2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET Oil

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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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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

Tires a nd wh eels BIii ________________________________ :....:.:.....::.=.....::.:..:..:..::..:___:___:..__ __
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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

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
and is more difficult to stop. Overloading can not only lead to loss
of vehic le contro l, but can also damage important parts of the
vehic le and can lead to sudden tire failure, including a blowout and
sudden deflation that can cause the vehicle to crash .
Your safety and that of your passengers also depends on making sure that load limits are not exceeded . Vehicle load includes every ­
body and everything in and on the veh icle . These load lim its are
technically referred to as the vehicle's
G ross Vehicle Weight R ating
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic vehic le, all factory
installed accessories, a ful l tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
p lus maximum load. The maximum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is intended to carry ("seating capacity")
with an assumed we ight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each passenger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any luggage in
t he vehicle. If you tow a trai ler, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trai ler must be included as part of the
vehic le load .
T he
G ros s Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is the maximum load that
can be applied at each of the vehicle's two axles .
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rat ing and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compliance sticker labe l located either on
the d river's side B -pillar o r on t he inside of the f ue l fi ller flap. Yo ur
Audi has 4 seating positions, 2 in the front and 2 in the rear for total
seating capaci ty of 4. Each seating posi tion has a safety belt
=>
page 159, "Safety be lts" .
T he fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating means that the total weight of whatever is being carried in the vehicle (including the weight of a trailer hitch and the
tongue weigh t of the loaded trailer) is lim ite d. The more passengers
in the vehicle or passengers who are heavier than the standard
weights assumed mean that less weight can be carried as luggage.
The tire pressure labe l on your Audi also lists the maximum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or othe r cargo that the vehicle can carry
. For the location of the label=>
page 271,
f ig. 207 .
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cau se lo ss of vehicle control , a cra sh or
other a ccident , seriou s personal injury , and even de ath .
• Carrying more weight th an your vehi cle w as designed to ca rry
will prevent the vehi cle from handling properly and in cre ase the
ri sk of the lo ss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a veh icle th at ha s been overloaded ma y not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance .
• Tire s on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly,
i ncluding a blowout and sudden defla tion , cau sin g los s of control
and a crash .
• Alwa ys make sure that the tot al l oad be ing tran sported -
including the weight of a trai ler hit ch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not m ake the vehicle heavie r than the
v ehicle 's Gro ss Vehicle Weight Rat ing .•
Determining correct load limit
U se th e exa mple below to calculat e the
total weight of the passengers and luggage or other things that you plan to
tran sport so that you can make sure that
your vehi cle will n ot be ov erlo ad ed.
~

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In correct wheel alignment
Inc orrect wheel alignment can cause excessive tire wea r, impairing
the saf ety of the vehicle . If tires s how excessive wear , have the
whee l alig nment chec ked by an autho rized A udi deale r or q ualif ied
workshop .
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles with quattro ® must always have tires of the same si ze ,
cons tructi on and tread type . For details see => page 218 .
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of control, a crash and serious
personal injury!
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indi cators .
• E specially in wet and slick driving situations , a preferably large
profile depth of the tires is necessary , and an approximately
similar profile depth of the front and rear axle tire s.
• The diminished driving safety , caused by too small of a tire
profile , is negatively perceivable especially in handling , in danger
of hydroplaning when driving through deep puddles and ponds ,
when driving around curve s, and in braking behavior.
• Worn t ires are a safety hazard , they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning " and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage , such a s
grease , oil , gasoline and brake flu id away from tires.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
espe cially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lowe r speeds.
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old u sed tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and los s of vehicle control. •
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels ha ve to be bro ken in.
Fig. 211 Tire spe cification cod es on the sidewall of a tir e
No. Description
©
@
@
@
©
©
Passenger car tire (where applicable)
Nominal w id th of tire in mi llimeters
Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
Radia l
ii Rim diameter code
Load index an d sp eed ra ting
Vehic le care irechnical data

IIIJIL_T~ ir~e =s~ a~n~ d~ w~ h ~e~e~ l~ s '.,_ ______________________________________________ _
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the correct
torque .
The design of wheel bo lts is matched to the factory installed rims . If
different rims are fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This ensures that
whee ls are fitted securely and that the brake system functions
correctly .
I n certain circumstances, you may not use wheel bolts from a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model~ page 318.
& WARNING
Improperl y tightened or maintained wheel bolt s can be come loose
c au sing lo ss of control , a co llis ion and seriou s personal injur y.
• Alwa ys keep the wheel bolt s and the th reads in the wheel hubs
c lean so the wheel bolt s can turn ea sily and be properl y tightened.
• Never gre ase or oil the wheel bolt s and the thre ad s i n the wheel
hub s. They can become lo ose while drivin g if gre ased or oiled ,
e ven if tig hten ed to th e specifi ed torque .
• Onl y use wheel bo lt s th at bel ong to the rim being in sta lled.
• Nev er use differ ent wheel s bolt s on your vehicle.
• Alway s m aintai n the corre ct t ightenin g to rq ue for the whee l
bo lt s to r edu ce the ri sk of a whe el los s. If the tighten ing torque of
t h e w heel bolt s is too l ow, they c an loose n a nd com e out when th e
v ehicl e is mov ing . If th e tighte ning torque is t oo high, the whe el
b ol ts an d threads can be dam ag ed and the whee l can become
loo se .
0 Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 90 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
tolerance of ± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque whee l bolts diagonally.
After changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench
-preferably by an authorized Audi
dea ler or qua lified workshop .•
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is fac tory-equipped with low aspect ratio tires. These tires
have been thorough ly tested and been selected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road feel and hand ling under
a variety of driving conditions . Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is ind icated by a numera l of 55 or
l e ss in the tire's size designation . The numera l represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relat ion to its tread w idth expressed
in percentage. Conventiona l tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more .
T he perform ance of lo w-as pect-rati o tire s is part ic ul arl y s ensit ive to
improp er infla tion pr essure. It i s there fore important that low
a s pect ra tio tir es are inflated to the sp ec ified pre ssure an d th at th e
i nfl ation pre ssure is regularl y checked and m aintained . T ir e pres ­
s ure s should b e checked a t lea st once a month and alw ays before a
long trip~ page 274, "Checking tire pressure".
What you can d o to avoid tire a nd rim dama ge
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easi ly by impact with
potho les, curbs, gull ies or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire
is underinflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence of impact damage to the tires
of your vehic le, we recommend that you observe the fo llowing
precautions:
• Always maintain recommended inflation pressures . Check your
tire pressure every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary .
• Drive careful ly on roads with potholes, deep gullies or ridges.
The impact from driving through or over such obstacles can
damage your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to
your tires . .,_

111!1...__F_ u_ s _ e_s _ a_n_ d_ b_ u_lb _ s _______________________________________________ _
Fuses and bulbs
Fuses
Replacing a fuse
A problem in the electrical system may be caused by a
blown fuse.
Fig. 223 End face of
instrument panel :
removing cover plate
to access fuses
Fig. 224 Schematic
image of exposed fuse
box as located on the
left end face of dash
panel
- Switch off the ignition and the electrical component
affected.
Carefully pry the face cover off the instrument panel
using the ignition key or a screwdriver~ fig . 223 . -
Check the fuse listing on the next pages to find out which
fuse belongs to the component which has failed
~ page 301 , "Fuse list".
- Remove the blown fuse with the plast ic clip provided.
The clip is located on the holder in the fuse box.
- Replace a blown fuse (recognizable by the melted metal
strip inside) w ith a fuse of the
some amperage.
- Firmly snap the cover back onto the instrument panel
face.
The various electrical circuits are protected by fuses . The fuses a re
clustered in a centralized unit. The unit is located behind the face
panel at the end of the instrument panel.
Two spare fuses and a sticker identifying the fus es are located on
the inside of the fuse box cover.
& WARNING
Never replace a fuse with one that has a higher amperage rating.
• A fuse with a too high amperage could damage the electrical
part and cause a fire.
(D Note
• On no account should fuses be repaired (e.g . patched up with tin
foil or wire) as this may caus e se rious damage elsewhere in the elec ­
trical circuit or cause fire.
• If a fuse blows repeatedly, do not keep replacing it. Instead, have
the cause for the repeated short circuit or overload tracked and
fixed. _,,