winter tires AUDI A3 2012 Owner´s Manual

232 Tires and wheels
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible and
check the tires and their pressures. In­
flate the tire pressure to the proper pres­
sure as indicated on the vehicle's tire
pressure label ¢
page 216. Driving on a
significantly under-inf lated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also is likely to
impair the vehicle's handling and stop­
ping ability.
- T he driver is responsible for maintain ing
the correct tire pressures. You must
check the tire pressures regularly.
- Under certain cond itions (such as a spor­
ty driving style, winter conditions or un­
paved roads), the pressure monitor indi­
cator may be delayed.
- Ask your authorized Audi dealer if run­
flat tires may be used on your vehicle .
Your vehicle registration becomes invalid
if you use these tires when not permit­
ted. Damage to your veh icle or acc idents
could also result .
(D Tips
- The tire pressure monitoring system
stops working when there is an ESP/ABS malfunction .
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- Tires with the identification "AO" or "RO"
have been specially matched with your
Audi. We recommend using only these
tires because they meet the highest
standards regarding safety and driving
characteristics when used correctly. Your
a uthorized Audi dea ler will g ladly pro­
v ide you w ith more information.
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
(Stepl)
Applies to veh icles: w ith tire pressure monitoring system
If the tire pressure is adjusted, wheels ore ro­
tated or changed, the TPMS must be reset in
the menu display.
----- ®
Fig. 174 Wipe r lever: Contro ls fo r the menu d isplay
Fig. 175 Disp lay: S ta rt m enu
I Rese t I button @ and rocker switch @
¢ fig. 17 4 functions:
To open the menu
" Press the I Reset ! button @ unt il the menu
disp lay¢
fig. 175 appears
Selections and settings
" Press the rocker switch @ to reach a menu
d isp lay. The switch is operated the same as
the display (up/down) .
Entering and confirming
" Press the I Reset I button @.
Returning to the Start menu
" Press the I Rese t I button longer than 2 sec­
onds to return from any menu level to the
Start menu.

You will find the compact spare wheel under
the floor in the luggage compartment . It is
secured w ith a large nut.
Using the compact spare wheel
The compact spa re wheel is only intended for
emergenc ies until you can reach a repair shop .
Replace i t as quickly as possible with a normal
wheel.
There are some restrictions on the use of the
compact spare wheel~ &. . The compact spare
wheel has been developed especially for your
type of vehicle . It must not be exchanged for
the compact spare whee l from another type of
vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be
installed on the compact spare whee l rim.
Snow chains
For technica l reasons, the use of snow chains
on the compact spare wheel is
n ot permitted .
If you do have to dr ive w ith snow cha ins and
have a t ire failure on a
front wheel, insta ll the
spa re wheel in place of a rear wheel. Install
the snow chains on the rear wheel and use it
to replace the defective front whee l.
Using the spare wheel
The spare wheel is only intended for emergen­
cies until you can reach a repair shop. Replace
it as qu ickly as possib le with a no rmal wheel.
There are some restrict ions on the use of a
spare wheel
Q &. . The spare wheel has been
developed especially for your type of vehicle.
It m ust not be exchanged for the spare whee l
from anot her type of vehicle.
Normal summer or winter tires must not be
i nstalled on the spare wheel rim.
Snow t ires
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains
on the spare whee l is
not p erm itte d.
If you do have to drive with snow chains and
have a t ire failure on a
front wheel, insta ll the
spare wheel in place of a rear wheel. Install
What do I do now? 235
the snow chains on the rear whee l and use it
to replace the defective front wheel.
A WARNING -
A lways store jacking equipment, spare
wheel in the luggage compartment. Tight­
en screw for the spare wheel secure ly. Un­
der no circumstances should you store the
spa re wheel o r jack and tools unsecured in
the passenger compartment . This could
cause ser ious persona l inju ry to passen­
gers in the veh icle in case of a collision .
- The compact spare tire is for temporary
use only and is so marked on the side­
walls .
- Do not dr ive at speeds exceeding SO mph
(80 km/h) wi th the compact spare whee l
mounted . A lso rapid acce lerat ion, ha rd
braking and hard cornering must be
avoided to he lp prevent loss of vehicle
contro l.
- Any continuous road use of the compact
spare tire may result in tire failure, loss
of vehicle control and injury to vehicle
occupants.
- Do not put a snow chain on your compact
spare tire. Due to the smaller t ire size,
the chain will not fit properly and can
thus damage your vehicle. You cou ld also
lose the chain, as well as contro l of the
veh icle .
- If you have a flat front t ire in road condi­
tions which require snow chains, first re­
move the undamaged rea r whee l and
mount the compact spare wheel in its
place. Then remove the damaged front
wheel, take the snow cha ins off it and at­
tach them to the whee l taken from the
rear. This wheel can now be mounted on
the front with its snow chains. Check and
adjust t ire pressure promptly .
- Never use two or more compact spare
tires at the same time.
(D Note
When using the compact spare wheel, note the fo llowing: •
•

264 Index .:..:..:..::....::..
...:..._ ___________________________ _
A
ABS
refer to Anti-lock brake system . ... .. . 164
Accessories .. ... .. ..... ... .. .. .. .. . 26 1
Acoust ic park assist ........ .. .. .... .. 93
AC (a ir cond itioner) ......... .. .. .. .. .. 81
Adapter for anti-theft wheel bolts . .. .. . 238
Adaptive light
defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Adding Engine coolant .......... .... ..... . 204
Engine oil . ...... ....... ... .. .... . 200
Windshield washer fluid ............ 211
Addit ional accessories .......... .... . 261
Additional heater Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Additives Engine oil . ............... ... .. .. . 200
Adj ustab le steering wheel column .... .. 88
Adjusting Steer ing wheel column ........ .. .... 88
Adjusting front seats ........ ... .... .. 61
Advanced Airbag System
Components ... .......... .. .. .. .. . 129
Fr ont airbags ................ .... . 127
How the components work together .. 130
Monitoring ................. ..... . 133
PASS ENG ER A IR BAG OFF light .. .... . 133
A irbag
Warning/indicator lights ............. 16
A irbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122, 139
Advanced Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Care . .. .. ............... .. .. .... . 135
Ch ildren . .... ........... .. .. .. .. . 144
Ch ild r estra ints ........... .. .. .. .. . 145
Components (front airbags) . ... .... . 129
Danger of fitting a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Disposal . ................. .. .... . 135
Front airbags . ........... .. .. .... . 126
How do the front airbags work? . . . . . . 131
H ow many airbags does my vehicle
have? ..... .......... ...... ... .. . 129
I mportant things to know .... .. .... . 122
I ndicator light ........... .. .. .. .. . 133
Monitoring ................. ..... . 133 Repairs ...
.... .. ............. .... 135
Side airbags ..... ................ . 137
S ide curtain airbags ................ 140
When must the system be inspected? 133
Airbag System
Weight-sensing mat .............. . 144
Air conditioner .. .. ................ .. 81
also refer to Climate controls .. .. .. .. . 79
Air conditioning Switching on and off ........... .. .. . 81
Air distribution Climate controls . ................. .. 83
Air outlets Adjusting the outlets for rapid defrost -
ing/defogging ... ................ .. 84
Climate controls . .............. ..... 84
Air quality sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Air recirculation . .. ... .......... .... . 83
Climate controls .. ............. .... . 82
When should I use the air recirculation? 82
Air recirculation mode Climate controls . ................. .. 82
All-wheel drive Winter tires ... .. ... .......... .... 227
Alloy wheels ...... ................ . 182
All Wheel Drive .... ............. .... 166
Alternator
refer to Generator ............. .. .. . 16
Aluminum alloy wheels .... ...... .... 182
Ambient lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Anti-lock brake system How the ABS system works ........ .. 164
Warning/ind icator lights ........ .. .. . 18
Anti -theft systems
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Anti-theft wheel bolts ........... .... 238
Armrest Center armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Rear armrest .... ................ .. 67
Asterisk What does it mean when something is
marked with an aster isk? ........ .... .. 6
Audi magnetic ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 9S
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Indicator light ... ....... ...... .. .. . 22
Audi Service Repair Manuals and Litera-
ture 259

276 Index
w
Warn ing/indicator lights
Airbag system ........ ... .. .. .... .. 16
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) ... .. ... . 18
Brake system ...................... 15
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Electronic power control ....... .. .. .. 19
Electronic stabilization program (ESP) .. 18
Eng ine malfunction (diesel engine) .... 20
Generato r ......................... 16
Glow plug system .................. 20
Malfunct io n I ndicator Lamp (MIL) ..... 19
Parking brake .... ....... ... .. .... .. 15
Safety belt ........... ... ... ..... .. 16
Safety systems .............. ..... .. 16
Tire pressure monitoring system .. .... 19
Turn signals ....................... 22
Warn ing lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 13
Red symbols in the center disp lay .... .. 13
Yellow symbols in the center disp lay ... 14
War ranty coverages ................. 259
Washer reservoir ............ .. .... . 211
Washing .. .. ... . ...... ... ... ..... . 178
Automatic car wash .. ... .. .. .. .... . 179
by hand ................. .... ..... 179
General informat ion 178
with a power washer ............... 180
Waxing ...... .... ..... ... .. .. .... . 180
Wear indicator .. .... ...... ... ... .. . 222
Weights . .. .. ... .......... ...... ... 255
What happens if you wear yo ur sa fety belt
too loose? ... ... .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 11 7
What happens to unbelted occupants? .. 114
What impairs driving safety? . . . . . . . . . . 104
What should I do after chang ing a
wheel? .. .. .. ..... ........ .. .. .. .. . 219
What should I do after replacing wheels? 219
Wheel bolts Anti-theft wheel bolts .............. 238
Torque . .. ............... .. .. .. .. . 229
Wheel change . .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... . 236
Wheels .... ................. ... ... 212
Checking tire pressure .......... .... 218
Cold ti re inflat ion pressu re . . . . . . . . . . 216
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 G
lossary of tire and loading terminolo-
gy .. ... .. .... .. .. ... .. ..... ... .. 213
New t ires and whee ls ... ..... ... .. .. 223
Tires and veh icle load limits ..... .... 220
Whee ls/Tires
Cast alloy ..... .. ... .. ..... ... .. .. 182
Stee l wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
When must a safety be lt be replaced? .. 116
When must the airbag system be inspect-
ed? ............................... 133
When should I adjust the tire pressures? 219
When should I check the tire pressures?. 219
Where are lower anchorages located? . .. 156
Where can I find the t ire press ures for my
ca r? ...... ..... .. .. ... .. ..... ... .. 218
Why safety belts? ................... 113
Windows Cleaning .. ....................... 181
Convenience close/open feature . . . . . . . 44
Defogging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Defrost ing .. .. .................. .. 82
Rapid defrosting/defogging .......... 84
Windsh ield washer container ......... 211
Windsh ie ld washer fluid . ..... ... .. .. . 21
Windsh ield w ipers
Chang ing the rear wiper blade ........ 59
Installing new wiper b lades ..... .... . 57
Se rv ice position ................. ... 5 7
Winter operation Battery .......................... 207
Coolant system ................... 203
T ires ..... .. .. .. .. ... ............ 166
Windows . .. .. .. ............. .... 181
Winter tires . .. ... . ........ ..... .... 227
All -wheel drive . .. ................ . 227
Wiper and washer system ...... .. .. .. . 55
Intermittent wiping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
One-tap wip ing ................ ..... 55
Rea r window wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Wiper b lades
Installing new wiper b lades ... ... . .. . 57
also refer to Windsh ie ld wipers .. .. .. . 59
X
Xenon-Lights . ..... .. ... ..... ... .. .. 246