2008 AUDI A4 AVANT oil viscosity

Checking and filling -
------------ ----=---a::;;._...a
©
©
(i)
Coolant expansion tank ( ... L) ...... ... .. ..... .. ... .
Windshield/headlight washer container
( 0 ) ...... . .
Power steering reservoir (green cap)
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 273. •
Applies to vehicles: with 6 -cy lin d er engine
3.2 liter , 6-cylinder engine (255 hp)
281
291
241
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig . 206 Engine compartment: 3 .2 liter , 6-cylinder
CD
0
©
Battery .. ............... ... .. ...... .... ...... .
Brake fluid reservoir (
... ) . .. ... ... .... .... ...... .
Coo lant expansion tank
(J _)
285
284
281
©
©
©
(i)
Engine oil filler cap ( Engine oil dipstick (orange) .. .... ..... ... .... ... .
Windshield/headlight washer container
( O ) ... .... .
Power steering reservoir (green cap)
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 273. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
278
277
291
241
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of
oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated powerplant that was built
to exacting specifications . This engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding quality and viscosity
so that it can run smoothly and re liably . Choosing the right oil and
changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your
vehicle's Maintenance
& Warranty booklet matters a lot more today
than it did years ago. Audi has developed a special quality standard
f or engine oil that wil l help assure that your vehicle's engine wi ll get
the lubrication it needs for proper operation .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years. Many synthetic oils available today provide better engine
lubrication that can outlast traditional petroleum-based oils,
making them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi .
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum -based engine oil, the oil
that you use must conform to Audi's oi l quality standard VW 502 00
to help keep your vehicle 's engine running smoothly and help
.,_
Ve hic le care Technical data

___ C_ h_ e_c _k _ i_n ~g _ a_n_ d_ f_il _li _n_ g~--------------------------------------------
prevent the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
"sludge", that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oils available in the U .S . and Canada
that meet the exacting specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, however, that every
synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00. So
always be sure that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oil with
the following specifications printed on the oil container:
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combi­
nation with other designations and oil quality standards.
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity. The proper
viscosity grade oil for your engine depends on climactic or seasonal
condi tions where you drive. You can use oil wi th a viscosity grade of
SAE 5W40 across all temperature ranges for normal driving condi­
tions .
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE 5W40 is not available, you
can also use viscosity grade SAE 5W-30 or SAE 0W-40 as long as it
meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications.
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil standard may not be
available everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that
expressly conforms to the VW 502 00 specification, in case you have
to top off the oil while on the road.
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the minimum mark on the
oil dipstick -and no oil that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 502 00 specifications is available - may you top off with a high
quality engine oil, preferably synthetic -based , that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA A5 or ACEA B5, API SL or ILSAC GF -3 specifications, but even
then, only in viscosity grades SAE 5W -40, SAE 5W -30, or SAE 0W -40 .
However, during the entire time between oil change intervals, never top off with more than a total of 0
.5 qt/liter engine oil that does not
conform to Audi oil specification VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oil that has been approved for
your vehicle, please contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca. Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand names etc.) that conform
to Audi oil standard VW 502 00.
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed according to the
mileage (kilometers) and time intervals specified in your vehicle's
Maintenance & Warranty booklet. Do not exceed these intervals -
harmful deposits from old engine oil can reduce engine perfor­
mance and can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating properties of oil decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, ask your authorized Audi Service Advisor.
Under some circumstances the engine oil should even be changed
more frequently . Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop­
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where
temperatures stay below freezing point for long periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than recommended.
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended intervals
using only engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to failure to follow recommended
maintenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Maintenance & Warranty booklet. Your dealer will have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in
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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 ...

___ A_l-=- p _h_ a_ b_e _t_ic _ a_l _in _ d_e _x ____________________________________________ _
Starting .. .. .. ...... .... .... 135, 136
Starting with jumper cables ... .... 330
Stopping . .... .... .... ... .... ... 137
Engine compartment ... .. .... .... ... 274
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Working the engine compartment .. 273
Engine coolant system . ...... ...... . 280
Adding coolant .. ...... .......... 282
Checking coo lant leve l .. .. .... .... 281
Checking the engine coo lant leve l .. 281
Radiator fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Engine coolant temperature Gauge ...... ...... .... ........... 13
Engine cooling system Ma lfunction .. .... ..... .. .... .... . 31
Engine data ...... .... .... .......... 343
Engine hood Closing . ...... ..... .. .... ...... . 273
How to release the hood . . . . . . . . . . 272
Engine oil ...... .... .... .... ... .... 275
Adding ... .... ... .... .... ...... . 278
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Changing ... .. .... .... ...... .... 279
Checking the engine oi l level .. .... . 277
Indications and conditions requiring extra
checking ..... .. .... .... ... .... 277
Oil consumption .. .... .... ... .... 277
Oil grades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Recommended o il check interva ls .. 277
Specification and viscosity . . . . . . . . 275
Engine oil level .. .... .... .... ... .... . 34
Engine oil pressure Malfunction ...... ..... .. .... .... . 32 Engine oil sensor defective
....... .... . 34
Environment Break -in period .. ...... .... .... .. 243
Catalytic converter .. ...... .... ... 244
Disposing of your vehicle battery ... 291
Driving at high speeds .. .... .... .. 245
Driving to minimize pollution and noise . 245
Fuel ... ...... .... ... .. .... .... .. 269
Fuel economy ....... ...... .... .. 245
Leaks under your vehicle ... .... ... 273
Letting the vehicle stand and warm up .. 246
Proper disposa l of drained brake fluid
284
Proper disposal of drained engine
coo lant ...... ............. ..... 282
Proper disposa l of drained engine oil
278 ,279
Recycling used eng ine oil .. .... ... 278
Un leaded fuel ..... .... ... .... ... 267
What should I do with an old battery?
291
EPC
See Electronic power control .. ... .. . 23
ESP
See Electronic stabi ll ization program
(ESP) . ... .... .... ........ ... 22, 236
Event Data Recorder (EDR) .. ....... .. 236
Expansion tank .. .... ... .... .... .... 281
F
Fahrenheit
Switching between Fahrenheit and Centigrade . ...... .... ...... .... 128
Fan Adjusting the fan speed .. ...... ... 129
Climate controls ................. 129
Radiator ...... .... .... ...... .... 283
Fastening eyes ... .... .... .... .... .. 108
Flat tire ............................. 50
Changing .. .... .... ... .... .... .. 318
Flat tire changing .. ...... .... .... .... 50
Floor mats .. ... ... .... .... .... .... . 172
Fog lights ........................... 76
Fo lding master key with remote control . 52
Foot pedals .. .. .. .... .... .... ...... 17 2
For the sake of the environment Gaso line fumes and the environment 269
Letting your engine warm up ....... 136
Reducing engine noise by early upshifting .... .... ... .... .... ... 13
Reducing engine noise by upshift ing
early . .... .... .... ... .... .... ... 13
Refueling .... .... .... ....... .... 269
Saving fuel by early upshifting . .... . 13
Saving fuel by upshifting early .. .... 13
Using the rear window defogger 131, 132
Front airbags
Description . .... .... ... .... .... .. 191
How they work .. .... ... .... .... .. 196
Front ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Front fog lights .... .... .... .... .... .. 76