brake AUDI A3 2016 Owner´s Manual

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A WARNING
You should only switch sport mode on or switch ESC/ASR off if your driving abilities
and road conditions permi t.
- The stabilization function is limited when
sport mode is sw itched on . T he driving
w heels could spi n and the veh icle cou ld
swerve, espec ially on s lick o r sli ppery road
s u rf aces.
- T here is no veh icle stabilization when ESC/
ASR a re swi tched off.
(D Tips
- ESC/ASR cannot be switched off or sport
mode cannot be sw itched on if t he cru ise
contro l system* or the adaptive c ruise con­
tro l* is sw itched on .
- Mal functions in the Audi magnet ic r ide may
make it imposs ible to sw itch the ESC/ASR
off or to switc h sport mode on .
Brakes
New brake pads
New brake pads do not ac hieve the ir full braking
effect during the first 250 mi (400 km) . They
must be "b roken in " fi rs t . However, you can com­
pensate for the slightly reduced bra king fo rce by
p ressing firmly o n the brake pedal. Avoid heavy
b raking during the break -in period .
Wear
Brake pad
wear depends largely on the way th e
ve hicl e is driven a nd on operat ing cond itions.
This is especially true if you are d riving frequently
in the c ity and on c urves o r wi th a sporty driving
style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when bra kin g depend ing on the
speed , braking force and ou ts ide cond it ions s uch
as tempe rature and humidity .
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situations, for example after dr iving
through water, in heavy ra in, after ove rnig ht con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the b raking
Intellig ent Technology
effect ca n be reduced by moist ure o r ice on the
bra ke rotors and brake pads . The brakes must be
"d ried" first with a few caref ul brake applica­
tions.
At h igher speeds and w ith the wi ndshield wipe rs
tu rned on, the brake pads press against the brake
roto rs fo r a short amount of time. This action
wh ich is not felt by the dr iver happens at reg ular
interva ls and facilit ates a be tter reaction t ime for
the brakes in wet weather .
The braking effect can a lso be reduced if yo u are
driv ing on salted roads and yo u do not app ly the
brakes for long per iods of time . The layer of salt
o n the brake rotors and pads must be wor n off
first whe n the bra kes are applied .
Corrosion
Leaving the vehicle pa rked for long periods of
time, low mileage and avoiding heavy braking
can contribute to corros ion on the brake rotors
and dirty brake pads .
If you usua lly avoid heavy brak ing or if there is
corrosion present, occasiona l heavy brak ing at
high speeds is recommended to clean the b rake
roto rs and pads<=>,& .
Brake system malfunction
if you notice that t he b rake pedal travel has sud­
denly gotten larger, t hen a b rake c ircuit may have
failed. Drive to an author iz ed Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Serv ice Facility immediately to have
t h e problem corrected. On the way there, drive
with red uced speed and keep in mind that a long
bra king d ista nce and increased pressu re on the
br ak e pedal w ill be necessary.
Low brake fluid level
When the brake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
the brake system may occur . The b rake fluid level
i s elec tronica lly monito red .
Brake booster
The brake booster amp lifies the press ure you ap­
ply to the brake pedal. It on ly operates wh ile the
engine is run ning o r when the ignition is switched
on (p lug-i n hyb rid dr ive*) . .,.
161

Intelligent Technology
A WARNING
-New brake pads do not achieve their full
braking effect during the first 250 mi
-
(400 km). They must be "broken in" first .
However, you can compensate for the
slightly reduced braking force by pressing
firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy brak­
ing during the break-in period.
- Only apply the brakes for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system when road and
traffic conditions permit. You must not en­
danger other road users. This increases the
risk of an accident.
- On steep slopes, reduce the speed and se­
lect a lower gear or lower selector lever po­
sition. Drive as little as possible while press­
ing the brake pedal and avoid putting your
left foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This could cause the brakes to overheat and
impair the efficiency of the brakes.
- Do not let the brakes "grind" by always
keeping your foot on the brake pedal. This
can cause the brakes to overheat, increase
wear and increase braking distance unneces­
sarily.
- Certain weather and operating conditions
such as driving through water, driving in heavy rain or driving after washing your ve ­
hicle can impair the effectiveness of the
brakes . In the winter, ice may build up on
the brake pads, rotors and drums. Check
these components by braking carefully. Ap­
plying the brakes carefully several times
dries the brakes and removes ice build-up .
- The efficiency of the brakes can also be im­
paired by driving for long stretches on roads
covered with salt without using the brakes.
You can remove salt deposits from the brake rotors and pads by carefully applying
the brakes several times.
- If the front spoiler is damaged or you install
another spoiler, make sure the front wheel brakes are ventilated properly . Otherwise,
the brake system could overheat, which re­
duces their effectiveness .
- Failure of a brake circuit impairs braking
performance, which increases braking dis -
162
tance. Avoid driving the vehicle and have it
towed it to the nearest authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
- Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is
stopped because this increases the risk of an
accident .
- If the brake booster is not working, you will
have to press much harder on the brake
pedal to compensate for the lack of the
booster.
(D Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
pedal lightly when braking is not really nec­
essary. This causes the brakes to overheat
and increases braking distance and causes
wear .
- Before driving on a long stretch with steep
slopes, reduce your speed and shift to the
next lower gear This makes use of the en­
gine braking effect and relieves the brakes.
If you need to brake additionally, brake in
intervals and not continuously.
(D Tips
- If the brake booster is not working, you
must press the brake pedal with much more
force than normal.
- If you retrofit your vehicle with a front spoil­
er, wheel covers or similar items, make su re
that the air flow to the front wheels is not
interrupted. Otherwise the brake system
can become too hot.
Electromechanical
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
The vehicle still has full steering functionality if
the power steering fails or when the engine is
stopped (towing) . To steer, you must apply much
more force than usual. .,.

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-never sit on the edge of the seat
- never sit sideways
- never lean out the window
- never put your feet out the window
- never put your feet on the instrument panel
- never rest your feet on the seat cushion or back
of the seat
- never ride in the footwell
- never ride in the cargo area
8_ WARNING
Improper seating posit ions increase the r isk
of serious personal injury and death whenever
a vehicle is being used.
- Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
stay in a proper seating position and are
properly restrained whenever the vehicle is
being used.
Driver's and front
passenger's footwell
Important safety instructions
Appl ies to vehicles: with knee airbags
8_ WARNING
Always make sure that the knee airbag can in­
flate without interference. Objects between
yourself and the airbag can increase the risk
of injury in an accident by interfering with the
way the airbag deploys or by being pushed in­
to you as the airbag deploys .
- No persons (children) or anima ls shou ld ride
in the footwell in front of the passenger
seat.
If the airbag dep loys, this can result in
serious or fatal injuries .
- No objects of any kind should be carried in
the footwell area in front of the driver's or
passenger's seat. Bulky objects (shopping
bags, for example) can hamper or prevent
proper deployment of the airbag . Small ob­
jects can be thrown through the vehicle if
the airbag deploys and injure you or your
passengers.
Driving safety
Pedal area
Pedals
The pedals must always be free to move and
must never be interfered with by a floor mat or
any other object.
Make sure that all pedals move freely without in­
terference and that nothing prevents them from
returning to their original positions .
Only use floor mats that leave the pedal area free
and can be secured with floor mat fasteners .
If a brake circuit fails, increased brake pedal trav­
el is required to bring the vehicle to a full stop.
8_ WARNING
--
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss
of vehicle control and increase the risk of seri­
ous injury.
- Never place any objects in the driver's foot­
well. An object could get into the pedal area
and interfere with pedal function. In case of
sudden braking or an accident, you would
not be able to brake or acce lerate!
-Always make sure that nothing can fall or
move into the driver's footwell.
Floor mats on the driver side
Always use floor mats that can be securely at­ tached to the floor mat fasteners and do not in ­
terfere with the free movement of the pedals.
.. Make sure that the floor mats are properly se­
cured and cannot move and interfere with the
pedals~ &-
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area un­
obstructed and that are firmly secured so that
they cannot slip out of position . You can obtain
suitable floor mats from your author ized Audi
Dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi .
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached
to these fasteners . Properly securing the floor
Ill>
171

Driving safety
mats will prevent them from sliding into posi­
tions that could interfere with the pedals or im­
pair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
A WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a
loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of
serious personal injury.
- Always make sure that floor mats are prop­
erly secured .
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings in the vehicle that cannot be
properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the ped­ als or the ability to control the vehicle.
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings on top of already installed
floor mats. Addit ional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal
area and interfere with the pedals.
- Always properly reinstall and secure floor
mats that have been taken out for cleaning.
- Always make sure that objects cannot fall
into the driver footwell while the veh icle is
moving. Objects can become trapped under
the brake pedal and accelerator pedal caus­
ing a loss of vehicle control.
Storing cargo correctly
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be properly
s towed and secured in the luggage compart­
ment.
Fig. 150 Safe load pos it io nin g: place heavy objects as low
and as far forward as possible (example) .
172
Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift suddenly, changing vehicle handling charac­
teristics. Loose items can also increase the risk of
serious personal injury in a sudden vehicle ma­
neuver or in a collision.
.,. Distribute the load evenly in the luggage com­
partment.
.,. Always place and properly secure heavy items in
the luggage compartment as far forward as
possible .
.,. Secure luggage using the t ie-downs provided
~ page 64.
.,. Make sure that the rear seatback is securely
latched in place.
A WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items can
fly through the vehicle causing serious per­ sonal injury in the event of hard braking or an
accident. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always put objects, for example, luggage or
other heavy items in the luggage compart­
ment.
-Always secure objects in the luggage com­
partment using the tie-down hooks and
suitable straps .
A WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehi­
cle handles . To help reduce the risk of a loss
of control leading to serious personal injury:
-Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a change in the center of
gravity can also cause changes in vehicle
handling:
- Always distribute the load as evenly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in the
luggage compartment as possible .
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating specified
on the safety compliance sticker on the left
door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight
standards can cause the vehicle to slide and
handle differently .
Ill>-

Checking and Filling
CJ) Note
-Only use Ad Blue that conforms to the
standard ISO 22241-1. Do not mix any addi­
tives with the AdBlue and do not dilute it
with water.
- Only use refill bottles that are approved for your vehicle. Using other systems can cause Ad Blue to leak.
- Do not add Ad Blue to the diesel tank or add diesel fuel to the Ad Blue tank. Do not start
the engine under any circumstances if the
wrong fuel is filled in the tank . There is a
risk of damaging the fuel tank system and
the engine . See an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance.
- AdBlue attacks surfaces such as painted ve­
hicle components, plastic and carpet. Re­
move the fluid as quickly as possible with a
damp cloth and plenty of cold water. If the
Ad Blue has already crystallized, use warm
water and a sponge. AdBlue residue that is
not removed will crystallize and can damage
the affected surface .
- Do not store the refill bottle in the vehicle.
If it leaks, the escaping Ad Blue could dam­
age the vehicle interior .
- Do not allow Ad Blue to come into contact
with clothing. If there is contact with the
fluid, flush immediately with plenty of wa ­
ter .
(D Tips
-You can obtain refill bottles from an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility .
- Follow the Ad Blue manufacturer's instruc­
tions for use and storage .
- A permitted refill bottle contains approxi­
mately 1.9 liters of AdBlue .
- Ad Blue can freeze at very low temperatures.
If this happens, the system will not detect
that the Ad Blue was refilled and it will con­
tinue to inform you of the low AdBlue level.
The message turns off as soon as the tank
thaws out again.
236
Engine compartment
Working in the engine compartment
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 following listed warnings
and general safety precautions. The engine
compartment is a dangerous area.
¢ .&. .
.8, WARNING
To reduce the risk of injuries, complete the
following steps before opening the hood:
- Turn the engine off.
- Switch the ignition off.
- Set the parking brake.
- Place the selector lever in the P position.
- Let the engine cool down.
- Never open the hood when you see that
steam or coolant drips from the engine
compartment- there is a danger of burns!
Wait until no steam or coolant flows out.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment.
- Never spill fluids on a hot engine. These flu­
ids (such as the freeze protection contained in the coolant) can catch fire.
- Avoid short circuits in the electrical system,
especially the battery.
- 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 personal injury.
- 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 ~

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to moving components (such as the ribbed belt, alternator and radiator fan) and from
the high-voltage ignition system.
- Never reach into the radiator fan. The elec­
tric auxiliary fan is controlled by tempera­
ture and can switch on suddenly.
- Pay attention to the following warnings list­ ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
- Always d isconnect the vehicle battery
from the vehicle electrical system
- Do not smoke
- Never work near open flames
- Always have a working fire extinguisher nearby
- To reduce the risk of electric shock and in­
jury, never touch the following components when the eng ine is running or is being start­
ed:
- Ignition cable
- Other components in the electronic h igh -
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 ha ir do not
become caught in the radiator fan, fan
be lt 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 cloth ing that can
hang down into the engine.
- L imit your exposure to exhaust and chemi­
cals to as short a time as possible~&.
_& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
em it chem icals 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
C hecki ng an d Fill in g
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.
(D Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to mix the f lu­
i ds up. Otherwise severe malfunctions and en­
gine damage will occur.
@ For the sa ke 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 veh icle to an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Aud i Serv ice Facility to be
checked.
Opening the hood
The hood is released from the interior .
Fig. 191 Sectio n from t he driver 's side footwell: release
lever
Fig. 192 Rocker switch under the hood
237

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Checking and Filling
Gasoline engine compartment overview
The most important check points .
Fig. 193 Typical location of the rese rvoir , engine oil dipst ick, and engine oil filler opening
CD
@
®
©
®
©
(J)
®
Coolant expansion tank (-L) .... .
Engine oil dipstick ............ .
Engine oil filler opening(~) .. .
Brake fluid reservoir (0))
Battery(+) under a cover ..... . .
Body ground point(-)
Washer fluid reservoir
(O) ..... .
Fuse housing . .... .... ....... .
245
242
242
246
248
251 291
The engine oil filler opening and the dipstick
(items ® and @)
q fig. 193 may be located in a
different area depending on engine version .
_& WARNING
=
Read and follow all WARNINGS before check-
i ng anything in the engine compartment
¢page 236.
(D Tips
Plug-in hybrid drive*: read the information re­
garding the coolant expansion tank under
¢page 108 and the battery(+) under
¢ page 108 .
239

Checking and Filling
Diesel engine compartment overview
The most important check points.
Fig. 194 Typical location of the rese rvoir, engine o il dipstick, and engine oil fille r opening
(D Coolant expansion tank (- L) .. ...
@
®
©
®
®
0
®
Engine oil dipstick ............ .
Engine oil filler opening
(9=:r.) .. .
Brake fluid reservoir ((0))
Battery(+) under a cover
Body ground point( -)
Washer fluid reservoir
(q) ..... .
Fuse housing .. .............. .
245
242
242
246
248
251 291
The engine oil fi ller opening and the dipstick
(items @ and @)¢
fig. 194 may be located in a
different area depending on engine version.
,& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS before check­
ing anything in the engine compartment
¢page 236.
240
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
The service interval display in the instrumen t
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an oi l change. We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by an authorized Audi Serv­
ice Advisor.
If you have to top off the oil between oil changes,
use the Audi oil quality standard specified in the
table .
Audi oil quality standard
Gasoline
VW 502 00 or
engine vw 504 00
Diesel vw 507 00
engine

Checking and Filling
cont inue driving. See an authorized Audi deal ­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance .
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on outomotico/ly by it­
self.
An auxiliary elect ric radiator fan sw itches on and
off depend ing on coolant temperature and other
vehicle operating conditions.
After you switch the engine off, the auxiliary fa n
can cont inue runn ing fo r up to 10 minutes -even
with the ignition off . It ca n even switch on again
later by itself¢.&. , if
- the temperature of the engine coolant r ises due
to the heat bu ild -up from the engine in the e n­
gine compartment, or
- the engine compartment heats up because the
vehicle is parked in intense sunlight .
A WARNING
-To reduce the risk of pe rsonal injury never
touch the radiator fan .
- The auxiliary electric fan is temperature
controlled and can switch on suddenly even
when the eng ine is not running.
- The auxiliary radiator fan switches on auto­
matically when the engine coo lant reaches a
certain tempe rature and w ill cont inue to run
until the coolant temperature drops.
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
F ig . 19 9 Engine co mpar tment: cove r o n t he b rake fluid
r e servo ir (example)
246
-
Before yo u check any thing in the engine compart ­
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
¢ page 236, Working in the engine comport­
ment .
.,. Read the brake fluid level from the brake f luid
reservoir ¢
fig. 199, ¢ page 239, fig. 193 (ga­
soil engine) or ¢
page 240, fig. 194 (diesel en­
gine). The brake fluid level must be between
the "MIN" and "MAX" markings .
The location of the brake fl u id reservoir can be
seen in the engine compartment i llustration
q page239.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time
due to t he automatic adjustment of the brake
pads. This is not ca use for a larm.
If t he brake fluid level falls considerably below
the "M IN" mark, the brake warning/indicator
li ght ~ (U.S. models)
I. (Canadian models)
will come on
q page 18 . Do not continue to oper­
ate the vehicle . The complete brake system
shou ld be thorough ly checked by an authorized
Audi dealer or other qualified fac ility and the
cause corrected .
If the brake fl uid level is too
l ow, the bra ke war ning/ indicato r light w ill illumi­
na te. Cont act an a uthor ized Audi dealer
immedi­
atel y.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced
technician.
B rake fl uid abso rbs moistu re from the air. If the
wa ter con ten t in the brake fluid is too high, cor­
r osion in the bra ke system may res ult after ape­
riod of time. The boi ling po int of the brake fluid
will a lso decrease considerably and decrease
bra king performance.
Therefore, the bra ke fluid m ust be changed
every
two year s. Always use new brake f luid which con­
forms to Federa l Motor Vehicle Standard " FMVSS
116 DO T 4" .
The brake fluid reservoir can be diffic ult to reac h,
the refore, we recommend that you have t he
brake fluid changed by your author ized
Audi
dealer .
Your dealer has the correct tools, the

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right brake fluid and the know-how to do this for
you.
A WARNING
- Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored
only in the closed original container out of
the reach of chi ldren!
- Brake failure can resu lt from old or inappro­
priate brake fluid. Observe these precau­
t ions:
- Use only brake flu id that meets SA E speci­
fication
J 1703 and conforms to Federal
Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake fluid.
The correct type of brake fluid is also indi­
cated on the brake flu id reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use of
the brakes can cause a vapor lock if the
brake fluid is left in the system too long.
This can ser iously affect the efficiency of
the brakes as well as your safety. This
could result in an acc ident.
(D Note
Brake fluid w ill damage the pa int of your vehi­
cle.
For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal of
brake flu id as well as the special tools re­
quired and the necessary expertise, we rec­
ommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your author ized Audi dealer.
Battery
General information
All work on the battery requires expert knowl­
edge.
Read and foll ow t he WARNING S before check­
ing anything in the engine compartment
¢ page 236, Working in the engine comport ­
ment.
Ch eck ing and Filling
Plug -in hybrid drive* : you can find important in ­
formation about the high -vo ltage battery under
¢ page 98.
The battery in yo ur Audi does not need any ma in­
tenance under
normal operating conditions . Audi
recommends having the electrolyte level check
by an authorized Audi dealer or author ized Audi
Service Facility when there are
high outside tem­
peratures or when dr iving all day. The e lectrolyte
level should also be checked each time the bat ­
tery is charged¢
page 249.
Have the battery checked when you bring your ve­
hicle in for an inspection. It is a good idea to re­
place the battery if it is more than 5 years old.
D uring certa in types of a irbag deployments, the
battery is d isconnected from the veh icle electri­
cal system for safety reasons¢
& in Repair, core
and disposal of the airbags on page 199.
Di sco nnecting the battery te rminal s
The battery should not be disconnected. Several
vehicle functions (power windows, for example)
will be lost when the battery is disconnected. The
funct ions must be reprogrammed after connect­
ing the battery. To avoid this, the battery should
only be disconnected from the vehicle electrical
system when it is absolutely necessary.
To reprogram the functions, proceed as follows:
Function Reprogramming
Power window one-¢ page 44, Correcting
touch up/down func-power window molfunc-
tion tions
Remote control key or
If the vehicle does not
Convenience key react to the key, it must
be synchronized
¢page 37
Dig ita l clock ¢page 10
ESC indicator light The indicator light goes
out after driving a few
meters
247