towing AUDI S3 2009 Owners Manual

Braking .... ....... ... ..... ... .
E lectro -mechanical power assist .
Driving with your quattro® ..... .
Driving and enviro nment ..... .
The first 1,000 mi les (1,500 km) and
afterwards ................... .
Cata lytic converter .......... .. .
Avoid damaging the vehicle .... .
Ope rate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution ........ .
Trailer towing ........... ...... .
Driv ing with a trailer ..... ...... .
Trailer tow ing tips ....... ... ... .
Vehicle care ... .......... . .
193
195
196
197
197
198
199
199
202
202
204
206 Tire pressure monitor ing
system* ....................... .
Genera l notes (l) ........ .• .. ... .
Introduct ion .................. .
Sign ifican t loss of air pressure
(l) .
Storing tire pressures .. ... ... .. .
Whee l cha nge .......... ....... .
Malfu nct io ns TP MS* ........... .
Cert ificat ion
Do-it-yourself service
W hat do I do now? ... ......... .
Jack, too ls and spare wheel .... .
Compact spare wheel .......... .
W hee l cha nge ... ... ... .. .. .. .. . 264
264
264
265
266
267
267
268
270
270
270
271
2
7 2
Table of contents
Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Data ............................ 300
200 hp, 2.0 liter 4-cyl. tu rbo eng ine 300
250 hp, 3.2 liter 6 -cyl. engine . . . . . 302
Co nsumer Info rma tio n ......... 303
Wa rranty cove rages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Operating your vehicle outside the
U.S.A. or Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Audi Service Repair Manuals and
Li terature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Additional accessories,
mod ifications and parts
rep lacemen t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Cleaning and protection . . . . . . . 206 Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Alphabetical index ...... 308
Genera l info rmation ........... .
Care of exterior . ... ... .. .. ... . .
Care of interior ................ .
Fuel supply and fil ling your fue l
ta nk ........................... .
Gasoline ......... .. .... ...... .
Fuel tank ..... .......... ...... .
Checki ng and filling .. ........ . .
Engine hood .................. .
Engine compartment .......... .
Engine oil ............... ..... .
E ngine cooling system ......... .
Brake fluid ............... ..... .
Battery ....................... . 206
2
06
213
2 19
2 19
220
224
224
226
227
2 32
235
236
W indshield washer container . . . . 241
Tires and wheels
Tires ... ...... ..... ... ·. · · · · · · ·
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
243
243 Fuses . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
B ul bs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 5
Emergency situations . . . . . . . . . . 287
Genera l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Sta rting by pushing or towing . . . 287
Start ing with jumper cables . . . . . 287
Genera l information of sta rting
ass istance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Use of jumper cab les (4 cylinder
eng ine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Use of jumper cables (6 cylinder
engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Emergency towing with commercia l
tow truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Lifting the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Technical data
General information
298
298
Explanation of technical data . . . . 298
Vehic le ide ntif ication . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Clear vision
Igniti on ON , light swit ch at ::oo: or fD .
With the lights switched on, the brightness of instrument cluster
!i.e . needles, gauges and displays) and center console il lumination
can be adjusted.
0 Note
The instrument cluster and cent er console illumina tion (gauges and
needles) comes on when you swi tch on the igni tion and the
vehi cle
h eadlights are off .
Be aware of the following difference between
models built to US or Cana dian speci fica tions :
• USA model s: illumination of the in strument clu ster (gauges and
needle s), dash and center con sole around the gear shift lever i s
c o ntrolled by a light sensor lo cated in the instrument panel. The
i n strument panel ill umination will automatically become dimmer
a s th e daylight fades awa y and eventu ally w ill go out completel y
when outside l ight i s very low . Thi s is to remind you , the driver , to
swi tch on the headlight s befo re it get s to o dar k.
• Canada models: in strument panel illumination will stay bright
re gardle ss of the i ntens ity of ambient light . Al wa ys be aware of
change s in out sid e light conditi ons while you are d riving. Re spond
i n time t o fading daylight by turn ing the light swit ch to posit ion
fD
(or "AUTO" if your car is equipped with this feature) to turn on your
headlights . •
Ap plies to vehi cles: with b i-xeno n headli ghts
Bi-Xenon headlights*
After starting the engine, the bi -xenon headlights are automatica lly
adjus ted to the load and angle of the vehic le (for example , during
acce lerat ion and brak ing) . This prevents oncoming traffic fro m
experiencing unnecessary headlight g lare from your bi-xenon head ­
lights .
If the system is not operating properly, a warning symbol in the
Auto -Check Control is displayed ::::;,
page 33. •
Emergency flasher ~
The emergency flasher mak es othe r moto rists aware that
you or your vehicle are in an emergency situation.
1 1 Q
-
II D ll1
[ Ii J
a
l 'l
"' " "'
J
Fi g. 5 4 Cen ter
co nso le : em erge ncy
fl as her swi tc h
Press the sw itch ~==>fig. 54, to sw itch the emergency
flas her on or off.
When the emergency flasher is on, al l four turn signal blink at the
same time. The turn signal indicator lights¢ Q in the inst rument
cluster, as we ll as the light in the emergency flasher switch~ blink
l ikew ise.
The emergency flasher will automatically switch on if you are in an accident where the airbag has deployed .
[ i ] Tips
You should switch on the emergency flasher when :
• you are the last vehicle standing in a traffic jam so that any other
veh ic les coming can see you, or when
• your vehic le has broken down or you are in an emergency situa ­
tion, or when
• your vehicle is being towed by a tow truck or if you are towing
another vehicle behind you. •

Applies to vehicles: wi th Sun blind
Sun blind
The sun blind is on the luggage shelf.
Extending the sun blind
Fig. 62 Sun blind in
retracted position
Fig . 63 Sun blind in
extended position
-Take the sun blind out of its bracket=:> fig. 62 @.
- Guide the extended sun blind in the direction of the
arrow @, so that it does not
fly up.
Stowing the sun blind
-Hold the sun blind in the center of the upper edge.
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Clear vision
- Place the sun blind against the spring force into the
center bracket=:> fig. 63@ of the parcel shelf.
& WARNING
The sun blind must not be used to secure cargo. The luggage
compartment cover is not a luggage rack . Objects placed on the
cover pose a danger for all vehicle occupants during sudden
braking or in an accident. •
Wiper and washer system
I'',",
Windshield wiper 'Z\)
The windshield wiper lever controls both the windshield
wipers and the washer system.
Fig. 64 Wiper lever:
windshield wiper lever positions
The windshield wiper lever=:> fig. 64 has the following posi­
tions:
Intermittent wiping ~ ! (activating rain sensor)*
- Move the lever up to position G).
- Move the interva l set switch @, to change the intervals. _.
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Luggage compartment
Increasing the size of the luggage
compartment
To increase the size of the luggage compartment, both
parts of the seat back can be folded forward, individually or together.
Folding the seatback forward
U')
"'
"' 0 a. ., CD
Fig . 83 Release lever
for the seatback (left
side)
Fig . 84 Rear seatback
folded forward {with
pass-through*)
- Swing the outer rear head restraints forward=> page 80,
fig. 79.
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
Seats and storage
- Push the release lever=> fig. 83
@ in the direct ion of the
arrow.
- Tilt the seatback forward.
Raising the seatback
- Raise the seatback until it is securely latched=>& .
When you can no longer see the red mark on the pin@,
the seat is latched .
Stowing luggage
- For safe loading and securing of items read and follow the guidelines on=> page
133, "Loading the luggage
compartment".
The rear seatback is divided into two segments -one third/two
thirds. You can fold down either or both parts of the seatback .
& WARNING
• The backrest must always be securely latched so that the
safety belt of the center seating position can work properly to help
protect the occupant.
• The backrest must be securely latched
in position so that no
items contained in the luggage compartment can slide forward
upon sudden braking.
• Never allow safety belts to become damaged by being caught
in door or seat hardware.
• Torn or frayed safety belts can tear and damaged belt hardware
can break in a crash. Inspect the belts periodically. Belts showing
damage to webbing, bindings, buckles, or retractors must be
replaced.
~
Vehicle care I I Technical data

Seats and storage
& WARNING
Always read and heed WARNINGS => & in uloading the luggage
c ompartment " on
page 133 .
0 Note
When folding the backre st back into place, make su re the safe ty belt
does not get caught, because it can be damaged . A damaged belt
can fail to p rov ide safe restraint. •
Fastening eyes
The luggage compartmen t is e qui pped with four tie -down
eyele ts to secure lug ga ge and o ther items .
Fig. 85 Lugg age
compartment :
fa stening eyes
Use t he fastening e yes to secu re you r ca rgo pr oper ly
=> fig. 85 -a rr ow s-.
- Ad here to all safet y instruc tions => page 133, "Stowing
lugg age".
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even smalle r items that
a re loo se in t he vehi cle will bec ome he avy missiles that ca n ca use
se rious inju ry . I tems in the vehicle possess e nergy which vary with vehicle and the weight of the item
. T he vehicle speed is the most
significan t factor.
For exam ple, in a fronta l collision at a speed of 3 0 mph (48 km/h),
the forces acting on a 10 lbs ( 4,5 k g) object are about 20 times the
n ormal w eight of th e ite m. Th is mea ns that the weight of the it em
woul d suddenly be about 200 lbs (90 kg). You can imagine the inju­
ri es th at a 20 0 lb s (90 kg) item fl ying fr ee ly t hroug h the passe nge r
compartment cou ld cause in a co llis ion li ke this.
& WARNING
Weak , damaged or improper straps used to secure items to
fastening eyes can fail during hard braking or in a collision and cause serious personal injury .
• Always use suitable mounting straps and properly secure
items to the fastening eyes in the luggage compartment to help
prevent items from shifting or flying forward.
• When the rear seat backrest is folded down , always use suit­
able mounting straps and properly secure items to the fastening
eyes in the luggage compartment to help prevent item s from flying
forward into the passenger compartment .
• Never attach a child safety seat tether strap to a fastening
eye. a

Seats and storage
-Place the empty sack in the hatch so that the end with the
zip fastener is in the luggage compartment.
- Load objects from the luggage compartment into the ski
sack.
Securing
- Insert the ski sack strap ~ page 87, fig. 93 @ into the
center seat belt buckle
® ·
- With skiing items, place the strap in the middle between
the bindings ~& .
- Pull the loose end of the strap tight in the direction of the
arrow.
Opening the safety strap buckle
- Take the long sides of safety strap buckle between thumb
and forefinger ~
page 87, fig. 93 @.
- Squeeze the buckle and pull it away from the cargo.
Stowing
- Raise the pass-through until it is securely latched. It is
secure when you can no longer see the red mark on the
latch in the luggage compartment.
- Carefully fold up the empty (dry) ski sack.
- Stow the ski sack in the luggage compartment so that it
cannot slide around.
& WARNING
• After loading, the ski sack must be secured with the strap .
• The safety strap must fit tightly around the cargo.
& WARNING (continued)
• Make certain that the safety strap lies in the middle between
the bindings of the ski equipment (refer also to printed message on the ski sack).
[ i] Tips
• Place skis with the tips pointing forward, snowboards and ski
poles with tip to the
rear in the ski sack.
• If there are several pairs of skis in the ski sack, make certain that
the bindings are at the same level.
• Be sure not to fold up or store the sack when it is still damp. •
Roof rack* installation
First things first
A roof rack can be used to carry additional luggage on the
roof. There are two different roof rack systems.
Separate roof racks are needed for vehicles without roof
rails. Vehicles with standard roof rails* need additional
cross bars to carry cargo. Both types of additional equip­
ment are available at your authorized Audi dealer.
- Always read and follow the instructions provided by the
roof rack manufacturer when the roof rack system must
be installed.
If a roof rack or similar luggage carrying equipment is to be
installed, please note the following:
Vehicles without roof rails
• Your vehicle has aerodynamic rain gutters molded into the roof.
That is why only roof racks specially designed for the roof can be .,,

___________________________________________________ O _n_ t_h _ e_ r_ o _ a_ d __ lfflll
Starting and stopping the engine
Starting the engine
The engine can only be started with on original Audi key
and the clutch pedal* depressed.
- Set the parking brake.
Move the selector lever to the neutral position (automatic
transmission): selector lever in P or N) =>
&.
- On vehicles with manual transmission, fully depress the
clutch pedal.
- Turn the ignition key to position@=>
page 108, fig. 113
- do not depress the gas pedal when starting the engine!
- Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts.
A cold engine may at first be loud after it has been started. This is
due to the hydraulic valves building up the oil pressure . This normal
and no need for concern.
If the engine does not star t immediately, stop trying after 10
seconds and then try to restart the engine about 30 seconds later.
& WARNING
Never start or let the engine run in a confined or enclosed area.
Exhaust fumes from the engine contain carbon monoxide, a color­
less and odorless gas. Carbon monoxide can be fatal if inhaled .
• Never leave the engine idling unattended. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine poses a danger of personal injury or
theft.
Controls and equip ­
ment
0 Note
• Avoid high engine speeds, fast acceleration or heavy engine
loads while the engine is still cold. This could damage the engine!
• The engine cannot be started by pushing o r towing the vehicle.
~ For the sake of the environment
To avoid unnecessary engine wear and to reduce exhaust emis­
sions, do not let your vehicle stand and warm up. Be ready to drive
off immediately after starting your vehicle. Maintain moderate
speed until the engine is completely warm. Remember, the engine
performs best at operating temperature. •
Stopping the engine
-Turn the ignition key to position@=> page 108 , fig. 113.
& WARNING
• Never turn off the engine until the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
• The brake booster and servotronic only work when the engine
is running . With the ignition turned off, you have to apply more
force when steering or braking. Since you cannot steer and stop
normally, this can lead to accidents and serious injuries.
• The radiator fan can continue to run for up to 10 minutes even
after you have turned off the engine and removed the ignition key.
The radiator fan can also turn on again if the engine coolant heats
up because of intense sunlight or heat build-up in the engine
compartment. .,
I • •

Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area unobstructed and that
are firmly secured so that they cannot slip out of position. You can
obtain suitable floor mats from your authorized Audi Dealer .
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached to these fasteners .
Properly securing the floor mats will prevent them from sliding into
positions that could interfere with the pedals or impair safe opera­
tion of your vehicle in other ways .
& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a loss of vehicle
control and increase the risk of serious personal injury.
• Always make sure that floor mats are properly secured.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings in the
vehicle that cannot be properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the pedals or the ability to
control the vehicle .
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings on top
of already installed floor mats. Additional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal area and interfere with
the pedals.
• Always properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have been
taken out for cleaning.
• Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver foot·
well while the vehicle is moving. Objects can become trapped
under the brake pedal and accelerator pedal causing a loss of
vehicle control. •
Safety first
Driving Safely
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be properly stowed
and secured in the luggage compartment.
Fig. 131 Safe load
positioning: heavy
cargo positioned as far
forward as possible.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can shift
suddenly, changing vehicle handling characteristics. Loose
items can also increase the risk of serious personal injury in
a sudden vehicle maneuver or in a collision.
Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
Always place and properly secure heavy items in the
luggage compartment as far forward as possible
=> fig. 131.
Secure luggage using the tie-downs provided=> page 84.
Make sure that the rear seat back is securely latched in
place.
1iJ,,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfu ncti ons can occ ur in th e brake system if the bra ke flu id leve l is
too low. The brake fluid leve l is monitored e lectronically.
Brake lining wear status Bra ke lining wear may be checked by visual inspection of the condi ­
t ion of the brake pa ds through the o pen in g s in t he wheel. If neces ­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection=>
page 272 ,
"Whee l change".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuver s for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road cond itions permit . Other
road u sers must not be put at risk -you may cause an accident !
• Before des cending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans ­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brake s or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
c ause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to overheat, p rem ature wear and in creased stopping distance .
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
passing through water , driv ing in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter ,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off afte r a few careful b rake appli cations .
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt -covered roads
without using your brakes can also affe ct braking effic ien cy. Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
spoiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstru cted .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effe ctive­
ness of the entire brake system .
& WARNING (continued )
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance . Avoid driv ing the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qu alified workshop. •
Brake booster
The bra ke boos ter adds e xtra bra king pow er.
Th e brake boost er wo rks wit h vacuum p ressu re wh ich is created
only when the engine is running=>& .
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working , for e xample when towing
your vehicle, or because the brake booster has somehow been damaged , the brake pedal must be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance . •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS}
A BS p revents t he wheels from lockin g up unde r braking.
The ABS co ntrib utes effectively to ve hic le c ont ro l since it preven ts
the whee ls from
locking when the bra kes are app lied. Th is means
that the vehicle remains stee rable and is less l ikely to skid .
With ABS you do not need to
pump the brake. Just hold the brake
pedal down .
Ho wever , do not e xpect that t he ABS shor tens brak ing distance
under
all circumstances . When driv ing on gravel or on newly fa llen
snow on top of icy surfaces, b raki ng d istance may be even longer,
th ere for e, u nder these circumstances, it is esp ecially important t hat
you drive s lowly and w ith g reat ca re . ._

___ T_ r _a_ il_e _r_ t_ o_ vv_ in__... g,_ __________________________________________________ _
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor­
tation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that the additional load
wi ll affect durability, economy and performance.
Trai ler towing not on ly p laces more stress on the vehicle, it a lso ca lls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reasons, always fo llow the operating and driving instruc ­
tions provided and use common sense. •
Technical requirements
Traile r hit ch
Use a weight -carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weight.
The hitch must be suitab le for your vehicle and tra iler and must be
mounted secure ly on the vehicle's chassis at a
technically sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch w ith removable ball mount. A lways
check with the trai ler hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bumper hit ch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it does not interfere
w ith the impact-absorbing bumper system . No modifications
should be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems. From
time to time, check that all hitch mount ing bolts remain securely
fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the trailer hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage should your
vehic le be struck from behind
=:> & .
Tire pre ssure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehic le to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load"on the sticker on the right door­
jamb. Inflate trai ler tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifica ­
tions.
Lights
The head ligh t settings should be checked wit h the trai ler attached
before driving off. Have the head lights adjusted as necessary so
t hat you can see the road ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are working prop ­
erly.
Engin e cool ing sy stem
Towing a t rai ler makes the engine wo rk ha rder . It is important that
the cooling system's performance stands up to the additiona l
strain. Make sure that the coo ling syste m has enoug h fluid.
Traile r br akes
If your traile r is equipped wi th a braking system, check to be sure
that it conforms to al l regu lations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be directly connected to
the vehic le's hydrau lic brake sys tem.
Safety chai ns
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the h itch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch. _.