brake fluid AUDI S3 2010 User Guide

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 0 Engine
co 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 224.
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. 170.
The brake f luid reservoir is located at the rear pa rtit ion of the engine
compartment on the left side=> page 225.
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:::..- ___________________________________________ _
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate . Contact an authorized
Audi dealer
i m medi at ely.•
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the ai r. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid wil l also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance .
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
e ver y two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federa l Motor Vehicle Stan ­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4" .
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficu lt to reach , therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho­
rized
Audi d ealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know-how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Bra ke fluid i s poisonous . It mu st be stored on ly in the close d
ori ginal container out of the rea ch of children!
• Bra ke fa ilure can result from old or inappropri ate brake fluid .
Observe the se pre caution s:
- Use o nly brake fluid that meets SAE spe cifi ca tion
J 170 3 and
c onform s to Fed era l Moto r Vehic le Sta nda rd 116 . Always c heck
w ith your authori zed Audi de aler to m ake sure you are using
the correct brake fluid. The corr ect type of brake fluid i s als o
indi cated o n the br ake fl uid reser vo ir.
- The br ake flu id mu st be ne w. Hea vy use of the brake s can
c au se a vap or lo ck if the bra ke fluid i s left in the system too
long. Thi s can seriou sly affect the efficienc y of the brake s as
we ll as your safet y. Thi s co uld re su lt in an acci dent .
0 Note
Brake fluid wi ll damage the paint of your vehicle .
<£' For the sake of the environment
Because o f the problem of prope r disposal of brake flu id as we ll as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom ­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dea ler. •
Battery
General information
All w ork on the battery requires technical knowledge!
Fi g. 171 E ng ine
co mp artm ent (4 -
c yli nder engin e):
Bat tery w it h cove r"
The battery is located in the engine compartment~ fig. 171 and is
nearly
mai nten ance-fr ee .
The condition of the ba ttery is checked in the framework o f the
inspection. We recommend replacing batteries that are o lder than 5
years. .,

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu larly considering the comparatively small patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehic le and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regularly inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, s lashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
blowouts.
A vo iding d am age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
fluid off the tires.
Inspect the ti res regu larly for damage (cuts, cracks or b listers, etc.l .
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tir es
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota ­
t ion. This ensures you to be able to mount them correctly when you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
S tore tires in a vertical pos it ion if they a re not mounted on r ims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tir es
New tires have to be broken in=>&.
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
H idd en damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one s ide, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire cti ona l t ires
A unidirectional tire can be identif ied by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate . You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . This is necessary s o that these
tires can develop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=>
page 277.
& WARNING
New t ires o r ti re s th at a re old , worn or d am aged cann ot pro vid e
maximum cont rol and braking ability .
• New tires te nd to be slippery and mu st be bro ken in . To redu ce
the ri sk o f lo sin g co ntro l, a collis ion and serious per sonal injurie s,
dri ve w ith special care f or the fi rst 350 m ile s ( 560 km l.
• Driving w ith w orn or damaged tire s can lead to lo ss of control ,
sudd en tir e fa ilure , inc ludi ng a blowout a nd sudden defl atio n, ..,_

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
and is more difficult to stop. Overloading can not only lead to loss
of ve hicle control, but can a lso damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden tire failure, inc luding a blowout and
sudden deflation that can cause the vehic le 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 veh icle . These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR"l.
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic vehicle, al l factory
insta lled 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 trai ler 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 vehic le'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 135, "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 .
T he 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 246,
fig. 173.
& 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.
~
Vehicle care I t •

___ T_ i_ r_e _s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_ e_ e _ ls _________________________________________________ _
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment can cause excess ive tire wea r, im pairing
the safety of the vehic le. If tires show excessive wear, have the
whee l alignment c hecked by an au th o rize d Audi deale r or qualifie d
wo rkshop.
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles with quattro® must always have tires of the same size, c ons truc tion and tread type. F or details see ~ page
19 4.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to los s of control, a crash and serious
personal injury !
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators .
• Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning " and loss of control .
• Always keep chemicals that can cause tire dam age , such as
grease, oil , gasoline and brake fluid aw ay from tires .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds .
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and los s of veh icle control. •
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New t ires and wheels h ave t o be broke n in.
Fig . 177 T ir e specif ication cod es on the sidewall of a tir e
No.
©
0
©
©
©
©
Description
Passenger car tire (where applicable)
Nominal width of tire in millimeters
Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
Radial
Rim diameter code
L o ad in dex and s peed ra ting

-Alphabetical index
----=----------------------------
A
ABS
See Anti-lock brake system . . . . . . . . 192
ABS (An ti-lock brake system)
Wa rning/indicato r lights .. ... .... .. 16
AC (air conditioner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
A . ccessones ....... ...... .... ...... .
Adapt er for anti-theft wheel bolts .... . 300
273 Air conditioner ...
... .... ...... ..... . 99
See also Clim ate co111trols .... .. .... . 96
Air conditioning Swi tching on and off . ....... .... .. 99
Air distribution Climate controls
Air outlets Adjusting the outlets for rapid
defrosting/defogging .... .... ... .
Clima te controls ...... ..... .. ... . 101
102
102 How
many airbags does my vehicle have?
152
Important things to know ...... .... 145
Indicator light ................. .. 156
Moni toring . .. ... ........ .... ... .
Repairs ..... .. ... .. .... .. .... .. .
Side airbags ... ... ... ... .. ... ... . 156
159
161
Side curtain airbags .... ... .... ... 164
When must the system be inspected? ...
156
Adaptive Light
defective
. .... .... .... ........ ... 34 Air quality sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
100 All Wheel
Drive ... .... ............. . 194
210
Adaptive light .. .. ... ... .... .... .... . 55 Air reci
rculation . .... ..... ... .... ... 101 Alloy wheels .... ... ..... .... .... .. .
Climate controls .. ..... ...... .... 100 A ll-whee l drive
Adding
Engine coo lant .. ... ...... ... .... 234
Engine oil .......... ....... ...... 230
Windshield washer fluid ...... .... 240
Additiona l accessories . ....... .... ... 300
Addi tiona l heater
Climate controls . ...... ..... ..... 103
Additives Engine oil .... .. .. .... ...... . .. .. 230
Adjustable steering wheel column ..... 105
Adjusting Steering wheel co lumn ....... .... 105
Adjusting front seats . .... ..... .. ... .. 72
Advanced Airbag System Components ...... .... ......... . 152
F . b ront air ags . .... .... .... ... ... . 150
How the components work together 153
Monitoring .... .... .... ... .... .. . 156
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light ... . . 157 When should I use the air recircu
lation?
100
Air recirculation mode
Climate controls .... .. .... ....... 100
Airbag Warning/indicator lights ........... 14
Airbag System Weight-sensing mat ...... ... .... . 168
A' b
Ir ag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145, 162
Advanced Airbag System .......... 149
Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Child restraints . ... .... .... .... .. 169
Children ...... ..... ... ... .... ... 168
Components (front airbags) .. ... ... 152
Danger of fitting a chi ld safety seat on the
front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Front airbags .. ... ........ .... ... 149
How do the front airbags work? . . . . 154 Winter
tires ........... .. .. .... .. 259
A lternator
See Generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Aluminum alloy wheels .... .. . .. .. ... 210
Ambient lighting ......... .... .... .. . . 60
Anti-glare inside day-night mirror .... .. 67
Anti -lock brake system
How the ABS system works . . . . . . . . 192
Anti -lock brake system (ABS)
Warning/indicator lights . ...... .... . 16
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
How the system works . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
An ti- theft sys tems
An ti-Theft Alarm System ....... .... 46
Anti -theft wheel bolts ..... .... .... ... 273
Armrest Center armrest ....... .. .. .. ..... .. 80
Rear armrest ............. .... .. .. 81

______________________________________________ A_ l:.!: p :...:h..:. a= b..:e :...: t:..:..i c.::....:.: a..:..l ..:.in :....:..:: d:.:e :.: x-=---•
Ashtray
Rear . ........ .... ....... ...... ... 91
ASR How the Anti -Slip Regulation System
works .. .... .... .... ... .... .... 190
Ast erisk
Wha t does it m ean wh en something is
marked with an asterisk? ... .. .... .. 5
Audi Service Repair Manuals and Literature 298
AUTO Climate controls .. .... .... ... .... .. 99
Switching on . ... .... .... .. . .. .. .. 99
When should I use AUTO? ... ..... .. 99
Auto Safety Hotline ... .. .. .. .... .... . 133
Automatic air recircu lation ..... .. .... 100
Automatic belt retractor .. .... .... .... 139
Automatic car wash
See Washing .. ..... ... ..... .. .... 205
Automatic headlights defective ... .. .... .... ... .... .... . 34
Automatic Transmission Automa tic Transm ission . .... .. .... 117
Automat ic transmission .. .... .... .... 114
Driving Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Emergency program . ............. 120
Emergency release ..... .. .... 120, 12 1
Ign ition key safety lock ... .... .... . 106
Kick -down ... .... .... .... ... .... . 119
L aunch Control Program ...... .... . 119
Se lector lever lock .. ...... .. . .... . 1 15
Selec tor lever positions .. ...... ... 114
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Tiptronic .
... ... . .. .. .... .. .. .... 118
Tiptronic controls on the s teering whee l
119
Average fuel mileage .......... .... ... 22
Average sp eed ... .... .... .... .... ... . 22
Avo id damaging the v ehicle .... .. .... . 198
B
Battery ... .. .... ... .... .... .... .... 236
chargi ng ..... .... .... .... .... ... 239
Disconnecting and c onnecting . ... . 237
I mportant warnings when work ing o n the
battery . .... .... .... ...... ..... 238
Replacing the battery .. ... .... .... 237
Winter operation . ..... ... .... .... 237
Working on the battery .... .... .... 238
Battery vo ltage ....... .... ........... 33
Before driving . .... . .. .. .... .... .... 125
Blended gasoline . ..... .. ...... ...... 217
Body cavity sealing .. .... ...... ..... . 21
O
Booster seats .... .... .... .... .... ... 175
Brake assistant ..... .... .... .. .. .... 1 93
Brake booster .. ...... .... .... ... .... 192
Brake fluid
Changing the brake fluid ...... .... 236
Checking the bra ke fl uid leve l ...... 235
Reservoir .. ...... ... .... .... .... . 235
What is the correct brake f luid level? 235
What should I do if the brake fluid warning
light comes on? . .... ...... .... .. 235
Brake pads .. ..... ... .... .... .... ... 196 Brake system
..... .. .. .. .... .... .... 235
Anti -lock brake system (ABS) .. .. .. .. 16
Brake fluid ............ .... ..... .. 235
Brake f luid specif ications for re fill and
replacement ... .. .... .... ... .. .. 236
Brake light defective ... ...... .... .. 34
General information . ........ ... .. 191
How does moistur e or road salt aff ect the
br akes? ..... .... .... .. .. ... .. . . 1 91
Ma lfunct ion ... .. .... .... .... .. . .. 30
Warning /indica tor lights .. .. .... ... . 15
Worn brake pads symbo l ...... .... . 33
Break -in period .. ...... ...... .... ... 195
Brake pads . ...... .... ... .... .. .. 196
Tires ... .. .... .... .... ... .. .... .. 1 95
Bu lbs ...... ........ ... .. ...... .... . 283
C
California Proposition 65 Warning . .... 225
Battery specific ... .... .... .... .... 239
Capacities .. ... ... ... .... ... .... .... 296
Car care ... . .... .. .. .... .... .... .. . . 204
In ter ior . ...... .... .... ... .... .. .. 211
P last ic a nd vinyl . ...... .... .... ... 208
Weathers trips ... .. .... .. . .... .. .. 209
Care of exterior . .... ..... ... .... .... 204
Cargo area
See Loading the luggage compartm ent .
13 1
Cargo net .. ... ... .. .. .. .... .... ..... 83
Catalytic converter ...... .... .... ... . 196
Center armrest ......... .... ... .. ..... 80
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ A_ l..:,. p _ h_ a_ b_e _t_ic _ a_l _in _ d_e_ x ____________________________________________ _
Engine
4-cylinder diesel (140 hp) ... ... ... . 226
4 -cylinder gaso line (200 hpl .... .... 225
Coolant .. ...... ..... .... .... .... 232
Hood ...... ....... .... ... .... ... 223
Starting .................... 106, 107
Starting with jumper cables .. .... . 285
Stopping ... .. .... .... .... .... .. 108
Engine compartment . .... .... ...... . 225
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Working in the engine compartment 224
Engine coolant system ... .... ....... 232
Adding coolant .... ....... ..... .. 234
Checking coolant level . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Checking the engine coolant level .. 233
Radiator fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Engine coolant temperature
Gauge .... .... .... .... ... .... .... . 9
Engine cooling system Malfunction ........ ... .. .... .... . 30
Engine data ........ ............... . 296
Engine fault Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Engine hood Closing . .... ... .. .... .... ...... . 224
Release lever ...... .... .... ...... 223
Re leasing and opening ......... ... 223
Engine ma lfunction (diesel engine)
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Engine oil .. ............. .. .... .... 226
Adding . .... ... .. .... ...... ... .. 230
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Changing ............... ........ 230 Checking the engine oil
level ... .... 229
Diesel engine .. ..... .. ...... ..... 231
Indications and conditions requiring extra checking ... ....... ...... ...... 229
Oil consumption ................. 228
Oil grades . .... ........ .... ...... 226
Recommended oil check intervals .. 229
Specification and viscosity ...... .. 226
Specifications Diesel engine ....... 231
Specifications gaso line engine ..... 226
Engine oi l level ................... 32, 33
Engine oi l pressure (malfunction) .. .... 31
Engine oil sensor defective .. ... .... ... 33
Engine speed limitation .. ...... .... ... 32
Environment Break -in period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Diesel particulate filter ............ 197
Disposing of your vehic le battery ... 237
Driving at high speeds . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Driving to minimize pollution and noise .
198
Fuel ............................ 220
Fuel economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Leaks under your vehicle . .... ... .. 224
Letting the vehicle stand and warm up ..
198
Proper disposal of drained brake fluid
236
Proper disposa l of drained engine
coo lant .. .... ... .... .... .... ... 234
Proper disposa l of dra ined engine oil 230
Recycling used eng ine oil ...... ... 230 Unleaded fuel
..... ... .... .... .. . 217
What should I do with an old battery?
237
EPC
See Electronic power control . . . . . . . . 13
ESP
See Electronic Stability Program .... 188
Event Data Recorder (EDRJ ............ 188
Expansion tank 233
F
Fahrenheit
Switching between Fahrenheit and Centigrade . ...... .............. 101
Fan Adjusting the fan speed .. ...... ... 101
Climate controls ...... .... ....... 101
Radiator ........ .... ... .. .... ... 235
Fastening Booster seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Convertible chi ld safety seats ...... 173
Infant seats
Fastening eyes
Flat ti re 172
.. .... .... .... ... .. ... 82
Changing .. .... .... ... ........ .. 270
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Fog lights, front .. .... .... ........... 55
Folding master key with remote control . 36
Foot pedals ........................ 130
For the sake of the environment
Gaso line fumes and the environment 220
Letting your engine warm up . ..... . 107