2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET cooling

Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Trailer to\Ning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Important things to know . . . . . . . 168 Driv ing with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Trailer towing tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
179
Knee airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Side a irbags . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Child Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Impor tant things to know . ..... .
Child safety seats ............. .
Insta lling a chi ld safety seat .... . 190
195
200
Add it ional Information ....... .. . 203 Vehicle care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Lower anchorages and tethe r for
children (LA TCH) . .. ... ... ... ... .
205 Cleaning and protection . . . . . . . 230
~----
t
Vehicle operation .... ... . 211
212
212
2 12
215
Intelligent
technology ... ... ... .
Notice about data recorded by
ve hicle contro l modules .. ..... .
Electronic Stabilization Program
(ESPJ . .... ... ......... ... ... .. .
B rak ing ..... ... .... .... ... ... .
Servotronic® -advanced power
steering system ............... .
Driving with your quattro® ..... .
Driving and environment .... . . 217
2
18
2 19
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and
afterwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21 9
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . .
220
Avoid damaging the ve hicle . . . . . 221
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution . . . . . . . . .
221
General information ........... .
Care of exterior ................ .
Care of inte rior ...... .... ... ... .
Fue l supply and filling your fuel
tank ........................... .
Gasoline ........... ........... .
Fuel tank ..................... .
Checking and filling .. ... ...... .
Engine hood ......... ......... .
Engine compartment ...... ... . .
Engine oil ..................... .
Engine cooling system ......... .
Brake fluid ................ ... . .
Battery . ... ... ... ............. .
W indshield /headligh t washer
rese rvoir ...................... .
Tires and \Nheels .......... .... .
Tires ..... .. ..... ... .. - . -.. • · · ·
230
230
238
244
244
245
249
249
251
252
257
260
261
266
267
267
Table of contents
Do-it-yourself service ... 289
What do I do no\N? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Trunk escape ha ndle . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Jack, tools and spare wheel . . . . . . 290
Whee l change .............. .... 293
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Fus es ................. ......... 300
Bulbs .......................... 302
Emergency situations . . . . . . . . . . 304
Genera l ... .. ... .... _ .. _ ...... .. 304
Starting by pushing or towing . . . . 304
Starting with jumper cables . . . . . . 304
Use of jumpe r cables . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Em ergency towing with commercial
tow truck ... ......... ....... .. .
Lifting vehicle ................. .
Technical data
General information 306
308
311
312
Explanation
of technical data 312
Vehic le ide ntific ation . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Weights ........................ 313
Dimensio ns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
~ehicle care irechnical data

The instrument cluster illuminates whenever you switch on the igni­
tion with the
vehicle headlights off. The instrument cluster illumina ­
tion dims automatically as the daylight begins to fade away. It goes
out completely when the outside light is very dim. The reason for
this is to remind you to turn on the headlights when the light condi­
tions become poor. •
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coolant gauge~ page 12, fig. 2 G) only works when the
ignition is on . To prevent damage to your engine, please note the
following important points:
Engine cold
As long as the needle remains at the left end of the gauge, the
engine still has not reached its operating temperature . Avoid high
engine speeds, heavy engine loads and heavy throttle.
Normal temperature
When the engine has reached its operating temperature, the needle
will move into the middle of the gauge and remain there. If the
engine is working hard at high outside temperatures, the needle
may turn further to the right . This is no cause for concern as long as
the
- F-warning light in the instrument cluster does not illuminate.
When the
-L warning light starts to flash, this can mean one of two
things: either the coolant
temperature is too high, or the coolant
level is too low~ page 31.
_& WARNING
• Always observe the warning in ~ page 242, "Engine compart­
ment" before opening the engine hood and checking the engine
coolant level.
• Never open the engine hood if you see or hear steam, or if you
see engine coolant dripping from the engine compartment. You
Controls and equip ­
ment
Instruments and warning/indicator lights
& WARNING (continued)
could burn yourself. Let the engine cool off first so that you cannot
hear or see any steam or engine coolant.
0 Note
• Mounting additional lights or accessories in front of the air inlets
reduces the cooling effect of the radiator. At high outside tempera­
tures or high engine load, the engine could overheat.
• The front spoiler has been designed to properly distribute the
cooling air when the vehicle is moving. If the spoiler is damaged,
this could reduce the cooling effect and the engine could then over­
heat. Ask your authorized Audi dealer for assistance. •
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM (revolutions per
minutes).
The tachometer ®~ page 12, fig. 2 is the left one of the two large
clock -type displays.
The engine turns at a speed
1,000 times the single digit in the
display, e.g. if the needle points at the "2", the engine turns at
2,000 RPM.
If the engine RPMs drop below 1,500, you should downshift to the
next lower gear. The red area at the end of the scale indicates
maximum permissible engine RPMs after the break-in period.
Before reaching this area, you should either shift into the next
higher gear or ease your foot off the accelerator pedal.
0 Note
The tachometer needle should not move into the red range. If it
does, then only for a very short period of time. You could damage
your engine by driving at high RPM! _.

USA models: if there is a malfunction in the ABS system, the <­
warning/indicator light illuminates along with the BRAKE system
malfunction warning/indicator light=>&.
Canada models: if there is a malfunction in the ABS system, the
warning/indicator light illuminates together with the
(Ci)) brake
system malfunction warning/indicator light=>& .
& WARNING
• Always observe the warnings in => page 242, "Engine compart­
ment", before opening the engine hood and checking the brake
fluid.
• Driving with low brake fluid is a safety hazard! Stop the car and
get professional assistance.
• If the brake system warning/indicator light illuminates
together with the ABS warning/indicator light, then the ABS system is malfunctioning. The rear wheels could quickly lock up
when you apply the brakes. This could lead to loss of control and
your vehicle could slide! Drive carefully to the nearest authorized
Audi dealer and have the malfunction corrected. •
Engine cooling system malfunction -L
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be
repaired as soon as possible.
When the -t symbol in the display flashes, then either the
engine coolant
temperature is too high, or the coolant level
is too low. In addition to the symbol, the following message
also appears in the display:
Switch off engine, check coolant level
Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine.
Controls and equip ­
ment
Driver information display
Check coolant level ~ page 258.
-Add coolant if necessary~ page 259.
- Continue driving only after the engine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
- Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary.
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be
the cause of the malfunction.
If the generator warning/indicator light should also illuminate
=>
page 22, then the fan belt may be damaged.
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights
=> page 82, "Emer­
gency flasher
A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment -you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn of
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
=> page 242, "Engine compartment" .
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the -F-symbol illuminates. There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling system -you could damage your
engine. •

• .___w __ a _r _m _ a _n_d_ c_ o _ ld __________________________________________________ _
Warm and cold
Climate controls
Description
The air conditioner is fully automatic and is designed to
maintain a comfortable and uniform climate inside the
vehicle.
We recommend the following settings:
- Select and set a temperature between 64 °F (+22 °C) and
86 °F (+29 °C).
- Press the !AUTO
I button.
With this setting, you attain maximum comfort in the least amount
of time. Change this setting, as desired, to meet your personal
needs.
The climate controls are a combination of heating, ventilation and cooling systems, which automatically reduce humidity and cool the
air inside your vehicle.
The air temperature, air flow and air distribution are automatically regulated to achieve and maintain the desired passenger compart­
ment temperature as quickly as possible.
The system automatically compensates for changes in the outside
temperature and for the intensity of the sunlight entering the
vehicle. We recommend you use the
Automatic mode=> page 112
for year -round comfort.
Please note the following:
Turn on the air conditioner to reduce humidity in the vehicle. This
also prevent the windows from fogging up. When the outside temperature is high and the air is very
humid,
condensation from the evaporator may drip under the vehicle. This
is normal and does not indicate a leak.
I f the outside temperature is low, the fan normally only switches to
a higher speed once the engine coolant has warmed up sufficiently.
The air conditioner temporarily switches off when you drive off from a standstill using full throttle to save engine power.
The compressor also switches off if the coolant temperature is too
high so that the engine can be adequately cooled under extreme
loads.
Air pollutants filter
The air pollutants filter (a combined particle filter and activated charcoal filter) reduces or eliminates outside air pollution (dust, or
pollen) from entering the vehicle.
The air pollutants filter must be changed at the intervals specified in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet, so that the air conditioner
can properly work.
If you drive your vehicle in an area with high air pollution, the filter
may need to be changed more frequently than specified in your
Audi Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. If in doubt, ask your autho­
rized Audi Service Advisor for advice.
Key coded settings
The air conditioner settings selected are automatically stored and
assigned to the key being used. When the vehicle is started, the air
conditioner automatically selects the settings assigned to that key.
These settings will differ depending if the roof is opened or closed.
This way every driver will maintain his/her own personal settings
and does not have to reset them manually.
~

Warm and cold -_______________ ____,
Each of the three buttons has its own specific function (the refer ­
ence numbers refer to the air outlets)
~ page 115, fig . 132 .
Air di recte d t o th e w indows [-0 ]
All the air is directed to outlets 0),@ and G). Contrary to when [@I
is pressed, the amount of air remains the same.
Ai r d irecte d to th e driv er /fr ont passe nge r[~ ]
All the air is directed to outlets @,© and © in the instrument
panel. Air also is directed through the center console in the rear .
Air directed to th e fo otwell s ( ,O. I
All the air is directed to outlets © and to the outlets under the front
seats. •
Air outlets
Fig. 132 Instr ume nt pane l: w here t he ai r outlets are l ocate d
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Air outlets => fig . 132 @ , ® and 0 can be o perated as
follows :
Outlets @
Move the slide contro l located be hind the outlet to open
or close the outlet .
Adjusting air outlets ® a nd 0
Turn the vertical thumbwheel beside the ou tlet to
increase, red uce o r shut down the a irflow from that
o utlet.
Move the small tab in t he center of the o utlet louver side ­
ways and up or dow n to adjust the level and direct io n of
a irfl ow.
The flow of air to the outlets is controlled either automa tically or
manually depending on the opera tion mode selected . Heated,
unheated or cooled air can flow from all out le ts.
The heater outlets for the rear footwells are located under the front seats . When you select outlets
G) , air also flows to the rear foot ­
we lls.
[ i ] Tips
• When defrosting/defogging the windows, air flows from outlets
0) , © and ®· To defrost or defog the windows as quickly as
possible, air outlets © and © must be opened.
• When the air conditione r is working, cooled air will flow primarily
from outlets @, G) and
@. To assure adequate cooling, outlets@,
© and © should never be completely closed .•
~ehicle care irechnical data

___ T_ r _a_ il_e _r_ t_ o_ vv_ in__... g,_ __________________________________________________ _
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor­
tation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that the additional load
will affect durability, economy and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly p laces more stress on the vehicle, it a lso calls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reasons, always fo llow the operating and driving instruc ­
tions provided and use common sense. •
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight -carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weight.
The hitch must be suitab le for your veh ic le and tra iler and must be
mounted securely on the vehicle's chass is at a technically sound
l ocation. Use only a trailer hitch with removable bal l mount. A lways
check with the trailer hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch .
Do not u se a bumper hit ch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it does not interfere
with the impact-absorbing bumper system . No modifications
should be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems . From
time to time, check that all hitch mount ing bo lts re main securely
fastened.
When you are not towing a trai ler, remove the trailer hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage shou ld your
vehic le be struck from behind
=:, & .
Tire pre ssur e
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehic le to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load"on the s ticker on the right door ­
jamb . Inflate trai ler tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' specifica ­
tions.
Lights
The head ligh t sett ings should be checked with the trai ler attached
before driving off. Have the head lights adjusted as necessary so
that you can see the road ahead but not blind oncoming traffic.
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights are working prop ­
erly .
Engine cooling sy stem
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It is important tha t
the cooling system's performance stands up to the additional
strain. Make sure that the coo ling sys tem has enough fluid .
Trailer brakes
If your traile r is equipped wi th a braking system, check to be sure
that it conforms to all regu lations .
The trailer hydraul ic brake system must not be direct ly connected to
the vehic le's hydraulic brake system .
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connected from the trai ler
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 shou ld cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
~

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_ n ...:::g:;..._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in ....;g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a timely manner. •
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
engine components , all internal combustion engines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change significantly over the life of the engine. Typically,
engines with a specified break -in period (see~
page 219) consume
more oil during the break-in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stabilized.
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on
the quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute)
at which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the oxidation level of the oil. As
any engine is subject to wear as mileage builds up , the oil consump­
tion may increase over time until replacement of worn components
may become necessary .
With all these variables coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified. There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note.
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbol in the instrument
cluster lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as
possible
with the oil dipstick~ page 254. Top off the oil at your
earliest convenience~
page 255.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS
~ & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 250.
0 Note
Driving with an insufficient oil level is likely to cause severe damage
to the engine.
[ i] Tips
• The oil pressure warning display 't!::r. is not an indicator of the oil
level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your engine at
regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and always before
going on a long trip.
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oil, we recommend that you consult your Audi dealer to
have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed . Keep in mind
that the accurate measurement of oil consumption requires great
care and may take some time . Your Audi dealer has instructions
about how to measure oil consumption accurately. •
Checking the engine oil level
Fig. 198 Illustration of
principle 1: Markers on
oil dipstick ..,_

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c_k _in ---= g'--- a_n _d_ f_il _li _n ....:g=-------"'
•
& 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