check engine AUDI S3 2009 Owner's Guide

-Checking and filling
P'N:1--------=-------------------
& WARNING
To reduce the ri sk of personal inju ry if you mu st change the engine
oil in your vehicle your self:
• Wear eye prote ction .
• To reduce the ri sk of bu rn s from hot engine oil , let the engine
c ool down to the tou ch .
• When remo ving th e oil dr ain pl ug w ith your fing ers, s tay a s fa r
a w ay as po ssibl e. Alw ays keep your forearm p arallel to the grou nd
to help prevent hot oil from running down your arm .
• Drai n the oil into a container de signed for th is purpose , one
l a rg e enough to hold at le ast the tot al a mount of oil in your eng ine .
• Engine oil is poi sonou s. Keep it well out of the rea ch of children .
• Continuous contact with used engine oil i s harmful to your
skin. Always prote ct your skin by wa shin g oil off thoroughly with
s oap and water .
0 Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil. These additives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Audi New Vehicle Limited Warranty .
~ For the sake of the environment
• Before changing your oil, first make sure you know where you
can proper ly dispose of the used oil.
• Always dispose of used engine oil properly . Do not dump it on
garden soil, wooded areas, into open st reams or down sewage
drains .
• Recycle used engine oi l by taking it to a used engine oi l collec ­
tion facility in your area, or contact a service station .•
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolan t perf orms two func tions: it keeps the
engine from overheating an d it protects the engine from
freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sealed and general ly requires litt le attention.
The coo ling system has been fi lled at the factory with a permanent
coo lant which does not need to be changed. The coolant consists of
a mixture of water and the manufacturer's glycol -basedcoolant
additive G12+ + antifreeze with anti corrosion additives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian mode ls) . This mixture both assures the
necessary frost protection and protects metal components in the
engine's cooling system from corrosion and scaling. It also raises
the boil ing point o f the coolant.
D o not reduce the concentration of the coo lant in the summer by
adding pla in water.
Th e proporti on of coolant additive must b e at
l e as t 50 % but not more than 60 %
to maintain antifreeze protection
and cooling efficiency . If the coolant frost protect ion is too low, the
coo lant could freeze and damage the vehicle heating and engine
coo ling system.
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at the factory for temper ­
atures down to :
• -31 °F ( -35 °C) USA
• - 40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada .
You can mix the G12 ++ coolan t additive with other additives G12 + or
G12. Always check with your authorized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
Bef ore you che ck anything in the engine compartment , alwa ys
read and heed all WARNING S
~ & in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 225.

Checking and filling -
---------------------=----"=---------
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold. If necessary, increase the proportion of
coolant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system,
remember:
-We recommend using only coolant additive G12+ + (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is available at autho­
rized Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protection . The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage .
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's
engine coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result
in damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty .•
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig . 175 Engine
compartment : coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS==> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 225.
Turn off the ignition.
Read the engine coolant level from the coolant expan­
sion tank==> fig. 175. With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
" max" marking.
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the
engine compartment illustration=>
page 226.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric
coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto­
Check System =>
page 30will blink until you add coolant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system. In the event
of coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immedi­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not enough merely to add
coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's engine
coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the tune- _..
Vehicle care I I Technical data

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_n ...:::g::;...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in -'g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
tion and performance of your cooling system and could resu lt in
d am age not co vered by yo ur Ne w Vehicle Li mited Warranty .•
Adding coolant
B e very caref ul whe n addin g engine c oo lant.
Before you check a nything in the e ngine compartmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Work ing in
the en gine compartmen t" on
pa ge 225.
- Turn off the engine.
- Le t the engin e coo l down.
Place a thi ck ra g o ver th e c oolan t expansio n ta nk
=> pa ge 233, fi g. 1 75 a nd carefully twi st th e cap coun te r­
cl ockwi se
=> &.
- Add cool ant.
- Twist the cap on aga in
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
~ page 232, "Coola nt". Even in a n eme rge ncy, if co olant add itive
G 12++. G12+ or G 12 is not availab le, do
not use a diffe rent additive.
Use plain water instead unt il you ca n get the c orrect additive and
can restore the correct ratio . This should be done as soon as
possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of coo lant, then you should
add co ld antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold.
A lways use
new e n gin e c oolan t wh en refi llin g.
Do not fi ll coo lant above the "MAX" mark. Excess coolant will be
f o rced ou t through the pressure re lief va lve in the cap when the
engine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot .
Redu ce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps .
- Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
- Protect your face , hands and arms from e scaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter -clockwise
direction while applying light , downward pressure on the top
of the cap.
- To avoid being burned , do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the e xhaust system o r hot engine parts . Under certain condi ­
tions , the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.
• Antifreeze is poisonous . Always store antifreeze in its original
container and well out of the rea ch of children.
• If you drain the coolant , it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper container clearly marked "poison".
0 Note
• Coo la n t po llutes t he environ ment and cou ld cause a n engine
fire . Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure re lief
va lve in t he cap when t he eng in e b ecomes hot .
• I f, in an emergency, on ly water can be added, the correct ratio
be tween wa ter and antifree ze~
page 232 mus t be restore d as soon
as possib le .
'£> For the sake of the environment
D rained coolant should not be reused. Always d ispose of used
coo la nt whi le observing all e nvi ro n men tal reg ulat ions .•

Checking and filling -
---------------------=----"=---------
Radiator fan
The radiator fa n switches on au toma tically by i tself.
T he e lectric radiator fan is control led bythermoswitches that switch
on and off depending on coolan t and engine compar tm ent temper ­
atures .
An auxiliary e lectric radiator fan * switches on and off depending on
coolant temperature and other vehicle operation conditions.
After switching off the engine , the auxiliary fan -even with the igni ­
tio n off -ca n co ntinue runni ng for u p to 10 minutes. It can even
switch on again later by itself=>&, if
• the temperat ure of the engine coolant rises due to the heat
build -up from the engine in the engine compartment, or
• t he engine co mpart men t heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injury never tou ch the r ad iator
fan .
• The auxiliary electric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine i s not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine cool ant reache s a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drop s. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The bra ke flu id l evel can be che cke d wi th a q uick gla nce.
Fig . 17 6 Engine
c o mpartment : brake
fluid re ser vo ir
Be fore yo u check anythin g in the e ng ine compar tm ent,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
t h e eng ine compartment" on
page 225.
Read t he brake fl uid lev el from t he brake flui d res ervoir .
T he b rak e fluid l eve l must b e between the
"MI N" and
"M AX" markings => fig. 176.
The brake f luid reservoir is located at the rear pa rtit ion of the engine
compartment on the left side=> page 226.
T he fluid leve l may drop slightly after some time due to the auto ­
ma tic adjustment o f the brake pads. Th is is not cause for alarm .
I f the brake flu id leve l falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S . models :
BRAKE, Canadian models:
ID ) will come on=> page 15 and=> page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehic le . The complete brake system should be thor ­
oughly checked by an au thorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid leve l is too low, the .,,_
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c _ k_in -= g_a _ n_d _ f_il _li _n ..;::g =--____.•
N
~ a:. 00 m
F ig . 178 Battery in the
lugg ag e co mpartme nt
(6-c ylind er eng ine !:
Ba tter y cove r remo ved
T he condition of the battery is checked in the framework of the
inspection . We recommend rep lacing bat teries that are older than 5
years .
Disconnecting the battery
Some vehic le functions (power window regu lators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected . These functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again. To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
veh icle electr ical system if absolutely necessary.
V ehicle with 4 -cylind er engin e
The battery is located in the engine compartment~ page 236,
fig. 177 and is nearly maintenance -free.
Vehi cle s with 6 -cylinder engine
The bat tery is loca ted in the luggage compartmen t=:> fig . 178,
under a bolted-down cover
4151 • The battery is maintenan ce -free .
Your ve hicle may be optionally equipped with a special battery,
41 Wor k on the battery of vehicles with 6-cy linder motor requires professional
dexterity and special tools! The bolts on the battery cover can only be re­
m oved w ith a s pecial tool. Because the batte ry is ma in tenance -free, it is
genera lly not necessary to access it.
51 The cover is used for safety reasons in an acc ident, the vehicle must not be
driven without the cover bolted in place correctly.
known as a. gel battery* . When this battery is replaced, it must be
replaced wi th a or iginal bat tery o f th e same type.
Vehicles not dri ven for long periods and short-distance
operation
The battery can a lso become discharged with the vehicle stationary
by id ling current consumers .
Valid for vehicles with 4 -cylinder
engine :
When the vehic le is stationary (planned event) during the
cold time of the year, you sh ould remove the battery an d store it in
a nonfreezing area. This way you prevent that the battery "freezes"
and thereby is destroyed . During the
warmer time of the year it is
suff icient to disconnect the negative terminal from the battery .
Occasiona lly charge even a disconnected battery .
Valid for veh icles
with 6 -cylinder engine:
All wor k on the ba ttery should be per formed
by an authorized dealership.
Winter op eration
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is a lso consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
use d more often .
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
wh en trave ling on ly shor t distances . Let you r au thor ize d Audi dea ler
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
~ page 240 . A well charged battery will not on ly prevent sta rting
problems when the weather is cold, but wi ll a lso last longer .
Replacing battery
The new battery must have the same capacity , vo ltage (12 volts),
a m perage, con struction and plug sea ling, as t he origina l battery.
Specifications are listed on the battery housing. Batteries specially
developed by Audi fulfill the maintenance, output, and safety
requirements.
When installing the battery , make sure the ignition and all electrical
co nsumers are switche d off ~
0. ..,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_n ...:::g::;...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in -'g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
We recommend that you use maintenance-free or cycle-resis­
tant/leak-proof batteries according to the standards TL 825 06 (from
December 1997) and VW 7 50 73 (from August 2001 ).
Replacing the battery on vehicles with the 6-cylinder engine (battery
in the luggage compartment) should be carried by a qualified work­
shop. On vehicles with the 6 -cylinder engine, please follow the
instructions on the battery cover.
0 Note
• All work on the battery requires technical knowledge. Please
contact an Audi dealership or another authorized facility for ques­
tions about the battery -danger of acid burns and explosion hazard!
• Th e battery must not be opened! Do not try to change the
battery's liquid level, otherwise detonating gas will escape from the
battery -explosion hazard!
• The AGM battery in the luggage compartment cannot leak,
because the electrolyte for this battery is absorbed into a special
glass mat. This leak-proof battery must not be replace with a
conventional battery .
• Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
• Battery holder and terminals always have to be secured correctly.
• Before all work on the battery follow the warnings below::::,
& in
"Wor king on the battery" on page
238.
W For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom­
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid and lead and must always be
disposed of properly in compliance with all environmental regula ­
tions . Disposing of vehicle batteries improperly is very dangerous to
the environment. Make sure that the removed battery cannot over­
balance, otherwise sulfuric acid might escape! •
Working on the battery
All work on the battery requires technical knowledge! Be
especially careful when working on or near the battery!
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always
read and heed all WARNINGS :::;, & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 225.
Always heed the safety warnings, when working on the vehicle
battery or the vehicle electrical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre­ cautions when working on the battery.
@
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Always wear
gloves and eye protection.
No
- sparks
- flames
- smoking.
When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause personal
injury.
Always keep the battery well out of reach of chil­
dren .
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire. Read and heed the
following WARNINGS:
~

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Ap plies t o vehicles: w ith 6 -cylin d er engine
Charging of battery 6 -cylinder engine )
All work on the battery requires specialized knowledge!
The battery is maintenance-free and is inspected regu ­
larly as part of vehicle service.
If starting problems occur because the battery charge is too low,
this may indicate a defective battery. In this case we recommend
having a qualified workshop inspect and charge the battery or
replace it if necessary. A discharged battery can
freeze at tempera ­
tures of only O °C. A thawed battery must be replaced, as the battery
housing may be cracked due to freezing and could therefore leak
acid.
Charging the battery
Battery charging should be performed by a qualified workshop,
since batteries employing a special technology are used which
require current-limited constant voltage charging.
0 Note
The vehicle may be optionally equipped with a gel battery, which can only be charged at a constant current-limited voltage.
• To prevent damage to the battery and the electronics system, a
gel battery that is connected must under no circumstances be
charged with a quick charger.
[ i] Tips
The vehicle battery must not be charged with a standard small
charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter or outlet. •
Windshield washer container
Using plain water is not adequate for filling the wind­
shield washer system.
Fig . 179 Engine
compartment : wind­
shield washer fluid
container
The windshield washer fluid container is located on the
right side of the engine compartment~ fig. 179. The
washer fluid container is marked with the symbol %Pis on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always
read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working
in the engine compartment" on
page 225.
-Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer fluid. You can fill
the container to the top.
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container.
You can find the reservoir capacity in the table in~ page 300.
To prevent lime residue from building up on the spray jets, use
distilled water when refilling. Always add a glass cleaner solution
(with frost protection in the winter}. .,._
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

1111...__F_ u_ s_ e_s _ a_n _ d_ b_ u_lb _ s _______________________________________________ _
Fuses and bulbs
Fuses
Replacing a fuse
A problem in the electrical system may be caused by a
blown fuse.
Fig . 199 End face of
instrument panel:
removing cover plate
to access fuses
Fig .
200 Left side of
engine compartment :
fuse cover
Fuse cover on the left end face of the instrument
panel
- Switch off the ignition and the electrical component
affected. - Carefully pry the fuse cover off the instrument panel
using the ignition key or a screwdriver~ fig. 199.
- Check the fuse listing on the next pages to find out which fuse belongs to the component which has failed
~ page 281, "Fuse Locatio n, Instrument Panel left".
- Remove the blown fuse with the plastic clip provided.
The clip is located on the holder in the fuse box.
- Replace a blown fuse (recognizable by the melted metal
strip inside) w ith a fuse of the same amperage .
- Firmly snap the cover back onto the instrument panel
face.
Fuse cover in engine compartment
- Switch the ignition and the affected consumer off.
- Unlatch the fuse cover, push the two slides forward
~ fig. 200.
- Find out which fuse belongs to the equipment which
stopped working~ page 283, "Fuse location, left side of
engine compartment".
- Remove the plastic from its reta iner in the fuse box cover
(left face end of the instrument panel), place it on the
fuse in question and pull it out.
- If the fuse is burned out (recognizable by melted strips of
metal), replace it with a new fuse of the same rating.
- Replace the fuse cover.
- Push the two slides to the rear~ fig. 200. Install the fuse
cover carefully to prevent water from entering.
~

_________________________________________________ F_ u_ s_ e_s _ a_n _d_ b_ u _ lb_ s _ __.ffllll
No . Equipm ent
37 Heated seats, front
38 Passe nger s ide power window, front
39 Special function interface
Starter
41 Rear window wiper
42 Windshield wiper (washer pump)
43 Convenience electronics (control module)
44 Trailer control module
45 Trailer control module
Not used
47 Cell phone package (VOA interface)
48 Not used
49 Not used
Au tom atic cir cuit br eake rs: Amps
20
30
5
40
15
15
20
20
15
5
The electric power windows and the electric seat adjusters are protected with circuit breakers which reset automatically after the
circu it overload has been corrected.
[ i J Tip s
• Whenever replacing a fuse, always consult the sticker on the
inside of the fuse panel cover. It contains the most up-to-date infor ­
mation regarding the fuse arrangement. If in doubt, ask your autho­
rized Audi Service advisor.
• Some of the equipment items listed are optiona l or on ly avail­
able on certain model configurations. •
Fuse location , left side of engine
compartment
N M N
~ (X) 0)
Fig . 202 F use ass ign­
m ent in th e e ngin e
co mpar tment in th e
e xampl e wit h
54 p lu g­
in fu ses
Please check your car's fuse layout, there are two different layouts.
Check the fuse layout with the fuse panel cover removed
~ page 280, "Fuse cover in engine compartment" .
Some of the equipment items listed are optional or on ly available on
certain model configurations.
Please note that the preceding table was accurate at the time of
printing and is subject to change . In the event of discrepancies, the
label on the inside of the cover a lways takes precedence.
V ariation (1 ) with 30 Plu g-in F uses
No . Equipm ent
F1 Not used
Engine components
F3 Battery voltage
F4 ESP v alves, Anti -lock brake system (ABS) valves
F5 Transmission control module
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service
Amps
20
5
20/30
15
Technical data

11111.___E_ m _ e _r-==g :...e_ n_ c...:y _ s_ i_t _u _a _t_ i_o _n_ s _______________________________________________ _
& WARN ING (continued )
• Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS=>
page 217, "Engine compa rt m ent" .
0 Note
• Applying a higher voltage booster battery wil l cause expensive
damage to sensitive electronic components, such as contro l units,
relays, rad io, etc.
• There must be no electrical contact between the vehicles as
otherwise current cou ld already star t to flow as soon as th e positive
(+ ) termina ls are connected .
• Improperly connected jumper cab les can cause substantia l
damage to the electrica l system of the vehic le.
[ i ] Tips
• The disc harged battery must be p ro per ly connected to the
ve hicle's elec trica l syste m.•
General information of starting
assistance
Please observe that the p rocedure described below for conn ect in g
jumper cab les is intended to provide a jump start for your vehicle.
M ake s ure th at th e connec ted cla mps have su ffic ien t
me tal contact .
Start assistance differs for vehicles with a 4-cylinder engine and a 6-
cy lind er eng ine:
=> page 289, "Use of jumper cables (4 cyl inder eng ine)"
=> page 290, "Use of jumper cables (6 cylinder engine)"
& WARNING
Improper handling of the jumper cables can lead to an explosion
of the battery and severe injuries. To reduce the risk of injury , note
the following :
• The sections of the terminal clamps that are not insulated
must not tou ch ea ch other . In addition , the cable clamped to the
battery 's positive terminal must not come in contact with electri ­
cally conne cted parts of the vehicle -danger of short cir cuit!
• Route the jumper cable so that it cannot cat ch in any rotating
parts in the engine compartment .
• Do not bend over the batteries -danger of chemical burns!
• The battery cell locking screws must be tightened securely .
• Keep ignition sources (open flame, burning cigarettes, etc .)
away from the batteries -danger of explosion!
• Do not clamp the minus cable to parts of the fuel system or the
brake lines.
0 Note
If you prov id e s ta rt assi sta nce f or others w ith your veh icle, yo u
should not c lamp the mi nus cab le (-) to the negative termina l of the
discharged battery=>
page 289 , fig . 203 © but to a solid metal pa rt
screwed firmly to t he engi ne b lock, or to the engin e block itsel f. In
case of an inadequately vent ilated battery of the vehicle receiving
p owe r, the re is a danger o f expl osio n due to deton ati ng gas! •