check engine light AUDI A3 2011 Owner´s Manual

Driver information display
Fuel supply too low I
When the symbol illuminates, this means there are about 2.6
gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the fuel tank. Time to refuel!
=;, page 221.
If the symbol lights up, even when there is ample fue l in the tank, and
the text
Tank system malfunction! Please contact workshop appears
in the display, there is a fault in the system. Contact a qualified work­
shop to have the fault rectified .•
App lies to veh icles: w ith eng ine speed limitat ion
Engine speed limitation ~
Engine speed maximum XXXX RPM
The symbol illuminates when there is an engine control malfunc­
tion. The indicator light
C in the instrument cluster also illuminates.
Th e eng ine speed is limited to the speed displayed in the driver infor­
mation system. Keep in mind that the engine speed will not exceed
the value disp layed in the driver information system, for example
when downshifting .
Please go to an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified workshop to
have the malfunction repai red. •
App lies to vehicles: with diesel eng ine and diesel particulate filter
Diesel particulate filter clogged
Particulate filter ! See owner's manual
If the indicato r light in the instrum ent cluster comes on, the
diesel particulate filter has become blocked with soot as the result of
constant short -distance driving. When the symbol illuminates,
you can alter your driving style to assist the filter self-cleaning
process. Drive for approximately 15 minutes in 4th or 5th gear (auto­
matic transm ission w ith the selector lever in the 5 posit ion) at a min
imum speed of 37 mph (60 km/h) and an engine speed of approx­
imate ly 2,000 RPM. The temperature increase that will result from
this can burn off the soot in the f ilter. The symbol will switch off when
the cleaning is successful. After a successfu l cleaning, there is no
need to bring the car to an authorized dealer or qualified workshop
because this is part of normal vehicle operation.
If the symbol does not switch off, see your authorized dealer or
other qualified workshop to have the problem corrected.
As long as the indicator light remains on (diese l particulate filter
plugged), you can expect increased fuel consumption and poss ibly
also a loss of engine performance.
For more information on the diesel particulate filter, refer to
=;, page 199.
& WARNING
Always adapt your speed to the current weather, road and traffic
conditions . You should never disobey traffic laws in order to
follow driving recommendations. •
Checking the engine oil level ~-
'LF. Please add max. 1 qt of engine oil!
If the ..:,; symbo l comes on, add 1 quart (1 liter) of oil at the next
opportun ity=-;,
page 232. •
Checking the engine oil level~
When the _ symbol illuminates, check the engine oil level as soon as
possible ~
page 231. Top off the oil at your earliest opportunity
=;, page 232. •

Engine oil sensor defective,:., 1ioo
If the ~ symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer
and have the oi l senso r inspected. •
Worn brake pads ,
Brake pads!
If the warn ing lig ht i llum inates, immediately contact your authorized
Audi dea ler or qu alified wor kshop to have all b rake pads insp ected.
On USA mode ls the warn ing light ,,, comes on together w it h the
warning light
BRAKE . Both sets of brake pads on an axle must a lways
be rep laced at the same time .
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can c ause a collision and serious personal
injury .
• If the warning light land the warning light
BRAKE1> with the
me ssage Brake pads! comes on in the in strument cluster di splay,
immediately contact your author ized Aud i dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pad s checked or replaced if
necessary. •
....
Speed warning 1 _, (USA
models)/ ...... (Canada models)
If the :J symbo l ill uminates, this means you are driving faster than
t he set vehicle speed. Slow down!~
page 28. •
ll BRAKE : USA mode ls on ly
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Driver information display
Speed warning 2
) (USA models)/ (Canada models)
If the symbol i llum inates, this means you have d riven faster than
t he second set ve hicle speed . S low dow n!~
page 28. •
App lies to vehicles : wit h dyn am ic head ligh t ra ng e ad justmen t
Headlight range control defective r!>
If the > illuminates, the dynamic headlight range cont rol is no
longer work ing prope rly. Have the system checked and repaired at
your authorized Aud i dea ler. •
Windshield washer fluid level too low ~
If the -., symbo l ill uminates, add windshie ld washer fluid to the
was he r system ~
page 24 3. •
Battery voltage low
If the O symbol illum ina tes, contact yo ur authorized A udi dea ler and
have the fo llowing components inspected:
• drive be lt
• battery charge
Also see i f th e gener ator w arning/ind ic a tor ligh t illumina te s
~page 15 .•
Vehicle care Technical data

Driver information display
Defective light bulb warning
The defective light bulb warning tells you when a vehicle
light bul b has become defective .
If a defective bu lb has been detected by the system or a light bulb
burns ou t, the symbo l w ith a message appea rs in the display to te ll
you which bulb is burnt out and where it is located. For example:
Rear left turn signal
After 5 seconds, the message d isappears . If you want to recall the
message into t he disp lay, press the CHECK button ::::,
page 8, fig. 2
® ·
There are three reasons w hy the defective bulb message would
appea r in the d ispl ay :
• The light bulb has burnt out::::,
page 285 .
• Th e fuse is "b lown" ::::, page 281, "R ep laci ng fuses".
• The wire connect io n to the light bulb is defective.
Have the bu lb rep lace d or the connec tion repa ired by your au thor ize d
Audi Service department.
& WARNING
• Light bulbs are pressurized and could e xplode while they are
being changed cau sing seriou s personal injur y.
• Work with due care when handling the high-voltage section of
ga s di scharge (xenon ) lamp s. Failing to do so could re sult in death
or se rious injury !•
Brake light defective B • urn (USA
models)/ (Canada models)
In case of a malfunct ion or component fai lure, the symbol
(USA models)/ (Ca nada models) can appea r. The following elec· trical components should be checked
, repaired or rep laced, as neces­
sary:
• Brake ligh t bul bs
• All wiri ng connec tions
• Brake light switch
C on tact your au thorized A udi deale r for assistance if necessary .
(I) Tips
The brake light switch is on ly inspected as part of the functional check
after the engine is sta rted .•
A pplies to veh icles: w ith au toma tic head ligh ts
Light/rain sensor defective
The indicator light indicates a defec t in the automatic
headlights/automatic wi per system.
If the symbo l ill umina tes, the ligh t se nso r has failed. Fo r safety
reasons, the low beams are turned on permanen tly with the sw itch in
AUTO . However, you can continue to t urn the lights on and off using
the light sw itch . In the case of a defec t in the ra in se nsor, the wi nd­
shield wiper lever functions are still avai lab le . Have the light/rain
s ensor che cked as soon a s poss ible at an a uth oriz e d Au di dea le r.•
A pp lies t o veh icles : wit h tire p ressure mon itoring system
Tire pressure monitoring system )
Tire press ure that is too lo w m ust be correc ted as soon a s
possible.
If the symbo l flashes for about one min ute after the igni ­
tion is sw itc hed on and then re m ain s on, t here is a malfu nc­
tion i n the syste m. Co nsu lt the neares t au thori zed Aud i
d ealer a s so on as possib le.
~

Intelligent technologyz..__~~-____________________________ __.
& WA RNING (c on tinued )
speed acco rding to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
e xtra safety afforded by th e ABS tempt you into taking extra risk s.
The ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics .
[ i J Tips
• If ABS is not funct ioning properly, a warning light will come on .
See ~
page 16 .
• If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
ind ic at ed by t he A BS w arni ng light. •
Brake assistant
The broke assistant is designed to achieve the optimum
br oking effect.
Th e b rake ass istant he lps to inc rease t he effective brak ing powe r and
thus to ac hieve a shorter stopping distance.
If the driver presses the
bra ke ped al ve ry qu ickly, the b rake assistant au toma tically bo osts the
brak ing force to the max imum level, up to the point where the anti­
lo ck brak e function (ABS) in tervenes to stop the whee ls from l ocking.
You should then keep the brake pedal pressed unti l the vehicle has
bra ke d to t he require d spee d. T he bra ke ass istan t swi tches itse lf off
as soon as you re lease the b rake pedal.
Th e brake assistant will not be operative if there is a ma lfu nctio n in
t he A BS .
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast , especially in corners or on a slippery road , or if you
follow th e vehicle ahead of you too closely. An increased accident
risk cannot be compensated even by the brake assistant, so always
maintain a safe speed .•
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Electro-mechanical power assist
---
T
he elec tro-m echa nic al po wer as sist hel ps the dri ver
w he n steering .
The degree of power assist is electronically matched to vehicle speed.
Th e powe r steering system ass ists the dr iver so t hat he ca n stee r the
vehicle with reduced physical effort.
Power steering will not wor k if the engine is off. As a result, the
stee rin g wheel will b e ha rd to tu rn .
& WARNING
If the system deve lops a problem, you must seek qualified profes­
sional as sistance.
0 Note
If the re is an elect ronic mal func tion, servotronic will s till f unction
li ke a conven tional power steering system, p rovid ing a constant
steering support fo rce that is no longer proportionate to the ve hicle
spee d. This is most noticeab le whe n tur ning the s teer ing whe el at low
speeds ( for example when park ing), -more effort will be required
t h a n usual.
• Be aware o f the d ifferent than usual steering response and adjust
your st eering force a ccordi ng ly.
• Have the prob lem checked and set r ight by an autho rize d Aud i
dealer as soo n as possib le.
• If a steering ma lf u nction occ urs, t his is signaled w ith the or. ~
indicator l igh ts a nd a wa rning tone, see .
[I] Tips
• If the powe r stee ring system shou ld fa il, or if the engine is not
run ning (for example, while being towed), you w ill still be ab le to
stee r the veh icle. However, more effort wi ll be required to do so . .,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
you start the engine and avoid running at high RPMs while the engine
is still warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting. If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which could result in
overheat ing or other damage to the vehicle or other property.•
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- Have your vehicle serviced at regular intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an authorized Audi dealer
helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically. The condition
of your vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability to hold its value,
it also affects
fuel consumption .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value after a certain mi leage has been driven.
You must drive you r vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oil consumption.
Thi s also applies to fuel consumption and engine output.
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the
service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the vehicle will
impa ir the function of the emission control system and could lead to
damage.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
•
Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Control
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not a lter or remove any device, such as heat shie lds, switches,
ignition w ires, va lves, which are designed to protect your vehicle 's
Emission Control System and other important vehicle components.
Fewer short tr ips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips.
- Try to avoid driving short distances with a cold engine.
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper­
ating temperature
to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis ­
sions effectively .
• Just after starting, a cold eng ine in a mid-size car burns the fuel at
a poor rate of 6-8 miles per gallon (30-40 l/l00km). Half a mile down
the road, the mileage improves to 12 MPG (20 l/100 km). It will take
the engine no less than
two and a half miles (4 km) of driving to
warm up to its proper operat ing temperature and operate at an
economic mileage . This explains why taking the car for sho rt trips is a
rather wasteful convenience .
• Th e
outside temperature is also critical in this regard . Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Trailer towing
"---------------------------------------------------
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor ­
tation .
If you p lan to tow a t railer, p lease remember that the additional load
w ill affect durability, economy and performance.
Tr ailer towing not on ly p laces mo re s tress on the vehicle, it also calls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reasons, a lways fo llow the operating and driv ing instr uctions
prov ided and use common sense .•
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a we ight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trai ler weight .
Th e h itch mus t be suit able for your veh icle and t railer and mus t be
mounted securely on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound l oca­
t ion. Use on ly a tra ile r hi tch w ith removable b all moun t. Alw ays check
w ith the trailer hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are using
t he correc t hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way t hat it does not interfere
w ith the impact -ab sorb ing bumper system. No mod ifi cations s houl d
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems . From t ime to
t ime, che ck t hat all hitch mou nting bolts rema in securely faste ned.
W hen you are no t tow ing a trai ler, remove the trailer hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from ca using damage should your
veh icle be s truck from behind=>&.
Tire pressure
When towing a tra iler, inflate the tires of you r vehicle to the cold tire
pressu re listed under "Full lo ad"on t he st ick er o n the r ight doo rjamb.
I n flate trailer t ires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifications .
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with the tra iler attached
befo re d riving o ff. Have the headlights adjusted as necess ary s o that
you can see the road ahead but not b lind oncoming t raffic.
Check to make s ure bo th vehicle and t railer lights a re wor king prop­
er ly.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer ma kes t he engin e work harder. It is important t hat
t he cooling sys tem' s per formance stands up to the add ition al stra in.
M ake sure that the coo ling sys tem has eno ugh fluid .
Trailer brakes
If your trai ler is equipped with a braking system, check to be su re that
it confo rms to all regula tions .
Th e tra ile r hydrau lic brake system must not be directly con nected to
the vehicle's hydraulic b rake system.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are p roper ly connected from the t rai ler
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lac k in t he chai ns to permit
t u rni ng corners. When you insta ll safety chains, ma ke s ure t hey will
not d rag on t he road when yo u are d riving .
The chai ns should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
drop ping in ca se of separat io n from t he hitch.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulat ions. Be su re to chec k w ith your
author ized A udi dealer for correct wiring, switches and relays. _.

Checking and filling -------------- ------=------=:;______,.Jl':fffll
Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
-Open the driver's door.
Fig. 159 Driver's side
footwell : engine hood
release lever
- Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel ::::;, fig . 159 in direction of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly und er spring pressure. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 160 Engine hood
release lever
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that the wind­
shield wipers are folded flat against the windshield. Other­
wise , they could damage the paint on the hood.
Pull the release lever::::;, fig. 160 in the direction indicated
by the arrow. This release the hook under the hood.
- Open the hood all the way.
& WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you!
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment . Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

___ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_il _l_in _ g _________________________________________ _
Under some circumstances the engine oil should even be changed
more frequently. Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop ­
and-go traff ic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper­
atures stay below freezing point for long periods .
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been run ning for a short time . This is normal and is not a
reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essentia l that you change your oi l at the recommended intervals
using only engine oil that complies with Audi oi l standard VW 502 00
(vehicles with gasoline engine) or VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel
engine). Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover damage
or malfunctions due to failure to follow recommended maintenance
and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's Manua l and
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dealer will have to deny
warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in the form
of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance was
performed in a timely manner .•
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
engine components, all internal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of o il. Oil consumpt ion varies from engine to engine
and may change significant ly over the life of the eng ine. Typically,
engines with a specified break- in period (see~
page 197) consume
more oi l during the break-in period than they cons ume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Under normal cond itions, the rate of oil consumpt ion depends on the
quality and vis cosity of the oil, the RPM (revol utions pe r minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oi l dilution from water condensation or fuel residue and the ox
idation level of the o il. As any
eng ine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consumption
may increase over time until replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With all these variab les coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified. There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level , see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbol in the instrument
cl uster .... lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as possible
with the oil dipstick~ page 231. Top off the o il at your earliest
convenience ~
page 232.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS~
& in "Work ing in the engine
compartment" on
page 226.
0 Note
Driving with an insufficient oil level is likely to cause severe damage
to the engine .
[ i ] Tips
• The oil pressure warning display 't::r. is not an indicator of the oil
level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your engine at
regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and alway s
before going on a long trip.
• If you have the impression your eng ine consumes excessive
amounts of oi l, we recommend that you consu lt your authorized Audi
dea ler to have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed. Keep in
mind that the accurate measurement of oil consumption requires
great care and may take some time . Your authorized Audi dea le r has
instructions about how to measure oil consumption accurately. •

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 .
~