___________________________________________ C_ h_e _c_ k_ i_n ~g _ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ~g __ _
& 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
_____________________________________________ C_h_ e__;_ c_k _in ....::: g:._ a_n _d ;,:_;_ f....;il ....;li .:..n :.::g~--1""
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
___ C_ h_ e_c _k_ i_n ~g _ a_n_ d_ f_ il _li_ n~ g~--------------------------------------------
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. ~
lllft!l.,___E
_ m_ e_r-=g =-e_ n_c ..:y:- s_ i_ t _u _a_ t_ i_ o _n_ s _______________________________________________ _
Emergency situations
General
This section i s intended for trained emergency crews and working
personnel who have the necessary tools and equipment to perform
these operations.
•
Starting by pushing or towing
0 Note
Vehicles with an automatic transmission cannot be started by
pushing or towing . •
Starting with jumper cables
If n ece ssary, the eng in e can b e star ted by conne cting it to
the battery of another veh ic le .
If th e engin e shou ld fai l to start because of a discharged or weak
b at te ry, the batt ery can be co nnected t o the ba ttery of
another
ve hic le, us ing a pair of jumper cables to start the engine.
Jumper cables
Use
only jumper cables of sufficient ly large cross se ction to safe ly
c a rry the st ar ter curr ent. Refer to th e m anuf actu rer's specific ations.
Us e on ly j um per ca bles with
isolated term ina l clam ps and prop erly
marked for distinction:
plus (+l cable in most c ases c olored red
minus (- l cable in most cases co lored black .
& WARNING
Batteries contain electricity , acid, and gas . Any of these can cause
very serious or fatal injury. Follow the instructions below for safe
handling of your vehicle 's battery.
• Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning over the battery
whenever possible .
• A discharged battery can already freeze at temperatures just
below 32 °F (0 °Cl. Before connecting a jumper cable, the frozen
battery must be thawed completely , otherwise it could explode.
• Do not allow battery acid to contact eyes or skin . Flush any
contacted area with water immediately .
• Improper use of a booster battery to start a vehicle may cause
an explosion.
• Vehicle batteries generate e xplosive gases . Keep sparks, flame
and lighted cigarettes away from batteries.
• Do not try to jump start any vehicle with a low ac id level in the
battery.
• The voltage of the booster battery must also have a 12-Volt
rating . The capacity (Ahl of the booster battery should not be
lower than that of the discharged battery . Use of batteries of
different voltage or substantially different
" Ah " rating may cause
an e xplosion and personal injury .
• Never charge a frozen battery. Gas trapped in the ice may cause
an explosion .
• Never charge or use a battery that has been frozen . The battery
case may have be weakened.
• Use of batteries of different voltage or substantially different
capacity (Ah ) rating may cause an explosion and injury . The
capacity (Ah l of the booster battery should not be lower than that
of the discharged battery . ..,_