2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET brakes

Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check with your autho rized Audi dealer for correct wiring , switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you using the regular
outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is impor ­
tant that you always have clear vision to the rear .
& WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store it in your vehicle. In
case of sudden braking, the hitch could fly forward and injure you
or your passengers .
.1
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer .
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in place to guard
against shifting, be it forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer~&, in "Driving instruc­
tions".
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the sticker on the right door­
jamb. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Trailer towing
Lights
The
headlight settings should be checked with the trailer attached
before driving off. Adjust as necessary so that you can see the road
ahead but not blind on -coming traffic.
Check proper working of vehicle and trailer lights .
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to
permit turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch .•
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
Observe speed limits.
Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
Monitor the temperature gauge.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Tr
aile r t owing ---=--------------
W eig ht dis tri buti on
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car resu lts in a high ly
unstable distribution of weight . If this cannot be avoided drive at
ve ry low speeds only to avoid the risk of los ing steering control.
A "ba lanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permis ­
sib le whi le keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances. Whenever possible, transfer some cargo to the luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
contro l the rig . Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
Reduce your speed even more under unfavorable load, weather or
wind condi tions -particularly when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
imm ed iately if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the s waying by a ccelerating .
Observe speed limits. In some areas speeds for vehic les towing
trai lers are lower than for regular vehicles.
Always app ly brakes early. When driving downhill, shift into lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow down the vehicle. Use
of the brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
C oo lan t tem pe ra ture
The coolant temperature gauge~ page 73 must be observed care ­
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or switch off the air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing -~- , pul l off the road, stop and let the engine
idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build -up .
& WARNING
An yone not prop erl y r estr ained in a mo ving ve hic le is at a much
gre ater ri sk in an accident. N ever let an yone rid e in your car who
is not p roperl y wearing the r estraint s pro vid ed by Audi.
c
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a trai ler because of
the additional weight and weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy will great ly depend on how carefu lly you load your
trai ler and operate your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice turn ing, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing unti l you
have comp letely become familiar with the way your vehicle -trailer
combination behaves and responds .
Backing up is difficu lt and requires practice. Backing up with a
trailer genera lly requires s teering action opposite of that when
backing up your vehic le without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between you r vehicle and the one in
front of you. You will need more room to stop.
To compensate for the trailer, you wi ll need a larger than normal
turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you nor mally wou ld because of the added load . Make sure yo u have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for your
trai ler before changing lanes again .
Avo id jerky starts, sharp turns o r rapid lane changes.

[ i ] Tip s
• Do not tow a trailer during the break-in period of your vehicle.
• If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent mainte ­
nance due to the ex tra load=>
page 316 . •
Parking on a slope
---'--------------------
Do not park with a trailer on a slope. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
Wh en p arking :
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the veh ic le and
the trailer wheels .
- Wit h chocks in p lace, s low ly release t he brakes until
wheel blocks absorb t he load.
- T urn t he wheels towards the curb .
- Apply the parking brake .
- Place an automatic transmission in
P , respect ively a
manual transmission in first or reverse gear.
Wh en restarting after p arking :
- Start the e ngine .
- Shift transmiss ion into gear.
- Re lease the parking brake and slowly pull out and away
from the w heel blocks.
- Stop and have someone retr ieve t he wheel blocks.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r to wing
[ i ] Tip s
If you move the selector lever of the automatic transmission to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use more force later to move the lever out of the
P
position .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ C _l_e _a _ n_ in_g ~_ a_n _ d ____ p ____ r_ o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n _____________________________________________ _
Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserves vehicle value.
Any automob ile is exposed to industria l fumes, corrosive road salt,
muddy dog feet, etc . A well cared for Audi can look like new many
yea rs a fter purchase. Regu lar and correct care wil l co ntribut e to
maintaining the beauty and value of your Audi.
Furthermore , good care may be a condition for substantiating a
warranty claim should co rros ion damage or paint defect s occur .
Your authorized Audi dea ler has a variety of dedi cated vehicle- care
product s
and can advise which ones to use for cleani ng the exterio r
and interior of your vehicle.
Whethe r you use products recom mended by A udi or other co mmer ­
cially availab le cleaning agents, please make sure you app ly them
correctly.
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep them out of the reach
of children .
• Heed all caution label s.
• Always read directions on the container before u sing any
p roduct. Follow the direction s carefully .
• Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be
d iluted.
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated areas .
• Do not use gasoline , kerosene , die sel fuel , na il polish remo ver
or other volatile fluids . They may be toxic, flammab le or hazardous
in other way s. Do not wash , wax or dry the vehicle with the igni ­
tion on or the eng ine running.
& WA RNIN G (continued )
• Do not clean the unde rsides of chassis , fenders , wheel cover s,
etc . without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself
on sh arp -edged metal part s.
• Moisture and ice on brake s may impair braking eff iciency
=> page 215 , "General info rmation ". Test the brakes ca refully each
time you wash the vehicle.
Se lect only environmental ly fr iend ly c leaning pr oducts. Leftover
cleaning products should not disposed of in the household waste. •
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent washing pro tects the vehi cle.
The bes t protection aga inst envi ron mental influences is frequent
washing and waxing .
Ho w o ften t his is required depends on:
• How much the vehicle is used
• Where the vehic le is parked (garage, in the ope n under t rees,
etc.)
• The sea so nal and wea the r condi tions
• Environmental influences
The longe r bir d droppings, i nsects, tree resin, road and indust ria l
grime, tar, soot, road salt and other materials remain on the vehicle
b ody, the mo re las ting thei r des tructive effects will be . _,,,

___ C_ le_ a _ n_i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d __ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry
painted surfaces. Wa x resi due on the cha mois can impair vision
through the windows .
& WARNING
• The windshield must not be treated with water-repellent mate­
rials. They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions such
a s wetne ss, darkness , or when the sun is low o n the horizon . In
addition , they can cause the wind shield wipers to chatter .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informat ion
~ page 2 30.
0 Note
• Never use war m or hot wa ter to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors. Th is could cause the glass to crack.
• To prevent damage to the w ires of the rear defogger, do not p lace
any adhesive stic kers on the inside of the rear window over the
wires.
• To he lp prevent dirt from sc ratching the w indow, a lways scrape
in a forward direction -pushing t he scraper away from you -nev er
back and forth. •
Weatherstrips
Complete c ar ca re includes the wea the rs trips as well .
- App ly a s uitable rubber co ndit ioner to the weat herstr ips
f rom t ime to t ime.
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear lid , etc. must remain pliable . Spray the weatherstrips with si li­
co ne or coat them w ith ta lcum powder or glycer ine to retain the
flexibility of the rubber and to protect them against free zing in the
winter .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the infor mation
~ page 2 30 .
[ i ] Tips
K eep si lico ne s prays off the windsh ield to avo id wiper smear in
rain .•
Ap plies to vehic les : w it h s teel whee ls te.g. if ref itt ed with winte r tiresl
Steel wheels
The wheels also have to be cle aned.
Always include the hub caps and wheel rims when
washing yo ur vehicle to remove roa d dirt, sal t sprays and
brake dust.
I f necessary, use a commercial wheel cleaner to remove accumu ­
la ted brake dust.
The wheel rims a re eas ier to kee p clean i f they are regular ly coated
with liquid wax .
Paint scratches sh ou ld be touc hed u p as so on as possible to p reven t
corrosion~
page 235, "Touch -up paint".
& WARNING
• Moisture and i ce on brakes may affect br aking efficiency -
~ page 215, "General information ". Test the brakes carefully after
ea ch vehicle wa sh .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page230. •

_____________________________________________ 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

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _ ...... lJII
•
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

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