2008 AUDI A4 AVANT engine coolant

Checking and filling -
-----------------------------==--------=--
& WARNING (continued)
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
•
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the strut is
reduced.
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push
it shut; it may fail to engage =:>& .
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of
injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS . The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
=> & .
• I I • • I
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood:
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key .
• Apply the parking brake.
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to
"P" (Park);
put manual transmission in Neutral.
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm . The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary: -Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire .
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine
is running or being started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
.,_
Vehicle care

Checking and filling -
------------ ----=---a::;;._...a
©
©
(i)
Coolant expansion tank ( ... L) ...... ... .. ..... .. ... .
Windshield/headlight washer container
( 0 ) ...... . .
Power steering reservoir (green cap)
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 273. •
Applies to vehicles: with 6 -cy lin d er engine
3.2 liter , 6-cylinder engine (255 hp)
281
291
241
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig . 206 Engine compartment: 3 .2 liter , 6-cylinder
CD
0
©
Battery .. ............... ... .. ...... .... ...... .
Brake fluid reservoir (
... ) . .. ... ... .... .... ...... .
Coo lant expansion tank
(J _)
285
284
281
©
©
©
(i)
Engine oil filler cap ( Engine oil dipstick (orange) .. .... ..... ... .... ... .
Windshield/headlight washer container
( O ) ... .... .
Power steering reservoir (green cap)
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 273. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
278
277
291
241
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of
oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated powerplant that was built
to exacting specifications . This engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding quality and viscosity
so that it can run smoothly and re liably . Choosing the right oil and
changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your
vehicle's Maintenance
& Warranty booklet matters a lot more today
than it did years ago. Audi has developed a special quality standard
f or engine oil that wil l help assure that your vehicle's engine wi ll get
the lubrication it needs for proper operation .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years. Many synthetic oils available today provide better engine
lubrication that can outlast traditional petroleum-based oils,
making them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi .
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum -based engine oil, the oil
that you use must conform to Audi's oi l quality standard VW 502 00
to help keep your vehicle 's engine running smoothly and help
.,_
Ve hic le care Technical data

-~_C_ h_ e_c _k _ i_n ..::g :..._ a_n_ d_ f_il _li _n_, g=-----------------------------------------------
Under some circumstances the engine oi l should be changed more
frequen tly . Change oil m ore often if you drive most ly shor t
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predom i­
n ant ly stop -and -go traffic conditions , or have yo ur vehicle whe re
temperatures remain below freezing for extended periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has bee n run nin g fo r a sh ort time. This is nor mal and is not
a reason to change the oi l more often than recommended .
Beca use of the proble m of p roper d isposal, along wi th the s pec ia l
tools and necessary expertise required, we strongly recommend
t hat yo u have your oi l ch anged by an authorized
Audi dealer or a
qua lified serv ice stat ion .
If you choose to change your o il yourself , please note the follow ing
i mportan t informatio n:
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury if you must change the engine
oil in your vehicle yourself :
• Wear eye prote ction .
• To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine oil , let the engine
c ool down to the touch .
• When removing the oil drain plug with your fingers, stay as far
away as po ssible . Always keep your forearm parallel to the ground
to help prevent hot oil from running down your arm.
• Drain the oil into a container designed for this purpose , one
large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in your engine.
• Engine oil is poisonous . Keep it well out of the rea ch of ch ildren .
• Continuous contact with used engine oil is harmful to your
skin . Always prote ct your skin by washing oil off thoroughly with
soap and water.
0 Note
Never m ix o il add it ives w ith your engine o il. These add it ives can
damage you r engine and adversely affect your A udi Limited New
Ve hicle Warranty.
'i> For the sake of the environment
• B efore chang ing you r oil, fi rst make sure you k now w here you
can properly dispose of the used o il.
• Always dispose o f used eng ine oil properly. Do not dump it o n
garden soi l, wooded areas, into open st reams or down sewage
drains .
• Recycle used engine oi l by ta king it to a used engine oi l collec ­
tion fac ility in your area, or contac t a service stat io n .•
Engine cooling system
Coolant
T he engine coolan t performs two fun ctions: it keeps the
engine from overhe ating and it pr otec ts the engine from
f reez ing i n th e win ter.
Th e cooling system is sea led and general ly requires l itt le attention.
T he coo ling system has been fi lled at the factory with a permanent
coo la nt which does not need to be c hange d. The c oolan t consis ts of
a mixture of water and the manufacturer's glycol -based coolant
additive G12 + an tifreeze wi th anticorros io n add itives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian models). This mixture both assures the
necessary frost protection and protects me tal components in the
engine's cool ing system from corrosion and scaling . It also raises
the boiling poi nt of the coolant .
Do n ot reduce t he co ncentration o f the coolan t in the su mmer by
adding plain water .
The proportion of coolant additive must be at .,_

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c
_ k_in -= g_a
_ n_d _ f_il _li _n ..;::g ;;.___..
le as t 50 % but not more th an 60 % to maintain antifreeze protection
and cooling efficiency . If the coolant frost protection is too low, the
coolant could freeze and damage the vehic le heating and engine
cooling system.
For year -round driving, antifreeze is added at the factory for temper­
atures down to :
•
-31 °F (- 35 °C) USA
•
-40 °F ( -40 °C) Canada.
You can mix the G12 + coolant additive with other additives (for
examp le G11 or G12) . Always check with your authorized Audi
dea ler.
& WARNING
Bef ore you check anything in the eng ine comp artm ent , a lw ays
re ad and h eed all W ARNING S
=> & in "Worki ng in the engine
c ompartm en t" on
page 273.
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold. If necessary, increase the proportion of coolant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system,
remember :
-We recommend using only coolant additive G12 + (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coo lant additive is avai lable at autho ­
rized Audi dealers . Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protect ion. The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage.
• Do no t add any type of radiator leak sealan t to you r vehicle's
engine coolant . Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the function and performance of your cooling system and could result
in damage not covered by yo ur New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
F ig . 211 E ngine
co mpa rtm ent: Co olan t
e xp an sion tan k
Before you che ck a ny thing in the e ng ine compar tmen t,
alway s read and heed all
WARNINGS => & in "Working in
t h e engine compartment" on
page 273.
Turn off the ignitio n.
Let the engine cool down.
P lace a t hick rag over the coo lant expans ion tank
=> fig. 211 and carefully twist the cap counter-clockwise
=>& . ...
Ve hic le care irechnical data

___ C_ h_ e_c _k _ i_n ~g _ a_n_ d_ f_il _li _n_ g~--------------------------------------------
-Read the engine coolant level in the open coolant expan­
sion
tank => fig. 211. With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the "max" marking.
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the
engine compartment
illustration=> page 275 .
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be sw itched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric
coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto ­
Check System
=> page 31 will blink until you add coolant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system . In the event
of coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immedi­
ately 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.
& WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot. Reduce
the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these steps.
• Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
• Protect your face, hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
& WARNING (continued)
• Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light, downward pressure on the top of
the cap.
• To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on the
exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain conditions, the
ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's engine
coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the func ­
tion and performance of your cooling system and could result in damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 273.
-Turn off the engine.
-Let the engine cool down.
-Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
=> page 281 , fig. 211 and carefully twist the cap counter­
clockwise
=> & .
-Add coolant.
-Twist the cap on again tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact spec ifications
=> page 280, "Coolant". If in an emergency coolant additive G12 + is .,,

___________________________________________ C_ h_e _c_ k_ i_n ~g _ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ~g __ ffllll
not available, do not use a different additive. Use plain water
instead until you can get the correct additive and can restore the
correct ratio. This should be done as soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of coolant, then you should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold .
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Excess coolant will be
forced out through the pressure relief valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot.
Reduce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
-Protect your face, hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light, downward pressure on the top
of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain condi­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire .
• Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store antifreeze in its original
container and well out of the reach of children.
• If you drain the coolant, it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper container clearly marked
"poison".
0 Note
• Coolant pollutes the environment and could cause an engine
fire. Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief
valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot. •
If, in an emergency , only water can be added, the correct ratio
between water and antifreeze=>
page 280 must be restored as soon
as possible.
~ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused . Always dispose of used
coolant while observing all environmental regulations.•
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by itself.
The radiator fan is driven by the engine via the V -belt. The viscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the temperature
of the coolant.
An auxiliary electric radiator fan* switches on and off depending on
coolant temperature and other vehicle operating conditions .
After you switch the engine off, the auxiliary fan can continue
running for up to 10 minutes -even with the ignition off. It can even
switch on again later by
itself =>& , if
• the temperature of the engine coolant rises due to the heat
build-up from the engine in the engine compartment, or
• the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunlight .
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injury never touch the radiator
fan.
• The auxiliary electric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drops. •
Vehicle care

_______________________________________________ C
_ o_ n
_ s_u _ m_ e_ r_l_ n _f_o _ r_ m_ a_ t
_ i
_ o _ n
__ lllll
W For the sake of the environm ent
By regularly ma intain ing your vehicle, you help make sure that emis ­
sion standards are maintained, thus minimizing adve rse effects on
the e nv ironment. •
Important considerations for you and your
vehicle
T he increasing use of elec tronics, sophisticated fue l injection and
emission con trol systems, and t he gene rally increasing tec hn ical
complexity of today's automobiles, have steadily reduced the scope
of maintenance and repai rs which can be carried ou t by vehic le
owners.
Also , safety and environmental concerns p lace very strict
limits on the nature of repairs and adjustments to engine and trans ­
m iss ion parts whic h an owne r can perform.
Maintenance , adjustments and repairs usua lly require special tools ,
t es ting dev ices a nd othe r eq uipment availab le to s pec ial ly t rai ned
workshop personne l in order to assure proper performance , reli ­
abil ity and safe ty of the vehicle and its many sy stems .
Im proper maintena nce, adjustments and repairs can impa ir the
operation and reliability of your vehicle and even void your vehicle
wa rranty. T here fore, proof o f servic ing in acc orda nce with the main­
tenance schedule may be a condition for upholding a possib le
warranty cla im made with in t he war ran ty per iod .
Above all, operationa l safety can be adversely affected, creating
unnecessary risks for you and your passengers.
I f in doubt about any servicing, have it do ne by your auth orized Audi
dea ler or any other properly equipped and qua lified workshop . We
str ongly u rge y ou to give yo ur auth orized Au di d ealer the oppo rtu ­
n ity to perform all scheduled maintenance and necessary repairs .
Yo ur dealer has the faci lit ies, origi nal par ts an d trained specia lis ts
to keep your vehic le running proper ly.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Performing limited maintenan ce yourself
The following pages des cribe a li mi ted numbe r of proced ures wh ic h
can be performed on your vehicle with ordinary tools, should the
need a rise a nd trained pers onnel be unavaila ble. Before perfo rm ing
any of these procedures, a lways t horoughly read all o f the app li­
cable text and carefu lly fo llow the instructions given. Always rigor ­
ously observe the
WARNINGS provided.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always read
and heed all
WARNINGS ~ & and~ & in "Wo rking i n th e engine
compartment" on
page 273.
& WARNING
• Serious personal injury may occur as a result of improperly
performed maintenance , adjustments or repairs .
• Always be e xtremely careful when working on the veh icle .
Always follow commonly accepted safety practice s and general
common sense . Never risk personal injury .
• Do not attempt any of the maintenance, checks or repairs
described on the following pages if you are not fully familiar with
the se or other procedures with respect to the vehicle , or are uncer ­
tain how to pro ceed .
• Do not do any work without the proper tools and equipment .
Have the necessary work done by your authorized Audi dealer or
another properly equipped and qualified work shop .
• The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially
hazardous area . Never reach into the area around or touch the
radiator fan . It is temperature controlled and can switch on
s uddenly -even when the engine is off and the ignition key has
been removed . The radiator fan swit ches on automat ically when
the coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to run
until the coolant temperature drops .
• Alway s remove the ignition key before anyone gets under the
vehi cle .
.,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

111'1_....::::A::.:l:.!: p :.:h..:.: a:::.:: b:.::e :.:t::i c::.::: a.:..l ..:.: in :..:.:: d:.:e :.:x::..... ___________________________________________ _
A
ABS (Anti- lock Brake System)
Warning/indicator lights ... .... .... 21
Accessories . .... .... .... .... .... ... 348
acoust ic park assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Adap tive light .. ... .... ... .. ...... ... 75
defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Adding Engine coo lant
282
Engine oi l ... ... .. .... .... ... .... 278
Windshield washer fluid .... .... .. 291
Additiona l accessories .. ...... ...... . 348
Additives Eng ine oi l .. ....... ....... ....... 278
Adjustable steering whee l column .. ... 134
Adjusting Instrument cluster il lumina tion ... .. . 15
Steering wheel co lumn . ...... .... 134
Advanced A irbag System . .... ... .... 191
Ch ildren ... ........... .... ... ... 211
Components ...... .... ... .... ... 194
Fr ont airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
How the c ompone nts wo rk togethe r 195
Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
PASSE NGER AIR BAG O FF light ..... 199
Weight -sensing mat ....... ... .... 211
Air conditioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
See also Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . 125
Air conditioning Switching on and off 128
A ir distribution
C limate controls . ...... ... .... ... 130 Air outlets
Adjusting the outlets for rapid defrosting/de fogging .. ...... .... 131
Cl imate con trols ...... .... .... ... 131
Air quality sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Air recirculation .. ... .... .... .... ... 128
Clima te controls .. .... ..... .. .... 129
When should I use the air recircu lation?
129
Airbag Warning/indicator lights .... ... .... 20
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 , 205
Car e ...... .... .... .... .... .... .. 201
Child restraints .... .... .... .... .. 212
Componen ts (front airbags) .... ... . 194
Danger of fitting a chi ld safety seat on the
front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Disposal .. ....... .... .... .... ... 201
Front airbags . .... ... .... .... .... 191
How do the front
ai rbags work? .... 196
How many airbags does my vehicle have? 194
I mportant things to know ....... .. 1 87
I ndicator light ... .. .... .... ... ... 198
Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Repairs ...... .... ... .... .... .... 201
Side airbags ... ...... .... ... .. ... 203
Side curtain airbags (SIDEGUARD) .. 207
When must the sys tem be inspec ted? ...
198
Alloy w heels . .... .... .... .... .... .. 260
All -wh ee l driv e 242
Winter tir es ..... .... .... ... .. ... 310 A
lternator
See Generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Aluminum al loy wheels . ...... .... ... 260
Ambient light ing . ....... .... ... .. .... 82
Anti-free ze
See Engine coolant system ........ 280
Anti -glare inside day -ni ght mi rro r .. ... . 90
An ti- lock B rake System (ABS)
How the ABS system works . ....... 240
Warning/indicator l ights ........... . 21
Anti -Slip R egulation Syst em (ASR)
How the sys tem works .... .... .... 238
An ti- theft systems
Anti -theft ala rm system .. ...... .... 64
Electronic immobilizer .. ... .... ... . 5 4
Tilt sensors . .... .... ... .... .... ... 65
Armrest Adjusting ...... .... ... .... ..... . 102
Storage bi n
Ashtray 1
02
Front . .... .... .... .... ... .... ... 119
Rear ...... .... .... .... ... .... ... 119
ASR Anti- Slip Regulation System .... ... 238
Asterisk What does it mean when something is marked with an asterisk? .. ... .... .. 6
Attachment hooks ... .... .... .... ... 112
Aud i Service Repa ir Manuals and Lite rature
346