trailer 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

-On th
e ro ad
..___ ______________ _
Audi parking system
Applies to vehicles: with the Audi parking system (8-channe l parking aid)
Description
The Audi parking system is an audible parking aid.
Sensors are located in the front and rear bumpers. If these detect an
obstac le, audible signals warn you. The range at which the sensors
start to measure is about:
front
rear side
cent
er
side
center 2
.9 feet !0,90 m)
3 .9 feet ( 1.20 m)
2 feet (0.60 ml 5 .2 feet ( 1.60 ml
The closer you get to the obstacle, the shorter the interval between
the audible signa ls . When driv ing in reverse, a continuous tone
sounds starting at a distance of 13 inches (0.35 ml and starting at
12 inches (0 .30 m) when driving forward!
If the distance to an obstacle remains constant, the vo lume of the
distance warning gradually drops after about four seconds (this is
not app ly in the con tinuous tone range).
Potential mal function s
If a warning buzzer sounds for a few seconds when the ignition is
switched on, there is a system malfunction with the acoustic park
assist. If the mal function pers ists unt il the ignition is switched o ff,
there will be no acoustic warning at the next attempt to activate the
system . Have the proble m cor rected .
There is no confirmation tone when reverse gear is engaged if there
is a system malfunction.
For the parking assist to operate, the sensors must be kept clean
and free of ice.
& WARNING
• Sensors have blind spots in which objects cannot be dete cted .
Pay spe cial attention to small children and animal s. They c annot
al w ays be dete cted by the sen sor s -danger of an a ccide nt!
• The parking a ssis t cannot replace the driver' s attention. The
dri ver alo ne i s re sponsible for parking and similar driving maneu ­
ver s. Always watch where you ar e driving.
0 Note
Low obstac les already signaled by a warning can disappear from
the system's detection range as they are approached and wi ll not
continue to be signaled . Objects such as barrier cha ins, trailer draw
bars, thin painted vertica l poles, or fences may not be de tected by
the system -risk of damage .•
Ap plies t o veh ic les: with the Audi parking system (8-channe l parking aid)
Switching on /off
Q l
Switching on
- Shift into reverse or
i
'
F ig . 11 5 Center
c o n so le: S w itc h fo r
parking aid

On the road -
-------------------'
- Press the switch P111A in the center console ::::, page 112,
fig. 115. A short confirmation tone sounds and the diode
in the switch lights.
Switching off
-Drive forward faster than 10 mph (15 km/h), or
press the switch
P" 'A or
- switch off the ignition.
& WARNING
• The parking assist cannot replace the driver's attention. The
driver alone is responsible for parking and similar driving maneu­
vers. Always watch where you are driving.
• Sensors have blind spots in which objects cannot be detected.
Pay special attention to small children and animals. They cannot
always be detected by the sensors -danger of an accident!
• Always pay attention to the area around the vehicle -using the
rearview mirror, too .
0 Note
Low obstacles already signaled by a warning can disappear from
the system's detection range as they are approached and will not
continue to be signaled. Objects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, thin painted vertical poles, or fences may not be detected by
the system -risk of damage.
[ i] Tips
You can change the volume and pitch of the signals~ page 23. •
Con tro ls and eq uip­
ment
Cruise control
Switching the system on
The cruise control system makes it possible to drive at a
constant speed starting at 20 mph (30 km/h).
A 1----....;
Fig. 116 Control lever
with set button
Fig . 117 Display:
Selected speed
- Pull the lever to position (D::::, fig. 116 to switch the
system on.
- Drive at the speed you wish to set.
- Press button
© to set that speed.
The display~ fig. 117 will show the set speed. The display may vary
depending on the type of display in your vehicle. The indicator light _.,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ 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. _.

Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check with your
authorized Audi dealer for correct wiring, switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you using the regular
outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is impor­
tant that you
always have clear vision to the rear .
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure you
or your passengers .
.1
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to guard
against shifting, be it forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer:::::, & in "Driving instruc­
tions".
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the sticker on the right door­
jamb. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Trailer towing
Lights
The
headlight settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off. Adjust as necessary so that you can see the road
ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check proper working of vehicle and trailer lights.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch 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. •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
Observe speed limits.
Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
Monitor the temperature gauge.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ T_ r _a_ il_e _r_ t_ o_ vv_ in__... g,_ __________________________________________________ _
Weig ht dis tributi on
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car resu lts in a high ly
unstable distribution of weight . If this cannot be avoided drive at
very low speeds on ly to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "ba lanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permis ­
sib le while keeping the trai ler as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances. Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the rig . Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
Reduce your speed even more under unfavorable load, weather or
wind conditions -particularly when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
imm ed ia tely if the trailer shows the sl ightest
sign of swaying. Do not try to s top the s wayi ng by a ccelerating .
Observe speed limits . In some areas speeds for vehicles towing
trai lers are lower than for regular vehicles.
Always app ly brakes early. When driving downhill, shift into lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow down the vehicle. Use
of the brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
C oo la nt tempe ra tu re
The coolant temperature gauge ~ page 9 must be observed care ­
ful ly. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or switch off the air condit ioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing -~-, pull off the road, stop and let the engine
idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build -up .
& WARNING
An yone not p rope rly res train ed in a mo ving vehi cle is a t a mu ch
gre ater risk in a n accident. Neve r let an yone ride in your car who
is not p rop erly we ari ng th e res tra int s pro vide d b y Aud i.
c
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles different ly when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy w ill great ly depend on how carefu lly you load your
trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow you r trailer, practice turn ing, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing unti l you
have complete ly become familiar with the way your vehicle -trailer
combination behaves and responds .
Backing up is difficult and requires practice. Backing up with a
trailer genera lly requires steering ac tion opposite of that when
backing up your vehicle without a trailer .
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in
front of you. You will need more room to stop.
T o compensate for the trailer, you wi ll need a larger than normal
turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you n ormal ly wou ld because of the added load . Make su re you have
enough room to pass. After passing, al low plenty of room for your
trailer before changing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns o r rapid lane changes.

[ i] Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in period of your vehicle.
• If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent mainte ­
nance due to the extra load=>
page 304. •
Parking on a slope
-----------------
Do not park with a trailer on a slope. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone place chocks under both the vehicle and the trailer wheels .
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until
wheel blocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Place an automatic transmission in
P, respectively a
manual transmission in first or reverse gear.
When restarting after parking:
- Start the engine.
- Shift transmission into gear.
- Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away from the wheel blocks.
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel blocks.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Trailer towing
[
i] Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmission to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the
P
position .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lJlll
•
Engin e Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load normal load
ment in full load
full load
liter ) c
ondit ion (up to
condition c
ondition (up
condition
3 occupants ) to 3 occupants)
PSI PSI kPA PSI kPA kPA
6-cylinder 225/45 R1 7 94H XL All Season 39 41 280 230 41 280
3 .2
225 /45 R17 94V XL High Performance
36 250 38 260 30 2
10
38 260
225 /40 R18 92H XL All Season
4 1 280 44 300 36 250 44 300
225 /40 R18 92V XL High Performance 41 280 44 3 0 0 36 250 44 30 0
Compact spare wheel T125 /70 R18
60 420
60 420
60 4
20
60 420
XL=
reinforced o r extra load tire . It may also appear a s xi , EXTRA LOAD, or RF on t he ti re s id ewa ll.
The correct tire pressure fo r t he spare wheel is located on a label
either on the driver's side B-pi llar or inside th e fuel filler flap .
Beca use technical change s may be ma de to vehicle equip ment
during the mode l year, always compare the tire size designat ion on
the tire p ressure label on your vehic le with the ti res on you r vehicle.
Make sure that the tire size informat ion on the veh icle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . T his is especially impor ­
t ant if the veh icle belongs to someone else or you bough t the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ ­
ousl y owne d ve hicle.
Remember , your safety and that of your passengers a lso depends
o n mak ing s ure tha t loa d limits are not exceeded . Vehicle load
includes everybody and everything in and on the vehic le. These load
limits are technical ly referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating ( "GVWR"). The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two
a xl es . T he Gross Vehic le W eight Rat ing and the Gross A xle Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker labe l located
ei the r on the driver's s ide B -pi ll ar or on the i nside of the fuel fill er
flap . T he tire pressure labe l on your Audi lists the maximum
co mbined weig ht o f all of the occupants a nd luggage or oth er ca rgo that t
he ve hicle can carry . For the locatio n of the ti re p ressure la bel
=> page 247, fig. 180.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control , a crash or
other accident , serious personal injury, and even death .
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle wa s designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handl ing properly and increase the
ri sk of a loss of vehicle control .
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance .
• Tires on a vehi cle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
cau sing loss of control and a crash.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehi cle heavier than the
vehicle 's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. _,.
Vehicle care
I t •

-Tires and wheels
P'tr:1-------------------
and is more difficult to stop. Overloading can not only lead to loss
of vehicle control, but can also damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden tire failure, including a blowout and
sudden deflation that can cause the vehicle to crash.
Your safety and that of your passengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load includes every ­
body and everything in and on the vehicle. These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic vehicle, all factory
installed accessories, a full tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
plus maximum load. The maximum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is intended to carry ("seating capacity")
with an assumed weight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each passenger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any luggage in
the vehicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trailer must be included as part of the
vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the maximum load that
can be applied at each of the vehicle's two axles.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located either on
the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel filler flap. Your
Audi has 5 seating positions, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear for total
seating capacity of 5. Each seating position has a safety belt
=>
page 137, "Safety belts".
The fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating means that the total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including the weight of a trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trailer) is limited. The more passengers
in the vehicle or passengers who are heavier than the standard
weights assumed mean that less weight can be carried as luggage.
The tire pressure label on your Audi also lists the maximum
combined weight of all of the occupants and luggage or other cargo that the vehicle can carry.
For the location of the label=>
page 247,
fig. 180.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or
other accident, serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
risk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly,
including a blowout and sudden deflation, causing loss of control
and a crash.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. •
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to calculate the
total weight of the passengers and luggage or other things that you plan to
transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overloaded.
~

Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE COMBINED
WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle's placard (tire infla­
tion pressure label)=>
page 247, fig. 180.
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo­
grams or
"XXX" pounds shown on the
sticker=>
page 247, fig. 180.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will
be five
150 lbs. passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.
( 1400- 750 (5 x 150) = 650 I bs.)
Tires and wheels 111111
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step
4.
6.
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the avail­
able cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
- Check the tire sidewall (=>
page 255,
fig. 184) to determine the designated
load rating for a specific tire. •
Vehicle care I • •