2008 AUDI A4 AVANT check engine

Opening and closing
Switches for rear windows
© operates the left rear window.
@ operates the right rear window.
Safety switch
© Safety switch for rear window operation.
_& WARNING
• Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, especially with
access to vehicle keys. Unsupervised use of the keys can result in
starting of the engine and use of vehicle systems such as power
windows, etc. which could result in serious injury.
• Remember -you can still open or close the power windows for
about ten minutes after the ignition is switched off. Only when
either of the front doors are opened are the power windows
switched off.
• Be careful when closing the windows. Check to see that no one
is in the way, or serious injury could result!
• Always remove the ignition key whenever you leave your
vehicle.
• If you lock your vehicle from the outside, no one, especially chil­
dren, should remain in the vehicle.
• Do not stick anything on the windows or the windshield that
may interfere with the driver's field of vision. •
Switches in the driver's door
The driver can operate all windows.
If the respective switch is pushed or pulled the window will
open or close. The power window switches have a
two-posi­
tion function:
Opening the windows
- Push the switch to the first stop and hold it there until the
window has lowered to the desired position.
- Push the switch briefly to the
second stop: the window
wi ll automatically open all the way.
Closing the windows
- Pull the switch up to the first stop and hold it there until
the window has risen to the desired position.
- Pull the switch quickly to the
second position: the
window will automatically close all the
way => & in
"Controls" on page 65.
Activating/deactivating rear windows
- Push the switch to the depressed position to activate the
rear windows - the light in the switch will go out.
- Briefly press the switch to deactivate the rear windows -
the switch will return to the safety position and the light
~ will illuminate.
The safety switch©~ page 65, fig. 63 in the armrest on the driver's
door turns off the rear power windows. Only when the safety switch
is depressed can the rear windows be opened or closed . The symbol
in the safety switch illuminates when the power windows in the rear
doors are switched off (button NOT depressed) . This feature has
been provided for the safety of small children riding in the rear of
the vehicle.
[ i] Tips
The windows can still be opened and closed for about ten minutes
after the ignition has been turned off. The power windows are not
shut off until one of the front doors is opened .•

• USA models: illumin ation of the in strument clu ste r (gauge s and
needle s), dash and center con sole around the gear shift lever i s
c ontrolled by a light sen sor l oca ted in the in strument panel . The
instrument panel illum ination will automatic ally become dimmer
a s the d aylight f ade s aw ay a nd e ventuall y will go out completel y
wh en out side light is very low . Thi s is to remind you , the driver , to
s witch on the he adlight s before it get s too dark.
• Canada model s: instrument panel illum ination will sta y br ight
rega rdle ss of the inten sity of ambient light . Al ways be aw are of
changes in outside light conditions while you are driving . Respond
in time to fading daylight by tu rning the light switch to position
1[D
(or "AUTO" if your car is equipped with this feature) to turn on your
he adlight s.
•
App lies to veh icle s: w it h xe non head lig hts
Xenon headlights
After sta rting the engine, the xenon head lights are automatica lly
adjusted to the load and angle of the veh ic le ( for example, during
accel eration and braking) . This prevents oncoming traffic from
experienc ing unnecessary headlight glare from your xenon head ­
lights.
I f the system is not operating properly, a warning symbol in the
Auto-Check Control is
displayed=> page 34. •
Controls and equip ­
ment
Cl ea r vision
Emergency flasher ~
The emergency flasher ma kes other motorists aware that
you or your vehicle are in an emergency situation .
Fig. 77 Ce nter
co nso le: e merg en cy
fl as he r sw it ch
- Press the switch &1. ~ fig. 77, to switch t he eme rgency
flasher on or off.
When the emergency flasher is on, all four turn signal blink at the
same time. The turn signal indicator lights ¢
9 in the instrument
c luster, as we ll as the light in the emergency flasher
switch ~ blink
likewise.
The emergency flasher wi ll automatically switch on if you are in an
accident where the airbag has deployed .
[ i] Tip s
You shou ld switch on the emergency flasher when :
• you are the las t vehicle standing in a traffic jam so that any other
vehicles coming can see you, or when
• your vehicle has broken down or you are in an emergency situa -
tion, o r when _.,

Clear vision
& WARNING
• Wip er blades a re c ruc ia l f or sa fe dri vin g! On ly whe n the y are in
good condition are th ey able to cl ear the window s properly to
p rovi de un comp romi sed vis ibilit y. Wor n or damaged wiper bl ade s
are a safety
hazard => page 88, "In stalling new wiper blades "!
• The rain sen sor i s onl y des igned to assist and s upport the
driver. It rem ain s entirely the driver's respon sibil ity to monit or
o ut side weather con dit ions and to manu ally acti va te the wipe rs as
s o on as rain or drizz le reduce s vi sibility through th e wind shield .
• The windshi eld mu st not b e treat ed w ith water -r e pellent m ate­
rials. T hey can increa se glare u nder poor visibilit y conditi ons such
as w etness, darkne ss, or when the sun i s low on the hori zo n. In
addition , they can caus e the windshield wipers to chatt er.
0 Note
I n freezing or near freezing conditions :
• Always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the glass
before yo u turn the wipers on. Loosen a wiper b lade which is frozen
in place before operating the w ipers to prevent damage to the wiper
blade or the wiper motor.
• Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted window . Using the
wipers as a convenient ice scraper will destroy the wiper blades .
• Before you take your vehicle to an automatic car wash , make sure
you have the windshield w iper system switched off (lever in position
0), otherwise the windshield wiper system could get damaged in the
car wash if it should suddenly come on .
[ i J Tips
• The rain sensor is part of the interva l wiping system . Turning off
the ignition will also deactivate the rain sensor. To reactivate the sensor, switch off the interval wiping function, then switch it back
on again. •
If you switch off the ignition with the windshield wiper lever sti ll
in the interva l wipe position and then come back a while later and
drive off, the rain sensor will reactivate itself after the vehicle speed
has exceeded 4 mph (6 km/h) .
• Worn or dirty windshield wiper b lades cause smearing which
can affect the opera tion of the rain sensor . Check the conditio n of
your windshield wiper blades regularly .
• Make sure the washer fluid reservoir in the engine compartment
is topped off before going on a long trip . Look
up=> page 291 for
checking and filling the washer container .•
Rear vvindovv vviper (Q
The wiper lever is also used to operate the rear window
wiper and the automatic wiper/w asher function.
F ig . 8 7 Wip er lever:
a cti vating th e rea r
w indo w wipe r an d
was her
The rear win dow wiper a nd the au tomati c wip er/washer
f un ctions are activate d as fo llows:

___ T_ r_a _ n_ s_m_ i_ s _s_ i_ o_ n ________________________________________________________ _
Before you move the selector lever from the P position, you must
always apply the break peda l before and wh ile depressing the
button in the handle of the selector lever.
& WARNING
• Unintended vehicle movement can cause serious injury .
- When the selector lever is in a driving position , the vehicle
may creep even at idle speed . Therefore do not release the
parking brake or foot brake until you are ready to move ,
becau se power is transmitted to the wheels as soon as a
driving po sition is engaged .
- Do not accelerate while se lecting a driving po sition . At this
time the engine must run at idle speed so that no undue stress
will be pla ced on the automatic clutche s in the tra nsmiss ion .
- Remember :
-even when stopped briefly with the automatic
transmis sion in
"D ", "S ", or "R ", eng ine power i s being tran s­
mitted to the wheels . Your vehicle could
" creep " forward or
back ward . When at a stop , keep the bra ke pedal fully
depressed and use the parking brake if necessar y to keep the
vehicle from rolling.
• If the selector lever i s unintentionally moved into N while you
a re driving , take your foot off the ac ce lerator pedal and wait to idle
speed before select ing a driving pos ition.
• Never shift into
"R " or "P " when the vehicle is in motion .
• Never get out of the driver 's seat when the engine is running .
• If you mu st get out of the veh icle , move the selector lever
securely into the P position and apply the parking brake firmly.
• If the engine mu st keep running , never h ave any driving posi­
tion engaged when checking under the hood. Make sure the selecto r lever has securely engaged and locked on
"P " with the
parking brake firmly set.
=> page 265 , "Engine compartment ".
Otherwise , an y increase in engine speed may set the vehicle in
motion , even with the parking brake applied. •
Applies to vehic les : w it h 6- spee d aut omat ic t ra n smi ssio n
Selector lever positions
This sec tion describes t he selecto r lever positions and
drivin g ranges.
Fig . 14 8 Display in the
in strument clu ste r:
s e lec to r lev er in pos i­
tion D
The selector lever position engaged appears next to the selector
lever as well as in the ins tru ment c luste r disp lay.
P -Park
In this selector lever position the t ransmission is m echanically
locked .
En gage
P on ly when the veh icle i s completely stopped => & in
"Drivin g the 6 -speed automatic transmiss ion" on page 143.
To shift in or out of position
P , you must first press and hold the
brake peda l and then press the release bu tton in the selector lever
handle while moving the selector lever to
P .
R -Reverse
The transmission will automatically select the lowest gear rat io
wh en y ou shi ft into reverse .

_________________________________________ ___:l:.:.. n !.!t ~e :.:.11 :.!.ig ~e :.:..n !.!t :... t::.: e::.: c~ h:..:.:..,: n~o =.!l~o ~g Lly '.,_ _l!III
speed of the vehicle about its vertica l axis, the lateral acce leration
ac ting on the veh ic le, the brake pressure and the s teering ang le a re
a ll measured .
The direction in which the driver wishes to travel is determined with
the aid of the steering angle and veh icle speed and is continua lly
compared with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If the two do not
match, -for example, when the vehicle starts hydrop la ning on a
wet road -
, ESP will au tomatical ly brake the appropria te wheel to
correct the problem .
The vehicle is then stabi lized by the forces acting on the whee l
during braking . If the vehicle is
oversteering (r ea r tends to skid out
of the turn), t he brakes are main ly app lied on the whee l that is on
the outside of the curve . In the case of a vehicle that is
understeering
(tendency to s lide out of the curve) , the bra kes are applied at the
rear whee l that is on the inside of the curve. An acoustic signal indi ­
cates when ESP brake appl ication cuts in
=> & .
The system operates across the entire speed range in combination
wi th the ABS system
~ page 240. If the Ant i- Lock Brake Sys te m
(ABS) malfunctions, the ESP wi ll be out of act ion as well.
Ac tivat ion
When you turn on the engine, ESP will automatica lly be activated
and will perfo rm a self -test.
You can activate a deactivated ESP or deact ivated ASR as requ ired
by pressing the
=> page 236, fig. 199 button.
D eac tiva tion
Norma lly, the ESP should always be on .
When necessary, you can deact ivate Anti -Slip Regulat ion (ASR) or
the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) by pressing the button
=> page 236, fig. 199 .
• Dea ctivating A SR: Tap briefly on the ESP button . In certain excep ­
t iona l situations (e .g. driving wit h tire chains or a t a forced pace
around a track), the Anti-S lip Regu lation (ASR) can be deactivated
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
=> page
238 . The ESP check light flashes . T ap the ESP button again
t o r eact ivate ASR. The ESP check light g oes out .
• Deactiv ating ESP : Press the ESP button for more than 3 seconds .
W ith ESP deactivated, the ESP check ligh t illum inates cons tant ly .
Press the ESP button again to reactivate ESP . The ESP check light
g o es out .
& WARNING
The Electronic Stabilization Program i s neve rthele ss subject to the
laws of physi cs . It is part icularly important to pa y attent ion to thi s
fact on we t and slippery roads . It is therefore important that you
always adapt your driving to the condit ion of the road and traffic
c onditions. Do not allow the inc reased safety provided by the Elec ­
tronic Stabiliz ation Program sy stem to lull you into a ccepting
additional safety ri sk s.
• Plea se note that when ESP or ASR is dea ctivated , the drive
wheels can spin on icy and slippery roads and the vehicle can
break a way -da nger of skidding! •
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The elec tr o nic differen tial l ock mon itors t he r ota tion al
speed of the drive wheels .
Gener al not es
The elec tronic d if f erential l ock (EDU helps the ca r to start mov ing,
accelerate and c limb a grad ient on surfaces providing poor or
a lmost n o grip. W ithout EDL, th is w ould be difficult, if no t impos ­
sib le.
How the system works
The EDL operates automatical ly. It monitors the rotational speed of
the drive whee ls on an ax le with the he lp of t he ABS senso rs
=> page 2 40 . If a noticeable difference in rotational speed between
the drive wheels on one axle is de tected (e .g. on sl ippery grou nd
on .,,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Intelligent technology
------~----- ~~--------------------------------------
one side), the spinning wheel is braked, thereby transferring power
to the other drive wheel or wheels (all- wheel drivel. This is done up
to a speed of about 60 mph (100 km/h). Noises from the brake
system signal that wheel spin is being control led.
Driving off
When driving off, always be sure to keep road conditions in mind as
you accelerate. If one drive wheel spins because it is on a surface
with less grip, gradual ly increase the pressure on the accelerator
pedal until the car starts to move. The wheel less able to transfer
power spins.
Overheating of brakes
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel from overheating if
subjected to excessive loads, the EDL cuts out temporarily. The
veh ic le remains operational and behaves in the same way as a
vehic le without EDL.
As soon as the brake has cooled down, EDL switches on again auto ­
matically.
& WARNING
• When accelerating on slippery surfaces, such as on ice or snow,
always be careful when depressing the accelerator pedal. Even
with the EDL working, the drive wheels can spin and reduce your
ability to control your car . - Risk of crash!
• The increased safety afforded by EDL does not mean that you
ca n take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i ] Tips
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the EDL is also not functioning. This is
indicated by the ABS warning
light => page 21. •
Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR)
The Anti-Slip Regulation System prevents the driven
wheels from spinning when the car is accelerating.
General notes
The Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) is integrated in the electronic
stabilization program (ESP) . When the vehicle starts up and acceler­
ates, the wheels are prevented from sp inning by adjus tin g the
engine power to match the amount of grip availab le from the road
surface.
How the system works
ASR performs automatical ly, i.e . w ithout the driver's intervention.
With the aid of the ABS
sensors=> page 240, ASR monitors the
speed of the driven wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine
power is reduced automatically until the tires find enough grip to
lock onto the road surface. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
The ASR works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction shou ld
occur in the ABS, the ASR will also be out of act ion.
Activation
The ESP is automatica lly activated when the eng ine is started, and
it performs a self-test. You can activate a deactivated ASR, if
requ ired, by pressing
t h e=> page 236, fig . 199 button .
Deactivation
You can deactivate the ASR, if required, by pressing the button (for
less than 3
seconds) => page 236, fig. 199. With the ASR deactivated,
the ESP check light flashes,
see=> page 22.
Normally, the ESP shou ld always be on, however, it may be advanta­
geous to turn off the system in certai n special cases when some
degree of wheel spin is desired such as :
• when driving with snow chains

____________________________________________ ln_t_ e_ l_ li _,..g "- e_ n
_ t_t_e _c_ h_ n_o _l_o _....g ,_,y'-----'""
• when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface (to allow the
wheels to dig in to reach firm ground)
• when trying to "rock" the vehicle free when it has become stuck .
The system should be reactivated once you are no longer in such
situations.
Both, the ABS and EDL systems are still functioning even if the ESP
is switched off.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road conditions and traffic situation.
[ i] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See
also::::;, page 305, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending largely on operating conditions and driving
habits::::;, &.
On vehicles which are driven mostly in stop -and -go city traffic or
which are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your
authorized Audi dealer more often than specified in the
Mainte­
nance
& Warranty booklet.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
On steep slopes, you should use the braking effect of the engine
.
This way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you
must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously.
Pump the brakes at intervals.
Moisture or road salt
Under certain conditions, for example, when driving through water
or very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice)
on the brake pads. A few cautious brake applications should dry off
the brake pads or remove any ice coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is
driven on a salt -covered road and the brakes are not used. Likewise,
you clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads
with a few cautious applications of the
brake::::;, &.
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
only for short trips with little use of the brakes .
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs , it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed ::::;,& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake pedal travel, then
one of the two brake circuits may have
failed::::;, &.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is
too low. The brake fluid level is monitored electronically.
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit. Other
road users must not be put at risk - you may cause an accident!
.,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

llffl.___l_n _t _e _ll _ig =- e_n _ t_ te_ c_h _n_ o_ lo-'g'"'-=- y ___________________________________________ _
&, WARNING (continued )
• Before des cending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans­
mi ssion into a lo wer gear or lower driving po sition . Do not ride the
brake s or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
cau se the brake s to get hot and dimini sh braking efficiency .
• Do not ride the brakes by resting your foot on the ped al when
you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to overheat, premature wear and in creased stopping distan ce.
• Under certain climati c and operating conditions such a s
passing through water, driving in heavy rain or after washing the
v ehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winter ,
ice can a ccumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums .
Cautiously apply brakes for a te st. Brakes will dry and ice coating s
will be cleaned off after a few cautious brake applicat ions .
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-co vered roads
without using your brakes can also affect braking effi ciency . Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
c autious brake appli cations .
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
spoiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective ­
ness of the entire brake system .
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance . Avo id driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop .•
Brake booster
T he brake booster add s ex tra braking power.
The bra ke booster works wit h vacuum pressure which is created
only whe n th e e ng in e is
runn ing=> &,.
& WARNING
• Never let the vehi cle roll to a stop with the engine shut off .
• If the brake booster is not working , for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged, the brake pedal must be pre ssed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance . •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
A BS preven ts th e wh eels fr om lock ing up und er b rak ing.
T he ABS contributes effectively to vehicle contro l since it prevents
th e w heels from
lo cki ng w he n t he brakes a re a ppli ed. T h is mea ns
that the vehicle remains steerable and is less likely to skid.
With ABS you do not need to pump the brake . Just hold the brake
pedal down .
However, do not expect that the ABS shortens braking distance
u nder all circum sta nces. Whe n driving o n gravel or on newly fa lle n
snow on top of icy surfaces, braking distance may be even longer,
t herefore, under these ci rcums tances, it is espec ial ly i mpo rtant th at
you driv e slowly and with great care.
How the ABS system works
An automatic check is made when a speed of about 4 mph (6 km/h)
i s r eac hed . Wh en th is happe ns, a pumpi ng noi se can be hea rd.
I f a n indiv idual wheel be gins to rotat e too slowly i n relation to
vehic le speed and tends to lock, the ABS automatical ly reduces
brake pressur e to prevent tha t whee l from loc king .
Th is a utomatic adjustment process wi ll cause a
slight vibration of
t he brake peda l a nd s om e noi ses t o a lert y ou th at ve hicle spee d
must be adapted to existing road and traffic conditions. _..