2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET ESP

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0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold . If necessary, increase the proportion of
coolant additive to 60% .
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system,
remember:
-We recommend using only coolant additive G12+ + (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is available at autho­
rized Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protection . The resulting corrosion can cause a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage.
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's
engine coolant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result
in damage not
covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig . 202 Engine
compartment: Coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 250.
Turn off the ignition.
- Let the eng ine cool down.
Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
~ fig. 202 and carefully twist the cap counter-clockwise
~& .
Read the engine coolant level in the open coolant expan­
sion tank~ fig. 202. With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
"max" marking .
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the
engine compartment illustration=>
page 252.
To obtain an accurate reading , the engine must be switched off .
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric
coolant level sensor.
When the coolant l evel is too low, the warning light in the Auto ­
Check System :::::,
page 31 will blink until you add coolant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coolant level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level
from time to time .
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system. In the event
of coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immedi ­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer . It is not enough merely to add
coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating. ..,.

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Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near the battery.
•·•·•·•
Fig. 204 Engine
compartment, plenum
chamber : battery cover
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 250.
Removing the cover
-Push the cover in the direction of the arrow => fig. 204.
Always heed the safety warnings, when working on the vehicle
battery or the vehicle electrical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre ­
cautions when working on the battery .
®
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Always wear
gloves and eye protection.
No
- sparks
- flames
- smoking.
When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause personal
injury.
Always keep the battery well out of reach of chil­
dren.
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire. Read and heed the
following WARNINGS:
• Always wear eye protection. Do not let battery acid or any lead
particles get on your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes. Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury.
• Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can cause
blindness and severe burns .
- Always wear gloves and eye protection. Do not tilt the battery because acid could leak out of the ventilation openings .
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immedi ­
ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and get medical
attention.
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek medical attention
immediately.
• Do not expose the battery to an open flame , electric sparks or
an open light.
• Do not smoke.
• Do not interchange the positive and negative cables .
• When working on the battery, be sure not to short-circuit the
terminals with tools or other metal objects. This would cause the .,,.
Vehic le care irechnical data

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Contact a dealership if you would like to replace damaged whee l
cove rs.
& WARNING
Never loo sen the screws on rim s with threaded rim rings* -danger
of accident!
& WARNING
New tires or tires that are old , worn or damaged cannot provide
maximum control and braking abil ity .
• New tires tend to be slippery and must be broken in. To reduce
the risk of losing control , a collision and serious per sonal injurie s,
drive with special care for the first 350 miles (560 km ).
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the co mbined we ig ht (in excess o f those standar d ite ms
which may be rep laced) of automatic transmission, power stee ring,
power b rakes, power win dows, power seats, ra dio, a nd heater, to
the extent that these items are avai lab le as factory- installed equip­
m ent (w hether i nstalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio o f the he ight to t he wid th of the t ire in perce nt.
N umbers of 5 5 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steer ing respo nse and bette r overall handl ing on dry pave ment.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of stee l wires, wrapped or
reinforced by p ly cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
& W ARNING (continued )
• Driving with worn or damaged tires can lead to loss of control,
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflat ion ,
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
e specially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergen cy and then with special care and at
low speed.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "p revious history. " Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that c an lead to sudden
tire failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driv ing , always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Bead separation
m eans a brea kdow n of the bond be tween compo ne nt s in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehic le manufacturer
fo r a tire of a des ig nated size tha t h as not bee n dr iven for more than
a coup le of mi les (ki lometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
b ef or e the ti re pressu re is mea sured o r adj usted. _,,

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•
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fue l, oi l, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire . Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side ­
wa ll.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR ")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure. You may not find this information on al l tires
because it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at the maximum permissible infla­
tion pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of :
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity we ight, and
(d) Product ion options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflat ion pressure to which a tire may be
inflated. Also called "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewalls of
an inflated tire, including elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated para lle l cords .
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2 .3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not previously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
heavy duty batter y, and special trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Recommended inflation pressure
see::;, page 268, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Ve hic le care

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Rei nf orced tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher inf la ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
tires my be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the t ire beads are seated.
R im di am eter
means nomina l diameter o f the bead seat. If you change your wheel
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam­
eter.
R im size des ig nati on
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating (le tter code )
means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time . The ratings range from 93 mph ( 150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)~
page 281. You may not find this informa­
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law .
The speed rating letter code, where appl icable, is molded on the tire
sidewal l and indicates the maximum permissible road speeds~
&
in "Winter tires" on page 284 .
Tire pres su re m onitoring s yste m*
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and i lluminates a low tire pressure warning te ll­
tale .
Trea d
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road .
Trea d se parati on
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass .
Treadw ear indi cato rs (TWI)
means the projections within the princ ipal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread. See
~ page 278, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more informatio n on
measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Q uality Gra ding
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (N HTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The U TQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire wil l last for a
prescribed number of miles or perform in a certain way. It simply
gives tire buyers additiona l information to combine wit h other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dea ler recommen­
dations. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in
three areas: treadwear, traction and temperature resistance . The
UTQG information on the tires, molded into the sidewalls.
U.S . D OT T ir e Ident ifi ca tion Num ber (T IN )
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the le tters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federa l standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac­
ture. For example,
D OT ... 2 209 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2009 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may o r may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll. -.,

-Tires and wheels
P'U:1-------------------
warmed up than when it is "cold." It is the inflation pressure in a
"cold" tire that counts. Therefore, you should never let air out of a
warm tire to match "cold tire inflation pressure" recommendations .
The tires would then be underinflated and could fail suddenly.
Maintaining proper tire pressure is one of the most important
things you can do to help avoid sudden tire failure. Underinflated
tires are a major cause of sudden tire failure. Keeping tires at the
right pressure is also important for safe and responsive vehicle
handling, traction, braking and load carrying.
Tire pressures are
particularly important when the vehicle is being driven at higher
speeds, and then especially when heavily loaded even within the
permissible load-carrying capacities approved for your vehicle .
The recommended tire pressures for your Audi depend on the kind
of tires on your vehicle and the number of passengers and/or
amount of luggage you will be transporting.
On USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's
side B-pillar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located
either on the driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap. The tire
pressure label lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
If you wish to improve comfort when operating the vehicle at
normal load (up to 2 occupants), you can adjust tire pressures to
-
those specified for normal vehicle load. Before operating the vehicle
at maximum load, you must increase the tire pressures to those
specified for maximum vehicle load
=> & .
If your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system *,
bear in mind that the system can only monitor the tire pressures you
have stored. The system does not recognize the load condition of
your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the tire pressure monitoring system will be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehicle at its maximum load=>&.
See the illustration =>
page 271, fig. 207 for the location of the label
either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slightly).
Note that the following table is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change. In the event of discrepancies, the tire
pressure label (either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler
flap) always takes precedence .
The table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi model covered by your Owner's Literature at the
vehicle's capacity weight and the tire sizes installed on the respec­
tive models as original equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine
(displace­
ment in liter) Tire designation
Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
4-cylinder
2.0 215/55 R16 93H All Season
235/45 R17 94H All Season
235/45 R17 94Y High Performance
235/40 R18 95Y XL High Performance
normal load
condition (up to
2 occupants)
PSI
33
33
30
36
kPA
230
230
210
250
full load
condition
PSI
35
35 33
42
II kPA
240
240
230
290
normal load
condition (up
to 2 occupants)
PSI
30
30
30
36
JI kPA
210
210
210
250
11 full load
condition
PSI
38
38
33
42
JI kPA
260
260
230
290
I

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load normal load
ment in full load
full load
liter ) c
ondit ion (up to
condition c
ondition (up
condition
2 occupants ) to 2 occupants)
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
6 -cylinder 215 /55 R16 93H All Season 35 240
38 260
30 2
10
38 260
3.2
235/45 R17 94H All Season 35 2
4 0
38 260 30 2
10
38 260
235/45 R17 94V High Performance 30 2 10 3 3 230 30 2 10 33 230
235 /40 R18 95V XL High Performance 41 280 46 320 41 280 4 6 320
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as x i, EXTRA LOAD , or RF on the tire sidewa ll.
The correct tire pressure for the
spare wheel is located on a label
either on the dr iver's side B-pilla r or i nside the fuel filler flap.
Because technical changes may be made to vehicle equipment
dur ing the mode l year, a lways co mpare the tire size designatio n on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle .
Make sure t hat the tire s ize informa tion o n the vehi cle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . This is especially impor ­
t a nt if th e ve hicle belo ngs to someone else or you bough t the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ ­
ously owned vehicle.
Re member, your safety and that of your passeng ers a ls o depends
on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
inc lude s every body and everyt hin g i n and o n the vehic le . These load
limits are techn ically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehic le
Weight Ra tin g ("GVWR") . The Gross Axle Weig ht Ra ting ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the veh icle's two
ax les . The Gross Vehic le W eight Rating and the Gross Ax le Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located
either on the driver's s ide 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel fi ller
fl ap. T he ti re pressure labe l on your Aud i lists the max imum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo that the vehicle can car
ry. Fo r the l ocat io n of the tire pressure la bel
=> page 271, fig. 207.
LJ}. WARNING
Overload ing a vehicle can cause loss of vehi cle cont rol , a crash or
other ac cident , serious per sonal injury , and even death .
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle wa s designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
risk of a loss of vehicle control .
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehi cle within a safe dist ance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
cau sing lo ss of control and a crash .
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer h itch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehi cle 's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating . .,,_
Vehic le care

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
• The tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when
t he t ires are co ld . The s lightly raised press ures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
• Adjust t he tire p re ssure to the load you are carrying.
• Reinstall the va lve stem cap on the valve.
When should I check the tire pressure?
The correc t tire p re ssur e is espec ially i mportant at high speeds. The
pressure should there fore be c hecked at least once a month and
a lways before starting a journey. Do not forget to check the tire pres ­
su re for t he spare whee l::::>
page 291.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjust the ti re pressur e to the load you are carrying. A fter chang in g
a wheel
or replacing whee ls you have to adj ust t he t ire pressure s on
a ll whee ls. In addition, o n ve hicles w ith t ire pressure monito ring
system * you must then store the new tire pressures in the system
=> page 41.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pres sures and /or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure, loss of control , collision, serious personal injury or even
death .
• When the warning symbol ( appears in the instrument
cluster , stop and inspect the tires .
• Incorrect tire pressure and /or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affe ct the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorre ct tire pressures and /or underinflat ion can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehi cle control.
• The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle . The appli cable pre ssure values are located on
a sticker on the driver 's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap .
& WARNING (continued )
• Only when all tires on the veh icle are filled to the correct pres­
s ure, the tire pressure monitoring system * can work correctly .
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage . Therefore it is essential that the driver observe
the specified tire pressure values for the tires and the correct pres­
sures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system*.
• Alway s inflate tires to the recommended and corre ct tire pres ­
sure before driving off.
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot resulting in tread separation , sudden tire failure and loss
of control.
• Excessive speed and /overloading can cause he at build -up ,
sudden tire failure and loss of control.
• If the tire pressure is too low or too high , the tires will wear
prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well.
• If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel
immediately, drive at reduced speed to the nearest service station
to che ck the tire pressure and add air as required .
0 Note
Driving without valve stem caps can cause damage to the tire
valves. To p revent this, a lways make sure tha t factory installe d va lve
stem caps on al l wheels are securely mounted on the va lve .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Underinflated tires wi ll a lso increase the fue l consumption. •
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or weight that any vehic le and
any tire can carry. A vehicle that is overloa ded wil l n o t handle well _,.
Vehic le care