warning light AUDI Q3 2018 Owner's Guide

Driving
reduces braking performance, increases
braking distance or causes complete failure
of the brake system.
- If you must stop on an incline, always hold
the vehicle in place with the foot brake or
parking brake to prevent it from rolling
back.
- Never hold the vehicle on an incline with a
slipping clutch. The clutch opens automati­
cally when it becomes too hot from the
overload . The . indicator light turns on
and a message appears~
page 71 when
the clutch is overloaded.
- Read and following all WARNINGS
9 &, .
(D Note
-When stopping on an incline, do not try to
hold the vehicle in place by pressing the ac­
celerator pedal while a driving gear is se­ lected . This can cause the automatic trans­
mission to overheat and can damage it. Set
the parking brake or press the brake pedal
to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
- Allowing the vehicle to roll when the engine
is stopped while the selector lever is in the
N position will damage the automatic trans­
mission, because it is not lubricated under
those circumstances ~
page 205, Towing
with a tow truck.
- The transmission can overheat and be dam­
aged under certain driving and traffic condi­
tions su ch as frequent starts, creeping for a
long time, or stop-and-go traffic. If the.
indicator light turns on, stop the vehicle at
the next opportunity and let the transmis­
sion cool down
~ page 71.
H ill descent contr ol
The hill descent control system assists the driver
when driving down hills .
Hill descent contro l is activated when the selec­
tor lever is in the Dor S position and you press
the brake pedal. The transmission automatically
selects a gear that is suitable for the hill. Hill de­
scent control tries to maintain the speed ach­
ieve d at the time of braking, within physical and
70
technical limitations. If may still be necessary to
adjust the speed with the brake pedal.
Hill descent control switches off once the hill lev­
els out or you press the accelerator pedal.
&_ WARNING
Hill descent control cannot overcome physical
limitations, so it may not be able to maintain
a constant speed under all conditions. Always
be ready to apply the brakes .
Manual shifting (tiptronic mode }
The tiptronic mode allows the driver to shi~ the
gears manually .
Fig. 7 4 Center console: sh ift ing manually w ith the selector
l ever
Fig. 75 Steering whee l: sh ift ing ma nuall y wi th th e s hift
paddles*
Shifting with the selector lever
You can shift into tiptronic mode while stationary
and while driving .
.. To shift into tiptronic mode, push the selector
lever from the 0/S setting to the right in the
tiptronic shift gate. Once the transmission has
switched modes, the selector lever position
M
is shown in the instrument cluster display .,..

0 co ......
"' ,....
"' ...... 0 0 :::,
00
¢ page 67, fig. 72. For example, M4 means the
fourth gear is engaged.
~ To shift up a gear, tap the selector lever for­
ward
0 ¢ fig. 74.
~ To shift down a gear, tap the selector lever to
back Q.
Shifting with the shift paddles*
You can operate the shift paddles in the D/S or M
(tiptronic shift gate) selector lever positions.
~ To shift up one gear, tap the shift paddle 0
¢fig. 75.
~ To shift down one gear, tap the shift paddle Q.
If the shift paddles are tapped while in the D/S
selector lever position, automatic mode switches
off briefly. To switch from manually shifting back
to automatic shifting immediately, tap the shift paddle
0 c:> fig. 75 for 1 second.
To keep shifting using the shift paddles, move
the selector lever to the right out of the D/S posi­
tion into the tiptronic shift gate.
Description
The transmission automatically shifts up or down before critical engine speed is reached.
The transmission only allows manual shifting
when the engine speed is within the permitted
range.
Kick-down
Kick-down enables maximum acceleration .
When you press the accelerator pedal down be­
yond the resistance point (called kick-down), the
automatic transmission downshifts into a lower
gear, depending on vehicle speed and engine
RPM.
It shifts up into the next higher gear once
the maximum specified engine RPM is reached .
A WARNING ,~
Please note that the wheels could spin on
slick or slippery roads when kick-down is ac­
tive.
-
Driving
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 malfunction and
the S tronic transmission is running in the emer­
gency program . The vehicle can still be driven in
emergency mode, but only with reduced speed
and not in all gears . In some cases, the vehicle
cannot drive in reverse.
([) Note
If the transmission runs in emergency mode,
drive to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility immediately to have
the malfunction corrected.
Transmission malfunction
Applies to: vehicles with automatic transmissions
• Transmission overheating! Please stop vehi­
cle!
The transmission is too hot and can become dam­
aged. Stop and let the transmission cool with the
engine running (at idle) in the P selector lever po­
sition. Then the indicator light and the message
turn off, drive to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service 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 Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
71

Driving
Selector lever emergency release
Applies to: ve hicles w ith a utomat ic tra nsm iss io ns
If the vehicle's power supply fails, the selector
Lever can be released in an emergency.
F ig. 76 Selector leve r: remov ing th e cover
Fig. 77 Selec tor lever: eme rgency re lease
To maneuver or tow the vehi cle, the emergency
release must be used to move the selector lever
from the P position.
Using the emergency rele ase can be compli cated.
We recommend contacting an a uthorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as ­
sistance , if necessary .
A ma intenance tool from the vehicle tool ki t
must be used to re lease ¢
page 191 .
Preparations
.,. To preve nt yo ur vehicle from ro lli ng u ninten­
t iona lly, se t the par king b rake(®) or press the
brake peda l r:!.>
,& .
.,. Inse rt the fla t side of the maintenance too l
sideways in the s lot near the s hif t cover and pry
off the shift cover¢ fig. 76 .
.. Pull the frame and the cover upward. You can
fold the cover up over the shifter knob.
72
S ele cto r lev er emergenc y re lease
.,. Press and hold the ye llow release b utton
r:!.> fig. 77.
.,. Press the button on the selector lever and move
the lever into N pos ition .
.,. Clip the frame to the cover again.
A WARNING
- On ly activate the emergency release while
on a level surface or a slight slope .
- Only move the selector lever out of the P po­
sition when the parking brake is set. If it is
not f unct io ni ng, secu re the ve hicle from
ro lling using the bra ke pedal or other suita­
ble mea ns, such as b locking a front and a
rear w heel. An unsecured vehicle may roll
away, which increases the risk of a n acci­
de nt.

Ass is tance sy stems
Assistance systems
Speed warning system
Description
Applies to: veh icles with speed warning system
The speed warning system helps you to stay be­
low a specified maximum speed that can be set,
changed or deleted in the Infotainment system.
The speed warning system warns you if you are exceeding the maximum speed that you have set .
A warning tone will sound as soon as your speed
exceeds the stored value slightly. The
lGJ (USA
models)
I l•j (Canada mode ls) indicator light
and a message appear in the instrument cluster
d isp lay at the same time . ThP
lGl{t] indicator
light and the message turn off if the speed falls
back below the stored maximum speed .
Sett ing a threshold is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when yo u reach a certa in
maximum speed. Situations where you may want
to do so include driving in a country w ith a gener­
al speed limit or if there is a specified maximum
speed for winter tires.
Se tt ing the warning thresho ld
Select:
! CAR I function button> (Car) Sys tem s*
control button > Drive r assis t > Speed w arning .
@ Tips
Regardless of the speed warning system, you
should always monitor your speed using the
speedometer and make sure you are following
the legal speed limit.
76
Cruise control system
Switching on
Applies to: vehicles with cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it possible to
drive a constant speed that is 30 km/h or higher .
0
f
®l
0
Fig. 78 Operat ing lever : cru ise co ntrol syste m
5:
"' 0 ± .. To switch the system on , pull the lever into po-
sition
(D ~ fig. 78.
.. Drive at the speed to be maintained.
.. To store the speed, press the button @.
The
(ij;\1)~1~ (USA mode ls)/ B (Canada models)
indicator light turns on in the instrument cluster .
8_ WARNING
-Always pay attention to the traffic around
you when the cruise contro l system is in op­
erat ion. You are always respons ible for your
speed and the distance between your veh i­
cle and other vehicles.
- For safety reasons, cruise control should not
be used in the city, in stop -and -go traff ic, on
w inding roads and when road conditions a re
poor (such as ice, fog, gravel, heavy rai n and
hyd roplaning), because this inc reases the
r is k of an accident.
- Switch the cruise control off temporarily
when dr iv ing in turning lanes, highway exits
or in constru ction zones.
- P lease note that "rest ing" your foot on the
accelerator pedal un intent iona lly can result
in ac celeration that overrides the c ruise con-
-
trol system . .,.

a
co
...... N r---. N .-< 0 0 ::, co
Auto and Dynamic, using the r:l.l'e'i button in the
center console or by using the Infotainment sys­
tem . This allows you to switch between a sporty
and a comfortable driving mode, for examp le.
Description
Applies to: vehicles with Audi drive select
The following systems, among other things, are
influenced by drive select:
Engine and automatic transmission
Depending on the mode, the engine and auto­
matic transmission respond more quickly or in a
more balanced manner to accelerator pedal
movements. In the sporty dynamic mode, the
transmission shifts at higher speed ranges .
Suspension control*
The suspension control uses sensors to record in­
formation regarding steering movements, brak­ ing and accelerat ion operations by the driver, as
well as information about the road surface, dr iv­
ing speed, and load. With dr ive select, you can
adjust the suspension control to sporty (dynam­ ic), comfortable (comfort) or balanced (a uto).
Steering
The steering adapts in terms of steering assis­
tance . Indirect steering that moves easily as in
comfort mode is especially su ited to long dr ives
on a highway. In contrast, dynamic mode pro­
vides sporty, direct steering.
Cornering light*
The cornering light adapts to driving on curves.
The pivot ing action and the lighting also adapt to
the mode.
(D Tips
The S selector lever position automatically en­
gages if the dynamic mode is selected.
Assistance systems
Selecting the driving mode
Applies to: vehicles with Audi drive select
Fig. 84 Center console : dr ive select button
.,. To set the mode, press the ~:1;:e'i button repeat­
edly until the desired mode is d isplayed in the
instrument cluster. Or
.,. Select in the Infotainment system: ICARlfunc-
tion button
> Comfort , Auto or Dynamic .
You can change the driving mode when the vehi­
cle is stationary or while driving . If traff ic per­
mits, after changing modes, briefly take your
foot off the accelerator pedal so that the recently
selected mode is also activated for the engine.
Comfort -provides a comfort-or iented vehicle
setup and is suited fo r long drives on h ighways.
Automatic -provides an overall comfortable yet
dynamic driving feel and is suited for everyday
u se.
Dynam ic -gives the driver a sporty driving fee l
and is suited to a sporty driving style.
A WARNING
Pay attention to traffic when operating the
drive select to reduce the ris k of an accident.
81

Parking systems
Parking systems
General information
A ppl ies to: ve hicles w ith a rea r parking sys te m /pa rking sys ­
tem p lus/rearv iew camera
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma­
neuvering.
The
rear park ing system is an audible parking aid
that warns you of obstacles
behind the vehicle
¢ page 83.
The parking system plus assists you when park ­
ing by audibly and visually indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the veh icle
¢ page 83.
The rearview camera shows the area behind the
vehicle in the Infotainment system display . The
lines in the rearview camera image help you to
park or maneuver
¢ page 84.
_& WARNING
-Always look for traff ic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it directly
as well . The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attention. The driver is always
responsible when entering or leaving a park­
ing space and during similar maneuvers.
- Please note that some surfaces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system.
- Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
which people and objects cannot be detect­
ed. Be especially cautious of small children
and animals.
-
- Always pay attention to the area around the
vehicle -using the rearview mirror, too.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody . The park­
ing system may be impaired as a result.
Have an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility check their func­
t io n.
- Make sure the sensors are not obstructed by
stickers, deposits or other materia ls. If they
are, the sensor function could be impaired.
82
For additional information on cleaning, see
¢page 185.
(D Note
-Some objects are not detected or displayed
by the system under certain circumstances:
- objects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, vertical poles or fences
- objects above the sensors such as wall ex­
tensions
- objects with certain surfaces or structures
such as chain link fences or powder snow
- If you continue driving closer to a low ob­
ject, it may disappear from the sensor range. Note that you will no longer be
warned about th is obstacle.
@ Tips
- The system may provide a warning even
though there are no obstacles in the cover­
age area in some situations, such as:
- certain road surfaces or when there is tall
grass
- external ultrasonic sources such as from
cleaning vehicles
- in heavy rain, snow, or thick vehicle ex­
haust
- We recommend that you practice parking in
a traffic-free location or parking lot to be­
come familiar with the system . When doing
this, there should be good light and weath­
er conditions.
- The sensors must be kept clean and free of
snow and ice for the parking aid to operate .
For information on cleaning, see
¢page 185.
- You can change the volume and pitch of the
signals as well as the display¢
page 87.
-Please refer to the instructions for towing a
trailer located in
¢page 88.
- What appears in the infotainment display is
somewhat time-delayed.

Intelligent Technology Electronic stabilization
control (ESC)
Description
Ele ctronic stabilization control (ESC) supports
driver safety . It reduces the risk of slipping and
improves d riving stability. ESC detects critica l sit ­
uations such as the vehicle oversteering and un­
dersteer ing or the wheels are spinning. The vehi­
cle is stabilized by apply ing the brakes or reduc ­
ing engine torque . When the ESC engages, the
G1 indicator light b links in the instrument clus­
ter.
T he follow ing systems are integrated in the ESC:
Ant i-loc k bra king s ystem (ABS)
ABS prevents the whee ls from locking when brak­
ing. The vehicle can still be steered even during
hard brak ing. Apply steady pressure to the brake
pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A pulsing in the
b rake pedal indicates that the system is act ing to
stabilize the vehicle .
Brak e a ssist s ystem
The brake assist system can decrease braking dis­
tance. It increases brak ing power when the driver
presses the brake pedal quickly in emergency sit­
uations . You must press and hold the brake pedal
unti l the dangerous sit uat io n is ove r.
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR )
ASR reduces eng ine power when the drive wheels
begin spinning and ad apts the force to the road
conditions . This makes it easier to start, acceler ­
ate and dr ive up hills .
Electronic differential lock (EDL )
The EDL applies the brakes to a whee l that starts
spinning and transfers the drive power to the
other driving wheel or wheels ( if the veh icle is
equ ipped w ith all wheel dr ive*) . This function is
n ot available at higher speeds .
0 ~ In extreme cases, EDL automatically switches off
~ to keep the brake on the braked wheel from over-N
8 heat ing . The vehicle is still work ing correctly . EDL 0
:::,
00
Intellig ent Technology
will swi tch on again automatically when condi­
tions have returned to normal.
Steering recommendation
T he ESC he lps to s tabilize the vehicle by cha nging
t h e steer ing torque .
Selective wheel torque control
Se lective wheel torque control is used when driv­
i ng on curves . The front whee l on the ins ide of
t h e curve or both wheels on the i nside of the
c ur ve are braked se lectively as needed. This al­
lows mo re prec ise dr iving in c urves .
Automatic post -collision braking system
The "automat ic post -collis ion braking system"
can help to reduce the risk of sliding and of addi­
tiona l co llisions after an accident.
If the a irbag
contro l modu le detects a collision above a certa in
vehicle speed, the ve hicle is br ake d by the ESC.
The vehicle does not brake automatically if:
- the dr iver presses the acce lerator pedal, or
- the bra king fo rc e generated by the pressed
brake pedal is greater than the braking force
that would be in itiated by the system, or
- the ESC, the brake system or the veh icle electri­
cal system are not functioning.
A WARNING
- The ESC and its integrated systems cannot
overcome the lim its imposed by natura l
phys ica l laws. This is especially impo rtant
on slippery or wet roads. If the systems be­
gi n a cting to s tabilize yo ur vehicle, you
should immedi ately alter your speed to
match the road and traffic conditions. Do
not let the inc reased safety provided tempt
you into taking risks. This could increase
your r isk o f a collis ion.
- Please note the r isk of a coll is ion increases
when dr iv ing fast, especially t hrough curves
and on slippery or wet roads, and when dr iv­
ing too close to objects ahead. The ESC and
its integrated systems cannot always pre ­
vent co llisions - there is st ill a risk of acci­
dents!
89

Intelligent Technology
-Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
accelerating on even, slippery surfaces such
as ice and snow. The drive wheels can spin
even when these control systems are instal­
led and this can affect driving stability and
increase the risk of a collision.
{D) Tips
-The ABS and ASR only function correctly
when all four wheels have a similar wear
Switching on/off
condition. Different tire sizes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working .
£SC turns on automatically when you start the engine .
Fig. 96 Center console : OFF~ button
The following examples are unusual situations
where it may make sense to switch offroad mode
on to allow the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Driving in deep snow or on loose ground
- Driv ing on rough terrain when much of the car's
we ight is lifted off the wheels (axle artic ula­
tion)
- Dr iv ing downh ill wh ile braking on loose g round
The ESC is designed to function in levels. Depend­
ing on the level selected, the ESC stabilization
function is limited or switched off . The amount of
stabilization control wi ll differ depending on the
level. For your safety, sw
itch the offroad mode off in
advance.
ESC levels
Offroad mode on ESC/ASR off
Offroad mode off or
ESC/ASR on
Behavior
The ESC and ASR stabiliza-
The stabilization function is The
full stabilization func-
tion functions are limited not
available
¢ .&.. ESC and tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢ .&. . ASR are switched off. availab le again.
Operation Press the C; button briefly. Press and hold the C; button Press the C; button again.
longer than three seconds.
Indicator II turns on. II and lfil•U~ turn on. II turns off or II and
lights lfil•l~i turn off.
Messages Stabilization control (ESC):
Stabilization control (ESC): Stabilization control (ESC):
offroad. Warning! Reduced Off
. Warning! Reduced sta-
On
stability bility
90
...

A WARNING
You should only switch offroad mode on or
switch ESC/ ASR off if your driving abilities
and the traffic conditions perm it. There is a
risk of s lid ing .
- The stabilization function is limited when
offroad mode is switched on . The driving
wheels could spin and the vehicle could
swerve, especially on slick or s lippery road
surfaces.
- There is no vehicle stabilization when ESC/
ASR are switched off.
Hill descent assist
Appl ies to: vehicles with hill hold assist
Hill descent assist makes it possible to drive
down a hill at a constant speed.
Fig. 97 Center console : hill descent assist butto n
• To switch the hill descent assist on, press the
~ button in the center console c} fig. 97. The
LED in the button turns on.
• Press the button again to switch it off. The LED
in the button turns off .
Hill descent assist brakes all four whee ls auto ­
matically in order to limit speed when driving ei­
ther forward or reverse on hills with a grade up to
approximately 50% .
When hill descent assist is on, the speed your ve­ hicle was traveling when it entered the hill is
maintained . It is only possible to switch on the
assist when driving slower than 37 mph (60 km/
h). The assist begins shortly after you start driv-
e '.:: ing and continues up to approximate ly 19 mph
N r--. (30 km/h) . T he driver can increase or decrease N .... 0 0 ::, (X)
Intelligent Technology
the vehicle speed within these limits by pressing
the accelerator or brake pedal.
However, there must be enough tract ion. Hill de­
scent assist
cannot function as expected, if for
example the hill is icy or if the surface is loose
¢,&. .
A blinking indicato r light. in the instrument
cluster will indicate if the system if actively regu­
lating a specific speed up to approximately
19 mph (30 km/h). The indicator light stays on
continuously when in the ready mode.
The system does not work at speeds between 19
and 37 mph (30 and 60 km/h) . The system is
then in ready-mode . This is indicated by the LED
in the button turning on. The system automat i­
cally switched off when you drive faster than 37
mph (60 km/h) . The LED will also turn off in this
scenario .
Hill descent assist is automatically activated un­
der the following conditions:
- the LED in the button turns on
- the vehicle speed is lowe r than 19 mph (30 km/
h)
- the incline angle is at least around 10%
A WARNING
-
-Always adapt your speed to the weather,
road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
increased safety provided tempt you into
taking risks, because this increases the risk
of an accident.
- The hill descent assist system cannot over­
come the laws of physics. Your driving style
must always be adapted to the current road
and traffic conditions .
- Hill descent ass ist may not be able to hold
your vehicle at a constant speed under all
conditions while dr iving on a hill (for exam ­
p le if ground under the vehicle is loose).
Brakes
New brake pads
New brake pads do not achieve their full braking
effect during the first 250 mi (400 km) . They
must be "broken in" first . However, you can
IJ,,
91

Intelligent Technology
compensate for the slightly reduced brak ing
force by pressing firmly on the brake peda l. Avoid
heavy b raking during the break -in per iod .
Wear
Brake pad wear depends largely on the way the
veh icle is driven and on operat ing cond it ions.
This is especially t rue if you are driving frequently
in the city and on c urves or with a sporty driving
style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when br aking depend ing on the
speed, b raking force and outs ide cond itions such
as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water or road salt
I n ce rtain s ituations, fo r example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, afte r ove rnig ht con­
densat ion or after washing your car, the braking
effe ct can be red uced by moisture or ice on the
b rake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
"dr ied" first with a few careful brake applica ­
tions.
At highe r speeds and with the windshie ld wipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake rotors for a short amount of time . This action,
which is not felt by the driver, happens at regular
intervals and ensures a better reaction time for
the brakes in wet weather.
The braking effect can also be reduced if you are
driving on salted roads and you do not apply the brakes for long periods of time. The laye r of salt
on the brake rotors and brake pads must be worn
off first when t he brakes a re applied ¢ ,& .
Corros ion
L eaving the vehicle par ked for long periods of
time, low mi leage and avo id ing heavy brak ing
can contribute to corrosion on the brake rotors
and to d irty b rake pads .
If you usually avoid heavy b raking or if there is
corros ion present, occasional heavy braking at
h igh speeds is recommended to clean the brake
rotors and pads¢,&.
92
Brake system malfunction
if you no tic e th at the b rake peda l t ravel has sud­
denly gotten larger, then a brake ci rc u it may have
failed ¢.&. .
Low brake fluid level
When the b rake fluid level is low, malfunctions in
t h e b rake system may occur. The b rake fl uid leve l
i s e lec tron ically moni to red.
Brake booster
The brake booster amplifies the pressure you ap­
ply to the brake pedal. It only works when the en­
gine is runni ng ¢ ,& .
.8, WARNING
-On ly app ly the bra kes for the p urpose o f
cleaning the brake sys tem w hen road and
t raffic conditions permi t. You mus t not en­
danger other roa d users . This increases the
risk of an accident.
-
- Never let the ve hicl e roll whi le the engine is
stopped because t his increases the risk of an
accident .
(D Note
- Never let the brakes "rub'' by pressing the
peda l lightly when braking is not actually
necessary . This causes t he b rakes to over ­
heat and increases braking distance and
causes wear.
- Be fore driving downhill a long d istance on a
steep hill, decrease your speed and select a lower gear. This makes use of the engine
brak ing effect and relieves the brakes . If
you need to bra ke add itiona lly, bra ke in in­
te rvals and not cont inuous ly.
(D Tips
- If the brake booster is not working, you
must press the b rake peda l with much more
forc e than normal.
- If you retrofit your veh icle with a front spo il­
er , wheel covers or sim ila r i tems, make su re
t h at the air flow to the fro nt wheels is not
inter rup ted. O therwise t he b rake system
c an be come too hot.