_____________________________________________ C_ h_ e _ c_k _in ---= g'--- a_n _d_ f_il _li _n __.,g==----•
•
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side~
page 252 .
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U .S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian models :
(CD) ) wi ll come on
~ page 23 and ~ page 30. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop
and the cause corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the brake
warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized Audi
dea ler
immediately .•
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air . If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid wil l also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federa l Motor Vehic le Stan
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho
rized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know -how to do this for you.
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
& WARNING (continued)
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid.
Observe these precautions :
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification
J 1703 and
conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make sure you are using
the correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake fluid is also
indicated on the brake fluid reservoir .
- The brake fluid must be new . Heavy use of the brakes can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety . This could result in an accident.
0 Note
Brake fluid wil l damage the paint of your vehicle .
ci> For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With
high outside temperatures it is
advisab le however to check the fluid level at regular intervals
through the transparent battery housing. Also check the fluid level
each time you charge the battery . After charging the battery
~ page 265, you shou ld likewise check the battery acid level. ...
Vehic le care
-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ...,,g,:...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in ....;g=---------------------------------------------
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service .
You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected . Th ese functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again. To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle electrical system when absolutely necessary for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you are going to let your vehicle stand for a long time and not
drive it, you should remember there are electrical components
which are still functioning and they will draw energy from the
battery and drain it, for example, the engine immobilizer. To prevent
this, you can either charge the battery occasionally to keep it in
good working condition or you can disconnect the negative cable
on the battery.
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when traveling only short distances . Let your authorized Audi dea ler
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=>
page 265 . A we ll charged battery wil l not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
Replacing battery
The new battery must have the same capacity, voltage (12 volts),
amperage, construction and plug sea ling, as the origina l battery.
Specifications are listed on the battery housing. Batteries specially
developed by Audi fulfill the maintenance, output, and safety
requirements. When installing the battery, make sure the ignition and all electrical
consumers are switched off=>
0.
We recommend that you use maintenance -free or cyc le-resis
tant/leak-proof
batteries according to the standards TL 825 06 (from
December 1997) and VW 7 50 73 (from August 2001).
Replacing the battery should be carried by a qualified workshop.
Please follow the instructions on the battery cover.
0 Note
• All work on the battery requires technical knowledge. Please
contact an Audi dealership or another authorized facility for ques
tions about the battery -danger of acid burns and exp losion hazard!
• Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
• Battery holder and terminals always have to be secured correctly.
• Before all work on the battery follow the
warnings below=> & in
"Working on the battery" on
page 263.
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid and lead and must always be
disposed of properly in compliance with all environmental regula
tions . Disposing of vehicle batteries improperly is very dangerous to
the environment . Make sure that the removed battery cannot over
balance, otherwise sulfuric acid might escape!
[ i ] Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. This will prevent it from being damaged and
having to be replaced.•
_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c _ k_in -= g_a _ n_d _ f_il _li _n """g ;;..._____..
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
•---=C:.:h..:. e=-= c..:.k :..:.in =-=-= g~ a..:.n :.:d::....:. f.:.:il .:.:li ..:.n :..::g:!..- ___________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued )
battery to heat up very q uickly, which could lead to damage or
explo sion and per sonal injury .
• When a battery is charged , it produces hydrogen gas whic h i s
explo sive and could cause per son al injury .
• Always keep the battery well out of the re ach of children.
• Before work i s done on the electrical system , di sconne ct the
negative ground cable .
• Before per forming any work on the ele ctri cal system , switch off
the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment. The
negative cable on the battery must be disconnected .
If you are just
going to replace a light bulb , then it is enough to switch off the
light s.
• Before disconnecting the battery , switch off the anti -theft
alarm system! Otherw ise you will set off the alarm .
• When di sconne cting the battery , fir st di sconnect the negative
c able and then the positive cable .
• Before reconnecting the battery , make sure all electrical
c onsumers are sw itched off . Reconnect the posit ive cable first and
then the negative cable. Never interchange the cables -this could
start a fire !
• Never charge a frozen or a thawed -out battery. It could
e xplode! If a battery has frozen , then it must be replaced. A
discharged batte ry can freeze over at 32 °F (0 °C ).
• Make sure the vent hose is always attached to the opening on
the side of the battery.
• Never use batteries which are damaged . There is the danger of
an explosion! Alway s replace a damaged battery.
& WARNING
California Propo sition 65 Warning :
& WARNING (continued )
• Battery post s, terminals and related accessories contain le ad
and lead compounds , chemicals known to the State of California
to cause can cer and reproduct ive problems . Wash hand s after
handling .
0 Note
• Do not disco nnect t he vehicle battery when the igni tion is
switched on or when the engine is running , otherwise, you wi ll
damage e le ctronic c ompone nts in the electrical syst em.
• I f your vehicle is going to stand for a long period of time without
being dr iven, protect the battery from "freezing" otherwise it wil l be
damaged and wi ll then have to be replaced .•
Checking the battery acid level
T he aci d l evel of a co nv enti onal ba ttery c an be c hecke d
vis ually.
·•
Fig . 2 05 Engine
c ompartment : Battery
w it h o pen b atter y
compartment cover
T he leve l of acid inside the b atte ry is vis ib le th rough the
case a t the fo nt. Ac id le ve l shou ld be ex actly at t he " max "
m ark or v ery clo se belo w it.
~
___ C_h_ e_ c_k _in --== g'-- a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ..::g=-- --------------------------------------------
Windshield /headlight washer
reservoir
Fig . 206 Engine
compartment : wind
shield washer fluid
container
The windshield and headlight washer* container is located
on the left side of the engine compartment
~ fig. 206. The
~ symbol is on the cap the of the windshield washer fluid
container.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always
read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working
in the engine compartment" on
page 250.
-Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer fluid. You can fill
the container to the top.
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container .
You can find the reservoir capacity in the table in~ page 314.
To prevent lime residue from building up on the spray jets , use
dis tilled water when refilling . Always add a glass cleaner solution
(with frost protection in the winter).
(D Note
Do not use engine coolant antifreeze or any other solution that can
damage the vehicle paint. •
Tires a nd wh eels BIii ________________________________ :....:.:.....::.=.....::.:..:..:..::..:___:___:..__ __
•
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particular ly considering the comparative ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regular ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts , slashes irregular wear
and overal l condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowouts .
Avo iding d am age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, oil, gasoline and brake
flu id off the ti res .
I nspect the tires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc .!.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads .
Storing tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota
tion. This ensures you to be ab le to mount them correctly when you
reinstall them. When removed, the whee
ls or tires should be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
Store tires in a vertical position i f they are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
N ew tire s
New tires have to be broken in => &.
The tread depth of new tires may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
Hidd en d am ag e
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible . If you notice
unusua l vibration or the vehic le pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Uni dir ection al tire s
A unidirect ional tire can be identified by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
the specified direction of ro tation . This is necessary so that these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more information
=> page 298.
Rim s with bolted rim ring *
Light-alloy wheels with a bo lted rim ring consist of several parts .
These parts are screwed together with special bo lts, using a specific
technique. This ensures proper function, seal, safety, and true running of the wheel. For this reason, damaged rims shou ld be
replaced, and you should never repair or dismantle them
=> & .
Rim s with screw -on decorative co vers *
Light-a lloy whee ls can be furnished with interchangeab le decora -
tive covers that are mounted to the rim with se lf -locking bolts. ...
Vehic le care
-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 -
----------------
•
• 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