2008 AUDI A4 AVANT warning

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Brake f luid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level c an be checked with a quick glance .
Fig. 212 Engin e
co mp artm ent: B rak e
f lu id rese rvoi r
Before you check a nything in the e ngine compartment,
alway s re ad and he ed all WARNINGS ~ & in "Working in
the engi ne com partment" on
page 273.
- Pull the rubber st rip @ up partially and lift the cover @
slightly~ fig. 212 .
- Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoi r
@. The brake fluid level must be between the "MIN" and
"MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the le ft side
~ page 275.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto ­
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level fal ls
considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U .S . models :
BRAKE, Canadian models:
0) will come on=> page 23 and~ page 31 . Do not continue to
opera te the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor ­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qua lified workshop
and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the brake
warning/indicator light will illuminate . Contact an authorized Audi
dea ler
immedi atel y.•
Changing brake fluid
H ave the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni ­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs mo isture from the air . If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The bo iling point of the brake fluid wil l a lso
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
e ver y tw o year s. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehic le Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT
4".
The brake fluid rese rvo ir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho­
rized
Audi dealer . Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fl uid and the know-how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is po is o nou s. It m ust be stored only in the clo se d
orig inal container out of the re ach of children!
• Brake f ailure can resu lt from old o r inapp ropriat e brake fluid .
Ob serve the se precaution s:
- Use only brake fl uid that me ets SAE spe cific atio n
J 1703 and
conform s to F ederal Motor Vehicle Standard 11 6. Alway s check
with y our authorized A ud i dealer t o ma ke sure you are u sing
th e c orrect br ake fluid . The correct type of brake fluid i s al so
i ndicated on the brake flu id re ser voir .
..,_

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& WARNING (continued)
-The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use of the brakes can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety. This could result in an accident.
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle.
W For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With
high outside temperatures it is
advisable however to check the fluid level at regular intervals
through the transparent battery housing. Also check the fluid level
each time you charge the battery. After charging the battery
~ page 289, you should likewise check the battery acid level.
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
Preserving battery charge on a vehicle not operated
for a long time
Some components of the electrical equipment (for example, the
electronic immobilizer) will keep drawing a low current even when the car is
not running
. This will eventually drain the battery
completely if your vehicle is left sitting for a long period of time
without being driven . To prevent this, either charge the battery
occasionally or disconnect the battery negative (ground) cable.
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop . This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumpt ion, particularly in city traff ic or
when traveling only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dealer
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
~ page 289. A well charged battery will not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
[ i] Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. This will prevent it from being damaged and
having to be replaced. •
Location of the vehicle battery
The vehicle battery is located in the plenum chamber at the back of
the engine
compartment~ page 275.
The positive(+) battery terminal is protected by a plastic cover. This cover must be removed to access to the positive(+) terminal when
connecting jumper cables to start the engine .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
~ & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 273. •
Vehicle care

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Working on the battery
Be es pecia lly car efu l w he n work ing on or n ear t he battery .
Fig. 213 Engine
compartment :
Removing the battery
Befo re you chec k anythi ng in the e ngine c ompart me nt, al ways read
and heed all
WARNINGS ~ & in " Working in the e ngine compa rt ­
m ent " o n page
273 .
Alw ays heed the safety warnings , when w orki ng on the v ehicle
batte ry or the vehicle e lectrica l system to preve nt inju ry.
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre­ cautions when working on the battery .
Always wear eye protection .
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid . Always wear
gloves and eye protection .
@
No
-sparks
- flames
- smoking .
When a battery is charged , it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause personal
injury .
Always keep the ba ttery well ou t of reach of chi l­
dren .
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire . Read and heed the
following WARNINGS:
• Always wear eye protection . Do not let battery acid or any lead
particles get on your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes . Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury .
• Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can cause
blindness and severe burns .
- Always wear gloves and eye protection. Do not tilt the battery because acid could leak out of the ventilation openings .
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin , immedi ­
ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and get medical
attention.
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek medical attention
immediately.
• Do not expose the battery to an open flame , electric sparks or
an open light.
• Do not smoke.
• Do not interchange the positive and negative cables .
• When working on the battery , be sure not to short -circuit the
term inals with tools or other metal objects . This would cause the
IJJ>

Checking and filling 111111
--------------------------------------------=-----=--------
& WARNING (continued )
battery to heat up very quickly , whi ch could le ad to damage or
explosion and personal injury .
• When a battery is charged , it produces hydrogen gas whi ch is
explosive and could cause personal injury .
• Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children .
• Before work is done on the electrical system , disconnect the
negative ground cable .
• Before performing any work on the electri cal system , switch off
the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment. The negative cable on the battery must be disconnected. If you are just
going to replace a light bulb , then it is enough to switch off the
lights.
• Before disconnecting the battery, switch off the anti -theft
alarm system! Otherwise you will set off the alarm .
• When disconnecting the battery , fir st di sconnect the negative
c able and then the positive cable .
• Before reconnecting the battery, make sure all electrical
consumers are switched off . Reconnect the positive cable first and
then the negative cable. Never interchange the cables -this could
start a fire!
• Never charge a frozen or a thawed -out battery . It could
explode! If a battery has frozen, then it must be replaced . A
discharged battery can freeze over at 32 °F (0 °Cl.
• Make sure the vent hose is always attached to the opening on
the side of the battery.
• Never use batteries which are damaged . There is the danger of
an explosion! Always replace a damaged battery.
in. WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning :
• I I • • I
& WARNING (continued )
• Battery posts , terminals and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds , chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems . Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
• Do not d isconnect th e ve hicle bat tery w hen t he ig ni tio n i s
switched on or when the engine is running , otherwise, you will
da mage e lec troni c c om pon ent s in the e lec trica l syste m.
• When working on the engine, protect t he battery housing from
u ltraviolet (UV) rays by not pa rking the ve hicle i n direct sun lig ht.
• If your vehicle is going to stand fo r a long period of time wit hout
being driven, pro tect the battery from "freezing", ot herwise it w ill
be damaged and wi ll then have to be replaced .•
Vehicle care

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Ap plies to vehi cles: with convent ional batte ries
Checking the battery acid level on
conventional batteries
The acid level of a conventional battery can be checked
visually.
Fig . 215 Engin e
co mp artmen t; Co nve n­
tio na l battery w ith acid
l eve l mar ks (cover
re m ove d)
-The level of acid inside the battery is visible through the
case at the font . Acid level should be exactly at t he "max"
mark or very close be low i t.
If the acid level has dropped below the "m in" mark, the low cell
should be topped to the
"max" mark with distill ed wa ter.
We recommend you have your authorized Audi dea ler test your
battery.
A battery that is older than five years and has a low acid level should be rep laced.
0 Not e
Do not overfill the battery, otherwise battery acid will overflow
through the vent opening . This can damage the paint and cause
corrosion. •
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery.
Always read and he ed all WARNINGS below => & and
=> & in "Working on the battery" on page 286.
-Switch off the ignition and all e lectrica l co nsumers.
-Make sure the area is well ventilated when you cha rge
t h e battery.
-Connec t charger cables . Charger cable s mu st alw ay s be
c onne cte d POSITIVE
G to POSITIVE G and NEGATIVE 8
to NEGATIVE (:).
-Switch on the charger.
-Make sure the charging rate is not over 6 amps.
-T urn off the charger ::::::,& .
-Disconnect the charger cab les .
-Connect both battery cables to the battery if necessary -
first plus, then minus.
It is not nec essary to remove the battery from th e engine compart ­
ment, and it is also not necessary to disconnect the cables.
Norma lly, a battery should be charged at no more than 10 percent
of its rated capacity . .,.
Ve hic le care irechnical data

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For example, a charging current of 4.5 amps would be used on a
battery rated at 45 Ah. Rated capacity of the battery in your vehicle
is listed on the battery housing .
The battery caps should
not be opened when charging a battery.
& WARNING
Charging a battery can be dangerous.
• Always follow the operating instructions provided by the
battery charger manufacturer when charging your battery.
• Never charge a frozen battery . It may explode because of gas
trapped in the ice. Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first.
• Do not reuse batteries which were frozen. The battery housing
may have cracked and weakened when the battery froze.
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated area. Keep away from
open flame or electrical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas gener ­
ated by the battery is explosive.
• To reduce the danger of explosion, never connect or disconnect
charger cables while the charger is operating.
• Fast charging a battery is dangerous and should only be
attempted by a competent technician with the proper equipment.
• Battery acid that may spill during charging should be washed
off with a solution of warm water and baking soda to neutralize
the acid.
0 Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine . This will
seriously damage sensitive electronic components, such as control
units, relays, radio, etc ., as well as the battery charger. •
Disconnecting and connecting the battery
When the battery is disconnected some features on the
vehicle will become inoperative and you must reset them
when the battery is reconnected.
When you disconnect the vehicle battery note the following:
• some data stored in the driver information system is erased,
• the clock stops,
• the factory installed radio locks up,
• the engine management system and the one-touch-up and one­
touch -down functions of the power windows no longer work .
After you reconnect the battery, you must reset the following
features :
Inoperative because the
battery was discon­
nected:
clock
one-touch-up and one-touch­
down feature on the power
windows
engine management
seat memory*
radio station coding
Removing battery
To reset after the battery is
reconnected, see:
=> page 14
=> page 67
=> page 135
=> page 100
Sound System Operating Instruc -
tions booklet .
•
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always
read and heed all WARNINGS :::> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on page
273. ~

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-Switch off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
First disconnect the minus cab le (usual ly black or brown) and then
the plus cable (usual ly red). Then remove the battery mounting
bracket and remove the battery. •
Replacing battery
The new battery must have the same specifications and
dimensions as the old one.
A replacement battery must have the same spec ifications and
dimensions as the o riginal equipment battery. Specifications are
listed on the battery housing.
When installing the battery, make sure the ignition and all electrical
consumers are switched off.
0 Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
~ For th e sake of th e environm ent
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom­
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfur ic acid and lead and must always be
disposed of properly in compliance with a ll environmenta l regula ­
t ions . Dispos ing of vehic le batteries improperly is very dangerous to
the environment. •
Windshield/headlight washer
container
Using plain water is not adequate for filling the wind­
shield washer system and the headlight washer system*.
i w a, a,
Fig . 21 6 Engin e
co mp artment : Wind ­
s hiel d and head ligh t
w as her f luid contain er
~-~ The washer flu id container is marked with the symbol W on
its cap.
-Before you check a nything in the engine compartmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS :::::, & in "Working
in t he engine compartment" on
page 273.
-Lift t he fi ller c ap tongu e to add wash er fluid. You can fil l
the container to the top .
-Press the ca p bac k onto the filler neck a fter fi lling the
container.
You can find the reservoir c a pac ity in the tab le in=> page 343.
Use winterized windshield washer solvent during the cold season
even though the ve hic le is equipped with
h eated wash er jets . It _.,
Vehic le care irechnical data

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Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
T ires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehic le. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu lar ly considering the comparat ive ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that a ll-important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and i ts tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regular ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, s lashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowou ts .
Av oiding d am ag e
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, o il, gasoline a nd brake
fluid off the tires.
I nspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc .l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota ­
t ion . This ensu res you to be ab le to mou nt them correctly w he n you
reinstal l them. When removed, the whee
ls or tires should be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
St ore tires in a vertical posit ion i f th ey are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in => &.
The tread dept h of new tires may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusua l vibration or t he veh ic le pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire ction al tires
A unidirectio nal tire can be ide ntif ied by arr ows on the s idewa ll, t hat
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
the specified direct ion of ro tation . This is necessary so t hat these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more info rmation
=> page 324.
& WARNING
Ne w tire s or tire s that are old , wo rn o r damaged cannot p ro vide
maximum control and braking abilit y.
• New tires tend to be slippery and mu st be brok en in . To redu ce
the ri sk of lo sing control , a c ollision and seriou s per sonal injuries ,
dri ve w ith special ca re for the fi rst 350 mile s (560 km l.
• Driving with worn or damaged tire s can lead to lo ss of control ,
sudden tire fa ilure , in cluding a blowout and sudden deflation ,
.,_
Vehicle care