technical data AUDI A3 2011 Owner´s Manual

Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic beh ind you using the regular
outs ide mirrors, then you
must i nstall extended mirrors. It is impor­
tant that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure you
or your passengers. •
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is lim ited to a typ ical class 1 or class 2 tra iler.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to guard aga inst
shifting, be it fo rwa rd, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ~ & in "Driving instruc­
tions".
Tire pressure
When towing a tra iler, inflate the tires of yo ur veh icle to the co ld tire
pressure listed unde r "Full load" on the sticker on the right doorjamb.
Inflate trailer tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight settings sho uld be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off . Adjust as necessary so that you can see the road
ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check p roper working of vehicle and tra iler lights.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Safety
chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit
turning corners . When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hit ch. •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded .
- Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed .
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribut ion
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly unstable
distribution of we ight. If th is cannot be avoided drive at very low
speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced " rig is easier to operate and control. This means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permiss ible
whi le keeping the trai ler as light as possible under the circumstances .
Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage compart-
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Parking on a slope
Do not park with a trailer on a slope. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone place chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels.
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until wheel
blocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Place an automatic transmission in
P, respectively a
manual transmission in first or reverse gear.
When restarting after parking:
- Start the engine .
- Shift transmission into gear .
- Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away from the wheel blocks .
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel blocks.
[I] Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmiss ion to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use more force later to move the leve r out of the
P
position. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g=--- a_n_ d----' p,__ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ lffll'II
High temperatures, as from exposure to intense sunlight, intensify
the corrosive effect particularly when humidity is high as well.
Under certa in circumstances,
weekly washing may be necessary .
Under other conditions, a month ly washing and waxing may be
adequate.
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle should be thoroughly
washed, preferably in a profess ional car wash.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 206.
0 Note
You should remove debris (such as insects) from the headlight lenses
on a regular basis, for example when refueling yo ur vehicle. Never
clean the headlights with a dry cloth or sponge. Use a wet cloth or
sponge. It is best to use soapy wate r.•
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any modern auto­
matic car wash.
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle can normally be
washed without problems in an automatic car wash. However, the
effect on the paint depends to a large extent o n the design of the
facility, the filtering of the wash water, the type of wash and care
material, e tc. If the paint has a dull appearance after going through
the car wash or is scratched, bring this to the attention of the oper­
ator immediately .
If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to take the usual precau­
tions such as closing the windows and panoramic sliding sunroof*.
Remove ante nna if applicable.
Safety first
If you have installed additional accessories on the vehicle - such as
spoilers, roof rack, etc. - it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 206. •
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehicle by hand.
-Before you start wash ing, ma ke sure you have read and
understood the WARNINGS ~
& in "General informa­
tion" on
page 206.
-First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then rinse it off.
- As you clean your vehicle, start with the roof and work your
way down to the bottom, using a sponge, a sponge glove
or a clean brush.
- Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often, flushing it
clean each time.
- Use special car shampoo only for very persistent dirt.
- Rinse the car thoroughly with water .
- Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the exter ior dry .
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the whee ls, door s ills and other
regions exposed to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch the
paint with coarse particles imbedded in the sponge the next time you
wash the car . .,,
Vehicle care Technical data

____________________________________________ C_l_e _a_ n_ i n--= g,___ a_n_ d----' p,___ r_o _t_ e_ c_ t_ i _o_ n __ _
0 Note
To avo id damaging your vehicle, a lways make sure that there i s suffi­
cient distance between the spray head and soft materia ls like r ubber
hoses, plastic part s and sound-de adening mate ria ls. Never aim the
spray head at the same point for a long time . This a lso applies to
cleaning headl ights and painted bumpers. Remembe r: the closer t he
nozzle is to the surface of the mater ia l, the greater the stress on the
mate rial. •
Wa xing
Wax protects the vehicle's paint.
- U se a manua lly applied car wax occas ionally to pro tect t he
pa int.
A good wax coat ing protects the vehicle paint to a la rge extent
agai nst the env ironmen ta l fa ctors liste d un der~
page 20 6,
"Washing" and even against slight scratches.
You can use a liquid car wax to protect yo ur paint as soon as one wee k
after your ve hicle has been delivered .
Even if you regula rly use a
wa xing process in automatic car washes,
we recomme nd that you m anually apply a co at of wax to give the
paint extra protection, part icularly if water no longer beads on t he
cl ean pa int .
Protec t plast ic body parts with car wax in t he same way as the vehicle
body .
Dur ing warm wea ther de ad insec ts te nd t o collec t on t he fron t
bumper and on the forward area of the hood. They a re much easier to
remove from p aint th at is waxed
often.
Safety first
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:=> page 206 .
0 Note
Do not use car wax on
• matte o r anodized metal trim
• rub ber or rubbe r-like trim .•
Polishing
P olishing restores the gloss to the paint.
P olis h your ve hicl e only if t he pa int has lost its shine and the gloss
cannot be brought back with wax.
If the polish used does not contain preservative compounds, the
paint must be waxed afterwards=> page 209, "Wax ing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:=> page 206 .
0 Note
Do no t trea t matte a nodize d meta l trim, p lastic o r ru bber p arts wi th
polish or wax . •
Trim strips
fv1 etal tri m needs s pec ial care .
For env ironmental reasons, Aud i fabr icates the brig ht trim strips and
trim p ieces from pure chrom ium -free a lum inum. ._
Vehicle care Technical data

Cleaning and protection -
---------------=---------=----
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road film and carwash
wax buildup.
- Remove snow from windows using a brush.
- Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from windows and
mirrors.
- Remove other residue on the w indows with a spray-on
glass cleaner .
- Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of cloth or
kitchen paper towel.
T he best way to remove snow from w indows and mirrors is to use a
brush. Use a non-abrasive plastic ice s craper - be tter st ill, a spray
deicer -to remove ice from windows and mirrors.
Th e w indows must not be cleaned with insect remover or wax since
these can interfere with the function of the w indshield wiper blades
(chatte r) .
Oil, grease or s ilicone residue can be removed with glass cleane r or
s ili cone remover. Howeve r, wax residue requires the use of a specially
formulated solvent . Please contact your author ized Aud i dealer for
advice on safe products for wax remova l.
W indows shou ld also be cleaned on the inside at regu lar i nte rvals.
Never dry windows w ith the same chamo is that you use to dry painted
surfaces. Wax res idue on the chamois ca n impa ir v is ion t hrough the
windows .
& WARNING
• The w ind shi eld must not be tr eated with water -rep ellent
m aterial s. They can in cre a se glare und er poor vi sibilit y co ndition s
Safety first
& WA RNING (continu ed)
such as wetne ss , dar kne ss, or when the sun is low on the ho rizon .
In addition , th ey can cau se the wind shield wip ers to c hatt er.
• Always r ea d and heed all WARNING S and othe r in fo rm ation
~ pag e 206 .
0 Note
• Never use warm o r hot wate r to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors . This could cause the glass to crack.
• To prevent damage to the w ires of the rear defogger, do not place
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the wires.
• T o help prevent dirt from scratching the w indow, always scrape in
a forward direction - pushing the scraper away from you -never back
and forth .•
Weatherstrips
Complete car care includes the weatherstrips as well .
-Apply a suitable rubber conditioner to the weatherstrips
from time to t ime .
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear l id, etc. must remain pliable . Spray the weatherstrips with sili­
cone or coat t hem with talc um powder or g lycerine to retain the flex­
ibility of the rubber and to p ro tect them agai nst free zing in the
winter .
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other inform ation
~ page 206 .
Vehicle care Technical data

Cleaning and protection -
---------------=---------=----
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous.
• Be nzine is flammabl e and toxic. If you u se benzine for
remo ving the wa x, keep sparks , flame and l ighted cigarettes
away . Never dump benzine on the ground , into open stream s or
down sewage drains .
• Be sure to ob serve all safety and environmental regulation s.
Follow all instruct ions on the container.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 206 . •
Chassis
Have the undercoating chec ked for damage from time to
time.
Th e lower body she ll of your Audi is a lso thoro ugh ly protected against
co rrosion.
Any damage to the unde rcoating caused by road hazards shou ld be
repa ire d pro mptly.
& WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong places can cause a fire .
• Do not apply additional undercoating or ru stproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. While driving , the sub stance us ed for undercoating
could overheat and cause a fire .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
:::>page 206 . •
Safety first
Exhaust tail pipes
Road sa lt and other corrosive mater ials will damage the material in
t he exh aust tail pipes if they a re not cleaned reg ula rly. Do not clean
the ta il pipes with wheel cleaner, pai nt polis h, chrome po lish or other
abras ive clean ers . Cle an the t ail pipes wit h car ca re product s that are
suitable for sta inless steel.
You r authorized Audi dealer can provide cleaning products that have
been tested a nd app roved for your veh icle. •
Care of interior
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH produc ts to remove s pots an d de pos its from
aluminum surfaces. Chrome care products and alka line cleaners w ill
attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=>page 206. •
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fabrics and fabr ic coverings (e.g. seats, door trim pane ls, etc.) shou ld
be cleaned at regula r in terva ls with a vacuu m cleaner. T his removes
surface di rt part icles which co uld become embedded in the fabr ic
t hrough use . S te am cleaner s sho uld n ot be use d, bec ause t he s te a m
tends to push the dirt deeper into the fab ric and lock it there.
Normal cleaning
Genera lly, we recommend using a soft sponge or a lint-free
microfiber cl oth to t he clean fab ric. Brushes should o nly be used for ..,.
Vehicle care Technical data

Cleaning and protection -
---------------=---------=----
Appli es to veh icles : with n atural leathe r
Natural leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the properties,
na tural look and feel of interior leather .
General
We offer many different types of leather on our vehicles . Most are
different types of nappa leather, which has a smooth s urface and
comes in various colors.
Th e intensity of the color determines the visual cha racter istics and
appearance .
If the surface of the leat her has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has been left in a relatively
natura l condition. This leathe r offers pa rticu la rly good comfo rt and
breathes wel l. Fine veins, closed gra ins, insect b ites, sk in fo lds, and
s u btl e var iations in co lor remai n visible . These c harac ter istics demon ­
strate that the mater ial is natural.
N atural nappa leather is not covered by a color fin ish . It is the refore
more sensitive to soiling and wea r, which is something you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors might prove to be partic ­
ular ly hard on the leather .
By contrast, leather types that are covered by a colored fin ish layer
are more dur able. This h as a pos it ive e ffect on t he leather 's resist ance
to wear and so iling in daily use . On the other hand, the typical charac­
t eris tics of na tura l leather are ba rely o r not app aren t. H oweve r, this
does not mean that the leather itself is of inferior quality.
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of leather that Audi uses
and the ir un ique properties (such as sensitivi ty to oils, gre ase, soiling,
etc.), you will need to be somewhat careful with these leathe rs, a nd
a ce rtain type of care is req uired. For example, dark clo thing mate ­
r ials can discolor leather seats (especially if such clothing is damp and
was not dyed cor rect ly). Dust and dirt particles in pores, folds, and
seams can have a n ab rasive effect and ca n damage the leathe r
surface as well as weaken seams.
Safety first
The leather should be cleaned regularly as needed . After having been
used for a rela tively long time, yo ur leat her seats w ill acq uire a rich
aged fi nish. This is a characteristic of natural leather and a s ign of
true quality .
I n orde r to maintain the va lue of this nat ural p rodu ct over t he life of
your vehicle, you should fo llow the recommendations be low:
0 Note
• To keep your leather from b leach ing out, do not allow it to be
exposed to b right s unl igh t fo r long pe riod s of time. If yo u have to
leave t he veh icle parked outside for long periods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sunlight.
• Sharp objects on cloth ing, such as zippers, rivets or sharp pieces
on belts can le ave pe rm an ent sc ratches o r scrape mar ks on the
surface of the leather.
[I] Tips
• After each t ime you clean the leather and at regular intervals, use
a leathe r preservat ive creme that con tains UV -bloc ke rs and that
works into the leather. This creme will nourish and mo istur ize the
leather, helping it to b reathe and s tay supp le . It also he lps to build up
a p rotect ive coa ting on the surface .
• C lean the leather every 2 -3 months, a nd clean any areas that get
soiled .
• Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc . as soon as poss ible.
• P reserve t he colo r of t he lea ther as needed by us ing a specia l
co lored leather care creme to touch up areas of uneven color. •
Vehicle care Technical data

-----------------------------------------~C~le~a~n~i~n~g~a!..!n..!:d~pEr~o~t~e~c~t:.!i~o~n:!...__nn
App lies to vehicles : with Alcantara up hols tery
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Removing dust and dirt
- Mois t en a c loth, squee ze out excess water a nd wip e down
the seat su rfaces .
Removing stains
- Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or wi th diluted ethyl
(rubbing) alcohol.
- Dab at t he s tai n. Start a t the ou tside and work inwards.
- O nce the stain is no longer v isibl e, use a soft dry clot h or
tissue to soak up the moist ure .
Do not use leathe r clean ing p roduc ts on Alcanta ra.
You may us e a suitable shampoo for r emoving dus t and d irt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can sc ratch and damage the
s u rface . If the car is left s tanding in the su n fo r long pe riods, the
Alcantara should be protected against direc t su nlight to prevent it
from fading . Slight co lor var iat ions will develop in norma l use and are
not a n indic a tion of mater ial deter io ration .
0 Note
• Never use chem ical solven ts (e .g . lighte r fluid, turpen tine), waxes ,
shoe po lish or simi lar p roducts on A lcantara ® sur faces .
• T o avo id damage , have st ubbor n sta ins removed by a commerc ia l
cl eaning s pecialist .
• Do no t use brushes, s tiff sponges o r sim ilarly abrasive clea ning
aids .•
Safety first
Safety belts
On ly well -m aintai ned saf ety belts wor k relia bly when
n ee ded.
K ee p be lts cl ean .
- F or cleani ng, use a mi ld soap a nd water sol ution. Let bel ts
dry t ho ro ug hly a nd away fro m direct s unligh t.
- Do not a llow i nertia ree l safety belts to retract befo re th ey
a re co mpletely dry.
- Check t he cond it io n of yo ur safety belts
regularly.
Heav ily so iled s afety be lts may not retra ct properly .
& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
• Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean
that you and your passengers would not be adequately protected
in an accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation . Never
remove belts from the vehicle to clean them .
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents, bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
• When cleaning your safety belts, inspect them for damage. If
you di scover damage , see your authorized Audi dealer .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 206 . •
Vehicle care Technical data

Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Using the right fuel helps keep the environment clean and
prevents engine damage .
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recommended for your vehicle is unleaded premium grade
g asoline . See also :::>
page 296, "D ata ". Aud i recommends using TO P
TIER Detergent Gasoline with a minimum octane ra ting of 91 AKI (95
R O N). For more information on TOP TIE R Detergen t Gasoline, please
go to the official website (www. toptiergas .com) .
Th e recommended gasoline octane rating for your engine can also be
found on a labe l located on the ins ide of t he fue l fille r flap. This rating
may be specified as AKI or RON .
Your vehicle may also be ope rated us ing unleaded reg ular gasoline
with a minim um octane rating of 87 AKI/91 RON. However, us ing 87
AKI/91 RON octane fuel will slig htly reduce engine performance.
Use un leaded ga soline only. U nleaded gaso line is available
throughout the USA, Canada, and in most E uropean co untries. We
recommen d that you do not ta ke your veh icle to areas or co unt ries
where unleaded gasoline may not be available.
F or more in formation on re fueling yo ur vehicle, see:::>
page 221.
Octane rating
Octane r ati ng indi cat es a gaso line's abi lity to resis t engi ne damag ing
"knock" caused by premature ignition and detonat ion. Therefore,
buying the correc t g rade o f gasol ine is very impo rtan t to help preve nt
possible engine damage and a loss of engine performance .
Gaso line most common ly used in the United States and Canada has
the following octa ne rat ings tha t ca n usually be fou nd on the filler
pump :
Safety first
• Premium Grade: 91 - 96 AKI
• Regular Grade: 87 - 90 AKI
Explanation of t he abb reviations :
AKI= Anti Knock Index= (R +M)/2 = (RON+ MON)/2
RO N= Research Octane Number
M ON= M otor Octane Num ber.
0 Note
• Do not use any fue l with octane rat ings lower than 87 AKI o r 91
RON otherwise expens ive engine damage will occ ur.
• Do
not use leade d gasoline! The use o f leaded gaso line will
severely damage your veh icle 's cata lytic converter and its abi lity to
cont rol exhaust emissions .•
Blended gasoline
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or MTBE (methyl
tertiary butyl ether)
Yo u may use unleaded gasoline blended w ith alcoho l or MTBE
( c ommon ly referred to as oxygenates) if the blended mix ture meets
the following criteria:
Blend of ga soline methanol (wood alcohol or methyl alcohol)
• Anti -k nock index m ust be 87 AKI or h igher .
• Bl end must con tain no mo re t han 3% methanol.
• Blend must contain more than 2% co-solvents.
Blend of ga soline and ethanol (grain alcohol or ethyl alcohol)
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI o r higher.
• Bl end must no t contain more th an 10% ethanol.
Vehicle care Technical data

__________________________________ F_ u_ e_l _s _ u...: p....:.. p ___ ly ~ a __ n _ d_ f _i_ l __ li _n _, g~ y __ o_ u _ r_f __ u_ e=.. l ::......:. t.:...a ..:...n :..:.k.::..._ __
Some states in the USA require permits to purchase diesel fuel. Check
with your State Motor Vehicle Department.
Diesel fuel may not be available outs ide the USA and Canada. Be sure
to check before traveling to other countries .
Winter operation
At temperatures below 20° F (- 7° C), Diesel fue l No. 2 loses its fluidity
due to wax separation, which may clog the fuel filter or tank filter and
keep the engine from running.
T o help the filter from being clogged by wax, the fuel fi lter in your
vehicle is automatically preheated. Preheating the fuel filter makes
operat ion of your vehicle possib le with Diesel fuel No. 2 down to -
10° F (-24° C).
If you expect temperatures below 5° F (-15° C) ask your fuel dealer
whether their Diesel fuel No. 2 is suffic iently w interized for the
prevailing and expected temperatures.
If not winte rized or insuffic iently winterized diesel fuel has already
thickened to the extent that the engine will not start, warm the
vehicle up by leaving it in a heated garage.
It is normal that the engine noise level (dieseling) is louder during the
warm-up period in winter.
It is also normal when whitish -blue smoke
comes out of the tailpipe after start ing and during warm-up. The
amount of smoke depends on the outside temperature.
Do not let your diese l engine id le unnecessari ly after a cold start.
Driving off slowly will shorten the warm-up period.
& WARNING
• Never use "starting assist fluids." They may be potentially
explosive or cause a "run-away" engine condition. This could
result in serious engine damage and personal injury.
• Never use fuel line anti-freeze offered for gasoline engines.
Safety first
0 Note
• Your diesel engine has been specifically designed to operate only
on Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fue l. Therefore, never use home heating oil
or regu lar gaso line. The properties of these fuels may cause serious
damage to the fuel injection system and to the engine. Using these
fue ls can cause expens ive eng ine repairs and will also adversely affect
your New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• If diesel fuel should get on any rubber hose, it must be wiped off
immediately. Then wash the contaminated hose portion with soap
and warm water. Do not allow diesel fuel to rema in on connecting
hoses. They may deve lop leaks and cause serious damage. •
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear side panel behind the
fue l filler flap.
If the power locking system should fa il, you can still open the flap
manually - for detai led instructions see=>
page 224.
You ca n find the fuel tank capacity of your vehicle in Technical Data
=> page 296 .
The label on the inside of the fue l filler flap tells you the correct fuel
for your veh icle. For more information about fuel specifications, see
=> page 219.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refuelling vapor recovery
system . This feature helps to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from
the tank and polluting the environment while you refuel your vehicle.
In order to fill the tank properly while protect ing the environment,
please follow this refueling procedure carefully. .,,
Vehicle care Technical data