AUDI S3 2009 Owner's Guide

Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING.
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Low fuel level
Check engine oil level Engine oil sensor malfunction
E ng ine spee d limitation
Worn brake pads
USA mode ls:
Speed warning 1
Can ada m od els:
Speed warning 1
USA mod els:
Speed wa rning 2
C ana da m odels:
Speed warning 2
Dynamic headlight range con-
trol* defective
Windshield washer fluid leve l low
Ba ttery voltage too high or too
low
Defective light bulb
USA m odel s:
Defective brake light
=> page 32
=> page32
-
=> page32
=> page32
=> page32
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page33
=> page 33
=> page33
-
-
Dri ver inf orm atio n di spl ay
Ca nad a m ode ls: => page33
Defective brake light
Light/rain sensor defect ive (auto-
=> page 34
matic headlights)* defective
Adapt ive Light* defective
=> page 34
Ti re pressure monitoring system* => page 34
When a yellow symbol appears, a warning tone will sound once .
Check the displayed function as soon as possible. If more than one
malfunction is detected, all symbols will appear one after the other
for about two seconds. •
Driver information
In addition to the warning/indicator lights and the
symbols in the instrument cluster display, driver informa­ tion is displayed.
Fi g. 2 1 Section of
in stru ment cl uster:
Set/C hec k b utto n
Driver information appears in the display when a defective light
bulb is reported by the defective light bulb warning=>
page 33,
when the brake pads are worn and before you engage a gear on
vehicles with S tronic.
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Driver inf ormati on displ ay
In addition, driver information may appear when a red symbol
fl ashes in the driver disp lay .
To disp lay Drive r inf orma tion
As an example, the~ symbo l appears in the disp lay. If you now
press the button=>
page 29 , fig. 21 , the following driver message
appears in the display:
Switc h off eng ine and ch eck oil leve l
The driver message in the disp lay goes out after about
5 seconds.
You can display the driver message again by briefly pressing the button .•
Brake system malfunction
BRAKE (USA models) /((D) (Canada models)
The indicator light flashes if the brake fluid level is too
low, if there is a malfunction in the ABS system or when
the parking brake is engaged.
If the BRAKE /((D) symbol flashes in the display with the
parking brake released , there is a ma lfunction in the brake
system. In addition to the symbol, one of two messages
appears in the display :
Stop vehi cle and che ck br ake fluid
ABS f ault
! S ee owner' s manual
- Pull off the road and stop the vehic le.
- Obtain professiona l assistance.
USA models : if there is a malfunction in the ABS system, the -
warning/indicator light i lluminates along with the BRAKE system
malfunction warning /indicator light=>&.
Canada models : if there is a malfunction in the ABS system , the
warning/ indicator light illuminates together with the ((])) brake
system malfunction warning/indicator light=>&.
Parking br ake se t
The parking brake warning light Brake/((])) (Canada mode ls} i llumi ­
nates when the parking brake is set. In addition, a warning tone will
sound after you have driven fo r longer than 3 seconds and faster
t han
3 mph (5 km/h}.
& WARNING
• Alwa ys observe the warning s in => pag e 217, "Engine compart ­
me nt", befor e op en ing the eng in e hood and ch ec king th e br ake
flu id.
• Driving w ith lo w brak e fluid is a sa fe ty hazar d! S top the car an d
g et prof es si onal a ssistance .
• If the br ake system wa rnin g/ ind icator l ight illum in ate s
t o geth er with th e AB S wa rning /indi cator light , then the AB S
sy stem i s ma lfuncti oni ng. Th e re ar w heels c ould quickly lock up
whe n you apply the brak es. Thi s could lead to l oss of control and
you r ve hicle cou ld slid e! Dr iv e ca re fully to th e nearest au thori ze d
Au di d ea le r and have th e malfun ction correct ed. •
Engine cooling system malfunction _}_
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
repaired as soon as possible.
When the - t symbol in the display flashes , then either the
engine coolant temperature is too high, or the coolant level
is too low . In addition to the symbol, the following message
also appears in the display :
Switch off engin e and ch ec k coolant level
- Pull off the road and stop the vehicle .

-Turn off the engine.
- Check coolant level => page
233 .
-Add coolant if necessary => page 234 .
-Continue driving only after the engine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
- Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary.
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be
the cause of the malfunction.
If the generator warning/indicator light should also illuminate
=> page 14, then the fan belt may be damaged .
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights
=> page 58, "Emer­
gency flasher
A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment -you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant
escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn off
the engine and allow it to cool . Follow the warning stickers
=> page 217, "Engine compartment" .
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the -IL symbol illuminates. There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling system -you could damage your
engine. •
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
Engine oil pressure malfunction 'l=;:f.
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair.
If the 'l=::7-: symbol appears in the display and flashes, the oil
pressure is too low. In addition to the symbol, the following
message also appears in the display:
Switch off engine and check oil level
-Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
Shut the engine down.
Check the engine oil level=> page
229.
Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary.
Engine oil level too low
If the engine oil level is too low, top off oil to the proper level
=> page 230.
Engine oil level OK
If the ~ symbol star ts flashing again even though the engine oil
level checks OK on the dipstick,
do not start driving again and do not
let the engine run at idle .
Instead, contact your authorized Audi
dealer for assistance.
[ i] Tips
• The engine oil pressure symbol ~ is not an indicator for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your
engine at regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and
always before going on a long trip.
• The yellow oil level warning indication requires oil refill or
workshop service without delay. Do not wait until the red oil pres ­
sure warning symbol
~ starts to flash before you respond to the ...
I • •

Driver information display
low oil level warning . By then , your engine may alre ady have
suffered seriou s damage. •
Applies to vehic les: w ith eng in e spee d lim itat ion
Engine speed limitation 1<
Engine speed ma ximum XX.XX RPM
The J symbo l illuminate s when there is an engine cont rol malfunc ­
tion . T he indicator l ight
..J., in the instrument cluster also illum i­
nates. The engine speed is limited to the speed displayed in the
d river in for mation system. Keep in mind tha t the engine speed w ill
not exceed the va lue displayed in the driver information system, for
example when downshifting.
Please go to an authorized Audi dealer or other qua lified workshop
to have the ma lf u nct ion re paired. •
Fuel supply too low
When th e L symbol illuminates, this mea ns th ere are about 2 .6
gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the fuel tank . Time to refuel!
~ p age 220 .
If the symbol l ights up, eve n when there is ample fuel in the tank,
and the text
Tank system malfunction! Please contact workshop
appears i n the d is pl ay, ther e is a fau lt in the syste m. C ontac t a qual ­
ified workshop to have the fault rectified. •
Checking the engine oil level .2'..
~ Please add max. 1 qt of engine oil!
If th e sy mbol co mes o n, a dd 1 q uart (1 lit er) of oil a t the next
opportunity~
page 230 . •
Checking the engine oil level ~
When the symbol illuminates, c heck the engine oil level as soon
as po ssi ble~
page 22 9. Top off t he o il at your ear liest o pp o rt un ity
~ page 230 . •
Engine oil sensor defective ...
If the -symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dea ler
an d h ave the oil se nso r ins pected. •
Worn brake pads
-Brake pads!
If the warn ing light illuminates, immediate ly contact your autho ­
riz ed Aud i dea ler o r qua lifi ed worksh op to have all bra ke pads
inspected. On USA models the warning light comes on together
with the wa rning ligh t
BRAKE . Both sets of brake pads on an ax le m ust
a lways be replaced at the same time .
& WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal
injury.
• If the warning light
C. and the warning l ight BRAKE1l with the
message Brake pads! comes on in the in strument cluster display ,
immediately conta ct your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop to have all brake pads checked or replaced if necessary .•
1 1 BRAK£ : USA mod els only

Speed warning 1 C (USA models) /'" (Canada
models)
If the symbol illuminates, this means you are driving faster than
the set vehicle speed. Slow down!=>
page 26. •
Speed warning 2
models) (
USA models) / (Canada
If the symbol illuminates, this means you have driven faster than
the second set vehicle speed. Slow down! =>
page 26. •
App lies to vehicles: w ith dynamic headlight range adjustment
Headlight range control defective ~ >
If the ·r illuminates, the dynamic headlight range control is no
longer working properly. Have the system checked and repaired at
your authorized Audi dealer. •
Windshield washer fluid level too low ' · '
If the rt symbol illuminates, add windshield washer fluid to the
washer system=>
page 241. •
Battery voltage low D
If the t::J symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer
and have the following components inspected:
• drive belt
• battery charge
Also see if the generator warning/indicator light illuminates
=>
page 14. •
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
Defective light bulb warning ~
The defective light bulb warning tells you when a vehicle
light bulb has become defective.
If a defective bulb has been detected by the system or a light bulb
burns out, the ' symbol with a message appears in the display to
tell you which bulb is burnt out and where it is located. For example:
Rear left turn signal
After 5 seconds, the message disappears. If you want to recall the
message into the display, press the CHECK button=>
page 8, fig. 2
©-
There are three reasons why the defective bulb message would
appear in the display:
• The light bulb has burnt out=>
page 285.
• The fuse is "blown" => page 280, "Replacing a fuse" .
• Th e wire connection to the light bulb is defective.
Have the bulb replaced or the connection repaired by your autho­
rized Audi Service department.
& WARNING
• Light bulbs are pressurized and could explode while they are
being changed causing serious personal injury.
• Work with due care when handling the high-voltage section of
gas discharge (xenon) lamps. Failing to do so could result in death
or serious injury! •
Brake light defective BR !.I" (USA
models) / (Canada models)
In case of a malfunction or component failure, the symbol
(USA models)/ (Canada models) can appear. The following elec- .,_
I • •

Driver inf ormati on displ ay
trical components should be checked, repaired or replaced, as
necessary:
• Brake light bulbs
• All wiring connections
• Brake light switch
Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if necessary.
[ i ] Tip s
The brake light switch is only inspected as part of the functional
check after the engine is started .•
A pplies to v ehicles : with automat ic headlights
Light /rain sensor defective .,
The indicator light indicates a defect in the automatic
headlights/automatic wiper system.
If the symbol illuminates, the light sensor has failed . For safety
reasons , the low beams are turned on permanently with the switch
in
AUTO . However, you can continue to turn the lights on and off
using the light switch . In the case of a defect in the rain sensor, the
windshield wiper lever functions are still availab le . H ave the
light/ra in sensor checked as soon as possib le at an authorized Audi
dea ler. •
Ap plies to vehicles: with Adapt ive Light
Adaptive Light defective -)
D Adaptiv e lig ht de fectiv e
When this symbol illuminates, it means that Adaptive Light is
defective. Go to a qua lified workshop to have the headligh ts or the
control unit for the Adaptive Light repaired. •
Applies to vehic les: wit h tire pressure monito ring sy stem
Tire pressure monitoring system J.)
Tire pressure that is too low must be corrected as soon as
possible .
If the I symbol flashes for about one min ute after the igni­
tion is switched on and then remains on, t here is a malfunc ­
tion in the system. Consu lt the nearest authorized Audi
dealer as soon as possible .
Additional information about the tir e p ress ure m onit or in g sy stem
can be found:=> page 264. •

Opening and closing
Keys
Key set
®
The key set for your vehicle includes:
Fig. 22 Key s et
@ two master keys (press the release button ~ page 36,
fig . 23 to fo ld and unfold the master key)
@ one va let key
@ M as ter key with rem ote control
You can centrally lock and unlock your vehicle and start the engine
with the master key with remote control. The rear lid can be
unlocked with the remote control un lock button
o;:::::::5 on the master
key.
@ Valet key
The va let key fits only the driver's door and the ignition lock. If you
have to leave the key with somebody else, you are well -advised to
turn over the valet key only .
Be aware that the rear lid can be opened from inside the vehic le with
the remote rear lid release
o;:::::::5 located in the driver's door.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Opening and clo sing
K ey repla cement
If you lose a key, contact your authorized Audi dea ler immediately
t o have the /ostkey disab led . Be sure to bring all your keys wi th you.
Registered keys
You can check to find out how many remote keys have been regis­
tered to your vehic le. Therefore, when buying a used vehicle, make
su re to get a ll of the remote keys that belong to it .
Calling up the registered remote keys~
page 23.
An example of a possib le display: 3/2. The first digit indicates how
many keys have been coded for your vehicle . The second digit indi ­
cates the current number of remote keys that are registered . For our
exa mple, this wou ld mean that
2 keys have been enab led for your
vehicle, and that, for examp le, one key has been lost.
I f one key has been lost, co ntact an authorized Aud i dea lership to
have the function locked for
this key. Also inform your insurance
company that this key is lost .
& WARNING
• Do not leave your vehicle unattended with the key in the igni ­
tion lock . Ent ry b y unauth oriz ed persons could endanger you or
re sult in theft or damage the vehi cle . Always lock all door s and
t ak e the k ey.
• Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle , especially with
acce ss to veh icle key s. Unguarded a ccess to the key s pro vide s
c hildren the opportunity to sta rt the engine and /or a ctivate vehicle
sy stem s suc h a s the po wer window s. Un supervised operation of
any vehicle system by children can result in serious injury . ..,.
I • •

Opening and closing
[ i J Tips
• If you open the driver's door with the key left in the ignition lock,
a chime will sound. This is your reminder to remove the key and lock
the door.
• For security reasons, replacement keys are only available from
authorized Audi dealers. •
Master key vvith remote control
The remote control allows you to Jock or unlock the
vehicle electronically.
Fig . 23 Fold-up master
key with remote
control
To fold the key out and back in place, press the release
button
=> fig. 23.
The transmitter and battery are located in the head of the remote control. The receiver is located inside the vehicle. The maximum
effective range depends on several things. Remember, if the battery
is weak, the effective range decreases.
If you need to replace the remote control, or if you need to have it
repaired, you must see your authorized Audi dealer. On ly then can
you use the key again.
[ i J Tips
• If the ignition is switched on, the remote control system is deac­
tivated.
• The remote control system can be affected by other systems
operating in the same frequency range close to the vehicle, such as
mobile telephones, television broadcasting stations, etc.
• For Declaration of Compliance to United States FCC and Industry
Canada regulations~
page 307. •
Check light in remote master key
The check light in the remote master key indicates the
state of charge of the battery.
State of master key battery
Fig. 24 Check light in
the master key
When a button is pressed, the check light flashes~ fig . 24 (arrow).
If the check light does not come on or flash, the battery is dead and
has to be replaced.
Battery replacement
~ page 37. •

Master key battery replacement
Each master key contains a battery housed under the
cover.
Fig . 25 Master key:
o peni ng the cover
We recommend having the battery cha nged by a qualified
workshop. H owever, if y ou wish to replace the dead ba ttery
yo urse lf, pr oceed as fol lows:
- Pry apart the base => fig. 25
@ and the cover@ carefully
with a coin.
- Remove the cove r (arrow) .
- Remove the dead battery from the cover .
- I nsta ll the new battery . Pl eas e mak e ce rtain t hat the" +"
sign on the batte ry faces down . Correct po la rity is shown
on t he cover .
- Place the cover w ith the new bat tery on t he key base and
press both parts together .
For the sake of the environment
Dispose of dead batteries proper ly so as not to pol lute the environ ­
men t.
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
Op ening and clo sing
[ i ] Tip s
The replacement battery must be the same specification as the
origina l.•
Electronic immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from being started
by unauthorized persons.
A computer chip inside your key automatically deactivates the elec ­
tronic immobilizer when you insert the key in the ignition lock.
When you remove the key from the ign ition lock, the e lectronic
immobil izer is automatically activated once again.
If an unauthorized key was used ,
SA FE is displayed continuously in
the odometer display field .
[ i ] Tips
• Your engine can only be started using the fac tory -equipped key .
• You may no t be ab le to start your vehicle i f an ignition key of a
different vehicle make is a lso located on your set of keys .
• For Dec laration of Compliance to United States FCC and Industry
Canada regulations ~
page 307. •
Power locking system
General description
The power locking system locks or unlocks all doors and
the rear lid simultaneously.
The power locking system in your vehicle incorporates the following
func tions :
• Central locking function
Vehicle care
I I Technical data