2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET coolant

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ...:::g:;..._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in ....;g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
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:
~

-Ch
ecking and filling
_ _..;:::;__=----------------
©
©
0
Coolant expansion tank (.J_ J .. .. .. .. . ... .. .. .... .
Windshield/head light washer container ( O ) ..... .. .
Po wer steering re servoi r
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 250. •
Applies to veh icles : w ith 6 ·cy lind er engine
3.2 liter , 6-cylinder engine (255 hp)
258
266
217
Th ese a re t he most im por tan t it em s th at you c an ch eck.
F ig . 197 Engine compartment : 3.2 liter , 6- cylinder
G) Battery ... ... .. ...... .... ... .... .... .... ..... .
0 Bra ke fluid reservoir ( l ....... .. .. .. .. ...... .. .
© Engine oil fi ller cap ('t:::n) ..•. ..• ..... .•. ...• ..•..
26 1
260
255
©
©
©
0
Engine oil dipstick (orange) ...... ..... ... .... ... .
Coolant expansion tank
( -L J .. ... ... . .... ... ... .. .
W indshield/headligh t washer c ontainer (O l .. .... . .
Powe r steering rese rvoir
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartmen t" on
page 250. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
254
258
266
2 17
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of
oil.
The engi ne in y our Audi is a sophisticated powe rp lan t tha t was built
to exacting specifications. This engine needs the right kind of
eng ine oil that meets specifications regarding quality and viscos ity
so that it can run smoothly and reliably . Choosing the right oil and
changing oil within the time and mileage interva ls printed in your
vehic le's Warranty
& Maintenance booklet matters a lot more today
than it did years ago. Audi has developed a special quality standa rd
f or e ngin e oil tha t w ill help assure that your vehicle's engine will get
the lubrication it needs for proper operation.
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap i n the last few
years. Many synthetic oils ava ilable today provide better engine
lubrication that can o utlast traditional petro leum -based oil s,
making them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petro leum -based engine oil, the oi l
tha t you use mus t conform to Audi 's oi l qual ity standard VW 502 00
to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help ._

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•
& W ARNING (conti nued )
• To reduce the ri sk of burns from hot engine oil , let the engine
c ool down to the tou ch.
• When removing the oil drain plug with your fingers , stay as far
a w ay as possible. Alway s keep your forearm parallel to the ground
to help prevent hot oil from running down your arm.
• Drain the oil into a container designed for thi s purpo se , on e
large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in your engine.
• Engine oil is poisonous . Keep it well out of the reach of children .
• Continuous contact with used engine oil i s harmful to your
skin . Always prote ct you r skin by washing oil off thoroughly with
soap and water .
0 Note
Never m ix oil a ddi tives with yo ur engine oil. These additives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Audi Limited New
Vehi cle Warranty.
~ For the sake of the environment
• Befo re c ha ng ing y our oi l, f irst make sure you k now w here y ou
can properly dispose of the used oil.
• Always dispose o f used e ngine oi l prop erl y. D o not dump i t on
garden soil, wooded areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains.
• Recycle used engine oi l by taking it to a used engine oil col lec ­
t ion facili ty in y our a rea, or co n tact a serv ice s ta tion .•
Engine cooling system
Coolant
T he e ngin e cool ant p erform s tw o functio ns: it k eep s th e
e ng ine f rom ov erh ea ting and it pro tects the engine fr om
freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sealed and general ly requires little attention.
The coo ling syst em has been fil led at the fac tory with a perm an ent
coolant which does not need to be changed. The coo lant consists of
a m ix ture of wa te r and the manufacturer 's gl yco l- b ase dco olant
add it ive G 12++ antifreeze with anticorrosion additives (50% for USA
mode ls; 60% for Canadian mode ls) . T his m ixtu re bo th a ssure s the
n ecessary frost protectio n and p ro tects m etal co mponents in t he
eng ine's cooling system from co rrosion and scaling. It a lso raises
the boili ng poi nt o f the coolant.
D o not reduce the concentrat ion of the coo lant in the summer by
adding pla in wate r. The proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50 % but not more than 60 % to maintain antifreeze protection
and coo ling eff iciency . If the c oolant frost p ro tecti on is t oo low, the
coo lant could freeze and damage th e vehic le heating and en gine
cool ing sy stem .
For year -rou nd driv ing, ant ifreeze is added at the facto ry fo r tempe r­
atures down to:
• -31 °F ( -35 °C) USA
• - 40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
You can mix the G12 ++ coolan t add itive with othe r additives (G12 +
or G12). A lways check wit h your authorized Audi dea ler.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine co m partment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 250 .
Vehic le care

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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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•
& WARNING
The cool ing system i s under pre ssure and can get very hot . Redu ce
the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these steps.
• Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down .
• Protect your face , hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by cover ing the cap with a large , thick rag .
• Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter -clockwi se
dire ction while applying light , downward pressure on the top of
the cap .
• To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on the
exhaust system or hot engine parts . Under certain conditions, the
ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire .
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's engine
coolant. Adding radiat or repa ir fl uid may adversely affect t he func ­
tion and performance of your coo ling system and could resu lt in
damage not cove red by y our New Vehicle Limi ted Wa rran ty .•
Adding coolant
B e very c are ful when addi ng engi ne cool ant.
Be fore you check a nything in the e ng ine comp artmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Work ing in
t h e eng ine compa rtment" on
page 250 .
-Tur n off th e engine.
- Le t th e eng in e co ol d ow n.
- Place a t hick rag over the coo la nt expansio n tank
~ page 258 , fig. 202 an d carefully tw is t th e cap coun te r­
cl ockw ise
~ & .
Add co o lant .
- Twist the cap on aga in
tig htly .
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
~ page 257 , "C oola nt". Even in an eme rgency, if co ola nt addi tive
G 12 ++, G12+ or G1 2 is not availab le, do
not use a different additive .
Us e pla in wate r instead until you can ge t the co rrect add itive and
can res tor e th e correc t ra tio. T his shou ld be don e as soon as
pos sible.
If y ou have los t a co nsid era ble amount of coo la nt, t hen y ou should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold.
A lways use
new engine c oo la nt whe n refil ling .
Do not fill coola nt a bove the "M AX" mark. Excess coo lant w ill be
forced out through the pressure relief va lve in the cap when the
eng ine beco mes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system i s under pressure and can get very hot.
Reduce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down .
- Protect your face , hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large , thick rag .
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter -clockwise
direction while applying light , downward pressure on the top
of the cap.
- To avoid being burned , do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhau st system or hot engine parts. Under certain condi ­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire .
• Antifreeze is poisonous . Always store antifreeze in its original
container and well out of the reach of children .
• If you drain the coolant , it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper container clearly marked "poison ". _,.
Ve hic le care

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0 Note
• Coolant pollutes the environment and could cause an engine
fire. Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief
valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
• If, in an emergency, only water can be added, the correct ratio
between water and antifreeze~
page 257must be restored as soon
as possible.
<£> For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused. Always dispose of used
coolant while observing all environmental regulations. •
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by itself.
The radiator fan is driven by the engine via the V-belt. The viscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the temperature
of the coolant.
An auxiliary electric radiator fan* switches on and off depending on coolant temperature and other vehicle operating conditions.
After you switch the engine off, the auxiliary fan can continue running for up to 10 minutes - even with the ignition off. It can even
switch on again later by itself~&, if
• the temperature of the engine coolant rises due to the heat
build -up from the engine in the engine compartment, or
• the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injury never touch the radiator
fan .
_& WARNING (continued)
• The auxiliary electric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drops. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick glance.
Fig. 203 Engine
compartment: Brake
fluid reservoir
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS:::::, & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 250.
Pull the rubber strip@ up partially and lift the cover @
slightly :::::, fig. 203.
- Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
©. The brake fluid level must be between the "MIN" and
"MA X" markings. _..

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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. •

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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