2008 AUDI A4 key battery

Seats and storage87
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Cigarette lighter and electrical
socketsCigarette lighterUsing cigarette lighter
– Open the cover of the front ashtray.
– Press in the cigarette lighter knob.
– Wait for the lighter to spring out.
– Pull out the cigarette lighter immediately.
– Use the glowing heater element of the cigarette lighter to
light your cigarette.
– Put the cigarette lighter back in its socket.
Operating electrical socket
– Take out the cigarette lighter.
– Insert the plug of the electrical appliance into the ciga-
rette lighter socket.
The cigarette lighter employs a standard 12 Volt socket which can
also be used as a power source for electrical appliances. The appli-
ances connected to the socket must not exceed a power rating of
100 W.
The cigarette lighter only works when the ignition is on.
WARNING
•
Take care when using the cigarette lighter. Carelessness or
negligence when using the cigarette lighter can cause burns.
•
The electrical sockets and any appliances connected to them
will operate only when the ignition is switched on. Improper use
of the electrical sockets or the appliances connected to them can
cause injuries or fire. To avoid the risk of injury, never leave chil-
dren unsupervised in the vehicle with the key.Caution
•
Always use the correct type of plugs to avoid damaging the
sockets.
•
The cigarette lighter socket should only be used for a short
period of time as a power source for electrical equipment. Please
use the electrical sockets* ⇒page 88 in the vehicle when
connecting equipment for longer periods.Note
Using electrical appliances with the engine switched off will drain
the battery.
Fig. 97 Front ashtray
(open)
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Seats and storage 88Applies to vehicles: with 12 Volt sockets12 Volt sockets
Electrical equipment can be connected to both 12 Volt
sockets.Electrical socket in luggage compartment and
front centre console
– Open the cover cap concealing the socket ⇒fig. 98.
– Insert the plug of the electrical appliance into the socket.
Electrical socket in rear centre console
– Fold up the lid ⇒page 89, fig. 100 to access the socket.– Insert the plug of the electrical appliance into the socket.
Electrical equipment can be connected to the 12 Volt socket. The
appliances connected to the socket must not exceed a power rating
of 150 W.
WARNING
The electrical sockets and any appliances connected to them will
operate only when the ignition is switched on. Improper use of the
electrical sockets or the appliances connected to them can cause
injuries or fire. To avoid the risk of injury, never leave children
unsupervised in the vehicle with the key.
Caution
•
To avoid damage to the vehicle's electrical system, never
connect equipment that generates electrical current, such as a solar
panel or battery charger, to the 12 Volt sockets or cigarette lighter in
order to charge the vehicle's battery.
•
Use only equipment which has been tested for electromagnetic
compatibility in compliance with EC Directive 2004/104/EC.Note
Using electrical appliances with the engine switched off will drain
the battery.
Fig. 98 Detail of the
side trim in the
luggage compartment:
12 Volt socketFig. 99 Electrical
socket in the centre
console
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Heating and cooling93
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Heating and coolingDeluxe automatic air conditionerApplies to vehicles: with deluxe automatic air conditionerDescription
The air conditioner can be used to set a comfortable inte-
rior temperature in the vehicle.The air conditioner provides heating and ventilation and also cools
and dehumidifies the air inside the vehicle.
The air conditioner is fully automatic and will maintain the desired
temperature at a constant level. To achieve this, the temperature of
the air supplied to the interior, the blower speed (volume of air
delivery) and the air distribution are regulated automatically. The
system also allows for the effect of strong sunlight, so there is no
need for manual adjustment. For these reasons it is advisable to use
the automatic mode for the comfort of all the passengers in virtually
all conditions throughout the year ⇒page 95.
Please note:
The humidity of the air is automatically reduced when the system
cools the interior of the vehicle. This helps to prevent condensation
on the windows.
If the humidity and temperature outside the vehicle are high,
condensation can drip off the evaporator in the air cooling system
and form a pool underneath the vehicle. This is normal and does not
indicate a leak.
If the outside temperature is low, the blower normally only switches
to a higher speed once the coolant has warmed up sufficiently (this
does not apply to the defrost setting).
In order to achieve maximum engine power, the air conditioner
compressor is temporarily switched off when pulling away from a
standstill with full throttle.The compressor also switches off if the coolant temperature is
excessively high, to ensure adequate engine cooling under extreme
loads.
Pollution filter
The pollution filter (a particle filter) serves as a barrier against impu-
rities in the outside air, including dust and pollen, and odours. The
air is also filtered when the air recirculation mode is activated.
For the air conditioner to work with maximum efficiency, the pollu-
tion filter element must be replaced at the intervals specified in the
Service Schedule.
If the vehicle is driven in areas with a high level of air pollution and
the filter is no longer fully effective, it may be necessary to change
the filter element more frequently.
Key-coded settings
The currently selected air conditioner settings are automatically
stored and assigned to the remote control key.
Power management
To prevent the battery from becoming discharged and to maintain
the necessary power level, the system will temporarily shut off the
electrical components that are using a lot of power, or reduce the
current they are consuming ⇒page 226. Heating systems in partic-
ular use a large amount of electrical power. If you notice, for
instance, that the rear window heater is not working, it may have
been temporarily switched off by the power management function,
or regulated to a lower heat output. These systems will be available
again as soon as sufficient electrical power is available.
WARNING
For safety reasons it is important that all the windows are kept
free of ice, snow and condensation. These can cause poor visibility
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Heating and cooling101
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Applies to vehicles: with diesel engineSupplementary heater– Set the Supplementary heater to auto or off.Models with a diesel engine are equipped with a supplementary
heater to help warm up the interior more quickly. At outside temper-
atures below about +5 °C the supplementary heater is switched on
(and off) automatically when the engine is running, depending on
the coolant temperature, the temperature in the vehicle interior and
the temperature the heater is set to.Deluxe automatic air conditioner plusApplies to vehicles: with deluxe automatic air conditioner plusDescription
The air conditioner is designed to keep the passenger
compartment at the temperature you find most comfort-
able at all times of the year.The air conditioner provides heating and ventilation and also cools
and dehumidifies the air inside the vehicle.
The air conditioner is fully automatic, and will maintain the desired
temperature at a constant level. To achieve this, the temperature of
the air supplied to the interior, the blower speed (volume of air
delivery) and the air distribution are regulated automatically. The
system also allows for the effect of strong sunlight, so there is no
need for manual adjustment. For these reasons it is advisable to use
the automatic mode for the comfort of all the passengers in virtually
all conditions throughout the year ⇒page 103.
Please note:
The humidity of the air is automatically reduced when the system
cools the interior of the vehicle. This helps to prevent condensation
on the windows.If the humidity and temperature outside the vehicle are high,
condensation can drip off the evaporator in the air cooling system
and form a pool underneath the vehicle. This is normal and does not
indicate a leak.
If the outside temperature is low, the blower normally only switches
to a higher speed once the coolant has warmed up sufficiently (this
does not apply to the defrost setting).
In order to achieve maximum engine power, the air conditioner
compressor is temporarily switched off when pulling away from a
standstill with full throttle.
The compressor also switches off if the coolant temperature is
excessively high, to ensure adequate engine cooling under extreme
loads.
Pollution filter
The pollution filter (a combined particle filter and activated charcoal
filter) serves as a barrier against impurities in the outside air,
including dust and pollen, and against unpleasant smells. The air is
also filtered when the air recirculation mode is activated.
For the air conditioner to work with maximum efficiency, the pollu-
tion filter element must be replaced at the intervals specified in the
Service Schedule.
If the vehicle is driven in areas with a high level of air pollution and
the filter is no longer fully effective, it may be necessary to change
the filter element more frequently.
Key-coded settings
The currently selected air conditioner settings are automatically
stored and assigned to the remote control key.
Power management
To prevent the battery from becoming discharged and to maintain
the necessary power level, the system will temporarily shut off the
electrical components that are using a lot of power, or reduce the
current they are consuming ⇒page 226. Heating systems in partic-
ular use a large amount of electrical power. If you notice, for
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Automatic gearbox 168
– Briefly pull the left-hand paddle lever to change down
to a lower gear.
– Briefly pull the right-hand paddle lever to change up
to a higher gear.The paddle levers are activated when the selector lever is in position
D or S, or the position for the manual shift programme (tiptronic).
The manual shift programme can, of course, still be operated using
the selector lever in the centre console.Applies to vehicles: with multitronic® or tiptronicManual release of selector lever
The selector lever can be released manually if the elec-
trical power supply should fail.
The manual release mechanism is behind the ashtray.
– Slide open the cover for the ashtray.
–Slide the switch ⇒fig. 183 to the right to release the
ashtray.
– Take out the ashtray .
– You will now see a small cover cap at the front of the
opening in the ashtray mounting unit.
– Loosen and remove this cover cap.
– Use a screwdriver or similar object to press down the pin,
which is now accessible, and hold it down ⇒fig. 184.
– Now press the interlock button on the selector lever and
move the selector lever to position N.The selector lever can only be moved out of position P if the ignition
key is inserted and the ignition is switched on. If the power supply
should ever fail (discharged battery, etc.) and the vehicle has to be
pushed or towed, the selector lever must first be moved to
position N. This is possible after operating the manual release
mechanism.
A–A+Fig. 183 Removing
ashtray
Fig. 184 Manual
release of selector
lever
AA
AB
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Intelligent technology227
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data current even when the ignition is off. In some cases there may not
be enough power available to start the engine.
Your vehicle is equipped with an intelligent power management
system to control the distribution of electrical energy. This signifi-
cantly improves reliability when starting the engine, and also
prolongs the life of the battery.
The main functions incorporated in the power management system
are battery diagnosis, residual current management and dynamic
power management.
Battery diagnosis
The battery diagnosis function constantly registers the condition of
the battery. Sensors detect the battery voltage, battery current and
battery temperature. This enables the system to calculate the
current power level and charge condition of the battery.
Residual current management
The residual current management reduces power consumption
while the vehicle is parked. It controls the supply of power to the
various electrical components while the ignition is switched off. The
system takes the battery diagnosis data into consideration.
Depending on the power level of the battery, the individual electrical
components are switched off one after the other to prevent the
battery from losing too much charge and to ensure that the engine
can be started reliably.
Dynamic power management
While the vehicle is moving, this function distributes the available
power to the various electrical components and systems according
to their requirements. The power management ensures that on-
board systems do not consume more electrical power than the
alternator can supply, and thus maintains the maximum possible
battery power level.
Note
•
The power management system is not able to overcome the
given physical limits. Please remember that the power and life of
the battery are limited.
•
A warning message will appear ⇒page 228, “Driver message in
the instrument cluster display” if the battery power has dropped to
a level where reliable starting is impaired.
Points to remember
Starting ability has first priority.Short trips, city traffic and low temperatures all place a heavy load
on the battery. In these conditions a large amount of power is
consumed, but only a small amount is supplied. The situation is also
critical if electrical equipment is in use when the engine is not
running. In this case power is consumed when none is being gener-
ated.
In these situations you will be aware that the power management
system is intervening to control the distribution of electrical power.
When the vehicle is parked for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle for a period of several days or weeks,
the power management will gradually shut off the on-board
systems one by one, or reduce the amount of current they are using.
This limits the amount of power consumed and helps to ensure reli-
able starting even after a long period.
Please note that certain convenience features, such as the Audi
advanced key*, the remote control key or the electrical seat adjust-
ment may not be available when you unlock the vehicle. These func-
tions will be restored when you switch on the ignition and start the
engine.
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Checking and topping up fluids255
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Working on components in the engine compartment
Extra caution is necessary when working on components
in the engine compartment.Always be aware of the danger of injury and scalding as well as the
risk of accident or fire when working in the engine compartment
(e.g. when checking and refilling fluids). Always observe the warn-
ings listed below and follow all normal safety precautions. The
engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially
hazardous area. ⇒.
WARNING
•
Switch off the engine.
•
Remove the ignition key.
•
Apply the parking brake.
•
Put the gear lever in neutral or selector in P.
•
Wait for the engine to cool down.
•
Keep children away from engine compartment.
•
Never spill fluids on hot engine components. These fluids can
cause a fire (e.g. radiator anti-freeze).
•
Take care not to cause short circuits in the electrical system,
especially when working on the battery.
•
Do not touch the radiator fan when the engine is hot. The fan
may start running suddenly.
•
Do not unscrew the cap on the expansion tank when the engine
is hot. The cooling system is under pressure.
•
Protect face, hands and arms by covering the cap with a large,
thick rag to protect against escaping coolant and steam.
•
If any tests have to be performed with the engine running,
there is an extra safety risk from the rotating parts, such as the
drive belts, alternator and radiator fan, etc., and from the high-
voltage ignition system.
•
Vehicles with automatic gearbox: Never open the throttle inad-
vertently (for instance by hand from the engine compartment) if a
gear is engaged while the vehicle is stationary with the engine
running. The vehicle could otherwise start moving immediately
and possibly cause an accident.
•
Observe the following additional warnings if work on the fuel
system or the electrical system is necessary:
−Always disconnect the battery.
−Do not smoke.
−Never work near naked flames.
−Always keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately
available.Caution
When topping up fluids make sure the correct fluid is put into the
correct filler opening. This can otherwise cause serious malfunc-
tions or engine damage.
For the sake of the environment
Inspect the ground underneath your vehicle regularly so that any
leaks are detected at an early stage. If you find oil spots or other
fluids, have your vehicle inspected by a qualified workshop.
Note
On right-hand drive vehicles* some of the containers / reservoirs
mentioned below are located on the other side of the engine
compartment.
WARNING (continued)
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Checking and topping up fluids 264Please note that certain convenience features, such as the Audi
advanced key*, the remote control key or the electrical seat adjust-
ment may not be available when you unlock the vehicle. These func-
tions will be restored when you switch on the ignition and start the
engine.
Winter conditions
At low temperatures the battery has to work very hard. It also
provides only a fraction of the starting power it has at normal
temperatures.
For this reason, we recommend having the battery checked and
charged if necessary before the start of winter ⇒page 265.
WARNING
•
All work on batteries requires specialist knowledge. For queries
regarding the vehicle battery please contact an Audi dealership or
other qualified workshop (risk of chemical burns / risk of explo-
sion).
•
The battery must not be opened. Do not attempt to make any
changes to the electrolyte level of the battery. Otherwise, there is
a risk that a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gas can accumulate
and cause an explosion.Note
If the vehicle is to be left standing for a period of several weeks at
extremely low temperatures, the battery should be removed from
the vehicle. This ensures that it cannot “freeze up” and be
damaged.
Important safety warnings for handling a car battery
All work on batteries requires specialist knowledge.The vehicle battery is located under the floor panel in the luggage
compartment.
WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury and chemical burns as
well as the risk of accident or fire when working on the battery and
the electrical system.•
Wear safety glasses. Do not allow acid or lead particles to come
into contact with eyes, skin or clothing.
•
Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear protective gloves and
safety glasses. Do not tilt the battery - acid can leak out of the
vapour vent. If electrolyte should splash into the eyes rinse at once
for several minutes using clear water. Then seek medical care
immediately. Neutralize any acid splashes on the skin or clothing
with soap solution, and rinse off with plenty of water. If acid is
swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor immediately.
•
Keep open flames, sparks, uncovered lights and lit cigarettes
away from battery. Avoid sparks (including those from static

Wear safety glasses!

Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear protec-
tive gloves and safety glasses.

Keep open flames, sparks, uncovered lights and
lit cigarettes away from battery!

A highly explosive mixture of gases is given off
when the battery is under charge!

Keep children away from the battery and battery
acid.
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