coolant AUDI Q3 2018 Owners Manual

Instrumen ts and ind icator ligh ts
Instruments and indicator Lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster overview
The instrument cluster is the central information center for the driver.
Fig. 3 Instrument cluster overv iew
(D ISETI button .... ........... .. .
Tachometer .... .. .. ..... .... .
Engine coolant temperature gauge 9
9
8 @
®
©
®
Turn signal ind icator lights ..... . 34
Disp lay w ith:
- Indicator lights
- Driver information system
10
18
@ Speedometer
0
®
Fu el level .. .... ........... .. .
Trip odometer reset button 10.0 1
@ Tips
The instrument illumination for the needles
and dia ls turns on when the ignition is turned
on and the lights are turned off. The illumina­
tion for the gauges reduces automat ica lly and
eventually turns off as brightness outside in­
creases . T his function reminds the drive r to
turn the low beams on at the approp riate
time.
Coolant temperature indicator
9
9
The coolan t temperature indic ato r@ r=:> page 8,
fig. 3 only operates when the igni tion is switched
8
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on. To prevent engine damage, please observe
the following notes about the temperature rang­
es.
Cold ran ge
If the needle is at the bottom of the gauge, the
engine has not reached operating temperature
yet. Avoid high eng ine speeds, full accelerating
and heavy engine loads.
Normal range
The engine has reached operating temperature
when the needle moves into the center of the
gauge under norma l driving condit ions. The nee­
dle may move farther to the right on the gauge
with heavier engine load at hig h outside temper ­
atu res . If the needle is far ove r on the r ight side
of the gauge and the. in dicator light turns on
i n the instrument cluster, then the coolant tem­
peratu re is too high
r=;, page 12.
(D Note
- Aux ilia ry headlights and ot her accessories in
front of the coo ling-a ir intake impa ir the
cooling effect of the coolant. This increa ses
the risk of the engine overheating dur ing ..,_

Instruments and indicator lights
If the ABS indicato r light LtiiJ (U SA mode ls)/ li]
(Canada models) , the ESC ind icator light
Dl and
the brake system ind icator light
1111 ( U SA mod­
els)/ . (Canada models) all turn on and this
message appears , then the ABS, ESC and braking
d istr ibut io n are malfunctioning ¢,&. .
Do not cont inue driving . See an autho rized Aud i
dealer or authori zed Aud i Serv ice Facility for as­
sistance ¢,&. .
1111 (USA models )/. (Can ada model s) Park­
ing brake: System fault! See owner 's manual
-If the indica tor l ight and the message appear
when the vehicle is stationar y or after sw itch­
ing the ignitio n on ,
check if you can release the
parking b rake.
If you cannot re lease the park­
ing brake, see an authori zed Aud i dea ler or au­
thori zed Audi Serv ice Facility. If you can rele ase
the parking brake and the message still ap ­
pears, see an autho rized Aud i dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility immed iately to have
the malfunction corrected.
- If the indicator l ight and message appea r while
dri vin g ,
the hill start assist or emergency brak­
ing func tion may be malfunctioning. It may not
be possib le to set the parking brake or release
it once it has been set . Do not park your veh icle
on hi lls. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance .
Applies to: USA models
If t he 1111 and EiJ indicator lights turn on a t the
same time, the brake pads are worn out
¢ page 14.
& WARNING
-Read and follow the warn ings in
¢ page 155, Working in the engine com­
partment
before open ing the hood and
check ing the b rake fl uid level.
- If the brake system indicator light does not
turn off or it t urns on while driv ing, the
brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low ,
and this increases the risk of an acc ident .
Stop the vehicle and do not continue dr iv­
ing. See an author ized Audi dealer or au­
tho rized Aud i Serv ice Facility fo r ass ist ance.
12
- If the brake system indicator light t urns on
together w ith the ABS and ESC indicator
lights, the ABS/ESC regu lating function may
be malfunct ion ing . Fu nctions that stabilize
the vehicle are no longer available . This
could cause the vehicle to swerve, which in­
creases the risk that the vehicle will slide.
Do not co nt inu e d rivi ng. See an autho rize d
Aud i dea ler or a uthorized Aud i Serv ice Facili ­
ty for ass istance .
PARK/<®) Electromechanical parking brake
If the -(USA mode ls) I. (Canada models)
i ndicato r light turns on, the parking brake was
set.
- (USA model s) /. (Can ada model s) Pre ss
brake pedal to r ele a se parking brake
To release the parking brake , press the brake
pedal and press the(®) button at the same t ime
or start driving with hill start assist¢
page 65,
Starting from a stop.
f p j Pa rking brake: S ystem faul t! See owner' s
manual.
T here is a ma lfunction in the parking brake. Drive
to an authori zed Aud i dea ler or a uthori zed Audi
Service Facility immediate ly to have the malfunc­
tion corrected.
(D Tips
For additional informat ion on the parking
brake, see
¢ page 63.
-F-Cooling system
• Turn off engine and ch eck coolant level.
The coolant level is too low.
Do not continue driving and switch the engine
off. Check the coolant level ¢
page 162.
-If the coo lant level is too low, add coolant
¢
page 162 . Only continue driving on ce the in­
dica tor ligh t turns off .
• Coolant temperature! Let engine run with
v e hicle stationar y.

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L et the engine run at idle for a few minutes to
cool off, until the indicator light turns off.
- If the indicator light does not turn off, do not
continue driving the vehicle. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
for assistance .
A WARNING
-Never open the hood if you can see or hear
steam or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. This increases the risk of
burns. Wait until you no longer see or hear
steam or coolant escap ing .
- The engine compartment in any veh icle can
be a dangerous area. Stop the engine and
allow it to cool before working in the engine
compartment. Always follow the informa­
tion found inc::>
page 155, Working in the
engine compartment.
(D Note
Do not continue driving if the. indicator
light turns on as this increases the risk of en­
gine damage.
• Turn off engine! Oil pressure is too low.
Stop the eng ine and do not continue dr iving .
Check the engine oil leve l c::>
page 160.
- If the engine oil level is too low, add engine oil
c::>page 160. Only cont inue driv ing once the in­
dicator light turns off.
- If the engine oil level is correct and the indica ­
tor light st ill turns on, turn the eng ine off and
do not continue driving. See an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility for as­
s istance.
(D Tips
The oi l pressure warning is not an o il level in­
dicator. Always check the oil level regularly.
0 Generator/vehicle battery
• Alternator fault: Battery is not being charg­
ed.
Instruments and indicator lights
T he re is a malfunct ion in the a lternator or the ve­
hicle e lectrical system.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately. Because the ve­
hicle battery is discharging, turn off all unneces­
sary electrical equipment such as the radio. See
an authorized Aud i dea ler or authorized Audi
Service Facility if the battery charge level is too low.
[•] Low battery charge: Battery will be charged
while driving.
T he starting ability may be impaired.
If this message turns off after a little while, the
vehicle battery cha rged enough while driving.
If the message does not turn off, have an author­
ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service Facili­
ty repair the malfunction .
,{,_ Safety belt
The . indicator light stays on until the dr iver's
and front passenge r's safety belts are buckled.
Above a certa in speed, there will a lso be a warn­
ing tone .
(D Tips
For additional informat ion on safety belts,
see c::>
page 106.
@-Steering lock
• Steering fault! Do not drive vehicle!
There is a malfunction in the electron ic steering
lock. You cannot turn the ign ition on.
Do
not tow your vehicle because it cannot be
stee red. See an author ized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility for assistance .
!II Steering lock: System fault! Please contact
dealer.
There is a malfunction in the e lectronic steering
lock.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected.
Ill>
13

Warm and cold
Automatic climate control system
Applies to: vehicles with automatic climate control
Pressing AUTO button and setting the temperature to 72 °F (22 °C) is recommended.
Fig . 66 Cente r console: cont ro ls fo r auto matic cl imate co ntrol system
The f unct ions can be switched on and off by
pressing the b uttons or adjusted by turning the
knob. The
LE D in a button w ill light up when the
function is switched on.
Autom atic climate control sy stem
The automat ic climate control system automat i­
cally maintains a temperatu re once it has been
set . In all heat ing mode funct ions except
defrost,
the blower on ly switches to a higher speed once
the engine coolant has rea ched a certa in temper ­
ature .
OFF climate control s ystem
The OFF button switches the climate control sys­
tem on or off . A irflow from outside is blocked
when the climate con trol system is swit ched off .
AUTO
Automatic mode
Automatic mode ma intains a constant tempera­
ture ins ide the vehicle . Air temperature, airflow
54
and air distrib ution are controlled automatically .
AUTO mode switches off once a button in the cli­ mate contro l system is pressed .
A/C
cooling mode
The cooling mode only functions with the blower
turned on . You can turn the cooling system on or
off by pressing the A/C button . The a ir is not
cooled and hum idity is not removed when cooling
mode is sw itc hed off. This can cause fog o n the
windows. The cooling mode sw itches off a uto­
matically when there are cold outside tempera­
tures.
- ! -Temperature
The tempe rature can be set for the dr iver and the
front passenger separately using the left/rig ht
knob. Tempe ra tu res can be set between a range
of 60 °F (+16 °C) and 84 °F (+28 °C) .
If outside of
th is range,
LO or HI will appear in the climate
contro l system display. At both of these settings, ..,_

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-Always take the key with you whenever you
leave your vehicle. Otherw ise, the engine
could be started or electrical equ ipment
such as the power windows could be operat­
ed . This can lead to serious injury.
- For safety reasons, always park the vehicle
with the se lector lever in the P position .
Otherwise, there is the r is k that the vehicle
cou ld roll unintentionally.
CD Note
If the engine has been under heavy load for
an exte nded per iod of t ime, heat bu ilds up in
the engi ne compartment after the engine is
sw itched off an d there is a risk of damaging
t he engi ne. For this re ason, let the eng ine r un
for at idle fo r ap proxim ately two minu tes be­
fore shutting it off .
(D Tips
For up to 10 minu tes after stopp ing the en­
g ine, the r adiator fan may t urn o n again a uto­
matically or it may con tinue to run (eve n if
the ignition is switched off) for the following
reasons :
- The coolant tempera ture is inc reasing due
to trapped heat .
-If the engine is warm and the engine com­
partment also heats up from strong sun­
light .
Drivi ng
Starting and stopping
the engine (vehicles with
a convenience key)
Starting the engine
Applies to: vehicles with convenience key
The !START ENGINE STOPI button switches the
ignition on and starts the engine.
Fig. 69 Ce nter console: START ENGI NE ST OP butto n
Starting the engine
• Press the brake pedal and move the selector
lever to the P o r
N position .
• Press the
!START ENGINE STOP! button. The
eng ine will start.
If the engine does not start immediately, stop
the starti ng procedure by pushi ng the
!START EN GINE STOP! button aga in and repeat
after 30 seconds .
Switching the ignition on /off
If you would like to sw itch the ignition on with­
out starting the engine, follow these steps:
• Press the
!S T ART ENGINE STOP! button with­
out
press ing the brake pedal.
• To switch th e ignit ion off, press the button
aga in.
_&. WARNING
-
To reduce the ris k of poisoning, never allow
t he eng ine to run in confined spaces .
CD Note
Avoid h igh engine speed, full thrott le, and
heavy engine load i f th e eng ine has not
-
61

Driving
reached operating temperature yet. Yo u could
damage the engine .
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not let the engine r un while par ked to
warm up . Begin driving immediately . This re­
duces unnecessary emissions .
@ Tips
Some noise after starting the engine is nor­
mal and is no cause for concern.
Stopping the engine
A pp lie s to: ve hicles w ith conve nien ce key
~ Bring the vehicle to a fu ll stop.
~ Move the selector lever into the P position.
~ Press the I STAR T ENGINE ST OPI button
¢ page 61, fig. 69 .
Engaging the stee ring lock1
)
The steering locks when you turn the engine off
using the !STAR T ENGINE ST OP I button and
open the dr iver's door.
The locked steering he lps prevent vehicle theft.
Emergency off function*
If it is absolutely necessary, the engine can also
be turned
off while driv ing at speeds starting at
4 mph (7 km/h). To switch the engine
off, press
the lS T AR T
ENGINE ST OPlbutton twice in a row
b riefly or press and hold for longer than two sec­
onds .
.8_ WARNING
- Never turn off the engine before the veh icle
has come to a complete stop. The brake
booster and power steering only work when
the engine is running. If the engine is
off,
you have to use more force when steer ing or
braking . Because you cannot steer and brake
as you usually wou ld, this could lead to acci­
dents and serious injuries.
- Always ta ke the key with you whenever you
leave you r vehicle. Othe rw ise, the engine
l) This fun ction is not availab le in all coun tries.
62
could be started or electrical equipment
such as the power windows could be operat­
ed. Th is can lead to serious injury.
- For safety reasons, always park the vehicle
with the selector lever in the P position.
Otherwise, there is the risk that the vehicle
could roll unintentionally .
(D Note
If the engine has been under heavy load for
an extended period of time, heat builds up in
the eng ine compartment after the engine is
switched
off and there is a r isk of damag ing
the eng ine . For th is reason, let the engine run
for at idle for approximately two minutes be­
fo re shutti ng it
off.
(D Tips
For up to 10 minutes after stopping the en­
gine, the radiator fan may turn on again auto­
matically or it may continue to run (even if
the ign ition is switched off) for the following
r easons:
- The coolant temperature is increas ing due
to trapped heat.
-If the eng ine is warm and the engine com­
partment a lso heats up from strong sun­
light.

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Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your vehicle is primarily intended for transport­ ing people and luggage . However, if you drive
with a trailer , follow the technical requirements,
the operation and driving tips, and the legal reg­
ulations.
Driving with a trailer affects the vehicle's fuel
consumption, performance and wear.
It also re­
quires higher concentration from the driver.
A WARNING
Do not transport any people in a trailer due to
the risk of fatal injury.
Technical requirements
Certain requirements must be met when towing
a trailer.
Trailer hitch
Only use a trailer hitch with a removable ball hitch mount and ball hitch. The trailer hitch must
be permitted for the vehicle , the trailer and the
permitted total weight of the trailer being
pulled. Above all, it must be securely and safely
attached to the vehicle trailer.
Never mount a trailer hitch on the bumper. The
trailer hitch must be mounted in a way that does
not impair the function of the bumper. Do not
make any changes to the exhaust system and the
brake system.
Check regularly if the trailer hitch is securely mounted. Always follow the instructions given by
the trailer hitch manufacturer.
Trailer brakes
If the trailer has its own brake system, then fol­
low the manufacturer specifications. However,
the brake system on the trailer must never be
connected to the vehicle brake system.
Trailer towing
Engine cooling system
Driving with a trailer means a higher load on the
engine and the cooling system. The cooling sys­
tem must be designed for additional load and
contain enough coolant
c::> (D .
A WARNING
-
-Never mount a "weight-distributing" or
"load-balancing" trailer coupler as the trail­
er hitch . The vehicle was not designed for
these types of trailer hitches . The trailer
hitch can malfunction and the trailer can
break off from the vehicle.
- If the trailer is equipped with electronic
brakes, these brakes cannot be activated by
a factory-installed control system, which in­
creases the risk of an accident.
- To reduce the risk of injury, always remove
the ball hitch mount if no trailer is mount­
ed.
(D Note
Longer inclines cannot be driven without a
suitable cooling system, especially if the out­
side temperatures are high. otherwise, this
increases the risk of engine damage.
' Operating instructions
Several things must be noted when towing a
trailer.
Towing capacity
The permitted towing capacity for trailers with­
out brakes is 1,650 lbs (750 kg).
The permitted towing capacity for trailers with brakes is 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) .
These values apply to roads with up to 12% in­
cline.
Tongue weight
The maximum permitted tongue weight of the
trailer drawbar on the trailer hitch ball head may
not be exceeded. ..,.
73

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Bra kes
Brake i n a t imely man ner. Downsh ift before driv­
ing downhill so that the engine can assist wit h
braking
~ .&. .
When using a tra ile r with ove rru n b rakes, first
b ra ke gen tly the n qu ickly . T his red uces the risk of
je rking wh ile braking if the trailer wheels loc k up.
Engine coolant temperature
P ay a ttention specifica lly to the coolant tempera­
ture d isp lay when t here are high ou tside tempe r­
a tures, a nd when dr iv ing on long inclines
~ page 8. Shift to a highe r gear in a t imely m an­
n e r.
,&. WARNING -
Constant b raking causes the brakes to ove r­
heat and substant ia lly reduces b raking per­
formance, increases braking distance or caus­ es complete fa ilure of the brake system .
Trailer towing
75

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Fuel filler door emergency release
If the central locking system is faulty, the fuel filler door can be unlocked manually.
Fi g. 134 Right si de tr im j:>ane l in the luggage compart­
ment: emergen cy release mechani sm
The emergency opening mechanism is located
behind the right side trim panel in the luggage
compa rtme nt.
• Remove the cover in the side panel.
• Loosen the strap from its bracket -arrow- and
pull on it carefully<=:>
fig. 134 c:>(D . The filler
doo r is released .
• Press on the lef t side of the fuel fille r doo r to
open it
<=:> page 153, fig. 132 .
(D Note
Onl y pull o n the loop until you feel resi stance.
You will not he ar it relea se. O therwise yo u
co uld d amage the eme rge ncy re lea se me ch a­
nism .
Catalytic converter
The vehicle may o nly be dr iven with unleaded
gasoline, otherwise the catalyt ic converter will be
destroyed .
N ever d rive until the tank is comp letely e mpty .
The irregular supply of f uel th at resul ts from that
can cause engine m isfires. Uncombus ted f uel will
enter the exhaust system, wh ic h can cau se ove r­
heat ing and damage to the catalyt ic converter .
A WARNING
-The temperature in the ex ha ust system is
high, both when dr iving and after stopping
the engine.
-
Checking and Filling
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes o nce they
have become hot . This cou ld resu lt in burns.
- Do not par k your vehicle over flammable
mate ria ls s uch as grass or leaves because
the high temperature of the emissions con­
trol system could start a fire.
- Do not app ly unde rbody protectant in the
exhaust system area, because this increases
the risk of fire.
Engine compartment
' Working in the engine compartment
Special care is required if you are working in the
engine compartmen t
For work in the engine compartment, such as
checking and fill ing fluids, there is a risk of in­
jury, scalding, accident s, and burns . For thi s
reason, follow all the warnings and general
s afety pre caution s provided in the following in ­
formation. The engine compartment is a dan­
gerous a rea on the vehicle .
<=:> .&.
A WARNING
-Turn the engine off .
- Sw itch th e ignition off .
- Se t the p arking brak e.
- M ove the selec tor lever i nto the P position.
- Never open the hood whe n th ere is steam o r
coo lant escaping from the engine comp art­
men t, bec ause there is a risk that yo u could
be burned. Wai t until no s te a m o r coolan t is
escaping .
- Le t t he eng ine cool down.
- Keep children away from th e eng in e com-
p ar tme nt.
- N ever sp ill fluid s on a ho t engine . These flu­
i d s (su ch as the free ze p ro te ct ion contained
in the coolant) c an catch fi re.
- Avoid short circui ts in th e electrical system.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can swi tch
o n even if t he igni tion i s sw itched off, w hich
i n cre a ses the r is k of person al injury.
~
155

Checking and Filling
-Never open the cap on the coolant expan­
sion tank when the engine is warm. The
cooling system is under pressure.
- To protect your face, hands, and arms from
hot steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
large cloth when opening.
- Do not remove the engine cover under any circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be performed with the en­
gine running, there is additional danger due
to moving components (such as the ribbed belt, alternator and radiator fan) and from
the high-voltage ignition system.
- Do not under any circumstances give gas in­
advertently (for example, by hand from the
engine compartment) if the vehicle is sta­
tionary but the engine is running and a gear
is engaged. Otherwise, the vehicle will start
to move immediately and this could result
in an accident.
- Pay attention to the following warnings list­
ed when work on the fuel system or on the
electrical equipment is required.
- Do not smoke .
- Never work near open flames.
- Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby.
- All work on the battery or electrical system
in your vehicle can result in injuries, chemi­
cal burns, accidents or burns. Because of
this, all work must be performed
only by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
- To reduce the risk of electric shock and in­
jury, never touch the following components when the engine is running or is being start­
ed:
- Ignition cable
- Other components in the electronic high-
voltage ignition system
- If you must check or perform work on the
engine while it is running:
- Set the parking brake and place the selec­
tor lever in the P (park) position first .
- Always proceed with extreme caution so
that clothing, jewelry or long hair do not
156
become caught in the radiator fan, fan
belt or other moving components or do
not come into contact with hot compo­
nents. Tie back long hair before beginning
work and do not wear clothing that can
hang down into the engine .
- Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi­ cals to as short a time as possible
¢ &, .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engi ne exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm . In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm .
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms.
Wash hands after handling.
@ Note
When filling fluids, be sure not to mix the flu­
ids up. Otherwise severe malfunctions and en­
gine damage will occur .
@ For the sake of the environment
You should regularly check the ground under
your vehicle in order to detect leaks quickly. If there are visible spots from oil or other fluids,
bring your vehicle to an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility to be
checked.