brake fluid AUDI A3 2012 Owner´s Manual

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 15
Other indicator lights
•
II
CRUISE
•
•
Turn signals
¢page22
USA models: Cruise control acti ­
vated
¢ page 22
Canada models: Cruise cont rol ac­
tivated
q page 22
High beam
¢page 50
BRAKE/ This warning/indicator light illuminates when
the brake fluid level is too low or when there
is a malfunction in the ABS, or when the park ­
ing brake is set.
If the - (USA models)/ . (Canada
models) symbol flashes in the disp lay with the
parking brake released, there is a ma lfuncti on
in the brake system . In addition to the sym­
bol, one of two messages appears in the dis­
play:
Stop vehicle and check brake fluid level
Stabilisation program and ABS fault! See
Owner's manual
.. Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
.. Obtain professional ass istance.
USA models: if there is a malfunction in the
ABS system, the
r.1il warning/indicator light
illuminates along with the - system
malfunct ion warn ing/ indicator light
q ,&..
Canada models: if there is a malf unction in
the ABS system, the
ll] warning/ind icator
light illuminates together with the. brake
system malfunction warning/indicator light
c::>,&. .
The light - (USA)/ . (Canada) illumi­
nates when the ign ition is turned on . It goes
out after the engine has been started and the
parking brake is fu lly released . This indicates that the brake
warning light is functioning
properly.
If the brake warning light does not light up
when the engine is cranking or the parking
brake is applied, there may be a malfunction
in the electrical system. In this case, contact
your Audi deale r.
If the ABS fails, the ABS warn ing/ indicator
light
r.1il (USA models) /ll] (Canada models)
flashes together with the brake system warn­ ing/ indicator light
i:::> .&..
(USA mode ls): If the warn ing light - and
the warning light
EiJ illuminate together, im­
mediate ly contact your authorized Audi dea ler
or qualified workshop to have all brake pads
inspected
i:::> page 19.
When the light comes on, an audible warning
signal is also given.
Parking brake set
The parking brake war ning ligh t-·
(Canada models) illuminates when the park­
ing brake is set. In addition, a warning tone
will sound after you have driven for longer
than 3 seconds and faster than 3 mp h (S km/
h).
Parking brake set
The - warning/ indicator light illuminates
when the parking brake is set
i:::> .&. .
A WARNING
-Always observe the warnings in
¢page 187, Engine comportment, be­
fore opening the engine hood and check­
ing the brake fluid.
- Driving with low brake fluid is a safety
hazard! Stop the car and get profess ional
assistance.
- USA models:: If both, the 1111 warning
light and
the m warning light come
on at the same time, the rear wheels
could lock up first under hard braking.
Lock-up of the rear wheel brakes can
cause loss of vehicle cont rol and an acci­
dent. Have your vehicle repaired

16 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
immediately by your authorized Audi
dealer or a qualified workshop. Drive
slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake ap­ plication.
- Canada models: If both, the brake warn­
ing light . and the ABS warning light
Ii] come on at the same time, the rear
wheels could lock up first under hard braking. Lock-up of the rear wheel brakes
can cause loss of vehicle control and an
acc ident. Have your vehicle repaired im­
med iately by your authorized Audi dealer
or a qualified workshop. Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake application
- If the brake warning/indicator light does not go out after a few seconds and the
park ing brake re leased, or lights up while
you are driving, the fluid level in the brake flu id reservo ir is too low. If you be­
lieve that it is safe to do so, proceed im­
med iately at low speed to the nearest
authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop and have the bra ke system inspect­
ed.
- Always keep in m ind that afte r several
brake applicat ions, you will need g reater
pressure on the b rake peda l to stop your
vehicle. Do not re ly on strained brakes to
respond with maxim um stopping power
in critical situations . You must allow for
increased brak ing distances. The extra
distance used up by fad ing brakes could
lead to an acc ident.
~ / ! .!r Safety systems
The I (USA models)/ . (Canada mode ls) in­
d icator light monitors the safety systems e.g.
a irbags, pretensioners a nd illum inates for a
few seconds each time you switc h the ign ition
on.
If the
I (USA models)/ . (Canada models)
indicator light does not go out, or if it illumi­
nates w hile you are driv ing, or if it sta rts to
b lin k, then there is a ma lf u nction somewhere
in the system. If the light does not illuminate
when you switch on the ignition, this also
means there is a ma lfunction.
A WARNING
If you have a ma lfunction in the safety sys­
tems, contact your authorized Audi dea ler
i mmediately. Otherwise the safety sys­
tems may not work properly in an acc i­
dent.
~ Safety belt warning light
App lies to veh icles : w ith safe ty belt warni ng lig h t
The warning light is a reminder to fasten
safety belts .
The warning lig ht . comes on for a few sec­
onds after the ignition is sw itched on as a re ­
minder to fasten your safety belt .
Additional information on safety belts
r::> page 113.
D Generator '
This warning/indicator light detects a mal ­
function in the generator or in the vehicle 's
electrical system.
The . warning/indicator light i llum inates
when you switch on the ignition and must go
out after the eng ine has started.
If the . warning/indicator light illuminates
whi le you are driving, you sho uld contact your
authorized Aud i dea ler. Since the vehicle bat­
tery is discharging, you shou ld sw itch
off any
unnecessary electr ica l consumers (for exam ­
ple, the air conditioner) .
~ Engine oil pressure
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol
requires immediate service or repair .
If the . symbo l appears in the d isplay and
flashes, the o il pressure is too low . In add ition
to the symbol, the following message a lso ap­
pears in the display:
Switch off engine! Oil pre ssure is too low
.. Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
.. Shut the engine down.
.. Check the engine oil leve l¢
page 200.

Instruments and warning/indicator lights 21
If the message does not turn off, have your
authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop
correct the malfunction .
Bil Fuel supply too low
When the (I symbol illuminates, this means
there are about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the fuel tank. Time to refuel!
Qpage 191.
If the symbol lights up, even when there is
ample fuel in the tank, and the text
Tank sys­
tem malfunction! Please contact workshop
appears in the display, there is a fault in the
system. Contact a qualified workshop to have
the fault rectified.
Q Windshield washer fluid level too low
If the I! symbol illuminates, add windshield
washer fluid to the washer system
Q page211.
~ Defective light bulb warning
The defective light bulb warning tells you
when a vehicle light bulb hos become defec­
tive .
If a defective bulb has been detected by the
system or a light bu lb burns out , the ~ sym­
bol with a message appears in the disp lay to
tell you which bu lb is burnt out and where it is
located. For example:
Rear left turn signal
After 5 seconds, the message disappears . If
you want to recall the message into the dis­
p lay, press the C H ECK button
Q page 10,
fig. 3(?) .
There are three reasons why the defective
bulb message wo uld app ear in the display:
- T he light bulb has burnt out
Q page 246 .
-The fuse is "blown" c> page 243, Replacing
fuses .
-The w ire connection to the light bulb is de­
fective. Have the
bulb replaced or the connection re­
paired by your authorized Audi Service depart­
ment .
_& WARNING
- Light bulbs are pressurized and could ex­
plode wh ile they are being changed caus­
ing serious pe rsonal injury .
- Work with due care when handling the
high-vo ltage sect ion of gas discharge
(xenon) lamps. Failing to do so could re­
sult in death or serious injury!
BRAKE LIGHT!<@> Brake light defective
In case of a malfunction or component fail-
ure, the symbol (USA models)/
tlJ (Canada models) can appear. The follow­
ing electrical components should be checked,
repaired or replaced , as necessary:
- Brake light bulbs
- All wir ing con nections
- Brake light switch
Contact your authori zed Audi dea ler for assis­
tance if necessary.
(D Tips
The brake light switch is only inspected as
part of the functional chec k after the en­
gine is started.
i,0 Headlight range control defective
Applies to vehicles : wi th dynamic headl ig h t ra nge adjus t­
m ent
If the II illumi nates, the dynamic headlight
range contro l is no longer working p roperly.
Have the system checked and repaired at your
authori zed Aud i dealer.
§'0
Adaptive light defective
App lies to vehicles: with Ada ptive Light
FJl Adaptive light defective

164 Intelligent technolog y
Faults in the bra ke sys tem
If you should notice a sudden increase in
b rake peda l travel, then one of the two brake
circuits may have failed¢.& .
Low brake flu id le vel
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low . T he brake fluid
l eve l is moni to red electronica lly .
Bra ke lining w ear st atu s
Brake l ining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the whee l. If neces­
sa ry, the wheel may be removed for this in ­
spection
¢page 236, Wheel change.
A WARNING
-You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system on ly if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an acc ident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmiss ion into a lower
gear or lower driving range . Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often. This cou ld cause the
brakes to get hot and dimin ish braking
efficiency.
- Do not "r ide the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when yo u do not intend
to bra ke . This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance .
- Under certain climat ic and operating
condit ions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums . Carefully apply brakes
for a test . Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings will be cleaned off after a few care­
ful brake applications.
- Driv ing for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads w ithout us ing your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency . Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the a ir
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­ ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impa ir
the braking capab ility result ing in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­
est a utho rized Audi dea le r or q ualified
wo rkshop.
Brake booster '
The brake booster adds extra broking power.
The brake booster works with vacuum pres­
sure which is created only when the eng ine is
run ning ¢.&_ .
_&. WARNING
-Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off.
- I f the b rake booster is not working, for
examp le when towing yo ur vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed conside rably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance.
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up un­ der broking.
.
The ABS contributes effectively to vehicle con­
trol since it prevents the whee ls from
locking
when the brakes are applied. This means that
the vehicle remains steerable and is less likely
to sk id .
With ABS you do not need to pump th e
brake. Ju st hold the b ra ke pedal down.

174 Trailer towing
Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a tra iler, p lease remember
that the addit ional load will affect durability,
economy and performance.
T railer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
F or this reasons, always follow the operating
and drivi ng in str uctions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
b le for your veh icle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the ve hicle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
h itch with removable ba ll mount. Always
check with the tr ailer hitch manufac turer to
make sure tha t you are using t he cor rect
hitch.
Do not us e a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper syst em. No modifications should
be made to the vehi cle exhaust and brake sys ­
tems. From time to time, check th at a ll hitch
mo unt ing bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount. This prevents the
h itch from causing damage sho uld your ve hi­
cle be str uck from behind
¢ A .
Tire pressure
When tow ing a traile r, inflate the t ires of your
ve hicle to the co ld tire pressure listed under
"Full load"on the stick er on the rig ht doo r- jamb. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire
manufacturers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight set tings sho uld be checked with
t h e trai le r attached before d riving o ff. Have
the headlights adjusted as necessary so tha t
yo u can see t he road ahead b ut not blind on­
coming traffic.
Check to make sure bo th ve hicle and tr ailer
lights are wo rk ing properly .
Engine cooling system
T owing a t railer makes the engine work hard­
er.
It i s impo rtant that the cooling system's
performance stands up to the additional
stra in. Make sure tha t the cooling sys tem has
enough fluid.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing sys­
tem, c heck to be sure t hat it conforms to all
regula tions.
The trailer hyd raulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system.
Safety ch ains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the cha ins to per­
mit turning co rne rs. When yo u in stall safety
c h ains, ma ke sure they will not drag on the
r oad when you a re driving.
The chains should cross under the t railer
tong ue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the h itch.
Trailer lights
Trai ler lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct w ir in g, sw itches and re lays .
Mir rors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
us ing the regular outside mirrors, then you

178 Cleaning and protection
Cleaning and
protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value .
Any automobile is exposed to industrial
fumes, corrosive road salt, etc. A well cared
for Audi can look like new many years after purchase . Regular and correct care w ill con­
tr ibute to maintaining the beauty and value of
your Aud i.
Furth erm ore, goo d car e m ay b e a cond iti on
for substantiat ing a warrant y claim shou ld
c orrosion dam age or paint d efe ct s occ ur.
Your author ized Audi dealer has a variety of
d ed ica ted vehicl e-ca re product s and can ad ­
vise which ones to use for cleaning the exter i­
or and inte rior of your vehicle .
Whether you use products recommended by
Aud i or other commercially ava ilable clean ing
agents, please make sure you apply them cor­
r ectly .
A WARNING
-Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep
them out of the reach of children.
- Heed a ll caut ion labels.
- Always read directions on the container
before using any product . Follow the di­
rect ions carefu lly.
- Most chemical cleaners are concentrated
and have to be diluted.
- Use spot removing fluids only in well
ventilated areas.
- Do not use gasoline, kerosene, d iesel
fuel, nail pol ish remover or other volati le
fluids. They may be toxic, flammab le or
haza rdous in other ways. Do not wash,
wax or dry the vehicle with the ignit ion
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, etc. without pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may
c u t yourself on sharp-edged metal parts . -
Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing eff ic iency
c::> page 163 , General
information.
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle .
@ For the sake of the environment
Select only environ mentally friendly clean­
i ng products. Leftover cleaning products
should not d isposed of in the househo ld
waste .
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent washing protects the vehicle .
The best protection against environmental in ­
fluences is
frequent washing and waxing .
How often this is required depends on:
- How much the vehicle is used
- Where the veh icle is parked (garage, in the
open under trees, etc.)
- The seasona l and weather conditions
- Environmental i nfl uences
The longer b ird droppings, insects, tree resin,
r oad and industrial gr ime, tar, soot, road salt
and other mater ials remain on the veh icle
body, the mo re lasting their destructive ef­
fects w ill be .
High temperatures , as from expos ure to in­
tense sun light, intensify the corrosive effect
part icularly when hum idity is high as well.
Under certa in circumstances,
we ekly washing
may be necessary. Unde r other cond itions, a
monthly washing and waxing may be ade­
quate.
After the winter, the unders ide of the vehicle
should be thoroughly washed, preferably in a professional car wash .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other info rma tion
c::> page 178 .

-Set the parking brake fully.
- Move selector lever of automatic trans-
mission to "P" (Park); put manual trans­
mission in Neutral.
- Always let the engine cool down . Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment . Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the hood .
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili­
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool­
ant system is pressurized and hot cool­ ant could spray out!
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
- If work on the fuel system or the electri­
cal system is necessary:
-Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or
open flames. Fluids in the engine com­
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im­
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in­
jury while the engine is running or being
started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever of automatic trans-
Checking and filling 195
mission to "P" (Park); put manual
transmission in Neutral.
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact­
ing hot parts . Tie back hair before
starting, and do not wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine .
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards~&. .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
Q) Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam­
age to vehicle systems will occur .
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly . If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu­ ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au­
thorized Audi dealer. •
•

196 Checking and filling
Engine compartment
2.0 liter 4-c tinder turbo gasoline engine (200 hp)
Applies to vehicles: with 2.0 l turbo, 4-cylinder engine
These are the most important items that you can check.
(]JD[) £. C. l"E. t .,.."-.., &t".
~ ------
fig. 157 Engine compartment: 2.0 L, 4-cylinder tu rbo
(!) Coolant expansion tank (- L) .. .
@ Windshield washer conta iner
( ffi
) ,... ...... ........... .... .
® Eng ine oi l dipstick (orange) .. .
@ Engine oil filler cap ('1:::r.) .. .. .
® Brake fluid reservo ir ((0)) .... .
@ Battery .. ..... ..... .... .. . .
204
211
200
200
206
207
A WARNING
-Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed a ll
WARNINGS c:> &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 194.
-

Checking and fillin g 197
2.0 liter, 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine (140 hp)
Applies to vehicles: with 2.0 l TOI, 4-cylinder diese l-engin e
These are the most important items that you can check .
Fig. 158 Engine compartment: 2.0 l, 4-cylinder tu rbo
(D Coolant expansion tank ( ... t) .. .
@ Windshield washer container 204
Cw)
.............. ...... . . 211
@ E ng ine oi l dipstick (orange) . . . 200
@ Engine oil filler cap ("t!::r.) . . . . . 200
® Brake fluid reservo ir ((0)) . . . . . 206
® Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
A WARNING
Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 194.
-
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the
right kind of oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated powerplant that was built to exacting specifi­
cations . Th is eng ine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding
quality and viscosity so that it can run
smoot hly and reliab ly. Choosing the right o il
and changi ng oil within the t ime and mileage
intervals printed in you r vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet matters a lot more to ­
day than it did years ago . Audi has developed
a specia l quality standard for engine oil that
will help assure that your vehicle's engine w ill
get the lubr ication it needs for proper opera­
tion.

206 Checking and filling
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a
quick glance .
Fig. 163 Engine compartme nt: brake flu id reservo ir
Before you check anything i n the engine com ­
partment,
a lwa ys rea d and h eed a ll WA RN·
ING S c:> & in Working in the engine compart ­
ment on page
194.
~ Read the brake fluid level from the bra ke
fluid reservoir. The brake fluid Level must be
between the "MIN" and "MAX" markings
9fig. 163 .
The brake f lu id rese rvoir is located at the rear
partition of the engine compartment on the
L eft side
¢page 196.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the b rake pads . This is not cause for alarm .
I f the b rake fluid Level falls
considerably be­
low the "MIN" mark, the brake wa rning/ind i­
cator Light (U.S. models:
1111 , Canadian
models:
llllt will come on c:> page 15 . Do not
continue to operate the vehicle . The complete
brake system sho uld be thoroughly checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or other quali­
fied facility and the cause corrected. If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warn ing/
indicator Light w ill illuminate . Contact an au­
thor ized Audi dealer
imm ediatel y.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If
the water content in the brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling point of the
brake flu id will also decrease conside rably and
decrease braking pe rformance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
eve ry two y ears. Always use new brake flu id
which conforms to Federal Motor Veh icle
Standard "F MVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be diff icult to
reach, therefore, we recommend that you
have the b rake fluid changed by your author­
ized
Audi dealer . Your dealer has the correct
tools, the right brake fl uid and the know -how
to do this for you.
A WARNING
- Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stor­
ed only in the closed original container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can resu lt from o ld or inap­
propriate brake flu id. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only brake f luid that meets SA E
specifica tion
J 1 7 03 and conforms to
Federa l Moto r Ve hicl e Standard 1 16.
Always check with yo ur authorized Aud i
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake f lu id is also ind icated 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
l ong. This can seriously affect the effi­
c iency of the brakes as well as your
safety. This cou ld resu lt in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your
vehicle .