2008 AUDI A4 AVANT Owners Manual

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The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper ­
at ing te mpera tur e to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis ­
sions effective ly .
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid -size car only achieves a
f ue l economy of 6-8 miles per ga llon (30-401/100 km). After about a
half a mile, fue l economy climbs to 12 mpg (201/100 km). After about
2.5 m iles (4 km), the engine is at its proper operat ing temperature
and fuel economy has reached a normal level. So you can see that
you should avo id short tr ips whenever poss ib le .
The outsi de te mp eratur e is also critical in this regard . Your car
consumes more fuel in the winter than in the summer. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor­
tation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember t hat the add it ional load
wi ll affect durability, economy and performance.
Trailer towing not only p laces more stress on the veh icle, it a lso ca lls
for more concentration from the driver.
For th is reasons, always fo llow the operating and dr iving instruc ­
t ions provided and use common sense. •
Technical requirements
Trailer hit ch
Use a weight -carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weight.
The hitc h must be suitab le for your veh ic le and tra iler and must be
mounted securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically sound
l ocation. Use only a tra iler hitch with removable bal l mount. A lways
check with the trai ler hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using t he correct hitch .
Do not use a bumper hit ch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it does not interfere
with the impact-absorb ing bumper system . No mod ifications
shou ld be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems. From
time to time, check that all hitch mount ing bo lts re main securely
fastened.
When you are not towing a trai ler, remove the trailer hit c h ball
mount. Th is prevents the hitch from causing damage s hou ld your
vehic le be struck from
behind ~& .
Tire pre ssure
When towing a trailer, inf late the tires of your vehic le to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the s ticker on the right door­
jamb . Inflate trai ler tires to tra iler and tire manufacturers' specifica­
t ions.
Lights
T he head ligh t settings shou ld be checked with the trailer at tached
before driving off. Have the head lights adjusted as necessary so
t hat you can see t he road ahead bu t not bl ind oncom ing traffic.
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are working prop ­
e rly .
Engine cool ing sy stem
Towing a t railer makes the eng ine work ha rder. It is imp ortant tha t
the cooling system's performance stands up to the additiona l
strain. Make sure that the coo ling system has enoug h fluid.
Traile r br ake s
If your tra ile r i s eq uipped wi th a braki ng system, check to be s ure
that it conforms to al l regu lations .
T he tra iler hydraulic brake system must no t be direct ly connected to
the vehic le's hydrau lic brake system .
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trai ler
t o the h itch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in t he chains to
permit turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains shou ld cross under t he trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch. _,,,

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Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check with your
authorized Audi dealer for correct wiring, switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you using the regular
outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is impor ­
tant that you
always have clear vision to the rear .
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure you
or your passengers. •
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer .
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to guard
against shifting, be it forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer~ & in "Driving instruc­
tions".
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the sticker on the right door­
jamb. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation Lights
The
headlight settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off. Adjust as necessary so that you can see the road
ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check proper working of vehicle and trailer lights .
Power Supply
The power supply to the trailer is disconnected when the ignition
key is removed.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle . Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.•
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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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

Vehicle care

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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 . .,.