Audi Q3 Dashboard Warning Lights

On this page you’ll find the dashboard warning lights for the Audi Q3. In general, red warning lights indicates a severe and urgent issue that should be looked at immediately. The Audi Q3 dashboard warning lights detailed below explain what each symbol means, along with the appropriate action to take based on Audi’s recommendation.

Central Indicator Light
The red or yellow triangle containing an exclamation mark is the Audi Q3 central indicator warning light. The warning light comes on in red for urgent messages, or yellow for less urgent. The red or yellow triangle may come on along with other warning lights.

Transmission Warning Light
The Audi Q3 transmission warning light comes on indicating an issue with the gearbox. If the red cog symbol illuminates with a malfunction message, stop as soon as possible and do not continue driving. Contact Audi support. The red light may also illuminate if the transmission is too hot. Yellow symbols indicate temperature or minor faults where you can continue driving.

Drive System Warning Light
The car and exclamation mark symbol is the Audi Q3 drive system warning light. It’s a generic light meaning there’s lot’s of possible faults. Diagnostic equipment is required to read stored fault codes. If the red drive system warning light comes on, safely stop, switch off the engine and do not continue driving. Contact an Audi workshop. If the yellow light comes on, you can continue driving, but have vehicle check quickly.

Parking Brake Warning Light
The red symbol illuminates when the parking brake has been set and the yellow warning light illuminates when there’s a fault with the parking brake. You can continue driving but avoid parking on a slopes.

Power Steering Warning Light
The red Audi Q3 power steering warning light means there’s a total failure in the system. Significant force is required to steer the vehicle. It’s advised that you park the vehicle, stop driving and contact an Audi workshop. The yellow power steering warning light indicates a partial failure with the power steering system. Continued driving is possible.

Steering Lock Warning Light
The red Audi Q3 steering lock warning light means the steering lock has a significant malfunction and the vehicle cannot be started. Do not tow the vehicle as steering is not possible. If the yellow steering lock comes on, it means there’s a partial failure and driving is still possible.

Brake Warning Light
The red Audi Q3 brake warning light comes on, it means there’s a fault with the vehicle brake system. If a malfunction message appears, do not continue driving. If a brake booster message appears, it means you’ll need to use more pressure on the brake pedal to slow or stop the vehicle. If the ESC, ABS and Brake warning lights all come on, it means ABS, ESC and brake force distribution have failed. Do not continue driving. Brake force distribution is intended to improve brake performance by varying the brake pressure on each wheel.

Battery Warning Light
The Audi Q3 red battery warning light indicates a serious fault where continued driving may damage the engine. The engine cooling system may not operate as expected. Pull off the road and switch off the engine – contact an Audi workshop. If the yellow battery warning light comes on, it means there’s a low battery charge that may be due to a failing alternator, broken / loose belt. Switch off any electrical devices that are not needed and make your way to the nearest vehicle repair shop.

Oil Pressure Warning Light
The Audi Q3 red oil pressure light comes on when pressure inside the engine is low and not enough to support engine lubrication. If driving, stop as soon as safe to do so and switch off the engine. Low oil level can sometimes trigger the oil pressure light. Check oil levels. If there’s is the recommended oil level, do not continue driving. If you added oil, only continue driving if the warning light goes off.

Cooling System Warning Light
The Audi Q3 comes on when the engine is too hot. Allowing the engine to idle for a few minutes will let the engine cool down. If the light remains on, switch off the engine. After several minutes, check engine coolant levels and top up if required. Only continue driving if the light goes off. Use only coolant type G12++ (TL774G) or G13 (TL774).

Loose Wheel Bolts Warning Light
The red loose wheel bolts light comes on your Audi dashboard when the ABS sensors has detected that vibration characteristics of one of the wheels is determined abnormal. Check wheels as soon as possible. After you have checked the wheel bolts, the yellow ‘assessment’ phase begins to check that the wheel is secure. The assessment phase only operates when the vehicle is in motion.

Distance Warning Light
The Audi distance warning light comes on when driving speeds above approximately 40 mph (65 km/h) and the vehicle distance ahead is deemed too close. The distance warning threshold can be adjusted or switched off in the Multi-Media Interface / Driver assistance.

Automatic Braking Warning Light
The Audi Q3 has a ‘Safe Start’ system that detects nearby objects and warns with this dashboard light when moving off. This light also comes on as a warning due to the automatic braking system detecting an object that you’re approaching too fast.

Lane Departure Warning Light
The Audi Q3 has a lane departure warning system that warns the driver with this red symbol that the lane you intend on occupying has another vehicle in it. If the symbol is white, it means the system is on but not ready to provide warnings, if it’s green, it means the system is ready to provide warnings.

Airbag Warning Light
The Audi Q3 airbag warning light should go off shortly after engine ignition. If it stays on or comes on while driving, it means there’s a fault with the airbag / SRS system. This is sometimes due to something getting lodged inside the seat belt buckle or a cable under the front seats becoming dislodged.

Engine Start Malfunciton Warning Light
The Audi Q3 engine start system malfunction warning light illuminates with a yellow key when a fault has been detected. Faults can relate to the engine start stop button, ignition barrel, or fault with the key fob.

ESC Warning Light
The Audi Q3 electronic stability control (ESC) system stabilises the vehicle when cornering, controlling understeer and oversteer. It also prevent wheelspin to increase traction. The system relies on ABS sensors and any faults can relate to this. The ESC warning flashes when the system is operating and stays on when there’s a fault.

ABS Warning Light
The Audi Q3 ABS system control wheel locking during braking. It helps a driver to continue to steer the vehicle which is due to the wheels not locking. If the ABS light comes on, it means this feature is not operational, normal brakes will remain unaffected and you can continue to drive. Typical faults are due to one of the ABS sensors located at each wheel.

All Wheel Drive Warning Light
This warning light comes on when the Audi Q3 all wheel drive system has a fault. The all wheel drive system varies power to the rear and front to improve driving characteristics. You can continue driving. If the system is overheating, slow down or stop the vehicle until the warning light goes off.

Engine Speed Limiter Warning Light
The engine speed limiter reduces engine speed to prevent overheating. Once the engine is no longer at the critical temperature and you have slowed down, the warning light will go off.

Brake Pads Warning Light
This warning light comes on when the brake pad limit of your Audi Q3 has been reached. Replace the brake pads as soon as possible. There’s usually approximately 1000 miles worth of brake pad remaining by the time the warning light comes on, though this is dependent on driving style.

Engine Oil Level Warning Light
This warning light comes on when the oil level in your engine is too low. You can continue driving but before driving again, top up your engine with approved oil.

Check Engine Warning Light
The Audi Q3 check engine warning light, or engine malfunction warning light (MIL) comes on when poor exhaust emissions have been detected.  There a numerous faults that can trigger the engine warning light and due to this, diagnostic equipment is required to read fault codes. You can usually continue driving with the engine warning light on, but if it starts flashing, it may indicate an engine misfire which has the potential to damage the catalytic converter. If the light is flashing, reduce speed and avoid high engine load. If it continues to flash, have your vehicle inspected immediately.

Tyre Pressure Warning Light
The Audi Q3 tyre pressure warning light comes on when one or more tyres has a pressure that is under the stored values. The light will flash if there’s a fault with the system. If the light flashes, but the tyre pressures are correct, try storing the pressures again. After you alter pressures, the new values must be stored in the system. To store the Audi Q3 tyre pressures:

1. Switch the ignition on.
2. Select on the home screen: VEHICLE
3. then Settings & Service
4. then Tyre pressure monitoring
5. and Store tyre pressure
6. At the options, select Yes, store now.

Start Stop Warning Light
To help reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, the Audi Q3 uses an automatic engine start stop system. When the engine enters stop mode, the green ‘A’ symbol illuminates on the dashboard. If the system is unavailable, the symbol with a strike is displayed For the possible reasons why your Audi Q3 engine auto stop is not working, see Audi Q3 start stop not working.