2008 AUDI A4 AVANT lights

Before driving off, always:
-Fasten your safety belt and make sure you are wearing it
properly.
- Make sure that your passengers also buckle up and prop­ erly wear their safety belts.
- Protect your children with a child restraint system appro-
priate for the size and age of the children.
The warning light {} in the instrument cluster lights up when the
ignition is switched on as a reminder to fasten the safety belts . In
addition, you will hear a warning sound.
After the ignition is switched on, the warning tone will come on for about 6 seconds a long with a{} warning light in the instrument
cluster if either the driver or (on USA models only) front seat
passenger has not fastened their safety belt. As soon as the driver
and front seat passenger have fastened the safety belt, the warning
tone will stop and the warning light will go out.
I f both the driver and front seat passenger have not buckled -up
within about 24 seconds after the warning tone has stopped, the
warning tone will sound again for about 6 seconds. The warning
tone will sound repeatedly for about 6 seconds at 24 second inter­
vals until both the driver and front passenger have buckled-up. The
safety belt warning system is active for about 5 minutes and during
this time the warning light in the instrument cluster will stay on .
Fasten your safety belt now and make sure that your passengers
also properly put on their safety belts.
•
Safety first
Safety belts
Why safety belts?
Frontal collisions and the law of physics
Frontal crashes create very strong forces for people riding
in vehicles.
"' "' 9 w
"' a,
Fig. 167 Unbelted
occupants in a vehicle
heading for a wall
Fig . 168 The vehicle
crashes into the wall
jlJ>
Technical data

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one half. Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather
conditions permit. •
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
- Shut the engine off when you are not driving the vehicle .
- Do not warm up the vehic le by letting the engine run at
id le .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traff ic jams, when waiting
for tra ins to pass at rai lroad crossings , or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds
saves more fue l than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up fu lly when it is
running at idle. However, wear and noxious emiss ions are espec ially
high when the engine is warming up . So you should drive away as
soon as you sta rt the engine and avoid running at high rpms w hile
the engine is sti ll warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting . If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would
go unheeded. Extended id ling also produces heat, which could
resu lt in overheating or other damage to the vehic le or other
property .•
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel.
- Have your ve hicle serviced at regular intervals .
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an Audi dealer helps to
ensure that it runs properly and economical ly . The cond ition of your
vehic le not only affects its safety and abi lity to hold its value, it also
affects
fuel consumpt ion .
Check your oil ea ch time you fill your t ank .
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
I t is norma l for the oi l consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value after a certain mi leage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly assess oil consumption .
This also applies to fue l consump tion and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
t he service recom mendat io n s in your Maintenance
& Wa rranty
booklet. Lack of proper ma intenance as well as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impai r the function of the emission cont rol system and
cou ld lead to damage.
• Do no t alte r or remove any component of the Emission Contro l
System unless approved by the manufacturer .
• Do not alte r or remove any dev ice, such as heat shields,
switches, ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protec t your
vehic le's Emission Control System and other important veh ic le
components .•
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will alw ays be rel atively high on short
t r ips.
- Try to avo id driving short dis ta n ces wi th a cold engine. ~

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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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&, WARNING (continued )
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 254 .
0 Note
• Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of t he veh icle
is dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this cou ld scratch your
veh ic le's paint or w indows .
• N ever wash your car in bright sunlight . Drops of water act as
magnifying lenses and may damage your paint.
• When yo u wash your ca r in the winter : if you rinse you r ve hicle
with a hose, be carefu l not to aim the stream of water directly at
l ocks, or at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges designed to remove insects, or any kitchen
scouring spo nges or similar pr oducts. They can damage yo ur paint
finish .
• Never use a dry cloth or spo nge t o clean the head ligh ts . O nly use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent scratches . It is best to use soapy
water.
<£> For the sake of the environment
I n the interest of the environment, the vehic le shou ld on ly be
washed in specia l wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car w ith a high -p ressure
po wer w asher is s afe as l ong as you observe a few simple
rules .
-Before us ing the power washer, make s ure you have rea d
and unders tood the
WAR NINGS:=> & in "General infor­
mati on" o n
page 254.
-Always follow the operating instru ctio ns fo r th e p owe r
w ash er.
-Make sure t hat t he jet o n the spray hose pro duces a "fan
sha ped sp ray".
-Do not hold the spray nozzle too close to soft ma terials.
When cleaning the vehicle w ith a power washer always follow the
opera tin g instruc tions. Th is appl ies partic ula rly to the
operating
pre ssure
and t he spraying distance . Maintain a sufficient distance
t o so ft m ateria ls such as rubber hoses and sound/vib rat ion dead ­
ening materia ls (particularly on the underside of the engine hood).
D o no t use a jet w hich sprays wa ter in a
direct stream o r one tha t
has a
rotating j et .
Water temperature shou ld not exceed 140 °F (60
°CJ.
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays the water in a direct
s tream . This could cause invi sible damage to the tire s and weaken
them , even if the spray is from a relatively long distan ce and for a
s hort amount of time . Damaged and weakened tires c an f ail and
ca use ac cidents and personal injur y.
0 Note
To avoid damaging your vehic le, always make sure that there is
su fficient dis tance between the spray head and so ft m ater ia ls l ike
rubber hoses , plastic parts and sound -deadening materials . Never
a im the spray head a t the same p oint for a l ong time . This a lso
applies to cleaning head lights and painted bumpers . Remember:
t he c loser t he n ozzle is to the surface o f the mate rial, the greater the
stress on the material. •

Checkin g a nd fillin g --------------~~~-
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a t ime ly manner .•
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to prov ide effect ive lubrication and cool ing of in ternal
engine components, all internal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of o il. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change significantly over the life of the engine . Typically,
eng ines wi th a specified break -in period
(see ~ page 243) consume
more oil during the break -in period than they consume after oi l
consumption has stabi lized .
Under norma l condit ions, the rate of o il consumption depends on
the quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revo lutions per minute)
at whic h the engine is operated, t he amb ient te mperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensatio n or fuel residue and t he oxidation level of the o il. As
any engine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consump ­
t ion may increase over time until rep laceme nt of worn components
may become necessary .
With all these variables coming into play, no standard rate of oil consu mption can be estab lished or specified. T here is no a lternative
to regu lar and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yellow eng ine o il level warni ng symbol in the instrument
cluster ~ lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as
possible
with the oil dipstick ~ page 277 . Top off the o il at your
earl iest
convenience~ page 278.
& WARNING
Bef ore you che ck anything in the eng ine comp artment , alway s
read and heed all WARNINGS
~ & in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 27 3.
0 Note
Driving with an insuff ic ient oil level is l ikely to cause severe damage
to the engine.
[ i ] Tip s
• The oil pres sure warning displ ay "e:7: is n ot an indi cator of the oil
level . Do not rel y on it. Instead, check the oil level in your engine at
regular inter vals, preferably ea ch time you refuel , and al way s before
going on a long trip.
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oi l, we reco mmend that you consult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed . Keep in mind
that t he accurate measurement of oil consumptio n requ ires great
care and may take some time. Your Audi dealer has instructions
about how t o measure oil cons umpt ion accurately. •
Checking the engine oil level
Vehicle care
Fig. 2 07 Illu strati on of
prin ciple 1: M ark ers on
oil dip sti ck ...

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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

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