2008 AUDI A4 AVANT brakes

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W eig ht d is tri buti on
Towing a loaded tra iler wit h an empty car resu lts in a high ly
unstable distribution of weight . If this cannot be avoided drive at
ve ry low speeds only to avo id the risk of losing steering control.
A "ba lanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permis ­
sib le whi le keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances. Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compar tment of the tow veh icle whi le observi ng tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
T he higher the speed, the more difficu lt it becomes for the driver to
contro l the rig . Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
Reduce your speed even more under unfavorable load, weather or
wind conditions -part icularly when going dow nh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immedi ately if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not tr y to stop the s waying by a cceler ating .
Observe speed limits . In some areas speeds for veh ic les towi ng
trai lers are lower than for regular vehicles.
Always app ly brakes early. When driving downhi ll, shift into lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow down the vehicle. Use
of the brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
C oo la nt tempe ra tu re
The coola nt temperature gauge => page 13 must be observed care ­
ful ly. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or switch off the air conditioner.
If the coolant te mperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts
flashing -~-, pul l off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build -up .
& WARNING
An yone not p rop erl y res trained in a mo ving vehicl e is at a much
gre ate r risk in an accident. Never let an yone rid e in your car who
is not p rop erl y wear ing the re stra int s pro vided b y Aud i. •
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a tra iler because of
the additional weight and weight distribution. Safety, performance
and economy wi ll great ly depend on how carefu lly you load your
trai ler and operate your rig.
Before you actual ly tow your tra iler, practice turning, stoppi ng and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing unti l you
have comp letely become familiar with the way yo ur vehicle -trailer
combination behaves and responds .
Backing up is difficu lt and requires practice. Backing up with a
trai ler genera lly requ ires steering action oppos ite of that when
backing up your vehic le without a trailer.
Mainta in a greater distance between you r vehic le and the one in
front of you. You will need more room to stop.
To compensate for the trai ler, you wi ll need a larger than normal
t urning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you nor mally wou ld because of t he added load . Make sure yo u have
enough room to pass. After passing, al low plenty of room for your
trai ler before changing lanes again .
Avo id jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.

Traile r to win g -______________ _,..,_l'flllll
[ i] Tip s
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in period of your vehicle.
• If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent mainte ­
nance due to the extra load
=> page 346 . •
Parking on a slope
Do not park with a trailer on a slope. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
Wh en p arkin g:
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone place chocks under both the veh ic le and
the trailer wheels .
- Wit h chocks in p lace, s lowly release t he brakes until
wheel blocks absorb t he load.
- T urn t he wheels towards the curb .
- Apply the parking brake.
- Place an automatic transmission in
P , respect ively a
manual transmission in first or reverse gear.
Wh en re starting aft er p arking:
- Start the e ngine .
- Shift transmission into gear.
- Re lease the parking brake and slowly pull out and away
from the wheel blocks.
- Stop and have someone retrieve the whee l blocks.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
[ i
] Tip s
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmission to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the
P
position .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ C_ le_ a_n _ i_ n_ g~ a_ n_d~ p_ ro_ t_e _c _t_ i_o _n _____________________________________________ _
Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preser ves vehicle value.
Any automob ile is exposed to industria l fumes, corrosive road salt,
muddy dog feet, etc. A well cared for Audi can look like new many
yea rs a fter purc hase. Regu lar a nd co rrec t care wil l co ntribu te to
maintaining the beauty and value of your Audi.
Furthermore , good care may be a condition for substantiating a
warranty claim should corrosion damage or paint defe cts occur .
Your authorized Audi dea ler has a variety of dedi cated vehicle-care
product s
and can advise yo u wh ic h ones to use for c lea nin g t he
e xterior and interior of your vehic le.
W hethe r you use p roducts reco mm end ed b y Audi o r other c omm er­
cia lly avai lab le cleaning agents , please make very sure you apply
t hem correct ly .
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep them out of the rea ch
of children .
• Heed all caution label s.
• Always read directions on the container before using any
produ ct. Follo w the se dire ction s carefully.
• Most chemical cleaners are con centrates and have to be
diluted .
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated areas .
• Do not use gasoline , kerosene , diesel fuel, nail polish remover
or other volatile fluids. They may be toxic , flammable or hazardous
in other ways. Do not wash , wax or dry the vehicle with the igni ­
tion on or the engine running.
& W ARNIN G (continued )
• Do not clean the undersides of chassis , fenders , wheel cover s,
etc . without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself
on sharp -edged metal parts .
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking efficiency
=> page 239 , "General information ". Test the brakes carefully each
time you wash the vehicle.
Se lect only env ironmen tal ly fr iend ly c leaning pr oducts. Le ft o ver
cleaning products should not disposed of in the household waste. •
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent wash in g pro te ct s the vehi cle.
Th e bes t protect ion aga inst enviro nmental in fl uences is frequent
washing and waxing .
Ho w o ften t his is required depends on:
• How much t he vehicle is used
• Where the vehic le is pa rked (garage, i n the ope n under t rees,
etc.)
• The seaso nal and wea the r cond itions
• Environmental influences
T he lo n ger bir d dropp ings, i nsec ts, tree resin, road and ind ust ria l
grime, tar, soot, road salt and other materials remain on the vehicle
b ody, the m ore lasti ng the ir des tru cti ve effects will be . .,.

___ C_ le_a_ n_in ~ g_ a_n _ d_ p_ ro_ t_e _c _t _io _ n ___________________________________________ _
Paint scratches should be touched up as soon as possible to prevent
corrosion=> page 258, "Touch-up pain t" .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on brake s may affect braking effic iency -
=> page 239, "General inform ation ". Test th e brakes care full y after
each vehicle wa sh.
• Always read a nd heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254. •
A pplies to veh icl es : w ith Cas t alloy whee ls
Cast (light) alloy wheels
C ast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
-Wash the wheels with a spo nge or hose brush every
o th er week .
-For deep cleaning afte rwards, use only a dedicated acid ­
free cast a lloy whee l c leane r.
-Rub a coat of liquid wa x onto the r ims every three
months . Be sure to reach and t reat a ll pa rts of the r im .
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels,
some special care is necessary. I n addit ion to road d irt and salt,
brake dust is also corrosive . If left on for too long, brake dust can
cause pitting.
Use on ly specia l
acid-free cleaners formu lated for a lloy rims . Safe
products are availab le at your Audi dealer. Never leave the cleaner
on the rims longer than spec ified on the label. If not rinsed off
promptly, the acid contained in some cleaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bo lts. Never use abrasive or metal po
lishing cleaning agents . If the protec ­
t ive coat ing has been chipped, e.g . by kicked up road d irt, touch i t
up as soon as possib le .
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on bra kes m ay affect braking efficien cy
=> page 2 39 , "General information ". Test the brake s carefully each
time you wash the vehicle .
• Alwa ys read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 254 . •
Body cavity sealing
The body c avity se aling does n ot need to be c hecke d.
All body cavities which could be affected by corrosion have been
given thor ough protecti on a t the fac tory.
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treat­ ment . If any wax should seep ou t of the cav ity w hen the a mbie n t
temperature is high, it can be removed with a p last ic scraper and a
suitable solvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous .
• Ben zine i s flammable and to xic. If you use benzine for removing
the wax, keep sparks , flame and lighted cigarettes away . Never
dump benz ine on the ground , into open streams or do wn sewage
dr ains .
• Be sure to ob serve all safet y and env ironmental r egulat ions .
Follow all instru ctions on the container.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 254 . •

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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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&, WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
&, WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage.
•
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted .
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF" on the side ­
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire-ground interfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.

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Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
L oa d ratin g (code)
means the maximum load that a t ire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure. You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax imum l oad r atin g
means the load rat ing for a t ire at the maximum permiss ib le infla­
tion pressure for that tire.
Ma ximum l oaded vehicle we ight
means the sum of :
(al Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production opt ions weight
M ax imum (permissibl e) infl ati on press ure
means the maximum cold inflatio n pressure to wh ich a t ire may be
inflated. Also ca lled "maximum inflation pressure ."
No rm al occ upant we ight
means 150 lbs. (68 ki lograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the total seati ng capacity of your vehicle .
Occupant distributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overal l diameter of an inflated new tire.
Ove rall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an inf lated t ire, including elevations due to labe ling, decorat ions, or
protective bands or ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated para lle l cords.
Pr odu ction opt io ns weig ht
means the comb ined weight of those installed regular product ion
options weighing over 5 lbs . (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not previously cons idered in curb weight
or accessory weight, inc luding heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy duty ba ttery, and specia l trim .
Radi al pl y tir e
means a pneumat ic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Recomm ended infl ati on p ress ure
see => page 294, "Cold tire inflat io n pressure".
Reinfor ced tir e
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires my be ide ntified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
wh ich the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di ameter
means nom inal d iameter o f the bead seat. I f you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam ­
eter.
Rim siz e design ation
means rim diameter and width.
R im width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .
Vehicle care

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_ r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ fflll
The correct tire pressure for the spore wheel is located on a label
either on the driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
Because technical changes may be made to vehicle equipment
during the model year, always compare the tire size designation on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle.
Make sure that the tire size information on the vehicle label is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle. This is especially impor­
tant if the vehicle belongs to someone else or you bought the
vehicle with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ­
ously owned vehicle .
Remember, your safety and that of your passengers also depends
on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
includes everybody and everything in and on the vehicle. These load
limits are technically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating ("GVWR"l. The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR"l is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two
axles. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located
either on the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel filler
flap. The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the maximum
combined weight of all of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
that the vehicle can carry. For the location of the tire pressure label
=> page 297, fig. 217.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or
other accident, serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the risk of a loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
causing loss of control and a crash.
& WARNING (continued)
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
& WARNING
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation cause increased
tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control. •
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires originally installed
on your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located
either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the
table=> page 297, "Cold tire inflation pressure". This means
that the pressure must be checked and adjusted when the tire has
not been driven for more than a couple of miles (kilometers) at low
speeds during the previous three hours. Air in the tires expands
when the tire heats up as a result of internal friction as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire has warmed up than
when it is "cold."
It is the inflation pressure in a "cold" tire that counts. Therefore, you
should never let air out of a warm tire to match "Cold tire inflation
pressure"
recommendations=> page 297. The tires would then be
underinflated and could fail suddenly. .,._
Vehicle care