2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET wipers

Wiper and washer system
r.-·.
Windshield wiper ~
The windshield wiper lever controls both the windshield
w ipers and the washer system.
Fig. 9 7 W ind sh ie ld
wip er: leve r posi tion s
The windshield w iper lever=> fig. 97 has t he following posi­
t io ns:
On e-tou ch wiping
- Move the lever to position G), whe n you want to wipe the
windshield
briefly .
Intermittent wiping ~l (activating rain sensor )*
- Move the lever up to position 0 -
- Move swit ch @ up or down, to adjust the se nsitivity of
the rain senso r or to adjust the intermitte nt interval.
Low wip er speed
- Move the lever up to pos ition ® ·
Contro ls and eq uip­
ment
Cle ar v ision
High wiper sp eed
-Move the lever up to position @.
Automatic wiper /washer
- Pull the lever to pos iti on © (toward the steering w heel)
and ho ld.
Re lease t he lev er. The washer stops and t he wipers keep
going for about fou r seconds.
Turning off the wipers
- Move the lever back to position @ .
The windshie ld wipers and washer on ly work when the ignition is
turned on .
The rain sensor* is only activated with the wiper lever set to position
G). When it starts to rain, the rain sensor will automatically activate
the intermittent wiping mode .
To reduce the sensitivity of the sensor ,
move switch @down . To
increase the sensitivity, move the switch up. The highe r you adjust
the sensitivity, the faster the sensor wi ll react when it senses mois ­
ture on the windshield. The pauses between wiper turns depend not
only on the sensitivity setting, but on the vehicle speed as well.
During brief stops, e.g. at a red light, wiper motion will automati ­
cal ly be reduced to the next lower speed. Wipers already turning at
low speed. change to intermittent wiping.
When the ignition is turned on, the washer jets a re heated .
With the low beam headlights switched on, pull the wiper
lever
towards you only briefly to clean the windshield. Ho lding the wiper
lever would also engage the headlight washer system each time you
clean the windshield and would drain the washer fluid reservoir
prematurely. ..
~ehicle care irechnical data

Clear vision
& WARNING
• Wiper blade s are cru cial fo r safe driving ! O nly when they are in
good cond it ion are they able to clear the window s properly to
p ro vi de un comp romi sed vis ibility . Worn or damaged wiper blade s
are a safety hazard
=> page 8 7, "In stalling new w ipe r blades "!
• The rain sen sor is onl y de signed to a ssis t and support the
driver. It remain s ent irely the driver' s re spon sibility to monitor
o ut side weather condit ion s a nd to manually acti vate the wipers a s
soon a s rain or drizzle reduces vi sibility through the wind shield .
• The wind shield mu st not be treat ed w ith water -repellent mate ­
rials. They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions such
a s w etne ss, darknes s, or when the sun i s lo w on t he horizon . In
addition , they can cause the windshield wipers to chatter .
0 Note
In freezing or near freezing conditions :
• Always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the g lass
before you turn the wipers on. Loosen a wiper b lade which is frozen
in place before operating the wipers to prevent damage to the wiper
b lade or the wipe r motor.
• Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted window . Using the
wipe rs as a convenient ice scraper wil l destroy the wiper blades .
• Before you take your vehicle to an automatic car wash , make sure
you have the wi ndshield w iper system switched off (lever in position
0), otherwise the windshield wiper system could get damaged in the
car wash if it should suddenly come on .
[ i ] Tips
• The rain sensor is part of the interva l wiping system . Turning off
the ignition will also deactivate the rain sensor. To reactivate the sensor, switch off the interva l wiping function, then switch it back
on aga in. • I
f you switch off the ignition with the windshield wiper lever sti ll
in the interva l wipe position and then come back a while late r and
drive off, the rain sensor will reactivate itself after the vehicle speed
has exceeded 4 mph (6 km/h) .
• Worn or dirty windshield wiper b lades cause smearing which
can affect the operation of the rain sensor . Check the condition of
your windshield wiper b lades regularly .
• Make sure the washer fluid reservoir in the engine co mpartment
is topped off before going on a long trip. Look up=>
page 266 for
checking and f illing the washer container .•
Headlight washer system
The headlight washer system cleans the headlights.
Operate the w indshie ld wiper/washer system, leve r posi­
tion
© =>page 85, fig. 97, w ith the head lig hts switched
on
by h old ing the lever for longer than o ne second .
The washer jets extend forward out of the front bumper driven by
water pressure to s pray the front headlights with water .
You should inspec t the head lights regu larly (for examp le when refu ­
e ling) and c lean off any so lid dirt or insects from the lenses .
To ensure the sys tem works proper ly in winter, keep the washer jets
free of snow and
remove any ice using a de -icing spray .•

Clear vision
& W AR NIN G (c ontinued )
• For your saf ety , you sh ould replace the wip er blade s once or
t w ic e a ye ar. S ee your auth oriz ed Audi d ealer for repla cem ent
blades .
0 Note
To prevent damage to the wiper system:
• Always loosen blades which are frozen to the windshield before
operating wipers.
• Do not use gaso line, kerosene, paint thinner, or other solvents on
or near the wiper blades .
• Do not attempt to move the wipers by hand .
[ i ] Tip s
Commercial hot waxes applied by automatic car washes affect the
cleana bility o f the g lass su rface .•
Mirrors
Manual glare-dimming
Standard setting
Move the sma ll lever (located on the bottom edge of t he
m irror) to the front.
Anti -glare setting
- Move the sma ll leve r (located on the bo ttom edge of t he
m ir ro r) to the rea r. •
App lies to vehicles: wi th au tomatica lly dimm ing in side mirro r
Automatically dimming inside mirror
The automatic dimming function can be turned on and off
if required.
D isabling auto dimming
Fig . 100 In side rear ­
view mi rror
Pr ess button @ briefly, -th e green in dic ato r ligh t®
goes out .
Activating /re activating auto dimming
- Press button @ briefly, -the green indicator light®
goes on.
Au tomatic dimming fun ction
The automatic dimming function is activated every time the ignition
is turned on. The green indicator lig ht is lit to ind ica te auto dimming
is active.
When dimming is activated, the inside mirror will darken
automati ­
cally
in response to the amount of light striking the mirror (such as
headlights from rearward approaching vehicles). Even in d imm ing
mode , the mirror surface turns bright when :
• the interior light is switched on
• reverse gear is engaged .

Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
O pera tin g co ndition s and drivi ng h abit s
The brakes on today's automobiles are still subject to wear,
depending large ly on operating conditions and dr iving habits~
&­
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop -and -go city traffic
or are driven hard, the brake pads shou ld be checked by your autho­
rized Audi dealer more often than specified in the
W arr anty & Main ­
t e nanc e bo okle t.
Fai lure to have you r brake pads inspec ted ca n
resu lt in reduced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the braking effect of the engine.
This way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you must use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuous ly.
Pump the brakes at intervals.
Moi sture or road salt
If you are driv ing faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) and the windshie ld
wipers are on, the brake pads wi ll briefly touch the brake discs in
regu lar intervals so as to improve reaction time when braking on
wet surfaces. You, the driver, wil l not notice anything.
Under ce rta in conditions, for example, when dr iving through water
or very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking
effect can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice)
on the brake pads. A few cautious brake applications should dry off
the b rake pads or remove any ice coatings .
At speeds
over80 km/h and with the windshie ld wiper turned on, the
brake pads are app lied briefly to the brake discs. This occurs at
regu lar interva ls wi thout the driver not icing and provides for better
brake response time under wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is driven on a sa lt-covered road and the brakes are not used. Likewise,
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Int
ellig ent tec hnol ogy
you clean off accumulated sa lt coating from brake discs and pads
with a few ca utious applications of the brake ~
&-
Cor rosi on
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not driven regularly or
only f or sho rt trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firm ly a few times from a moderately high speed~
&-
Fa ults in the brake system
If you shou ld notice a sudden increase in brake pedal trave l, then
one of the two brake circuits may have failed~
&-
Lo w brak e fluid l evel
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system i f the brake fluid level is
too low . The brake fluid level is monitored electronically .
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visua l inspection of the condi ­
tion o f the brake pads through the open ings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection
~ page 293,
"Whee l change".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuver s for the purpo se of
cl eani ng th e br ake sy stem onl y if ro ad condition s permit . Other
road u se rs mu st not be put a t ris k -you may cau se an accident!
• Before des cending a steep gr ade , reduce sp eed and sh ift tr ans ­
mi ssion into a lower gear or lower driving po sition . Do not ride the
brake s or hold the pedal d ow n too long or t oo often . This could
cau se the brake s to get hot and dimini sh brakin g efficien cy . _.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ 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 ;;..._ ____.ffllll
Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
Fig . 194 Driver's side
footwell: engine hood
release lever
-Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel => fig. 194 in direction of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly under spring pressure .•
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 195 Release lever
under the hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that the wind­
shield wipers are flat against the windshield. Otherwise,
they could damage the paint on the hood.
Lift the hood slightly =>& .
- Pull the release under the hood
=> fig. 195. This releases
the catch.
- Open the hood all the way.
The hood is kept in the open position by a gas strut .
& WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you .
• 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. •
Vehicle care irechnical data

___ A_l-=- p _h_ a_ b_e _t_ic _ a_l _in _ d_e _x ____________________________________________ _
Where can I find the tire pressures for my y
car? ...... ... .. .... .... ....... 274
Why safety belts? ..... ........ .. 159, 160 Yellow symbols ..... .. .... .... ....... 32
Wind deflector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Cleaning .......... ... ........... 233
Installing ..... ............ ....... 67
Removing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Unfolding . .... ... ... .. ... ..... ... 66
Windows Cleaning ...... .... ... .... ...... . 235
Convenience close/open feature ..... 53
Defogging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Defogging as quickly as possible ... 115
Defrosting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Defros ting as quickly as possible ... 115
Windshield wipers Installing new wiper blades ....... .. 87
Int ermittent wiping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Low fluid level ......... .... ...... . 34
One -tap wiping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Washer reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Winter operation
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Coolant system .................. 257
Tires ...... ............... ... ... 218
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Winter tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
All -wheel drive ... .. .... ...... .... 284
Wiper and washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
X
Xenon headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82, 302