-Before going through an automatic car wash
(it is best to ask the car wash operator for
advice).
- When not in use, to reduce fue l consump ­
tion, wind noise and to guard against theft.
A WARNING
- Use of an unapproved roof rack or incor·
rect mount ing of an approved roof rack
S ea ts a nd s to rage 59
can cause the roof rack or the items at·
tached to it to fall off the roof onto the
road.
- Objects falling from the roof of a vehicle
can cause a crash and personal injury.
- On ly mount the roof rack on the desig­
nated locations on the roof¢
fig. 53.
- The roof rack system must be installed
exactly according to the instruct ions pro·
vided.
- When driving with a roof rack system,
changes to the center of gravity and wind
resistance can change the vehicle han·
dling and lead to a collision. Always
adapt your driving and your speed to the
current conditions .
(D Note
- Your vehicle warranty does not cover any
damages to the vehicle caused by using
roof racks or mounting structures not
approved by Aud i for your veh icle. The
same app lies to damage resul ting from
incor rect roof rack insta llation.
- Always check the roof rack mountings
and hardware before each trip and dur­
ing a trip to make s ure everyth ing is se­
curely tightened. If necessary, retighten
the mountings and check the entire sys ­
tem from time to time .
- After mounting a roof rack system, or when you transport objects on the roof of your vehicle, the height of the vehicle
is naturally increased. Be careful when
dr iving under low bridges or in parking
garages for example . This could cause
damage to the load and even the vehicle
itself.
- Make sure the open rear lid and the sun· roof* do not come into contact with the
roof rac k.

122 Driving safety
• Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
• Make sure that all windows are clean and af­
ford good visib ility to the outside .
• Secure a ll luggage and other items carefully
r:=:> page 60, r:=:> page 58.
• Make sure that noth ing can interfere wit h
the pedals.
• Adjust front seat , head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your he ight.
• Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
stra ints according to their height.
• Make sure to use the right child restraint
correct ly to protect children
r:::;, page 166,
Child Safety .
• Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same
r=:> page 53,
Front seats.
• Fasten your safety belt a nd wear it properly .
Also instruct your passengers to fasten th eir
safety belts properly
r:::;.page 131 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi­
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver 's ability to concentrate on the rood
without being distracted.
The driver is respons ible for the safety of the
vehicle and all of its occupants.
If your ability
to drive is impa ired, safety r isks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and yo u also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road
r:::;, &,.
Therefore:
• Do not let yourself be dis tracted by passe n­
gers or by using a cellular telephone.
• NEVER drive when your driving ability is im­
paired (by medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
• Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense.
• ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic
and weather condit ions .
• Take frequent breaks on long trips . Do not
dr ive for more than two hours at a stretc h.
• Do NOT drive when you are t ired, under
pressure or when you are st ressed.
A WARNING
-Impaired dr iving safety increases the risk
of ser ious personal injury and death when­
ever a vehicle is being used.
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor­
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig . 109 Correct seat ing posit ion
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
following position:
.,. Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi­
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
r:::;,A .
.,. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position so that your back
comes in full contact with it when you drive.
• Adj ust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween the steering wheel and your breast
bone
c:::> fig. 109 . If not possible, see your au­
thorized Audi dealersh ip about adaptive
equ ipment .
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face.
• Grasp the top of the steering whee l with
your elbow(s) slightly bent .
• For adjustable head restraints: Adjust the
head restraint so the upper edge is as even
as possible with the top of your head. If that..,_

To provide maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on the
wearer's body.
... Adjust the front seat and head restraint
properly
c::> page 53, Front seats.
• Make sure the seatback of the rear seat
bench is in an upright position and securely
latched in place before using the belt
c::> ,&..
... Hold the belt by the tongue and pull it even­
ly across the chest and pelvis
c::> ,&. .
""Insert the tongue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely
c::>fig. 117.
.., Pull on the belt to make sure that it is se-
curely latched in the buckle.
Automatic safety belt retractors
Every safety belt is equipped with an automat­
ic belt retractor on the shoulder belt . This fea­
ture locks the belt when the belt is pulled out
fast, during hard braking and in an accident.
The belt may also lock when you drive up or
down a steep hill or through a sharp curve. During normal driving the belt lets you move
freely.
Safety belt pretensioners
The safety belts are equipped with a belt pre­
tensioner that helps to tighten the safety belt
and remove slack when the pretensioner is ac­
tivated
c::> poge 137. The function of the pre­
tensioner is monitored by a warning light
c::> page 21.
Switchable locking feature
Every safety belt except the one on the driver
seat is equipped with a switchable locking fea­
ture that
must be used when the safety belt is
used to attach a child seat. Be sure to read the important information about this feature
c::> page 177 .
A WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can
cause serious injury in an accident
c::> page 135, Safety belt position.
-Safety belts offer optimum protection
only when the seatback is upright and
Safety belts 135
belts are properly positioned on the
body.
- Always make sure that the rear seat
backrest to which the center rear safety
belt* is attached is securely latched
whenever the rear center safety belt is
being used. If the backrest is not secure­
ly latched, the passenger will move for­
ward with the backrest during sudden
braking, in a sudden maneuver and espe­
cially in a crash .
- Never attach the safety belt to the buck­
le for another seat . Attaching the belt to
the wrong buckle will reduce safety belt
effectiveness and can cause serious per­
sonal injury.
- A passenger who is not properly restrain­
ed can be seriously injured by the safety
belt itself when it moves from the stron­
ger parts of the body into critical areas
like the abdomen.
- Always lock the convertible locking re­
tractor when you are securing a child seat in the vehicle
c::> page 179.
(D Tips
For information on safety belt pretension­
ers, refer to
c::> page 13 7.
Safety belt position
Correct belt position is the key to getting
maximum protection from safety belts.
Fig. 118 Safety belt position
Use the height adjustment to change the posi­
tion of the shoulder belt of the front safety
belts .
~

Adjusting safety belt height
With the aid of the safety belt height adjust­
ment, the three point safety belt strap rout­
ing can be fitted to the shoulder area, accord­
ing to body size .
Fig. 121 Safety belt height ad justmen t for th e front
seats -loop -aro un d fit tings
The shoulder belt should lie as close to the
center of the collar bone as possible and
should fit well on the body ¢,&.
in Safety belt
position on page 136.
.,. Push
the loop -around fittings up c> fig . 121
@ , or
.,. squeeze together the@button, and push
the loop-around fittings down@.
.,. Pull the belt to make sure that the upper at ­
tachment is properly engaged.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
c> page 134.
@ Tips
With the front seats, the height adjust­
ment of the seat can also be used to adjust
the position of the safety belts.
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly positioned safety belts can cause severe injuries.
Wearing safety belts improperly can cause se­
rious injury or death. Safety belts can only
work when they are correctly positioned on
the body. Improper seating positions reduce
the effectiveness of safety belts and will even increase the risk of injury and death by mov-
Safety belts 13 7
ing the safety belt to critical areas of the
body. Improper seating positions also in­
crease the risk of serious injury and death
when an airbag deploys and strikes an occu­
pant who is not in the correct seating posi­
tion . A driver is responsible for the safety of
all vehicle occupants and especially for chil­
dren . Therefore:
.,. Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect
sitting position in the vehicle while traveling
~ .&. -
A WARNING
Improperly worn safety belts increase the
risk of serious persona l injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used.
- Always make sure that all vehicle occu­
pants are correctly restrained and stay in
a correct seating position whenever the
vehicle is being used.
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
r:::>page 134 .
Safety belt preten­
sioners
How safety belt pretensioners work
In front, side and rear-end collisions above a
particular severity and in a rollover, safety
belts are tensioned automatically .
Reversible safety belt tensioners
The safety belts on the front seats are equip­
ped with power reversible tensioners . The fol­
lowing functions are avai lable when the driv­
er's/front passenger's safety belts are fas­
tened:
-Automatic tensioners: at the start of a drive,
the safety belts automatically adjust to the
passenger after a certain time period or ve­
hicle speed . To switch the automatic ten­
sioners off, select the following in the MMI: .,..

www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/per­chlorate. When the vehicle or parts of the
restraint system includ ing airbag modules
and safety belts with pretensioners are
scrapped, all applicable laws and regula­
tions must be observed. Your authorized
Audi dealer is familiar with these require­
ments and we recommend that you have
your dealer perform this serv ice for you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag Sys­
tem performs in a crash. For example, using
tire-r im combinations not approved by Audi,
lowering the vehicle, changing the stiffness of
the suspension, including the springs, suspen­
sion struts, shock absorbers etc. can change
the forces that are measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the electron ic control
unit. Some suspension changes can, for exam­
ple, increase the force levels measured 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 meas­
ured by the sensors and prevent the airbag
from deploying when it should .
The sensors in the safety belt buckle for the
driver and front passenger seat tell the elec­
tronic control module if the safety belt is
latched or not.
It is important that nothing in­
terfere with the safety belt buckles so that
the sensors can send the correct information
about safety belt use to the electronic control
unit.
_& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension includ­
ing use of unapproved tire-rim combina­
tions can change Advanced Airbag per­
formance and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
- Never install suspension components
that do not have the same performance
Airbag system 157
characteristics as the components origi­
nally installed on your vehicle.
- Never use tire-rim combinations that
have not been approved by Audi.
Knee airbags
Description of knee airbags
App lies to vehicles: wi th knee airbags
The knee airbag system can provide supple­
mental protection to properly restrained
front seat occupants.
Fig. 126 Driver 's kn ee airbag
The dr iver knee airbag is in the instrument
panel underneath the steering wheel
~ fig. 126, the airbag for the passenger is at
about the same height in the instrument pan­
el underneath the glove compartment.
The knee airbag offers additional protection
to the driver's and passenger's knees and up ­
per and lower thigh areas and supplements
the protection provided by the safety belts.
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags
also dep loy in frontal collisions when the de­
ployment threshold stored in the control unit
is met
q page 150, More important things to
know about front airbags.
In addition to their normal safety function,
safety belts help keep the driver or front pas­
senger in position in a frontal collision so that
the airbags can provide supplemental protec­
tion.
The airbag system is not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall oc­
cupant restraint system in your vehicle. Al­
ways remember that the airbag system can

226 Tire s and wheel s
-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden t ire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when driving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
(D Note
- Please note that summer and winter
tires are designed for the cond itions that
a re typ ica l in those seasons. Aud i recom­
mends using w inter t ires d uring the win-
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means t he comb ined we ight (in excess of
those standard items which may be rep laced)
of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
A spect ratio
means th e ratio of the height to the width of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in­
d icate a low sidewall for improved steer ing re­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement .
Bead
means the part of the tire th at is made of
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead s eparation
means a breakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means t he strands forming the plies in the
tire. ter months.
Low tempe ratu res signifi­
cantly decrease the elasticity of summer
tires, which affects traction and braking ability. If summer tires are used in very
co ld temperatures, cracks can form on
the tread bars, resu lting in permanent
tire damage that can cause loud driving
noise and unbalanced tires. Aud i is not
responsib le for this type of damage.
- Burn ished, polished or chromed rims
must not be used in winter weather. The
surfa ce of the rims does not have suff i­
c ien t cor rosion prote ct io n for this and
co uld be pe rmanen tly damaged by road
salt or simi lar substances. This damage
is not cove red by war ranty.
Cold tire inflat ion pre ssure
mea ns the t ire press ure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer for a tire o f a des ignated
size that has not bee n driven for more than a
coup le of miles (ki lometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire press ure
is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle w ith
standard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, o il, and coolant, air condi­
tion ing and additional weight of optional
equipment.
E x tra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standard tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF" on the sidewall.
Gross A xle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in-
terfaces.
IJ>,

236 Tires and wheels
unbalanced, resulting in vibrations you can
usually feel through the steering whee l.
Unbalanced wheels must be rebalanced to
avoid excessive wea r on steer ing, suspension
and tires . A wheel must a lso be rebalanced
when a new tire is installed.
Incorrect wheel alignment
I ncorrect wheel alignment can cause exces­
sive tire wear, impair ing the safety of the veh i­
cle. If tires show excess ive wear, have the
wheel alignment checked by an authorized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
All-wheel drive
Vehicles w ith quattro must a lways have tires
of the same size, construction and tread type.
F or details see
<=> page 190 .
A WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of con­
trol, a crash and ser ious persona l injury!
- Never drive a vehicle when the tread on
any tire is worn down to the wear indica­
tors.
- Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do
not grip well on wet roads and increase
your risk of "hydroplaning" and loss of
control.
- Always keep chemicals that can cause
tire damage, such as grease, oil, gasoline
and brake fluid away from t ires.
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fail suddenly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used tires on your vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss o f vehicle control.
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have ta be broken in .
Fig. 160 Tire specificat ion codes on the s idewall of a
tire
No. Description
<D Passenger car tire (where applicable)
@ Nomina l w idth of t ire in mill imeters
® Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
© Radial
® Rim diameter code
® L oad index and speed rating
(J) U.S . DOT tire identification number
® Audi Origina l tire
® Sever snow conditions
@ T ire ply composition and materials
used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature
grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure
T he tires and rims are essential parts of the
vehicle 's design . The tires and rims approved
by Audi are spec ially matched to the charac­
te ristics of the vehicle and can make a major .,..