Recently bought a 2016 red/gray interior A3 Cabriolet. Very pleased. It was hard to find but my PA dealership located one of the few 1.8's in North Carolina, had it shipped up here and we are very happy with it. One question. While I'm washing the car or doing something else with it, I like to play the sound system on accessory. I can't seem to find an accessory setting. I press the start button, all dash icons come on for a couple seconds and then go off, except for the yellow engine light. Is that the accessory setting? Is it okay to leave that on for an hour or so as though it were the first click with an ignition key ACC setting? Also, the "courtesy lights" remain on during this time. Any way I can manually turn them off while ACC is on? Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer me.

 

I have 2015 A3 Cab. When radio turns off press the RADIO button on the center console forward & the radio (audio) system will reactivate. Do not know if it will stay on when you open the driver door or how long it will play. Never tried to do anything re courtesy lights.

 

Worked like a charm, Greasykid. Haven't encountered an automatic time limit/shut off yet. Ipod, etc. also continue to operate. Great! Still would like to get those courtesy lights off. This is the A3's equivalent of an ACC setting.

 

Also, courtesy lights can be turned off manually (turn light mode selection switch from auto to O off). Now, that's a true ACC feature, provided it doesn't automatically shut down after 15 minutes or whatever, to mitigate against operator error. I don't think it will. That solves my problem. Thank you again.

 

There is one other possibility. If everything is turned off and MMI is retracted, press the start button once without having your foot on the brake. The car will not start, but MMI will raise and accessories will go on. That has same functionality as with a key that has an accessory position. I did that when I updated the map info in the MMI and the update in the car took over 25 minutes to complete. nothing shut off until I pressed the start button again.

 

Thanks. Will try that after lunch. I knew there had to be some version of an ACC setting. Even the most modest car has one.