
VEHICLE CA
RE---------------------------------------------------
Adding engine oil
A Always heed all WA RNINGS
r!!J on page 232.
• Turn off the engine.
• Unscrew the oil cap from the cylinder
head cover.
• Add oil by a half quart (half liter) at a time.
• Check the oil level with the dipstick.
:236 The
oil level must never be above the
"a .. range.
Otherwise oil could be drawn into the crank
case breather and get into the atmosphere
through the exhaust system. The oil
would bum then In the catalytic con
verter and cause damage.
� WARNING
Spilled oil is a fire hazard. The oil
filler cap must be secure to avoid
an oil spill.
• Carefully screw the oil cap back on and in
sert the oil dipstick all the way. Otherwise
oil could leak out when the engine is run
ning. Changing
the engine oil
The engine oil must be changed according
to the intervals specified in your Mainte
nance booklet.
This is very important because the lubricat
ing properties of oil diminish gradually dur
ing normal vehicle use.
Under some circumstances the engine oil
should be changed more frequently.
Change oil more often if you drive mostly
short distances, operate the vehicle in dusty
areas or under predominantly stop-and-go
traffic conditions, or have your vehicle
where temperatures remain below freezing
for exte nded periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make
fresh oil look dark after the engine has been
running for a short time. This is normal and
is not a reason to change the oil more often
than recommended.

---------------------------------------------------VEHICLE CA
RE
�W ARNING
• If you must change the engine
oil in your vehicle:
• Wear eye protection.
• To reduce the risk of burns from
hot engine oil let the engine cool
down to the touch.
• When removing the oil drain
plug with your fingers, stay as far
away as possible. Always keep
your forearm parallel to the
ground to help prevent hot oil
from running down your arm.
• Drain the oil into a container de�
signed for this purpose, one large
enough to hold at least the total
amount of oil in your engine. ,A
WARNING continued
• Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it
well out of the reach of children.
• Continuous contact with used
engine oil is harmful to your skin.
Always protect your skin by wash
ing thoroughly with soap and wa
ter. �
BefoN changing your oil, first
make sure you know where you
can properly dispose of the old oil.
Always dispose of used engine oil
proper ly. Do not dump it on garden
soil, wooded areas, Into open
streams or down sewage drains.
Recycle used engine oi l by taking it
to a used engine oil collection facil
ity in your area, or contact a service
station.
Because of the problem of proper
disposal, along with the special
tools and necessary expertise re
quired, we strongly recommend that
you have your oil changed by an au
thorized Audi Dealer or a qualified
workshop.
Always heed all WA RNINGS
on page 232.
237

VEHICLE CA
RE----------------------------------------------------
Engine cooling system
The cooling system is sealed and generally
requires little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the
factory with a permanent coolant which
does not need to be changed. The coolant
consists of a mixture of water and the
man ufacturer's coolant additive G 12 ABD
-ant ifreeze on a glycol base with anti-corro
sion additives (50% for USA models; 60o/o
for Canadian models). This mixture assures
the necessary frost protection and protects
alloy components in the engine's cooling
system from corrosion and scaling. It also
raises the boiling point of the coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the cool
ant in the summer by adding plain water.
The proportion of coolant additive
must be at least 500fa but not more
than 600fa to maintain antifreeze protec
tion and cooling efficiency.
238 For
year-r ound driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
-31 °F (-35 °C) USA
-40 °F (-40 °C) Canada.
g Always heed all WA RNINGS
E!!1 on page 232.
Never use eny coolant additive
other than our G12 ABD additive
(check label) for your vehicle. This
coolant additive is available at au
thorized Audi Dealers.
Other types of antifreeze can. above
all. significantly reduce corrosion
protection. The resulting corrosion
can cause a loss of coolant and
therefore serious engine damage. When
adding coolant additive to
your cooling system. please remem
ber:
Under no circumstances may G12
ABD be mixed with other coolant ad
ditives (for example G 11 ).
You can recognize G12 ABD in the
expansion tank by its red color. If
the liquid in the expansion tank is
brown, G 12 ABD has been mixed
with another coolant additive. In
this case. your vehicle's coolant
must be changed as soon as pos
sible.
Note
Mixing coolant additives can result
in serious malfunction or engine
damage!

Checking the
engine coolant
level
The coolant expansion tank is located on the
left of the engine compartment -see il
lustration.
The coolant level is automatically monitored
by the Auto-Check System -see page 141.
However, it is still recommended to check
the coolant lev�l visually from time to time
and always before going on a longer trip.
�W ARNING
To reduce the risk of being burned.
never open the hood if you see or
hear steam or coolant escaping
from the engine compartment.
Wait until no steam or coolant can
be seen or heard before carefully
opening the hood and following
the precautions on the next page.
Always heed all WA RNINGS
on page 232. To
obtain an accurate reading, the engine
must be switched off.
Since the expa nsion tank is transparent, the
cap need not be removed to check the cool
ant level.
The coolant level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" marks when the en
gine is cold and can be slig htly above the
"MAX" mark if the engine is warm. VE
HICLE CARE
The expansion tank in your vehicle is
equipped with an electric coolant level
checking device.
When the coolant level is too low, the warn
ing light (see page 141) in the Auto-Check
System will blink until you add coolant and
the coolant level has been restored to nor
mal.
Coolant losses
Coolant losses may indicate a leak in the
cooling system. In the event of coolant
losses, the cooling system should be in
spected immediately by your authorized
Audi Dealer. It is not enough merely to add
coolant.
In a sealed system, losses can occur only if
the boiling point of the coolant is exceeded
as a result of overheating.
239

VE
HICLE CA
RE----------------------------------------------------
Brake fluid
The brake fluid reservo ir is located on the
left of the plenum chamber at the back of
the engine compartm ent.
242 Checking
brake fluid level
The correct fluid level is important for the
proper functioning of the brake system. The
fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir should
always be between the "MAX" and
"MIN" markings.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads. This is no cause for alarm.
• If the brake fluid level falls con
siderably below the "MIN"
mark, the brake warning light will
coma on. Do not continue to operate
the vehicle. The complete brake sys
tem should be thoroughly checked
by an authorized Audi Dealer or
another qualified workshop and the
cause corrected.
The brake warning lamp lights up to indicate
a low fluid level in the reservoir.
For more details see "Warning I Ind icator
lights," page 126.
Contact an authorized Audi Dealer
immediately. Changing
brake fluid
The brake fluid reservoir can be dif
ficult to reach, therefore, we recom
mend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your authorized Audi
Dealer. Your dealer has the correct
tools and know-how to do this for
you.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
high, corrosion in the brake system may re
sult after a period of time. The boiling point
of the brake fluid will also decrease consid
erably.

VEHICLE CA
RE----------------------------------------------------
When disconnecting and
connecting the battery ...
When you disconnect the vehicle battery
please note the following:
- some data stored in the driver informa-
tion system are erased,
- the clock goes out,
- the factory installed radio locks up,
- the Engine management system,
- the one-touch-u p and one-touch-down
functions of the power windows no lon
ger work,
- all stored seat positions in the memory*
are erased.
Af teryou reconnect the battery, you must
reset the clock. � page 118.
You also have to reset the Engine manage
ment system -see "Starter Switch "
�pa ge 113.
You also have to reset the one-touch-up and
one-touch�down feature on power win
dows -see "Power windows "
�p age 71.
248 You
have also reset the seat memory* -see
"Seats"
� page 81.
The radio must be re-coded with the correct
radio code - see your radio Operating In
structions.
Replacement battery
A replacement battery must have the same
specifications and dimensions as the origi
nal equipment battery. Specifications are
listed on the battery housing.
When installing the battery, make sure the
ignition and all electrical consumers are
switched off.
r.Gb. Because of the problem of �proper di
sposal of a battery, we
recommend that you have your au
thorized Audi Dealer change the
battery for you. Batteries contain
sulfuric acid and lead and must al
ways be disp osed of properly ob
serving all environmental regula
tions. Air
cleaner
A dir ty air cleaner element not only reduces
the engine output and increases fuel con
sumption considerably but can also cause
premature engine wear.
Normally, it is not necessary to service the
air cleaner more often than recommended
in the Maintenance booklet. If the vehicle is
driven on very dusty roads, the air cleaner
must be serviced more frequently, even dai
ly.
If your air cleaner element must be
changed mora frequently, we rec
ommend that you have the air clean
er serviced by your authorized Audi
Dealer or a qualified workshop.
The air cleaner element must never
be cleaned or soaked with gasoline,
cleaning solvents or oil.
g Always heed all WARN INGS
t!!3 on page 232.

VEHICLE
CARE-------------------------
Tires I Wheels
Tires are important but often abused parts
of a vehicle. They not only influence comfort
and ride, but perform vital safety functio �s.
This section is intended to provide you w1th
imp ortant information regarding their prop
er use, care and replacement.
• Be sure to inspect your tires at least ev
ery 2,000 miles (3 000 kilometres) for wear
and damage.
• Damage to wheels and tires is not always
easy to see. If you believe that a tire or
wheel has been damaged, it is best to have
it replaced as soon as possible. Internal tire
damage can never get better or ': heal" it
self, it can only get worse over t1me. Tire
damage can lead to tire failure and loss of
vehicle control. See your authonzed Aud1
Dealer for advice and assistance.
• Mark tires before removing them. Re
mount tires on the same vehicle side be
cause the rotation direction must stay the
same.
252 •
Store removed tires in a cool, dry and pre
ferably dark place. Tires which are not on
wheels should be stored standing up.
• New tires may have different tread
depths due to the configuration and des!gn
by the tire manufacturers. When replacing
tires, use ones with matching tread depth.
�W ARNING
• Tires age even if they are not be
ing used. Tires which are more
than 6 years should be used only in
an emergency and then with cau
tion.
• Avoid damaging tires and wheel
rims. If you must drive over a curb
or other obstacle, drive slowly and
as nearly as possible at a right
angle. Frequently check tires for
uneven wear and damage. M
WARNIN G continued
• Remove embedded material.
• Replace worn or damaged tires
immediately.
• Replace missing valve dust
caps.
• Keep oil, fuel, brake fluid, etc.
away from tires.
• Keep tires inflated correctly.
New tires
New tires tend to be slippery and cannot of
ferfull traction until they have been properly
broken in.
�W ARNING
To help avoid loss of control, al
ways operate a vehicle with new
tires at lower speeds and with spe
cial caution for the first 300 miles
(480 kilometres).

-------------------------VEHICLE
CARE
Te mperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
8, and C, repres enting the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi
pate heat when tested under contro lled con
ditions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temJ)erature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive tempera
ture can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corres ponds to a level of perfor
mance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Sta ndard No. 1 09. Grades Band A represent
higher levels of performance on the laborato
ry test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
�W ARNIN G
The temperature grade for this tire
is est ablished for a tire that is
properly inflated and not over
loaded. Excessive speed, under
inflation, or excessive loading, ei
ther separately or in combination,
can causa heat buildup and pos
sible tire failure. Wheel
replacement
If you wish to equip your vehicle with tires
or wheels other than those installed at the
factory, please note the following:
• For technical reasons it is not al
ways possible to use wheels from
other vehicles -under certain condi
tions not even wheels from the same
vehicle model.
• Wheel rims and wheel bolts are
matched to fit your Audi. When
installing different wheels (for ax
ample, wheels with winter tires), the
correct wheel bolts with the proper
length and conical shape of the bolt
head must be used. The secure fit of
the wheels and the proper function
ing of the brake system and safety
are dependent upon this.
• Wheel rims and wheal bolts are
matched to fit your Audi. •
Before you plan on exchanging
steel wheels, light alloy wheals, or
winter tires already mounted on
wheel rims, consult your authorized
Audi Dealer. They have the technical
information necessary to advise you
which wheal rims and wheel bolts
are compatible with the original fac
tory installations.
1ft WARNING
• Incorrect tire/wheel parts may
cause an accident and personal in
jury. Such parts will adversely af
fect the safe operation of your ve
hicle. Always use tires, wheel rims
and wheel bolts that meat specifi
cations of the original factory
installed equipment.
• If wheel trim discs or a front
spoiler are Installed, make sura the
airflow for cooling the brakes is
not obstructed.
259