AUDI A3 2016 Owner´s Manual

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Daytime running lights*
USA models :
the daytime running lig hts can be
switched on or off using the MMI. Sele ct
On or
Off .
Canada models :
this function ca nno t be switched
off. They activate au tom atically e ach time the ig­
n it ion is swi tched o n. Th is menu item is shown
with a "gray backgro und" .
Travel mode*
The headlig ht beam is asymmetrical. This pro­
v id es s tronge r illu mination on the side of the
r oad on whi ch you are driving. In ve hicles w it h
Xenon headlights* with turning light* or LED
headlight s*,
you must adjust the head lights
when yo u are driv ing in a co untry whe re the tra f­
f ic direction is opposite from your own country.
Otherw ise, oncoming traffic will be blinded by
the glare from t he headlights . An adjustment is
not needed in vehicles with Xenon head lights
witho ut t urning lights .
To prevent glare:
- Travel mode must be activated in vehicles wit h
Xenon headlights * and turning light* or LED
headlights*. Select: the
I MENU I button> Car >
Systems *
control button > Vehicle settings >
Exterior lighting > light for driving on left , for
example .
After you have adjusted the headlights, the fol ­
l owing message will appear:
l'iD Headlight converter active for driving on
left. Range reduced!
(D Tips
When travel mode is activa ted, a d is pl ay in
the dr iver information system in dicates this
each time you switch the ignition on .
Lights and Vision
Interior lighting
Front and rear interior lighting front
Fig. 35 Front headli ner: interio r lig htin g con trols (exam­
pl e)
Fi g. 36 Rea r head li ner : LED read ing lig hts* (examp le)
D epend ing on e quipme nt, the interior lighting
may diffe r from the ill ustra tion .
~- Inter io r ligh ting o n/off
[j]. Door contact switch. The interior lig hting is
contro lled automatically .
C:!J * -Read ing lights on/off
Interior lighting
T he re a re ot her op tion al i nte rior ligh ting func ­
tions* that are ava ilab le . Some func tions can be
adjusted in the MM
I. Select: the IM ENU I butto n >
Ca r > Systems* control button > Vehicle settings
> Interior lighting .
49

Lights and Vision
Instrument illumination
The brightness of the instrument cluster and the
center console can be adjusted .
Fig. 37 Instrument ill umination
Requirement: the light must be switched on.
~ Press the knob to release it .
~ Turn the knob toward"-" or"+" to reduce or in­
crease the brightness.
~ Press the knob again to return it to its original
position.
(D Tips
The needles and gauges in the instrument cluster illuminate when the headlights are off
and the ignition is switched one. The illumina­
tion reduces automatically and eventually
turns off as brightness outside decreases.
This function reminds the driver to turn the
headlights on at the appropriate time.
Vision
Adjusting the exterior mirrors
Fig. 38 Driver's door: knob for the ex ter ior mirrors (exam­
ple)
Turn the knob to the desired position:
50
0 - All adjustment functions are deactivated.
q;p -adjusting the left/right exterior mirror.
Move the knob in the desired direction.
4#1 -Heating* the mirror glass depending on the
outside temperature.
8 -Folding exterior mirrors*. You can select if
the mirrors fold in automatically when you lock
the vehicle In the
MMI* ~ page 40.
Front passenger's exterior mirror tilt
function*
To help you see the curb when backing into a
parking space, the surface of the mirror tilts
slightly. For this to happen, the knob must be in
the position for the front passenger's outside mirror.
You can adjust the tilted mirror surface by turn­ ing the knob in the desired direction . When you
move out of reverse and into another gear, the
new mirror position is stored and assigned to the
key you are using.
The mirror goes back into its original position
once you drive forward faster than 9 mph (15 km/h) or turn the ignition off.
.&, WARNING
Curved mirror surfaces (convex) enlarge the
field of vision. However, they make objects in the mirror appear smaller and further away.
Your may estimate incorrectly when you use
these mirrors to gauge your distance from the
vehicles behind you when changing lanes -ac­
cident risk!
(D Note
- Applies to vehicles with power folding out­
side mirrors*: if the mirror housing was
moved by outside forces (such as an impact
when maneuvering), you must use the pow­ er folding function to fold the mirror all the
way out. You will hear a loud noise when the
mirrors are latched back in place. The mirror
housing must not be moved back into place
by hand because this would impair the func­
tion of the mirror mechanism.
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-Applies to vehicles without power folding
outside mirrors : if the mirror housing was
moved by outside forces (such as an impact
when maneuvering), you must
move it back
in p lace by hand.
- If you wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash, you must fold the exterior m irrors in
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors. Never fold power folding exterior m irrors*
by hand . Only fo ld them in and out using
the power controls.
(D Tips
If the power adjustment fails, both mirrors
can be adjusted by hand by pressing on the
edge of the mirror surface.
Dimm ing th e mirrors
Your vehicle is equipped with a manual or auto­
matic* dimming rearview mirror.
F ig . 39 Automatic dimm ing rearv iew mirror•
Manual dimming rear vie w mirror
,..
0 0
> u. a,
~ Pull the lever on the bottom of the mirror back.
Automatic dimming rea rview mirror*
~ Press the b utton @. The indicator light @
tu rns on. The rearview and driver's exterior*
mirrors dim automatically when light shines on
them, for example from headlights on a vehicle
to the rear .
A WARNING 1=
Electrolyte fluid can leak from automatic dim-
ming mirrors if the g lass is broken. Electro­
lyte f luid can irritate skin, eyes and airways .
Lights and Vision
-Repeated or long-term exposure to e lectro­
lyte flu id can lead to irritation of the air­
ways, especially in people with asthma or other respiratory conditions. Take deep
breaths immediately after leav ing the vehi­
cle or, if this is not poss ible, open all of the
doors and windows as wide as possib le.
- If electro lyte fluid enters the eyes, flush
them thoroughly with a large amount of clean water fo r at least 15 minu tes and then
seek med ica l attention.
- If electro lyte fluid comes into contact wi th
the s kin, f lush the affected area with clean
water for at least 15 minutes and then clean
with soap and wate r and seek medical at­
tention. Clean affected clothing and shoes
thorough ly before wearing again .
- If the fluid was swallowed and the person is
conscio us, flush the mo uth wit h water for at
least 15 minutes. Do not induce vomit ing
un less this is recommended by medical pro­
fessionals. Seek medical attention immedi­
ately.
(D Note
If the glass on an automatic dimming mirror
breaks, electro lyte can leak out. This liquid
damages plastic surfaces. C lean this liquid as
quick ly as possible w it h a wet sponge .
@ Tips
-If the light reaching the rearview mirror is
obstructed, the automatic dimming mirror
w ill not function correctly,
- The automatic dimming mirrors do not dim
when the inte rior lighting is turned on or
the reverse gear is selected.
51

Lights and Vision
Sun visors
Fig. 40 Le ft s ide : sun visor
The sun viso rs can be moved out of their brackets
and turned toward the doors@. The sun shade
can also be moved back and forth lengthwise in
this pos ition .
The m irror ligh t switches on when the cover over
the vanity mirror* @opens .
Windshield wipers
Switching windshield wipers on
Fig . 41 Wind sh ield w iper leve r: ope ra tin g the w indshi eld
w ipe r system (ex ampl e: vehicle s w it h ou t rear wi ndow w iper
sy ste m)
Fig . 42 W ind sh ield w iper lev er wit h rear w indow w ip er" :
ope rat ing t he re ar win dow w iper sys te m
Req uirement: the ignition must be switched on.
52
"' N N
~
"'
Move the windshie ld w iper lever to the corre ­
sponding position:
@ -Fron t wipers off
(D -inte rval mode. To increase/decrease the w ip­
er interva ls, move the switch @to the left/r ight .
In vehicles with a light/ra in sensor*, the wipers
turn o n when it is ra ining, whe n the vehicle is s ta ­
tiona ry and the leve r is tapped in the ® position,
o r once the vehicle speed exceeds app roximate ly
2 mph (4 km/h) . The higher the sensit ivity of the
rain sensor is set (switch @to the r ight), the ear­
li er the windsh ie ld wipers react to moisture on
the windshie ld.
@ -slow wiping
@ -fast w iping
@) -sin gle wipe If you hold the lever i n this pos i­
tion longer, the wipers switch from slow wiping
to fast wiping.
® -clean the windshield To e liminate water
droplets afte r switching the winds hield wipe rs
off while dr iv ing, they will operate one more time
severa l seco nds afte r switching them off if t he
temperat ure is above app rox ima tely 39 ° F (4 °C) .
You can swi tch th is func tion off by mov ing the
l ever to posit ion ® within 10 seconds o f the af ­
te rwipe. The afterwipe function is reactivated the
next t ime yo u sw itch the ignition on.
Cl eaning the headlig hts*. The headlight was he r
system * operates only when the low beam head ­
li ghts are on .
If you move the lever in position @,
the headlights will be cleaned in fixed interva ls .
Applies to vehicles wi th rear window w iper:
The rear wiper automa tica lly switches on when
the reverse gea r is engaged and the front wi nd­
shield wipers are on and in ope ra t ion.
@ -Wiping the rea r window* . T he rear w iper
moves abo ut eve ry 6 seconds .
(J)-Cleaning the rear window* . The number of
wipes depends on how long the lever is he ld in
pos ition
(J) .
@ -Rear window wiper* off.

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- The rain sensor is only intended to assist the
driver . The dr iver is still responsible for
manually switching the w ipers on accord ing
to the v is ibility conditions .
- The windshield may not be treated with wa­ ter-repell ing windsh ield coating agents . Un­
favorable conditions, such as wetness, dark­
ness , or when the su n is low , can cause a
st rong glare, w hich increases t he risk of an
accident. W iper blade chatte r is a lso possi ­
ble.
- Properly f unction ing windsh ield wiper
blades are required fo r a clear view and safe
dr iving
c:> poge 53, Replacing front wind­
shield wiper blades .
CD Note
-If there is frost, make sure t he windshie ld
wiper blades are not frozen to the wind ­
shield. Switching on the windshield wipers
when the blades are frozen to the wind­
shield can damage the wiper blades.
- The windshield wiper system must be
switched off ( lever in pos ition 0) before us­
i ng a car wash . This prevents unintentional
switching on and damage to the w indshield
wipe r system .
- Do not use the wipers to remove ice from
the windows . Us ing windsh ield wipers as ice
scrapers destroys the wiper blades .
(D Tips
-The windshield wipers switch off when the
i gnition is turned off. You can activate the
windsh ield wipers after the ign it ion is
switched back on by moving the winds hield
wipe r lever to any pos it ion.
- Wo rn o r dirty windshield wipe r blades result
i n strea king . This can affec t the ra in sensor
f u nct io n. Check yo ur windshield wipe r
blades regu larly.
- The washe r fluid no zzles in the w indshie ld
washer system are hea ted* at low tempera­
tures when the ignition is on.
Light s and Vision
- When s topping tempo rar ily, such as at a
traffic light, the speed of the windshield
w ipers automatica lly reduces by one level.
- In vehicles with an MMI, yo u can switch the
rain sensor on or off in the
Dri ver assi stance
menu.
Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Clean the w ipe r blades when you see w iper
streaks . Use a soft cloth and a g lass cleaner .
Windshield wiper
.,. Plac e th e windshie ld wiper arms in the servic e
position
c:> page 54 .
.,. Fold the windshie ld wiper arm s away from the
w indshield.
Rear window wiper*
.,. Fold t he windshie ld wiper arm away from the
rear window .
A WARNING
=
Dirty windshie ld w iper blades can impa ir vi-
sion, wh ic h increases the risk of an accident.
CD Note
If you see strea ks again after clean ing the
wiper blades, the blades must be replaced
c:> page 53.
Replacing front windshield wiper blades
Fig. 4 3 Re mov in g windsh ie ld w ip er b la de s
-
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53

Lights and Vision
Wiper service position /blade replacement
po sit ion
.. To bring the wipers into the service position,
turn the ignition
off and move the windshield
wiper lever into position@¢
page 52, fig. 41 .
.. To bring the wipers into the starting pos it ion,
turn the ignition on and move the windsh ield
wipe r lever into position@¢
page 52, fig. 41.
Removing th e wiper blade
.. Fo ld the windshield wiper arm away from the
winds hield.
.. Press the lock ing knob
(D ¢ fig. 43 on the wiper
blade . Hold the w iper blade firmly .
.. Remove the wipe r blade in the direct ion of the
arrow.
Installing th e wiper blade
.. Insert the new wiper b lade into the mount on
the wiper arm @unti l you hea r it latch into
place .
.. Place the w ipe r arm back on t he w indshie ld .
.. Turn the serv ice position off.
_& WARNING
F or safety re asons, t he wind shie ld wiper
blades sho uld be replaced once or twice each
year .
- T he wi ndshield wipe rs mus t only be folded
away w hen in the serv ice posi tion. Other ­
wise, you r is k damaging the paint on the
hood or the windshield wiper motor .
- You should not dr ive your ve hicle or press
the windshie ld wiper lever when the wiper
a rms are fo lded away from the windshield.
The windshield wipers would move back in­
to the ir o rig inal position and could damage
the hood and w indshield.
- To prevent damage to t he windshie ld wash­
er system, a lways loosen wiper blades that
have frozen to the w indshield before turn­
i ng the wipers on .
- To preve nt damage to the wiper b lades, do
not apply gasol ine, pet roleum, thinning
54 agents o
r othe r solvents on the wi per
blades or near them .
- T o prevent damage to the wiper arms or
other components, do not try to move the
windshield wipe rs by hand.
@ Tips
- C ommercial hot wax s uch a s the types used
by car washes make it more diffic ult to
clean the w indshie ld .
- You can also use the service pos it ion, for ex ­
amp le, if you want to protect the winds hield
from icing by using a cover.
- You cannot activate the service posit ion
when the hood is open .
Replacing rear windshield wiper blade
Applies to vehicles: with rear window wiper (A3 Sportback)
Fig.
44 Rear win dow w ipe r: remov ing t he wipe r blade
Removing the wiper blade
.. Fold the w indshie ld w iper arm aw ay from the
rear wi ndow.
.. Ho ld the wiper blade below the center -arrow ­
¢
fig. 44 and pull it o ut of the reta iner. Hold
the windshield wiper a rm secure ly while doing
this.
Installing the w iper blade
.. Press the wipe r blade mount into the re tainer.
Securely hold the w iper arm at the upper p las ­
tic end .
.. Fold the rear window wiper arm back onto the
w indshield. .,..

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A WARNING
For safety reasons, the windshield wiper
blades should be replaced once or tw ice each
year.
Digital compass
Switching the compass on and off
Appl ies to vehicles: with digital compass
Fig. 45 Rea rview mirro r: digital compass activated
0
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rt (0
.. To turn the compass on or off, press the button
@ until the compass in the mir ror appears o r
disappears.
The digital compass only works when the ign ition
is turned on. The direct ions are indicated with ab­
breviations : N (north), NE (northeast), E (east),
SE (southeast), S (south), SW (southwest), W
(west), NW (northwest).
You must recalibrate the compass if it does not
display the correct direction
¢ page 55, Cali­
brating the compass.
@ Tips
To prevent inaccu rate compass readings, do
not bring any remote controls , e lectr ical devi­
ces or metallic objects near the mirror.
Lights and V ision
Adjusting the magnetic zone
Applies to vehicles: with digita l compass
The magnetic zone must be adjusted correctly
for the compass to read accurately.
Fig. 46 North Amer ica: mag netic zone map
.. Press and hold the button@¢ page 55, fig. 45
until the number of the magnetic zone appears
in the rearview m irror.
.. Press the button @ repeatedly to select the
correct magnetic zone. The se lection mode
turns off after a few seconds.
Calibrating the compass
Applies to vehicles: with digital compass
You must recalibrate the compass if it does not
display the correct direction.
.. Press and hold the button @¢ page 55, fig . 45
until a C appears in the interior rearv iew mirror .
.. Dr ive in a circle at about 5 mph (10 km/h) until
a direction is displayed in the rearv iew mirror.
.8_ WARNING
- To avoid endangering yourself and other
d rivers, calibrate the compass in an area
where there is no traffic .
55

Lights and Vi sion
- The dig ita l compass shou ld only be used as
an orientation aid . If you want to chec k th e
compass while dr iv ing, you must still pay at­
tent io n to traffic, the road, the weathe r and
any othe r possi ble hazards .
56

,....,
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General information
Important information
A WARNING
Refer to the chapter Driving Safely
r::!> page 166, Driving safety for important in­
formation, tips, suggestions and warnings
that you should read and follow for your own
safety and the safety of your passengers.
Why is your seat adjustment so important?
The safety belts and the airbag system con only
provide maximum protection if the front seats ore correctly adjusted.
There are various ways of adjusting the front
seats to provide safe and comfortable support
for the driver and the front passenger. Adjust
your seat properly so that:
- you can easily and quick ly reach all the switches
and contro ls in the instrument pane l
- your body is properly supported thus reducing
physical stress and fatigue
- the safety belts and airbag system can offer
maximum protection
r::!> page 184.
I n the following sections, you will see exact ly
how you can best adjust your seats.
There are spec ial regulations and instructions for
in stalling a ch ild seat on the front passenger's
seat. Always fo llow the information rega rding
chi ld safety provided in
r::!> page 209, Child safe ­
ty.
A WARNING
Incorrect seating position of the driver and all
other passengers can result in serious person­
al injury.
- Always keep yo ur feet on the floor when the
vehicle is in motion -never put your feet on
top of the instrument pane l, out of the win­
dow or on top of the seat cushion. Th is ap­
plies especially to the passengers. If your
seating pos it ion is inco rrect, you increase
Seat s and sto rage
the risk of injury in the case of sudden bra k­
ing or an accident. If the airbag inflates and
the seating posit ion is incorrect, th is could
result in persona l injury or even death.
- It is important for both the driver and front
passenger to keep a distance of at least
10 inches (25 cm) between themselves and
the steering wheel and/or instrument pan­
el. If you're sitt ing any closer than this, the
ai rbag system cannot protect you properly.
I n addition, the front seats and head re­
str aints must be adjusted to you r body
height so that they can give you maximum
protection.
- Always try to keep as much dis tance as pos ­
sible between yourself and the steering
wheel or instrument pane l.
- Do not adjust the driver's o r front passeng­
er's seat while the vehicle is moving . Your
seat may move unexpectedly, causing sud­
den loss of vehicle contro l and personal in­
jury. If you ad just your seat while the veh icle
is moving, you are o ut of pos ition.
Driver's seat
The correct seat position is important for safe
and relaxed driving.
We recommend that you adjust the driver's seat
in the following manner:
.. Adj ust the seat in fore and aft direction so that
you can easi ly push the pedals to the f loor
while keeping yo ur knees slight ly bent
r::!> A in
Why is your seat adjustment so important? on
page
57.
.. Adjust the backrest so that when you sit w ith
your back against the backrest, yo u can st ill
grasp the top of the stee ring wheel.
.. For ad justab le head rest raints: adjust the head
restraint so the upper edge is as even as possi­
b le with the top o f your head . If tha t is not pos­
sible, t ry to adjust the head rest raint so that it
is as close to this position as possible
r::!> page 60. Move the head restraint so that it
is as close to the back of the head as poss ible.
Ill>
57

Seats and storage
_& WARNING
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 accelerate.
Front passenger's seat
Always move the front passenger seat into the
rearmost position.
To avoid contact with the airbag while it is de­
p loy ing, do not sit any closer to the instrument
panel than necessary and always wear the three­
point safety belt provided adjusted correctly. We
recommend that you adjust the passenger's seat
in the following manner:
• Bring the backrest up to an (almost) upright
position.
Do not ride with the seat reclined .
• For adjustable head restraints: adjust the head
restraint so the upper edge is as even as possi­
ble with the top of your head . If that is not pos­
sible, try to adjust the head restraint so that it
is as close to this position as possible
q page 60. Move the head restraint so that it
is as close to the back of the head as possible.
• Place your feet on the floor in front of the pas­
senger's seat .
Front seats
Manual seat adjustment
Appl ies to v eh icles : w ith manu ally a djustabl e seats
Fig . 47 Front seat: manual seat ad jus tm ent
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@ -Moving the seat forward/back: pull the lever
and slide the seat.
58
@-Lengthening/shorteni ng the upper thigh
support*:
lift the handle.
@-Adjusting the angle of the seat surface*.
Pull/press the lever.
@-Adjusting the lumbar support*: press the
button in the desired direction.
®-Moving the seat up/down : pull/press the lev­
er.
® -Adjusting the backrest angle: turn the ad­
justing wheel.
_& WARNING
- Only adjust the front seat with when the ve­
hicle is stationary. Otherwise, this increases
the risk of an accident
- Exercise caution when adjusting the seat
height. Adjusting the seat carelessly or
w ithout check ing can p inch hands and fin­
gers.
- The front seat backrests must not be re­
clined too far back when driving, because
this impairs the effectiveness of the safety
belts and airbag system, which increases
th e risk of injury.
- To reduce the risk of injury during sudden
braking or in a collision, the driver and front
passenger should not have their backrests in
the reclined position while driving or riding.
The safety belts and airbag system can pro­
vide the greatest protection possible when
the backrests are in the upright position and
the safety belts are worn correctly. The more a backrest is reclined, the greater the
risk of injury due to an incorrect seating po­
sition and safety belt position.