ESP AUDI A3 SEDAN 2017 User Guide

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The sun visors can be pulled out of their brackets
and turned toward the doors
(D *. The sun shade
can also be moved back and forth lengthwise in
this position.
The mirror light switches on w hen the cover over
the vanity mirror* @opens.
Windshield wipers
Switching the windshield wipers on
A
Fig. 59 Windshield wiper lever
Fig. 60 Rear window wiper* ope ration
t ® I
. @
Ill ®
[II @
•®
Move the windshield wiper lever to the corre­
sponding position:
@ -Windshield wipers off
(D -Interva l mode. To increase/decrease the w ip­
er intervals, move the switch
@ to the left/right.
In vehicles with a rain sensor, the wipers turn on
in the rain once the vehicle speed exceeds ap­
proximately 2 mph (4 km/h). The higher the sen­
sitivity of the rain sensor is set (switch @to the
right), the earlier the windshield wipers react to
mo isture on the windshield . You can deact ivate
the ra in sensor mode in the Infotainment sys­
tem, which switches the intermittent mode on.
To do th is, select:
! MENU ! button> Vehicle> left
control button >
Dri ver assis tance > Rain sen sor.
Lights and V ision
@ -Slow wiping
@ -Fast w iping
@ -Single wipe . If you ho ld the lever in this posi­
t ion longer, the wipers switch from slow wip ing
to fast wiping .
®-Clean the windshield To eliminate water
droplets, the w indshield wipers perform one af­
terw ipe after several seconds while dr iv ing in
temperatures above 39 °F (4 °C) . You can switch
th is function off by moving the lever to posit ion
@ with in 10 seconds of the afterw ipe . The after­
wipe function is reac tivated the next time you
switch the ignition on.
Clean the headlights. The headlig ht washe r sys­
tem operates only when the low beam headlights
are on . If you move the lever in
posi tion @, the
headlig hts will be cleaned in fixed intervals .
Applies to: vehicles wi th re ar w indow wiper
@ -Wipe the rear window. The rear w iper moves
abo ut eve ry 6 seconds.
The rear wiper automatically switches on when
the reverse gear is selected and the front wind­
shield wipe rs a re on and running.
(J) -Clean the rear w indow . The number of wipes
depends on how long the lever is held in pos ition
(f) .
_& WARNING
-The rain sensor* is only in tended to assist
the dr iver. The driver may still be responsi­
b le for manually switching the wipers on
based on visibility conditions.
- The windsh ield may not be t reated w ith wa­
ter -repelling w indshield coating agen ts . Un­
favorable conditions, such as wetness, dark­
ness, and when the sun is low, can cause in­
creased glare, wh ich increases the risk of an
accident. Wiper blade chatter is also possi­ ble.
- Properly functioning windshield wiper
b lades are required for a clear view and safe
driving
¢ page 58, Replacing the front
wiper blades.
~
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Cargo net/cargo bag
Applies to: vehicles with luggage compartment cargo net/car­
go bag
The cargo net prevents light objects from sliding,
and it can also be used as a cargo bog.
Fig. 79 Luggage compartment: cargo net stretched out
(examp le)
F ig . 80 Luggage compartme nt: cargo bag hung in place
(examp le)
Cargo net
.. To secure the cargo net, first hang the front
hooks in the tie-downs then hang the rear
hooks
-arrows-¢ fig. 79.
Ca rgo b ag
.. To secure the cargo bag, hang both plastic re­
tainers in the tie-downs @
c> fig. 80 and the
eyelets @ in the hooks/bag
hooks* @.
You can also use the bag hooks* © to hang light
purses, bags, etc .
&_ WARNING
For strength reasons, only objects with a max­
imum weight of 10 lb (5 kg) should be se­
cured in the l uggage compartment net. Heavi­
er objects are not adeq uately secured. There
is risk of personal injury .
Seats and storag e
Increasing the cargo area
Applies to: vehicles with folding backrests
The rear seat backrests con be folded forward ei­
ther separately" or together .
n
Fig. 81 Backrest: outer re lease lever (example)
Folding the b ackrest forward /back
.. Push the correspond ing head restraint down­
ward
¢page 63 .
.. Pull the release lever (D ¢ fig. 81 in th e direc­
tion of the arrow and fold the backrest forward .
.. Fold the backrest down until it latches securely
¢ .,&.. When you can no longer see the red mark
on the
pin @ , the seat is latched.
&_ WARNING
~ -
-The backrest must be sec urely latched to
ensu re the safety belt is protecting the rear
seat pos it ions.
- The back rest must be securely latched so
objects ca nnot slide fo rwa rd out of the lug­
gage compartment during sudden brak ing.
(D Note
- If you move the front seat back when the
rear seat backrest is folded fo rwa rd, you
co uld damage the head restrain ts on t he
rear seat.
If ne cessary, remove the rea r seat
he ad restraint before mov ing the front seat
back
- T o red uce the risk of damage, move the rea r
he ad rest raints down before fo ldi ng the
rear backrests
forward¢ .&. in Rear head re­
straints on page 64 .
-Make sure the safety belt is not pinched in
the back rest lock a nd damaged when the
rear seat backrest if folded back .
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Sea ts and stor age
Pass-through
Applies to: vehicles with pass-through
Applies to: version
1
F ig . 82 Backrest : pass-throug h cover
App lies to: version 2
Fig. 83 Luggage compart ment: release lever in th e lug ­
gage compartme nt (ex am ple o n the r ight s ide)
Opening th e pass -through
Applies to : vers ion 1
.. Fo ld the rear seat center armrest down .
.. Fold the pass -through cover down¢ fig. 82 .
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i (D
Opening the pas s-through from the luggage
compa rtment
Applies to : version 2
The rear seat backrests can be folded forward
separately .
.. To fo ld the backrest forward, pull the re lease
lever on the respective side
¢ fig . 83 in the di­
rection of the arrow. The backrest will fo ld for­
ward automatically after it is
released ¢,&. .
.. To close the pass-through, fold the backrest
back until it latches
securely ¢,&. .
A WARNING
-The backrest must be securely latched to
ensure the safety belt is protect ing the rear
seat positions.
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- The backrest must be securely latched so
objects cannot slide forward o ut of the lug­
gage compartment during sudden brak ing.
- Make sure that all objects that you are
transporting in the pass-through are secure.
They could slide around dur ing sudden brak­
ing maneuvers and cause injuries .
- Sharp edges on objects that are loaded
must be covered for protection .
- When releasing the rear seat backrest,
make sure there are no people or animals
with in its range of motion . The backrest will
fold forward automatically after it is re­ leased.
(D Note
Make sure the safety be lt is not p inched in the
backrest lock and damaged when the rear
seat backrest if folded bac k.
Roof rack
Applies to: vehicles w ithout roof rail
F ig . 84 Mou nti ng po ints for the roof rack
Applies to: vehicles with roof rail
F ig. 85 Mou nting po ints fo r the roof rack
If luggage or cargo is to be carr ied on the roof,
you must observe the fo llow ing:

Warm and cold
Warm and cold Climate control system
Description
The climate control system circulates, warms or
cools, and removes humid ity from the air in the
veh icle inter ior .
It is the most effective when the
windows and panorama glass roof* or power top*
are closed. If there is a build-up of heat inside
the vehicle, ventilation can help to speed up the
cooling process.
Pollutant filter
The pollutant filter removes pollutants such as
dust and pollen from the a ir.
Key recognition
Various settings are stored and assigned to the
remote control key be ing used .
These settings are different when the power top* is open or closed .
Presetting
Several functions can be preset in the Infotain­
ment system.
Select in the Infotainment system:
I MENU I but­
ton
> Vehicle > left control button > Air condi­
tioning
A WARNING
Poor visibility can lead to accidents .
- For safer driving, keep all windows free of
ice, snow and fog.
- Become familiar with the correct use and
function of the climate control system as
quickly as possible, especially with the de­
frosting and defogging functions.
- When the temperature is below freezing, only use the windshield washer system after
70
the windshield has been warmed by the cli­
mate control system. The washer fluid could
freeze on the windshield and impair visibili­
ty .
Cl) Note
-If you suspect that the climate control sys­
tem is damaged, switch the system off to
prevent further damage and have it checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility.
- Repairs to the Audi climate control system
require special technical knowledge and
special tools . See an authorized Aud i dealer
or authorized Aud i Service Facility .
@ For the sake of the environment
-To save fuel, turn off the climate control
system cooling mode by press ing the A/C
button. This will also reduce emissions . The
climate control system is off when the LED
in the button turns off.
- In vehicl es w ith the efficiency prog ram*,
you can find other consumption information
and more economy tips <=? page 19.
(D Tips
- T o prevent interference with the heating
and cooling output and to prevent the win­
dows from fogging over, the a ir intake in
front of the windshie ld must be free of ice,
snow or leaves.
- Condensation from the cooling system* can
drip and form a pudd le of water under the
vehicle. This is norma l and does not mean
there is a leak.
- The energy management system may tem­
porarily switch off certain functions, such as
the seat heating* or rear window defogger.
These systems are available again as soon
as the energy supply has been restored.

Driving
Driving
General information
Breaking in
A new vehicle must be broken in for the first 1,000 mi les (1,500 km). Do not drive at speeds
that will exceed 2/3 of the maximum perm itted
engine speed (RPM) for the first 600 miles
(1,000 km), and avoid full acceleration during
this period . You may gradually start increasing
the RPM and the speed between 600 miles (1,000 km) and 1,000 miles (1,500 km) .
During the first hours of use, the engine has a
h igher internal friction than later on when all
moving parts have settled into place with each
other.
How the vehicle is driven during the first 1,000
miles (1,500 km) also affects the engine quality.
Drive at moderate engine speeds after the initial
break-in period, particularly when running a cold
engine. This will reduce engine wear and improve
the mileage .
Do not drive at too low of an engine speed (RPM).
Shift down if the engine stops running "smooth­ ly". Extremely high engine speeds are automati­
cally reduced .
Reducing the risk of vehicle damage
CD Note
When driving on poor roads, by curbs and on
steep ramps, make su re that low-hang ing
components such as the spoi ler and exhaust
system do not come into contact with these
or they could be damaged. This especially ap­
plies to vehicles with low ground clearance
and vehicles that are heavily loaded.
Driving through water on roads
Note the following to reduce the risk of vehicle
damage when driv ing through water, for example
on flooded roads:
-The water must not be any higher than the bot­
tom of the vehicle body .
74
-Do not drive faster than walking speed .
A WARNING
After driving through water or mud, the effec­
tiveness of the brakes may be reduced due to
moisture on the brake rotors and brake pads.
A few careful brake applications should dry
off the brakes.
CD Note
-Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical sys ­
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water .
-Always switch the Start/Stop system* off
when driving through water
¢page 81.
(i) Tips
-Determine the depth before driving through
water.
-Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or
switch the engine off when driving through
water.
-Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to drive
through safely.
- Avoid driving through salt water, because
this can cause corrosion .
Economical and environmentally-friendly
dr iving
The amount of fuel consumption, the environ­
mental impact and the wear to the engine,
brakes and tires depends mostly on your driving
sty le. With an anticipatory and economic driving
style, fuel consumption can be reduced by ap­
proximately 10-15%. The following tips will help
you conserve the environment and your money at
the same time .
Anticipatory driving
A vehicle uses the most fuel when accelerating.
When you drive with anticipation, you do not need to brake as often and so you accelerate less.
When possible, let your vehicle coast with a
gear
engaged,
for example, when you notice that the ..,.

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next traffic light is red. This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con­
sumption to zero (fuel shut-off during decelera­
tion).
Shift efficiently
An effective way to save fuel is to upshift earlier.
Staying in a gear too long uses fuel unnecessari­
ly .
Press down on the accelerator pedal slowly and
avoid "kick-down".
Avoid full acceleration
You should rarely travel at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproportionately
high increase in fuel consumption, emissions and
traffic noise. Slower driving saves fuel.
Reduce idling time
The Start/Stop system* helps to reduce the idling
time automatically. In vehicles without the Start/
Stop system, it is efficient to switch the engine
off when stopped
at railroad crossings and long
red lights. Depending on the version of the en­
gine, stopping the engine for as little as five sec­
onds once it has reached operating temperature
still saves more fuel than leaving the engine run­ ning
-even when taking into account the amount
of extra fuel that is used to restart the engine.
It takes a very long time in idle to warm the en­
gine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially high in the warm-up
phase. Therefore, you should begin driving im­
mediately after starting the engine. Avoid high
RPMs while doing this.
Have maintenance performed regularly
By having maintenance performed regularly on
your vehicle, you can help to reduce fuel con­
sumption before you even start to drive. The maintenance condition of your vehicle not only
affects traffic safety and long-term value but al­
so impacts
fuel consumption. A poorly main­
tained engine can lead to fuel consumption that
is 10% higher than normal.
Driving
Avoid short trips
The engine and emissions control system must
reach their optimal
operating temperature to ef­
fectively reduce consumption and emissions.
A cold engine uses a disproportionately high
amount of fuel. The engine reaches operating
temperature and consumption normalizes only
after approximately 2.5 miles (4 km).
Check the tire pressure
To save fuel, make sure the tires are always in­
flated to the correct pressure
r=;, page 33 5. The
fuel consumption can increase by S% if the pres­
sure is only 0.5 bar too low. Due to the increased
rolling resistance, low tire pressures will also
lead to greater tire
wear and will affect driving
behavior.
Do not drive on
winter tires year-round, as this
will consume up to 10% more fuel.
Eliminate unnecessary weight
Since every kilogram of extra weight increases
fuel consumption, a quick inspection of the lug­
gage compartment may be worth it to avoid un­
necessary weight.
When not being used, a roof rack should be re­
moved to decrease the wind resistance of the ve­
hicle. You will save approximately 12% of your
fuel when at speeds from 62-75 mph
(100-120 km/h).
Save energy
The engine drives the generator, which generates
electricity; the fuel consumption also increases
with the demand for electricity. Therefore, switch
electrical equipment off when you no longer
need it. Examples of equipment that uses a lot of
energy are air blowers at a high setting, the rear
window defogger and seat heating*.
(D 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 overheating or
IJ,-
75

Driving
"'To start driving and release the parking brake
automatically, press the accelerator pedal as
usual.
In addition to releasing the parking brake auto­
matically, other convenience and safety functions
are available when you start driving
¢ page 85,
Starting from a stop.
Preventing the automatic parking brake
release
The vehicle could begin rolling unintentionally,
dep ending on the hill or if towing a trailer.
"'To prevent the parking brake from releasing au­
tomatically, pull and hold
the®> switch and
press the accelerator pedal. The parking brake
remains set and prevents the vehicle from roll­
ing backward.
"'You can release the(®) switch again once you
are sure that you are giving enough driving
force to the wheels by pressing the accelerator pedal.
Emergency braking function
You can use the emergency braking function in an emergency situation, or if the standard brake op­
eration malfunctions or is disabled .
"'Pull and hold the(®) switch.
"' As soon as you release the ®> switch or acceler-
ate, the braking stops .
Pulling and holding
the®> switch while driving
the vehicle activates the emergency braking func­
tion . The vehicle is braked at all four wheels by
activating the hydraulic brake system. The brak­ ing effect is similar to heavy
braking ¢,&. .
To reduce the risk of activating the emergency
braking by mistake, a warning tone (bu zzer)
sounds when
the(®) switch is pulled. Emergency
braking stops as soon as
the(®) switch is released
or the accelerator pedal is pressed .
Parking
"' Press the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
"'Pull the®> switch to set the parking brake.
"'Place the selector lever in the P position.
"'Turn the engine off ¢,&. .
84
"'Turn the steering wheel when parking on in­
clines so that the wheels will roll into the curb
if the vehicle starts moving.
A WARNING
- Do not press the accelerator pedal inadver­
tently if a gear is selected when the vehicle
is stationary and the engine is running . Oth ­
erwise, the vehicle will start to move imme­
diately and this could result in an accident.
- Emergency braking should only be used in
an emergency, when the normal brake pedal has failed or the brake pedal is obstructed.
During emergency braking, your vehicle will
brake similar to heavy braking. ESC and the
associated components (ABS, ASR, EDL)
cannot overcome the laws of physics. In cor­
ners and when road or weather conditions
are bad, a full brake application can cause
the vehicle to skid or the rear end to swerve,
which increases the risk of an accident.
- If the power supply fails, you cannot set the
parking brake if it is released . In this case,
park the vehicle on level ground and secure
it by placing the selector lever in the P posi­
tion. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
-Always take the vehicle key with you when
leaving your vehicle, even for a short period
of time . This applies particularly when chil­
dren remain in the vehicle. Otherwise chil­
dren could start the engine, release the
parking brake or operate electrical equip­
ment such as power windows, which in­
creases the risk of an accident.
- No one should remain in the vehicle when it
is locked - especially children. Locked doors
make it more difficult for emergency work­
ers to get into the vehicle, which puts lives
at risk .
(D Tips
When stopping at a traffic signal or stopping
in city traffic, you can set the parking brake
manually . The vehicle does not have to be
held with the brake pedal. The parking brake
eliminates the tendency to creep when a se­ lector lever position is engaged . As soon as

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Requirement: the engine must be at operating
temperature and the steering whee l must not be
turned.
.,. Deact ivate ll the Start/Stop system*
¢ page 83. The LED in the ~ button turns on.
.,. With the engine running, press the l.t, O FFj but­
ton briefly one time .
.,. Pull the selector lever back out of the D/S posi­
t ion briefly to select the S posit ion, or press it
toward the right into the tiptronic pos ition or
select the
D ynamic driving mode in drive se­
lect*
¢ page 143 .
.,. Press the b rake peda l firmly with you r left foot
and hold it all the way down for at least one
second .
.,. At the same time, press the gas pedal all the
way down with your right foot unti l the engine
reaches and stays at a high RPM level.
.,. Remove your left foot from the brake.
A WARNING
- Always adapt yo ur driv ing to the traffic flow .
- Only use Launch Control when road and traf-
fic cond itions allow it and other dr ivers will
not be endangered or impacted by your driv­
ing and the vehicle's acceleration .
- Please note that the drive whee ls can sp in
and the vehicle can break away when sport
mode is switched on, especially when the
road is s lippery.
- Once the vehicle has started moving, press
the
I ~ OFF j button briefly to tu rn the sport
mode off.
@ Tips
-The transmiss ion temperature may increase
s ignificantly after us ing the launch cont rol
program.
If that happens, the program may
not be available for a few m inutes. It w ill be
available again after a cool-down pe riod.
-When accelerating using the la unch control
program, all veh icle parts are subject to
heavy loads. Th is can lead to increased
wear .
8 1
> It is not pos sib le to deact iv a te t he system w it h all vers io n s N iii of th e tran sm is s ion.
D riv ing
Emergency mode
Applies to: vehicles with automatic transmissions
In the event of a system malfunction, there is an
emergency program .
If all of the selector lever positions are highlight­
ed with a light background in the instrument
cluster display, there is a system malfunct ion and
the transmission is running i n the emergency
program. The veh icle can sti ll be driven in emer­
gency mode, but only with red uced speed and
not in all gears . In some cases, the vehicle
can ­
not d riv e in revers e .
([) Note
If the transm ission runs in eme rgency mode,
drive to a n author ized A udi dealer or author­
i zed Audi Se rvice Facility immed iate ly to have
the malfunction corrected .
Transmission malfunction
Applies to: vehicles with automatic transmissions
• Tran smission: malfunction! Please stop ve­
hicle and shift t o P
There is a ma lfunction in the transm ission. Park
the vehicle secure ly and do not continue driving.
See an author ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility for assistance .
• Transmis sion overheat ing! Plea se stop the
ve hicle!
The tra nsmission is too hot and can become dam­
aged. Stop and le t the transmiss ion cool w ith the
engine r unning (at idle) in the P se lector lever po­
sition . Then the indicator light and the message
turn off, drive to an authorized A udi dealer or au­
thori zed Audi Serv ice Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected. If the indicator light
and the driver message do not turn off, do not
continue driving . See an authorized Aud i dealer
or authorized Audi Serv ice Facility for ass istance.
[!l Tran smiss ion malfunction : you can continu e
driving
.,,.
91

e-tron
e-tron Plug-in hybrid drive
Introduction
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith plug -in hybrid drive
General information
The plug- in hybrid drive is a drive concept that al­
lows yo u to choose between driving w ith the elec­
tr ic moto r, with the gaso lin e engine o r using a
comb inat io n of both.
All work done on the high-voltage system must
only be performed by certified high-voltage tech­
n icians at autho rized Aud i dea le rs or authorized
Aud i Serv ice Facilities in accordance with Audi
gu idelines.
The high-voltage system is composed of the fol­ low ing h igh-vo ltage components: the high-volt­
age battery, the powe r electron ics, the e lectr ic
motor, the high-voltage A/C compressor, the
high-vo ltage heater, the charging system and
charging port as well as the orange high-voltage
wiring.
The pedal referred to in this sect ion of the Own­
er's Manua l is the equivalent of the acce lerator
pedal (gas pedal) in a standard veh icle.
High-voltage battery
The high-voltage battery is located under the
rear bench seat in the veh icle and does not re­
qu ire any maintenance from the driver. Addition ­
a l information about the high-voltage battery can
be found under
Q page 108 .
A WARNING
The voltage in the high-vo ltage system is life­
threatening. Touching a damaged high-volt­
age component can result in a fatal e lectr ic
shock. The components in the high-voltage
system are ma rked with a warning label which
wa rns against the h igh-vo ltage.
- The voltage level in the high-voltage system
is still dangerous and potentially life-threat­
ening when the ignition is switched off.
- Never perform work on orange high-voltage
cables or on high-voltage components. Only
94
authorized repair facilities that are certified may perform work on the high-voltage sys­
tem.
- Never damage, alter or remove the orange
high-voltage cable or disconnect it from the
high-voltage system.
- Never perform any work using c utting, shap­
ing or sharp-edged too ls or heat sources
near the h igh-vo ltage system and high-volt­
age cables.
- Aud i regulat ions must be followed during
all work performed on the high-voltage sys­
tem and h igh-vo ltage components.
- When working on the h igh-vo ltage system
and h igh-voltage compone nts, make sure
the remote cont rol key is kept far enough
away from the vehicle so that there is no
ris k of the ignit ion be ing inadve rten tly
sw itched on.
- Gases that escape from the high-vol tage
b attery can be poisono us or flammable.
- Damage to the high-voltage battery could
cause the h igh-vo ltage battery to leak im­
media tely or in the fu ture, and poisonous or
flammab le gases cou ld escape . Do not in ­
ha le the gases!
- Do not expose yourse lf to any leaking fluids
and do not come into contact with them .
- The high-volt age battery e lectroly te fl uid is
caustic. I f electrolyte fluid comes into con ­
tact with the sk in, f lush the affected area
for at least 15 minutes with clean water.
Then wash the affected area with soap.
Have the affected area examined by a med i­
cal professional.
- In the event of a technical emergency, in­
form the responders that the vehicle is
equ ipped with a high-voltage battery.
A WARNING
Never leave the vehicle unattended when in
drive ready
mode ~ page 96 with a gear en­
gaged . The veh icle can start moving ("creep­
ing") even if the gaso line engine is switched
off, since the e lectr ic motor is still operating.
This may cause collis ions and severe or fatal
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injuries. When the vehicle enters drive ready
mode, the status message
e-"'1 o I r.-.Al"'Y ap­
pears briefly in the instrument cluster d isplay
and the needle in the power meter points to
READY ¢ page 9 7.
-Make sure that the selector lever is in the P
posit ion and the ignition is switched off
when leav ing t he veh icle.
([) Note
- The high-voltage system can be damaged if
the veh icle underbody comes into contact
with the ground. Immed iately drive your ve­
hicle to a n author ized repair facility and
have it inspected.
- The electric drive motor can become very hot dur ing operation . Do not stop the veh i­
cle if there is o il, fuel residue or other flam­
mable s ubstances under or next to the vehi­
cl e.
Special considerations for the high-voltage
battery
Appl ies to: vehicl es with plug- in hybrid drive
Please first read and note the introductory infor­
mat ion and heed the
warn ings ¢ page 94.
All batteries age with use and over time. There
are things you should know about the care of the
h igh-vo ltage battery that will he lp it keep giving
you good service and reliab ility over t ime . Please
read and keep the following informat ion in m ind
while you enjoy the performance and economy of
your ve hicle .
- Be sure to charge the high-voltage battery be­
fore leaving the vehicle parked and unused for a l onger period of time . Ideally the high-vol tage
batte ry sho uld have a charge leve l between
40
% and 60 % when par ked for a long t ime.
- If the batte ry charge level is below 3
%, never
park the vehicle for more than 21 days without
charg ing the high-vo ltage battery. Sho uld you
have to par k the vehicle fo r a long time, m ake
s u re that the charge leve l is sufficien t to help
prevent the battery from aging premature ly.
- Freq uent and consecutive charging of the high­
vo ltage battery when the cha rge level is above
e-tron
98 % can also decrease the capacity o f the
highvo ltage battery . Make sure the charge leve l
is below 98
% when you start the charging
process.
- Should the vehicle be parked for longer than
2 days at temperatures below
-13 °F (-25 °C),
the high-voltage battery could free ze and not
be ab le to prov ide energy to the electric motor.
The battery will start working again, once it
warms up. The battery can be warmed up when
the outside temperature rises or when the vehi­
cle is garaged app ropr iate ly. Th e battery w ill al­
so warm up when bei ng used (sw itchi ng on the
air conditioner, the heater or by driving the ve ­
hicle) . Shou ld you have to park your vehicle at
very low temperatures for longer than 1 day, make sure that the h igh-vo ltage battery does
not freeze by parking the vehicle in a garage
that is heated or protected from the outside
temperature .
- The high-voltage battery can be damaged and
the capacity can be decreased when the vehicle
is parked for longer than 24 ho urs when the
ambient temperature is h igher than 118 °F
(48 °C). Always ma ke sure that the h igh-vo lt­
age battery is not exposed to temperat ures
above 118 °F (48 °C) for a long time .
- Never pa rk the veh icle in areas that a re l ikely to
be flooded, s uch as beaches or rive r banks, and
never drive the vehicle in WA TER, on flooded
roads or through water that is higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body . The high -voltage
battery, along with other vehicle components,
can be damaged severe ly if the high-voltage
battery is exposed to open water especially for
a longer t ime . However, you ca n drive through
wate r o n roads under certain condi tions
~ page 74.
Failure to heed any of these requ irements can
age the battery prematurely and lead to a perma­
nent decrease of the h igh-vo ltage battery's ca­
pacity.
(D Tips
Always make sure that the high-voltage bat­
tery is not exposed to extreme ly low and high
temperatu res as well as to water espec ia lly
fo r a longe r time. Fail ure to protec t and c are
IJ-
95