2008 AUDI A4 battery

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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Heating and cooling111
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Note
•
It is advisable to open the air outlets when using the auxiliary
heating/ventilation.
•
The auxiliary heating/ventilation will not switch on if the fuel in
the tank has reached the reserve zone.
•
The auxiliary heating/ventilation will not switch on if the battery
charge level is low.
•
The symbols
 (auxiliary ventilation) or
 (auxiliary heating)
flash in the instrument cluster next to the clock display when the
auxiliary heating/ventilation is switched on. Both symbols light
continuously when the timer is activated.
•
At low outside temperatures some visible water vapour may
form in the engine compartment. This is a normal phenomenon,
and no reason for concern.
Applies to vehicles: with auxiliary heating - under development at the time of printingSwitching on/off immediately
You can switch the auxiliary heating/ventilation on and
off immediately via the sound system or MMI*.– Select: Function selector button > control button
AC > Aux. heating or Aux. ventilation.
When the auxiliary heating/ventilation is running, you can press the
button on the air conditioner console to switch off the blower
only. Pressing the button a second time will switch on the
blower again.
Note
The symbols
 (auxiliary ventilation) or
 (auxiliary heating) flash in
the instrument cluster next to the clock display when the auxiliary
heating/ventilation is switched on.
Applies to vehicles: with auxiliary heating - under development at the time of printingSetting and activating the timers
You can make the desired settings for the auxiliary
heating/ventilation on the sound system or MMI*.
Fig. 121 Display:
Setup AC
CAR
OFF
OFF
Fig. 122 Display: Timer
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Heating and cooling113
Controls
Safety
Driving tips
General maintenance
Self-help
Technical data
Applies to vehicles: with auxiliary heating - under development at the time of printingRemote control
The auxiliary heating and auxiliary ventilation can also be
switched on or off with the remote control.Switching on
– Press the button for about 2 seconds to activate the
auxiliary heating/ventilation ⇒fig. 125.
Switching off
– Press the button for about 2 seconds to switch
off the auxiliary heating/ventilation.Changing the battery
– Push back and remove the battery cover on the remote
control ⇒fig. 126.
– Change the battery. The diagram in the battery compart-
ment shows how the battery should be fitted. The new
battery must be of the same type as the original one.
– Re-fit the battery cover.
When it is switched on, the auxiliary heating or auxiliary ventilation
starts immediately and remains on for the period set in the menu.
The maximum running time is 60 minutes.
If you want to switch the system on again after the end of the
programmed running time, press the button .
Transmitter indicator lamp
The transmitter indicator lamp will flash accordingly to show
whether the command you sent via the remote control was
successful.
When you switch the system on by pressing the button the
indicator lamp will flash green for about 30 seconds to confirm that
the heating/ventilation has been switched on. When you switch the
system off by pressing the button the indicator lamp will
flash red to confirm that the heating/ventilation has been switched
off.
If the remote control is outside the transmitting range the indicator
lamp will flash red slowly. If there is a fault in the system (e.g. fuel
level is down to reserve), the indicator lamp will flash red rapidly. In
both cases the command will not be executed.
When the battery of the remote control is almost completely flat, the
transmitter indicator lamp will not light up and no commands will
be executed.
Fig. 125 Remote
control for auxiliary
heatingFig. 126 Remote
control: Changing
battery

A1
OFF
A2

A1
A3

A1
OFF
A2
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Audi side assist 156Applies to vehicles: with side assistWhen driving through bendsThe side assist cannot detect vehicles in tight bends (with a radius
of less than 200 metres).
When driving through a bend, the side assist may react to a vehicle
that is two lanes away and activate the warning lamp in the exterior
mirror.Applies to vehicles: with side assistLane widthsThe side assist system is designed to cover adjacent lanes of normal
width on both sides of your vehicle (left and right), regardless of whether you are driving directly in the centre of your lane or further
to one side.
If the lane widths are reduced, the sensors may also detect vehicles
in additional lanes, especially if you are driving further to one side
of your lane ⇒fig. 173. In such situations the system may react to
vehicles travelling two lanes away, so that the side assist activates
the information or the warning mode.
Similarly, if the lanes are very wide, it is possible that the system
may not detect vehicles in the adjacent lane because they are
outside the area covered by the sensors.
NotesApplies to vehicles: with side assistMessages in the instrument cluster displayShould the side assist be deactivated automatically, the indicator
lamp in the button will go out and a message will appear in the
instrument cluster display:
Audi side assist not available: sensors blocked
The sensors, which are not externally visible, are incorporated on
either side of the rear bumper ⇒page 149, fig. 163. To ensure the
proper function of the side assist system, do not attach any objects
(such as stickers or bicycle carriers, etc.) to the rear bumper in such
a way that they might obstruct these sensors. Should the function
of the system be impaired, the instrument cluster display will show
this message. Please check whether anything is obstructing the
sensors and remove the obstruction if necessary.
Audi side assist currently not available
The side assist is temporarily inoperative and cannot be switched
on (for instance if the battery is not sufficiently charged).
Fig. 172 Lanes of
normal width are
covered by the sensorsFig. 173 Narrow lanes:
side assist may react
to vehicles travelling
two lanes away
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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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Airbag system 202•
Do not remove the front seats.
•
The airbag system can only be activated once; if the airbag has
been triggered, the system must be replaced. Should the airbag
system or airbag modules have to be replaced, the qualified work-
shop carrying out the replacement will document all details in the
appropriate section of the Service Schedule.
•
If you sell the vehicle, please remember to pass on the
complete Service Wallet to the new owner. If any of the airbags
have been deactivated, it is important that the new owner is also
given the relevant documents.
•
The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the
vehicle or components of the airbag or belt tensioner systems are
scrapped.
•
In an accident in which one or more airbags are triggered the
alternator and the starter are - for safety reasons - both discon-
nected from the battery via a pyrotechnic circuit breaker.
−Any repairs to the pyrotechnic circuit breaker must always
be performed by a qualified workshop (accident risk).
−The relevant safety requirements must be observed when
the vehicle or the circuit breaker are scrapped.
When are the airbags triggered?
The airbag system is triggered in collisions with a severe
impact.The airbag system is designed so that the airbags for the driver and
front passenger are triggered in a severe frontal collision.
In severe side collisions the side airbags on the impact side of the
vehicle are triggered together with the head-protection airbag.
The front airbags, side airbags and one of the head-protection
airbags may be triggered together in certain types of accident.The airbag system is not triggered in minor frontal or side collisions,
or in rear collisions or if the car overturns. In these situations the
occupants are protected by wearing the seat belts.
Factors determining the triggering response
It is not possible to define the exact triggering response of the
airbag system in all possible situations, since the circumstances in
different types of accident will vary considerably. Important factors
include, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of the object which
the car hits, the angle of impact, vehicle speed and so on.
Whether the airbags are triggered depends primarily on the vehicle
deceleration rate resulting from the collision. By processing the
signals from the sensors located in the vehicle, the electronic
control unit is immediately able to evaluate the severity of the colli-
sion and activate the restraint systems accordingly. If the decelera-
tion rate is below the predefined reference value in the control unit
the airbags will not be triggered, even though the accident may
cause extensive damage to the car.
Note
The airbag releases a fine dust when it inflates. This is quite normal
and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle.
WARNING (continued)
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