2009 AUDI S4 CABRIOLET warning

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

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Contact a dealership if you would like to replace damaged whee l
cove rs.
& WARNING
Never loo sen the screws on rim s with threaded rim rings* -danger
of accident!
& WARNING
New tires or tires that are old , worn or damaged cannot provide
maximum control and braking abil ity .
• New tires tend to be slippery and must be broken in. To reduce
the risk of losing control , a collision and serious per sonal injurie s,
drive with special care for the first 350 miles (560 km ).
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the co mbined we ig ht (in excess o f those standar d ite ms
which may be rep laced) of automatic transmission, power stee ring,
power b rakes, power win dows, power seats, ra dio, a nd heater, to
the extent that these items are avai lab le as factory- installed equip­
m ent (w hether i nstalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio o f the he ight to t he wid th of the t ire in perce nt.
N umbers of 5 5 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steer ing respo nse and bette r overall handl ing on dry pave ment.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of stee l wires, wrapped or
reinforced by p ly cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
& W ARNING (continued )
• Driving with worn or damaged tires can lead to loss of control,
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflat ion ,
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
e specially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergen cy and then with special care and at
low speed.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "p revious history. " Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that c an lead to sudden
tire failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driv ing , always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Bead separation
m eans a brea kdow n of the bond be tween compo ne nt s in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehic le manufacturer
fo r a tire of a des ig nated size tha t h as not bee n dr iven for more than
a coup le of mi les (ki lometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
b ef or e the ti re pressu re is mea sured o r adj usted. _,,

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Rei nf orced tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher inf la ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
tires my be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the t ire beads are seated.
R im di am eter
means nomina l diameter o f the bead seat. If you change your wheel
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam­
eter.
R im size des ig nati on
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating (le tter code )
means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time . The ratings range from 93 mph ( 150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)~
page 281. You may not find this informa­
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law .
The speed rating letter code, where appl icable, is molded on the tire
sidewal l and indicates the maximum permissible road speeds~
&
in "Winter tires" on page 284 .
Tire pres su re m onitoring s yste m*
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and i lluminates a low tire pressure warning te ll­
tale .
Trea d
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road .
Trea d se parati on
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass .
Treadw ear indi cato rs (TWI)
means the projections within the princ ipal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread. See
~ page 278, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more informatio n on
measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Q uality Gra ding
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (N HTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The U TQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire wil l last for a
prescribed number of miles or perform in a certain way. It simply
gives tire buyers additiona l information to combine wit h other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dea ler recommen­
dations. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in
three areas: treadwear, traction and temperature resistance . The
UTQG information on the tires, molded into the sidewalls.
U.S . D OT T ir e Ident ifi ca tion Num ber (T IN )
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the le tters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federa l standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac­
ture. For example,
D OT ... 2 209 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2009 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may o r may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll. -.,

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

lffll,.___T_ ir_e_ s _ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation cause increased
tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control. •
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires originally installed
on your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located
either on driver's side 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the table=>
page 271, "Cold tire inflation pressure ". This means
that the pressure must be checked and adjusted when the tire has
not been driven for more than a couple of miles (kilometers) at low
speeds during the previous three hours. Air in the tires expands
when the tire heats up as a result of internal friction as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire has warmed up than
when it is "cold."
It is the inflation pressure in a "cold " tire that counts . Therefore, you
should never let air out of a warm tire to match "Cold tire inflation
pressure" recommendations=>
page 271. The tires would then be
underinflated and could fail suddenly.
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended cold tire
inflation pressures for the new, original equipm ent tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For the location of
the label =>
page 271, fig. 207.
Most tires lose air naturally over time. They can also lose some air if
you drive over a pothole or hit a curb while parking. It is usually not possible to see whether the radial tires used today are underinflated
just by looking at them.
Therefore, be sure to check tire pressures at least once a month and always before going on a long trip. Make sure to take the number of
people and the amount of luggage into account when adjusting tire
pressure for a trip -even one that you would not consider to be
"long." See=>
page 275, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
impor tant information .
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking and
adjusting inflation pressures . Check all of the tires and be sure not
to forget the spare tire. If the pressure in any tire is too high when
the tire is "cold," let air out of the tire slowly with the edge of the tire
gauge and keep checking the pressure until you reach the pressure
that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
driving you plan to do.
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the cold tire and the pressure you need and add the air
that you need to reach the correct pressure for the vehicle load
(passengers and luggage) for the tires on your vehicle as listed on
the on your vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you
plan to do.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire
sidewall for any reason.
Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer,
determines the correct tire pressure for the tires on your vehicle.
It is important to check the tire pressure when the tires are cold.
• Read the required tire pressure from the tire pressure label. On
USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side
B-pillar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either
on the driver's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
• Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise to remove it from the
tire valve.
• Place the air pressure gauge on the valve. .,_

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
• The tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when
t he t ires are co ld . The s lightly raised press ures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
• Adjust t he tire p re ssure to the load you are carrying.
• Reinstall the va lve stem cap on the valve.
When should I check the tire pressure?
The correc t tire p re ssur e is espec ially i mportant at high speeds. The
pressure should there fore be c hecked at least once a month and
a lways before starting a journey. Do not forget to check the tire pres ­
su re for t he spare whee l::::>
page 291.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjust the ti re pressur e to the load you are carrying. A fter chang in g
a wheel
or replacing whee ls you have to adj ust t he t ire pressure s on
a ll whee ls. In addition, o n ve hicles w ith t ire pressure monito ring
system * you must then store the new tire pressures in the system
=> page 41.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pres sures and /or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure, loss of control , collision, serious personal injury or even
death .
• When the warning symbol ( appears in the instrument
cluster , stop and inspect the tires .
• Incorrect tire pressure and /or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affe ct the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorre ct tire pressures and /or underinflat ion can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehi cle control.
• The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle . The appli cable pre ssure values are located on
a sticker on the driver 's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap .
& WARNING (continued )
• Only when all tires on the veh icle are filled to the correct pres­
s ure, the tire pressure monitoring system * can work correctly .
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage . Therefore it is essential that the driver observe
the specified tire pressure values for the tires and the correct pres­
sures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system*.
• Alway s inflate tires to the recommended and corre ct tire pres ­
sure before driving off.
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot resulting in tread separation , sudden tire failure and loss
of control.
• Excessive speed and /overloading can cause he at build -up ,
sudden tire failure and loss of control.
• If the tire pressure is too low or too high , the tires will wear
prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well.
• If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel
immediately, drive at reduced speed to the nearest service station
to che ck the tire pressure and add air as required .
0 Note
Driving without valve stem caps can cause damage to the tire
valves. To p revent this, a lways make sure tha t factory installe d va lve
stem caps on al l wheels are securely mounted on the va lve .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Underinflated tires wi ll a lso increase the fue l consumption. •
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or weight that any vehic le and
any tire can carry. A vehicle that is overloa ded wil l n o t handle well _,.
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.
~

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n _ d_ w_ h_ e_ e_ls _ _____,ffllll
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