2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET ESP

Cleaning and protection -
----------------
•
• To avoid damaging your vehicle, always make sure that there is
enough d istance between the sprayer and sof t materials like rubber
hoses, plastic parts and sound -deadening materials . Never aim the
sprayer at the same point for a re latively long period of t ime. This
also applies to cleaning headlights and painted bumpers. Remember : the closer the nozzle is to the surface of the material,
the greater the stress on the material. •
Power top care
The power to p requires s pecial c are.
Keeping your top look ing great and making certain that it lasts a
long time depend to a great extent on proper use and care. Remove
bird droppings as soon as possib le, since the corrosive chemicals in
them wi ll cause the rubber impregnation in your top to swell and
possibly allow the fabric to leak.
With normal soiling, all you need to do is c lear the top with a soft
brush and clear water. Always brush in the direction of the fabric
from front to rear.
If the top is very dirty and has spotted areas clean it with a brush
using a convert ib le top cleaner . Always brush in the direction of the
fabric from front to rear . R inse with plenty of clear water, and allow
t he t op to air-dry .
Chamois are not suitab le for drying the top.
Never use gasoline, spot remover, benzene, paint thinner or
solve nts to remove spots . We recommend that you only use
cleaners especia lly formulated for use on convertib le tops , and that
you fol low the produce use d irections carefully. Authorized Audi
dea ls can provide detailed information.
& WARNING
Always read and h eed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 2 30 .
0 Note
Never use a high -pressure power was her to clean the power top. •
Wind deflector
Clear the wind deflector with water or, if it is heavily soi led, a chem ­
ica lly neutra l cleaning solution .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 2 30 . •
Waxing
W ax pr otects the vehicle's p ain t.
- U se a manua lly ap plied ca r wa x occasi onall y to p ro tect
t h e paint.
A good wax coat ing protects the vehicle paint to a large extent
against the environmental factors listed under=> page 230,
"Washing" and even against slight scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your paint as soon as one
week after your vehic le has been delivered.
Even if you regular ly use a
waxing process in automa tic car was hes,
we recommend that you manual ly apply a coat of wax to give the
paint ex tra p rotecti on, particular ly if wa ter n o longer beads on the
c lean paint.
Protect plastic body parts with car wax in the same way as the
vehic le body.
Ve hic le care

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During warm weather dead insects tend to collect on the front
bumper an d on the f orwar d area of the hood . They are much easier
to remove from paint that is waxed
often .
& WARNING
Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other informat ion
=> page 2 30.
0 Note
Do not use ca r wax on
• matte or anodized metal trim
• rubber or rubber -like trim. •
Polishing
Po lis hin g restores t he gloss to the pa int.
Po lish your vehicle on ly if the paint has lost its shine and the g loss
cannot be brought back with wax.
I f the p olish used does not contain preservative c ompounds, th e
paint must be waxed afterwards=>
page 233, "Waxing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the inform ation
=> page 23 0.
0 Note
Do not treat matte anodized metal tr im, plastic or rubber parts with
polish or wa x.•
Trim strips
Metal tri m nee ds speci al care.
For environmental reasons , Audi fabricates the bright trim strips
and trim pieces from pure chr omi um -free a luminum .
Dirt and marks on the trim strips should be removed w ith a
pH­
balan ced
cleaning agent (do not use a chrome cleaner). Audi
dea lers carry c leaning products which have been tested for use on
your vehicle and are not harmful to the environment.
To avoid co rrosion on the exterior trim strips, only a p H-ba lanced
solu tion should be used for the windshield washer .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other inform ation
=> page 2 30 . •
Plastic and vinyl
Plas tics needs spe cial care.
Use a clean , da mp c loth or sponge to remove dust and light surface
dirt. For other soil, use a lukewarm all -purpose cleaning so lution or
a mild sadd le soap fo r vinyl trim. Re move water sp ots and s oap
traces with a clean, damp cloth or sponge. Use a clean, soft c loth to
r ub dry .
Grease , tar or oil stains can be removed with a clean cloth or sponge
soaked with al l- purpose cleaner or with a solvent designed espe ­
cia lly to c lean vinyl.
Occas iona lly apply a colorless vinyl or leather preservative to retain
t he material's luster a nd p liabili ty. .,

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•
[ i ] Tip s
Open Ve lcro fasteners on your cloth ing can damage the seat cover .
Please make sure that Ve lcro fasteners are closed .•
Plastic parts and instrument panel
A lways use a c lean cloth moistened in clear water to clean these
areas . For persistent dirt use an Audi approved
solvent-free plastic
cleaner/protectant.
& WARNING
Solvents can change the properties of some plastics and make it
harder for the airbag to deploy .
• Never clean the instrument panel or the surfa ce of Airbag
module s with c leaning produ cts that contain sol vents .
• Products containing solvent s will make the surface of th is part
porous .
• Serious injuries can re sult if plastic parts come loo se when the
airbag is deployed .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 230 .
0 Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents wil l attack the material and can
change the way it be haves. •
Applies to veh ic les : wi th n atural leat her
Natural leather
Audi makes great effor ts to maintain the proper ties,
n at ural look an d feel of in terior le ather.
General
We offer many different types of leather on our vehic les . Most are
d iff erent types of nappa leather, which has a smoo th surface and
comes in various co lors .
The in tens ity of the c olor de termines the visua l characteristics and
appearance. I f the surface of the leather has a typ ical natu ra l loo k,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has been left in a re latively
natura l condition. This leathe r off ers pa rticu larly good com fort and
breathes we ll. Fine veins, closed grains, insect bites, skin folds, and
su btle varia tions in c olor remain visib le . These characterist ics
demonstrate that the material is natural.
Natura l nappa lea ther is not c ove red by a color finish. It is th erefo re
more sensitive to soiling and wear, which is something you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors might prove to be
particularly hard on the leather .
By contrast, leather types that are covered by a colored finish layer
are m ore dura ble. This has a pos itive effect on the lea ther's resis­
tance to wear and soiling in daily use. On the other hand, the typical
c haracte ristics of natura l leather are barely or not appa re nt.
However , this does not mean that the leather itse lf is of inferior
quality.
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of leat her that Audi
uses and their unique properties (such as sensitivity to oi ls, grease ,
s o iling, etc.), y ou will need to be somewhat ca ref ul w ith t hese
leathers, and a certain type of care is required . For example, dark
c lothing materials can discolor leathe r seats (especially if such
clothing is damp and was not dyed correctly!. Dust and dirt particles .,_
Vehic le care

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in pores, folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect and can
damage the leather surface as well as weaken seams.
The leather should be cleaned regularly as needed . After having
been used for a relatively long time, your leather seats will acquire
a rich aged finish. This is a characteristic of natural leather and a
sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural product over the life of
your vehicle, you should follow the recommendations below :
0 Note
• To keep your leather from bleaching out, do not allow it to be
exposed to bright sunlight for long periods of time. If you have to
leave the vehicle parked outside for long periods, cover the leather
to protect it from direct exposure to sunlight.
• Sharp objects on clothing, such as zippers, rivets or sharp pieces
on belts can leave permanent scratches or scrape marks on the
surface of the leather .
[ i ] Tip s
• After each time you clean the leather and at regu lar intervals, use
a leather preservative creme that contains UV -blockers and that
works into the leather. This creme will nourish and moisturize the leather, helping it to breathe and stay supple . It also helps to build
up a protective coating on the surface .
• Clean the leather every 2 -3 months, and clean any areas that get
soiled.
• Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc . as soon as possible.
• Preserve the color of the leather as needed by using a special
colored leather care creme to touch up areas of uneven color .•
Ap plies to vehi cles: w it h n atu ral leather
Cleaning and caring for leather upholstery
and trim
Natural leather requires special care and attention.
Norm al c leaning
- Clean soiled areas with a slig htly mo istened cotton or
woolen cloth.
Mor e stubborn dirt
- More stubborn dirt can be removed using a cloth satu­
rated with a mild soap solution (2 tablespoons mi ld
liquid soap).
- Never allow the soap solution to saturate the leather, and
make certain that no water soaks into the seams .
Wipe off the soap solution with a soft, dry cloth.
Cl eaning spot s
- Remove fresh wate r-ba sed spots (such as coffee, tea,
juices, blood) w ith an absorbent c loth or paper towe l.
- Remove fresh greas e or oil-ba sed spots (such as butter,
mayonnaise, chocolate) with an absorbent cloth or paper
towel, or use the c leaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface of the leather.
- Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if oil /gr ease spots
h ave dried on .
- Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint pen, felt
marker, fingernail polish, water-based paint, shoe polish,
etc.) with a spot remover specifically formulated for leather . .,_

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Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work reliably when
needed.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract properly.
- Keep belts clean.
- For cleaning, use a mild soap and water solution. Let
belts dry thoroughly and away from direct sunlight.
- Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to retract before
they are completely dry.
- Check the condit ion of your safety belts
regularly.
& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash .
• Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean that
you and your passengers would not be adequately protected in an
accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation. Never
remove belts from the vehicle to clean them.
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents, bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
• When cleaning your safety belts, inspect them for damage. If
you discover damage, see your Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=:> page 230. •
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the engine compart­
ment.
Always switch off the ignition before cleaning the engine :::::, &.
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front of the windshield
under the engine hood. This prevents the water drain holes from
becoming blocked, and it prevents debris from entering the vehicle
interior through the heating and ventilation ducts.
Corrosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission have been corrosion­
protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatment is very important, particularly in the
winter. If the vehicle is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel should be thor­
oughly cleaned at the end of winter and retreated to prevent salt
damage. At the same time, the underside of the vehicle should be
washed as well.
I f the engine compartment is cleaned at any time with grease
removing solutions
21 , or if you have the engine washed, the anti­
corrosion treatment is almost always removed as well. It is therefore
essential to have a long-lasting corrosion protection reapplied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the engine compart ­
ment.
& WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a
potentially hazardous area.
• Before working in the engine compartment, be sure to read the
information :::::,
page 242. .,.,
21 Use only the correct cleaning solutions. Never use gasoline or diesel fuel.

•
Ble nd o f gas oline and eth ano l (gr ain al coh ol o r eth yl a lcoho l)
• Anti -knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
• Blend must not contain more than 10% ethanol.
Blend of gasoli ne a nd MTBE
• Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
• Blend must contain not more than 15% MTBE.
Seasonall y ad ju ste d ga solin e
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform especially well for
winter or summer driving . During seasona l change -over, we suggest
that you fil l up at busy gas stations where the seasonal adjustment
is more likely to be made in time.
0 Note
• Methanol fuels which do not meet these requirements may
cause corrosion and damage to p lastic and rubber components in
the fuel system.
• Do not use fuels that fail to meet the specified criteria in this
chapter .
• If you are unable to determine whether or not a particu lar fuel
blend meets the specifications, ask your service station or its fuel
suppl ier.
• Do not use fuel for which the contents cannot be identified.
• Fuel system damage and performance problems resu lting from
the use of fuels different from those specified are not the responsi ­
bility of Audi and are not covered under the New Vehicle or the
Emission Control System Warran ties.
• If you experience a loss of fue l economy or driveability and
performance problems due to the use of one of these fue l b lends,
we recommend that you switch to unblended fuel.•
Fue l supply and fillin g yo ur fu el tank
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufacturers is carbon
deposit build-up caused by the type of gasoline you use.
Although gasoline grades d iffer from one manufacturer to another,
they have certain things in common. A ll gaso line grades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect on vita l engine parts,
such as fuel injectors and intake valves. Although most gaso line
brands inc lude additives to keep engine and fue l systems c lean,
they are not equally effective.
Audi recommends using TOP T IER Detergent Gasol ine. For more
information on TOP TIER Detergent Gaso line, please go to the offi­
cial website (www.toptiergas .coml.
After an extended period of using inadequate fue ls, carbon deposit
build -ups can rob your engine of peak performance.
(D Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel qua lity is not covered by
the Audi New Vehic le Limited Warranty .•
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel fi ller neck is located on the right rear side panel behind the
fue l filler f lap.
If the power locking system should fail, you can still open the flap
manually - for detailed instructions see~
page 248.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your vehicle in Tech nic al Dat a
~ page 314 . _,.
Ve hic le care

•
Refuelling procedure
-Insert the fue l nozzle from the gaso line pump i nto the
fue l fi ller neck as far as it w il l go.
- Select a medium refue lling rate so that the nozzle
swi tches off automatica lly w hen the tank is ful l.
Putting the fuel cap back on
-Aft er fillin g yo ur ta nk, twist th e fue l fille r cap clockw is e
unt il you hear a de finit e cli ck .
- Cl ose the fue l fille r flap.
To avo id fu el sp illing or evapora ting from the fuel tan k always close
fu el filler cap p rop erly and co mplet ely . An i mprope rly clo sed fue l
fi ller cap may a lso cause a messa ge in the dr iver in fo rm ation display
=>
page 27 or cause the MIL lamp=> page 27 to come on.
,& WARNING
Improper refueling or handling of fuel can cause fire, explosion
and severe burns .
• Fuel is highly flammable and can cause severe burns and other
injuries .
• Failure to shut the engine off while refueling and /or to insert
the pump nozzle fully into the fuel filler ne ck could cause fuel to
spray out of filler neck or to overflow. Fuel spray and overflowing
fuel can cause a fire .
• Never use a cellular telephone while refueling . The electromag ­
netic radiation can cause sparks that can ignite fue l vapors and
c ause a fire .
• Never get ba ck into your vehicle wh ile refueling . If in e xcep ­
tional circumstan ces you must get ba ck in your vehicle while refu­
eling , make certain that you close the door and touch metal to
di scharge static electricity before touching the filler nozzle again.
Fu el supply and filling your fu el tank
& W ARNING (continued )
Static electricity can cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors
released during refueling .
• Never smoke or have an open flame anywhere in or near your
vehicle when refueling or filling a portable fuel container.
• For your safety , we strongly recommend that you do not travel
with a portable fuel container in your vehicle. The container , full or
empty may leak and could cause a fire , especially in a crash .
• If, under e xcept ional circumstances , you must transport a
portable fuel container, please observe the following:
-Never fill a portable fuel container while it is anywhere
in or
on the vehicle (for example , in the luggage compartment , or on
the trunk) . Static electricity can build up while filling and can
ignite fuel vapors causing a fire.
- Always place a portable fuel containe r on the ground before
filling.
- Always keep the filler nozzle completely inside the portable
container before and during filling .
- If filling a portable container made of metal , the filler nozzle
must always be in contact with the container. Thi s will help
prevent static ele ctricity from discharging and cause a fire.
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or luggage compartment .
Fuel vapors are h ighly flammable .
- Always observe local and state/provincial laws regarding the
use , storage and transportation of fuel conta iners.
- Make certain the fuel container meets indu stry standards
(ANSI / ASTM F852-86).
0 Note
If any fuel has spil led onto the car , it should be removed immedi -
ate ly to prevent da mage to the pa int. _,.
Vehic le care

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Closing the engine hood
-Pull t he hood down until the pressure from the strut is
reduced.
- Let t he hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fai l to engage ~& .
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
~ 6 .
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood :
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake.
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to "P" (Park);
put manual transmission in Neutral.
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood .
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm. The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary :
- Always disconnect the battery .
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine
is running or being started, never touch :
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition
system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running:
~