light AUDI S3 2015 Owners Manual

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the brakes. If you need to brake addit ion ­
ally, bra ke in intervals and not continu­
ously.
(D Tips
- If the brake boos ter is not wor king, you
must p ress the brake pedal with much
more force t hen no rma l.
- If yo u retrof it your vehicle with a front
s po ile r, wheel covers or similar items,
make sure that the air f low to the front
whee ls is not interrupted. Otherwise the
brake system can become too hot.
Electromechanical
steering
The elec tromechanical steering suppor ts the
driver's s teering movements .
Powe r stee ring adapts electronically based o n
the veh icle speed.
The vehicle still has full stee ring fu nctionality
if the powe r steering fails o r whe n the eng ine
i s stopped (towi ng). To s teer, yo u must app ly
m uc h mo re fo rce than usual.
Indicator lights and messages
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defective
If th is in dicator lig ht tu rns on and stays on
and this message appears, the power steering may have fa iled.
Do
not co ntin u e dr iving . See an autho rize d
Aud i dea ler o r autho rized Aud i Service Fac ility
for assistance.
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defective
There is a malf unct io n in the electro nic steer­
in g lo ck. You canno t turn the ign ition on.
Do
not tow your vehicle beca use it ca nnot be
steered. See an autho rized Aud i dea le r or au­
thor ized Audi Se rv ice Facility for ass istance.
Ei:-Y Steering malfunction : you can continue
driving
I f the indicator light turns on, the steering
wheel may be more difficult to move or more
Smart Technolog y 193
sensit ive tha n usua l. The stee ring wheel may
also be at a n angle when dr iv ing stra ight .
D rive slowly to you r auth ori zed Audi de aler o r
qualifie d wo rkshop to have the ma lf u ncti on
correc ted.
II Steering lock : sy stem fault! Pl ease con ­
tact Service
T he re is a malfunction in the elec tronic steer­
ing lock .
D rive to an author ized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Serv ice Facility immediately to have
the malfunc tion corrected.
A WARNING
Have the sys tem ma lf u nction co rrec ted as
soon as po ssible by an aut horiz ed Aud i
d e aler or au thoriz e d Au di Service Fa cili ty,
a s this incr eases the r is k of an acciden t.
(D Tips
If th e . or l~ij indi cator ligh t only s tays
o n for a short t ime , you may con tinue dr iv­
i ng.
ALL wheel drive
(quattro)
App lies to vehicles: wi th all wheel drive
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are pow­
ered.
General information
In all whee l dr ive, the dr iv ing power is divi ded
between all fo ur whee ls. Thi s happens auto ­
matically depending on yo ur driv ing behavior
as well as the current road conditions. Refer
to
¢ page 189, Electronic stabilization con­
trol (ESC) .
The all wheel drive concept is designed for
high eng ine power. Your veh icle is except ion­
a lly powerfu l and has excellent driving charac­
te ristics both under normal driv ing cond itions
and on snow a nd ice. Always read and follow
safety precaut ions¢ .&.. ..,.
•
•
•

not used then is being generated in o rder to
maintain an optimal battery charge level.
@ Tips
- Energy management cannot overcome
the laws of physics. Note that the charge l evel and length of the battery life are
limited .
- When the start ing ability is endangered,
the (•) indicator light turns on
c!:>page20.
What you should know
Maintaining the starting ability is the highest
priority.
A lot of stress is p laced on the battery when
driving short distances, in traffic , and at co ld
times of the year. A lot of energy is used but litt le is generated. It is also critical when the
engine is not running but electrical equip­ ment is switched on . In this case, energy is
used but none is generated .
In situations like this, energy management
will actively regulated the distribution of en­ ergy.
Long periods without use
I f you do not drive your vehicle for several
days or weeks, e lectrica l equipment is gradu­
ally sca led back or switched off . This reduces
energy use and ensures the vehicle will be
able to start after long periods of time. Some
conven ience functions such as opening with
the remote contro l key may not be ava ilab le.
These convenience functions will be available
again once you switch the ign ition on and
start the engine.
With the engine switched off For example, if you listen to the radio when
the engine is switched off, the batte ry w ill
drain .
~ A warning text will appear if energy consump-
~ tion could impair starting ab ility . co ,....,
~ The message shows that you need to start the
~ engine in order to charge the battery. ,....,
Smart Technolog y 195
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated while driving, the battery can drain. This can happen
when litt le energy is generated, and much is
used and the charge leve l of the battery is not
optimal.
To restore the ba lance of energy, components
that require large amounts of energy are tem­
porari ly scaled back or switched off. Heating
systems in particular require a great deal of energy. If you notice, for example, that the
seat heating* or rear window defroster is not
working, then it has been temporar ily reduced
or switched off . These systems are availab le
again as soon as the energy balance has been
restored.
In add ition, you may notice that the idle
speed has slight ly increased . That is normal
and no cause for concern. Due to the in­
creased idling speed, the additional required
energy w ill be gene rated and the battery will
be charged.
Notice about data
recorded by the Event
Data Recorder and
vehicle control
modules
Event Data Recorder
This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Recorder ( EDR). The main purpose of an EDR
is to record, in certain crash or near crash-like
situations, such as an airbag deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that w ill assist in
understanding how a vehicle's systems per­
formed . Th e EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynam ics and safety sys­
tems for a short pe riod of time, typically
30 seconds or less . The EDR in this vehicle is
designed to record such data as:
- How various systems in your veh icle were
operating;
- Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
•
•

200 Driving and the environment
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerati ng. If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. let the vehicle coast
whenever poss ible -for example when you see
that the next traffic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
.. Try and keep well be low your car's max imum
speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment. F ue l consumption, exhaust emissions and en ­
gine noise increase disproportionately at hig h
speeds . If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fue l consumption will
be reduced by one half. Never dr ive faster
tha n the posted speed limit and weather con­
d itions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
.. Sh ut the engine off when you are not dr iving
the vehicle.
.. Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at idle.
It is efficient to switc h off the engine when
stopped at railroad crossings and long red
lights. Turning the engine off for just 30-40
seconds saves mo re fuel than is burned by
start ing the eng in e again.
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fu lly when it is running at idle. However, wear
and nox ious em issions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
d rive away as soon as you sta rt the eng ine and
avoid ru nning a t high RPM wh ile the engine is
still warming up .
(D Note
Do not leave engine i dling unattended af­
ter start ing. If wa rning lights sho uld come
on to indicate improper operation, they
would go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat , w hich could result in over­
hea ting o r othe r damage to the veh icle or
othe r property.
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
.. Have your ve hicle serviced at regu lar inter-
vals.
Having your veh icle regu larly serviced by an
authorized Aud i dealer helps to ensure that it
runs properly and econom ica lly. The cond it io n
of your veh icle not on ly affects its safety and
ability to ho ld its va lue, i t also affects
fuel
c onsumption .
Check your oil each t ime you fill your tank.
The amount of oi l used is re lated to engine
l oad and speed.
It is normal for the oil consump tion of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certain
mileage has been driven .
You m ust drive your ve hicle abou t 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion .
T his also ap plies to fue l consumption and en ­
gine o utp ut.
(D Note
- Have your veh icle ma inta in ed properly
and i n acco rdance with the service rec­
ommendations in you r W arranty
& Main­
t enance boo klet. l ack of proper ma inte ­
nance as well as im proper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
em iss ion cont ro l system and cou ld lead
to damage.

202 Trailer towing
Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a tra iler, p lease remember
that the addit ional load will affect durab ility,
economy and performance .
T railer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
F or this reason, always fo llow the operating
and drivi ng i nstr uctions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer we ight. The hitch must be suita­
b le for your veh icle and trailer and mu st be
mounted secure ly on the ve hicle's chassis at a
technically sound location . Use only a trailer
h itch with a removab le ball mount. A lways
check with the tr ailer hitch manu fac tur er to
make sure tha t you are using t he cor rect
hitch.
Do not us e a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way t hat
it does not interfe re with t he impact-absorb­
ing bumper syst em . No mod ifications should
be made to the vehi cle exhaust and brake sys ­
tems . From time to time, check th at a ll hit ch
mo unt ing bo lts remain secure ly fastened.
When you are not towing a trail er, remove the
tra iler hitch ba ll mount. This prevents the
hi tch from causing d amage sho uld your ve hi­
cle be str uck from be hind
¢ A .
Trailer brakes
If you r tra ile r is eq uipped w ith a braking sys­
tem, check to be su re that it conforms to a ll
r egulat ions . T
he trailer hyd raulic brake system mus t not be
direct ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use s afety chains be tween your ve hicle
and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Tra ile r li ghts must meet all regulations. Be
su re to c hec k w ith your Audi dea le r fo r cor rect
wiring, swi tches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
u sing the regular o utside m irrors, then you
must insta ll ext ended mirro rs . It is important
t h at you
always have clea r vis io n to the rea r.
,8. WARNING
-
Afte r removing t he trailer hit ch, d o no t
s tore it in yo ur vehicle . In case of sudden
br aking, t he h itch cou ld fly forward an d in­
j ur e you or yo ur passengers .
Operating instructions
Maximum traile r weight
A trai le r fo r you r vehicle is limited to a typi cal
class 1 or class 2 trai le r.
Trailer load distribution
B e sure the load in the t ra ile r is held secure ly
i n p lace to p reven t it from shift ing forw ard,
backw ard or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ A in Driving instru ctions on page 203.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard­
er . It is impo rtant that the cooling system 's
performance is up to the additional load .
Make su re that the coo ling system has enough
fl uid .
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to t he cold tire pressure listed under
ll>

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"Full load" on the label located on the driver's
side B-pillar (visible when the door is open).
Inflate trailer t ires to tra iler and t ire manufac­
turers' specifications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer
lights are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure tra iler safety cha ins are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners. When you install safety
chains, make su re they wi ll not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the tra ile r
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 poss ible handling of vehicle
and traile r, p lease note the following:
~ Do not tow a loaded tra iler when your car it­
self is not loaded.
~ Be especia lly careful when passing other
vehicles.
~ Observe speed limits .
~ Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
~ Always apply brakes early.
~ Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con ­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent poss ible and permiss i­
ble, wh ile keeping the trailer as light as poss i­
ble under the circumstances . Whenever possi-
Trailer towing 203
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle load ing
considerations.
Speed
T he higher the speed, the mo re difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissib le speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -particularly
when going downhill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing trai lers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downhi ll, shift into a lower gear to use the en ­
gine braking effect to s low the vehicle. Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperatu re gauge <=> page 12
must be observed carefu lly. The coolant tem ­
perature can increase if you drive on long in­
clines in a low gear at high engine speeds. Re­
duce your speed immediately if the LEDs in
the top part of the display turn on.
For more information about indicator lights,
refer to .<=>
page 20.
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident. Never let anyone ride in your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
provided by Audi.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles d ifferently when towing
a trailer because of the additional weight and ..,.
•
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Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your
vehicle's val ue . It can also be a requirement
when submitting warranty claims for corro­
sion damage and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your a uthorized Audi dea ler . Read and
follow the instructions for use on the packag­ ing.
A WARNING
- Us ing clean ing and care products incor­
rect ly can be dangerous to your hea lth .
- Always store cleaning and care products
out of reach of children to reduce the r isk
of po isoning.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and
care products with household trash.
-
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road sa lt rema in on the
veh icle, the more the surface can be dam­
aged . High tempe ratures such as those
caused by sunlight increase the damag ing ef­
fect .
Before washing, rinse off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water .
Stubborn depos its s uch as bird dropp ings or
tree sap are best removed with plenty of wa­
ter and a m icrof iber cloth.
A lso, wash the underside of your vehicle once
road salt stops be ing used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icles w ith a pressure
washer, always fo llow the operating instr uc­
tions provided with the pressure washer. This is especially important in regard to the pres -
Care and cleanin g 205
sur e and sp raying distance. Do not aim the
spray direct ly at sea ls on side windows, doors,
the hood, the rear lid or the sunroof* or at
tires, rubber hoses, insulating material, sen­
sors* or camera lenses*. Keep a d istance of at
least 16 inches (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rotary nozzles or h igh pressure noz­
zles .
T he wate r temperature m ust not be above
140
° F (60 °().
Automatic car washes
Spray off t he ve hicle before washing .
Make sure that the w indows and roof* are
closed and the winds hield wipers are off. Fol­
low instructions from the car wash operator,
especially if there are accessories attached to
you r vehicle .
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean t he ve hicle starting from the top and
working down us ing a soft sponge or cleaning
brush. Use solvent-free clean ing products .
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing,
first remove dust and large particles from
your vehicle. Insects, grease spots and finger­
pri nts are best removed w ith a spec ial cleane r
for matte finish paint .
Apply the product us ing a microfiber cloth. To
avo id damaging the paint surface, do not use
too much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft mi­
crofiber cloth.
Rinse the ve hic le thoroughly again and let it
air dry . Remove any water residue using a
shammy.
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206 Care and cleaning
_& WARNING
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition
is off and follow the instructions from
the car wash operator to reduce the risk
of accidents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect your­
self from sharp meta l components when
wash ing the underbody or the inside of
the wheel housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking ef­
fect may be de layed due to mo isture on
the brake rotors or ice in the winter. The
brakes must be dried first with a few
careful brake applicat ions .
@ Note
- If you wash t he vehicle in an automatic
ca r wash, you must fold the exterior m ir­
r o rs in to reduce the r isk of damage to
t h e m irrors. Power foldi ng exterior m ir­
r o rs* must on ly be folded in and o ut us­
i ng the p ower folding function.
- To prevent pa int damage, do not wash
t h e ve hicle in direc t sunli ght. -
To reduce the ris k of damage to the sur ­
face, do not use insect removing spong­
es, kitchen sponges or similar items.
- Matte finish painted veh icle compo­
nents:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the
surface, do not use polishi ng agen ts or
h a rd wax.
- Never use protect ive wax. It can de­
stroy the matte fi nish effec t.
- Do not place any stickers o r mag net ic
s igns on vehicle parts painted w ith
matte fi nish pa int. The paint cou ld be
d amaged when the sticke rs o r mag nets
ar e removed. @ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the ve hicl e in facilities spec ia lly
de signed for that purpose. This will red uce
the r is k of dirty w ater contam ina ted with
oi l from entering the sewer sys tem.
Cleaning and care information
When clea ning and ca rin g for individua l vehi­
cle components, refer to the fo llow ing tab les.
The informa tion con taine d there is s imp ly rec­
ommendations. Fo r quest ions or for compo -nents that ar
e not listed, refer to an author­
i z ed Audi dea ler. Also follow the in format io n
f o und in¢ ,&..
Exterior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Wind shield wip-
Deposi ts ¢ page 51, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
er blade s
H eadlights /
Deposits Soft sponge with a m ild soap solutiona>
Tail lights
Sensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with a so lvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol-free cleaning
so lution
Snow/ ice Hand brush/solvent -free de -icing spray
Wheels Road sa lt Water
Brake d ust Acid-free special cleaning so lution
E x haust ta il Road sa lt Water, cleaning solut ion sui table fo r sta inless steel, if
pipes necessary

208 Care and cleaning
Component Situ ation Solution
Tex tile s,
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
art ifi cial l eather , the surface
Alcan ta ra Water-based depos- Absorbent cloth and m
ild soap so lution a>
its such as coffee,
tea, blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Apply
a mild soap solut ion a>, blot away the dissolved oil
such as oil, make- or dye, treat afterward w ith water, if necessary
up, etc.
Special deposits Special stain remover, blot with absorbent material,
such as ink, nail pol-treat afterward with mild soap so lution, if necessary a)
ish, latex paint, shoe
polish, etc.
Natu ral leathe r Fresh stains Wool
cloth with a mi ld soap so lutiona >
Water-based depos- Fresh stains: absorbent cloth its such as coffee, Dr ied stains: stain remover suitable for leather
tea, blood, etc.
Oi l-based deposits Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
such as oil, make- for leather
up, etc . dried stains: Oil clean ing spray
Special deposits Spot remover suitable for leathe r
such as ink, nail po l-
ish, latex paint, shoe
polish, etc.
Ca re Regularly apply cond it io ni ng cream that protects from
light and penetrates into the mater ia l. Use spec ially-
co lored! conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carb on p art s Deposits clean th e same way as plastic parts
a) Mi ld soap solution: maximu m two tablespoons of neutral soap in 1 quart (l liter) of water
_& WARNING
The windsh ie ld may not be treated with
water-repelling windshield coating agents .
Unfavorab le conditions such as wetness,
darkness, or low sun can result in in­
creased glare. Wiper blade chatter is also
possible .
([) Note
-Headlight s/tail li ght s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights
w ith a dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that
conta ins alcohol, because they could
cause cracks to form.
-
- Whee ls
- Never use any pa int polish or other
abrasive materials.
- Damage to the protective layer on the
rims s uch as stone chips or scratches
must be repaired immediately.
- Sen sors/ cam era len ses
-Never use warm or hot water to re-
move snow or ice from the camera
lens. This could cause the lens to crack.
- Never use abrasive cleaning mater ials
or alcohol to clean the camera lens.
This could cause scratches and cracks.
-Door windo ws
-Remove snow and ice on windows and
exter ior mirrors with a plastic scrape r.

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To avoid scratches, move the scraper only in one direction and not back and
forth.
- Never remove snow or ice from door
windows and mirrors using warm or
hot water because this could cause
cracks to form.
- To avoid damage to the rear window
defogger, do not apply any stickers on
the heating wires on the inside of the
window.
- Decorative parts/trim
- Never use chrome care or cleaning
products.
-Paint
- To reduce the risk of scratches, the ve-
hicle must be free of dirt and dust be­
fore polishing or waxing.
- To prevent paint damage, do not polish
or wax the vehicle in direct sunlight.
- To reduce the risk of paint damage, do
not polish away rust spots.
- Remove cosmetics and sunscreen im­
mediately · these could damage the
paint.
- Displays
-To avoid scratches, do not use dry
cleaning methods on displays.
- Controls
- Make sure that no fluids enter the con-
trols, because this could cause dam­
age.
- Safety belts
- Do not remove the safety belts to clean
them.
- Never clean safety belts or their com­
ponents chemically or with corrosive
fluids or solvents and never allow sharp objects to come into contact
with the safety belts. This could cause damage to the belt webbing .
- If there is damage to the webbing, the
connections, the retractors or the buck ­
les, have them replaced by an author­
ized dealer .
-Textiles/artificial leather/Alcantara
Care and cleaning 209
- Never treat artificial leather/Alcantara
with leather care products, solvents,
floor polish, shoe polish, spot remove
or similar products.
- Have a specialist remove stubborn
stains to prevent damage.
- Never use steam cleaners, brushes,
hard sponges, etc. when cleaning.
- Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry
the seat.
- Objects with sharp edges such as zip­
pers, rivets on clothing or belts can
cause damage to the surface.
- Open hook and loop fasteners, for ex­
ample on clothing, can damage seat
covers. Make sure hook and loop fas­
teners are closed .
-Natural leather
- Never treat leather with solvents, floor
polish, shoe polish, spot remover or
similar products.
- Objects with sharp edges such as zip­
pers, rivets on clothing or belts can
cause damage to the surface.
-Never use steam cleaners, brushes,
hard sponges, etc. when cleaning.
- Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry
the seat .
- To help prevent the leather from fad­
ing, do not leave the vehicle in direct
sunlight for long periods of time.
If
leaving the vehicle parked for long pe­
riods of time, you should cover the
leather to protect it from direct sun­
light.
(D Tips
- Insects are easier to remove from paint
that has been freshly waxed.
- Regular waxing can prevent rust spots
from forming.
•
•
•

210 Checking and Filling
Checking and Filling
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Applies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
Using the right fuel helps keep the environ­
ment clean and prevents engine damage .
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recommended for your vehicle is un­
leaded premium
grade gasoline . Audi recom­
mends using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline
with a minimum octane rating of91 AKI (95
RON) . For more information on TOP TIER De ­
tergent Gasol ine, please go to the official
website (www .toptiergas.com).
The recommended gasoline octane rating for
your engine can also be found on a label locat­
ed on the ins ide of the fuel filler flap. This rat­
ing may be specified as AKI or RON .
Your vehicle may also be operated using un­
leaded regular gasoline with a minimum oc ­
tane rating of 87 AKI/91 RON . However, using
87 AKI/91 RON octane fuel w ill slightly re­
duce engine performance.
Use unleaded gasoline only. Unleaded gaso­
line is available throughout the USA, Canada,
and in most European countries. We recom­
mend that you do not take your vehicle to
areas or countries where unleaded gasoline
may not be available.
For more information on refueling your vehi­
cle, see
~ page 212.
Octane rating
Octane rating ind icates a gasoline's ability to
res ist engine damaging "knock" caused by
premature ign ition and detonation . Therefore,
buying the correct grade of gasoline is very
important to help prevent possible engine
damage and a loss of engine performance.
Gasoline most commonly used in the United
States and Canada has the following octane
r atings that can usually be found on the filler
pump : - Premium Grade: 91
-96 AKI
- Regular Grade: 87 -90 AKI
Explanation of the abbreviations:
AKI= Anti Knock Index= (R+M)/2 = (RON
+MON)/2
RON= Research Octane Number
MON = Motor Octane Number .
@ Note
-Do not use any fuel w ith octane ratings
lower than 87 AKI or 91 RON otherwise
expensive engine damage w ill occur.
- Do
not use leaded gasoline. The use of
leaded gasoline will severely damage
your vehicle's catalytic converter and its
ability to control exhaust emissions.
Blended gasoline
Applies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or
MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unleaded gasoline blended with
alcohol or MTBE (commonly referred to as
oxygenates) if the blended mixture meets the
following criteria:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
-Anti-knock index must be 87 AK I or higher.
- Blend must contain no more than 3% meth-
anol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co-sol-
vents.
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol
or ethyl alcohol)
-Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must not contain more than 15%
ethanol.
Blend of gasoline and MTBE
-Anti-knoc k index must be 87 AK I or higher.
- Blend must contain not more than 15%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline