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•
High temperatures, as from exposure to intense sunlight, intens ify
the corrosive effect particularly when humidity is high as well.
Under ce rtain circumstances , weekly washing may be necessary .
Under other conditions, a monthly washing and waxing may be
adequate.
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle should be thoroughly
washed preferably in a professional car wash.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 198 . •
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any modern auto
matic car wash.
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle can normally be
washed without problems in an automatic car wash . However , the
effect on the paint depends to a large extent on the design of the
facility, the filtering of the wash water, the type of wash and care
material, etc. If the paint has a dull appearance after going through
the car wash or is scratched, bring this to the attention of the oper
ator immediately . If necessary, use a different car wash .
Before going through a car wash, be sure to take the usual precau
tions such as closing the windows. Remove antenna if applicable .
If you have installed additional accessories on the vehicle -such as
spoilers, etc. -it is best to ask the car wash operator if these should
be remov ed.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 198. •
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehicle by hand.
- Before you start washing, make sure you have read and
understood the WARNINGS =:>
& in "General informa
tion" on
page 198.
-First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then rinse it off.
- As you clean your vehicle, start with the roof and work
your way down to the bottom, using a sponge, a sponge
glove or a clean brush.
- Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often, flushing it
clean each time.
- Use special car shampoo only for very persistent dirt.
- Rinse the car thoroughly with water.
- Use a chamois leather to gently w ipe the exterior dry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the wheels , door sills and other
regions exposed to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch the
paint with coarse particles imbedded in the sponge the next time
you wash the car.
& WARNING
• Do not clean the underside of the chassis, fenders, wheel
covers, or other hard to reach parts without protecting your hands
and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
=> page 198. .,.
Vehicle care I t •
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0 Note
• Never try to remove d irt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle
is dry . Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this cou ld scratch your
vehic le's paint or w indows.
• Never wash your car in bright sunlight. Drops of water act as
magnify ing lenses and may damage your paint.
• When you wash your car in the winter : if you rinse your vehicle
with a hose, be careful not to aim the stream of water directly at
locks, or at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges designed to remove insects, or any kitchen
scouring sponges or similar products. They can damage your paint
finish .
• Never use a dry cloth or sponge to c lean the head ligh ts. Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent scratches . It is best to use soapy
water.
For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the vehicle should on ly be
washed in specia l wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high -p ressure
power washer is safe as l ong as y ou observe a few simple
rules .
-Before using the power washer, make s ure you have read
and understood the WAR NINGS=::;,
& in "General infor
mati on" o n
page 198.
-Always follow the operating instructions for the power
washer. - Make sure that the jet o
n the spray hose pro duces a "fan
sha ped sp ray".
D o
not hold the spray nozzle too close to soft materials.
When cleaning the vehicle with a power washer always follow the
operating instructions. This applies particula rly to the
operating
pre ssure
and the spraying di stance . Maintain a sufficient distance
to soft materia ls such as rubber hoses and sound/vibration dead
ening materia ls (part icularly on the underside of the engine hood).
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a
direct stream or one that
has a
rotating jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F (60 °Cl.
& WARNING
Never wash tire s with a jet that sp ra ys water in a dir e ct stream .
Thi s could cau se invisible damage to the tire s and we ake n them ,
eve n if th e spra y is from a re lativel y lo ng dis tanc e an d f or a sh o rt
time . Damaged and weakened tire s can f ail and cau se ac cident s
a nd per sona l injur y.
0 Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, always make sure that there is
suffic ient distance between the spray head and soft materia ls like
rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound -deadening materials . Never
aim the spray head at the same p oint for a long time . This also
applies to cleaning headlights and painted bumpers . Remember :
the c loser the nozzle is to the surface of the material, the greater the
stress on the mater ial. •
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•
Waxing
Wax prote cts the vehicle's paint.
- Use a manually applied car wax occasion ally to protect
t h e paint.
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint to a large extent
against th e environm ental factors listed under~
page 198 ,
"Washing" and even against slight scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect your paint as soon as one
wee k after you r vehic le has been delivered .
Even if you regularly use a
waxing process in automatic car washes,
we recommend that you manua lly app ly a coat of wax to give the
paint e xtra protection, par ticu lar ly if water no longer beads on the
clean paint.
Protec t plastic body parts with car wax in the same way as the
vehic le body.
During warm weather dead insects tend to col lect on the front
bumpe r and on the forward area of the hood. They are much easie r
to remove from paint that is waxed
often.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 198 .
0 Note
Do not use ca r wax on
• matte or anodized meta l trim
• rubber or rubber -like trim. •
Polishing
Polishi ng resto res the gloss to the p aint.
Po lish your vehic le on ly if the paint has lost its shine and the g loss
cann ot be brought back wi th wax .
I f the polish used does not contain preservative compounds , the
paint must be waxed afterwards~
page 201, "Waxing".
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 198 .
0 Note
Do not treat matte anodized metal trim, plastic or rubber parts with
polish or wax .•
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special c are.
Fo r envi ronmental reasons, Audi fab ricates the bright trim strips
and trim pieces from pure chromium -free aluminum .
Dirt and marks on the trim strips should be removed with a
pH
balanced
clean ing agen t (d o no t use a chrome clea ner). Audi
dea lers carry cleaning products which have been tested for use on
your vehicle and are n ot harm fu l to t he e nvironment.
To avoid corrosion on the exterior trim strips , only a pH -ba lanced
solution shou ld be used for the windshield washer .
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 198 .•
Vehicle care I t •
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Plastic and vinyl
Plastics needs special care.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove dust and light surface
dirt. For other soil, use a lukewarm all -purpose cleaning solution or
a mild saddle soap for vinyl trim . Remove water spots and soap
traces with a clean, damp cloth or sponge. Use a clean, soft cloth to
rub dry .
Grease, tar or oil stains can be removed with a clean cloth or sponge
soaked with all-purpose cleaner or with a solvent designed espe
cially to clean vinyl.
Occasionally apply a colorless vinyl or leather preservative to retain
the material's luster and pliability.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 198. •
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots and deposits from
aluminum surfaces. Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack aluminum surfaces and can damage them over time.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 198 .•
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up immediately.
-Use either a touch -up paint stick or spray paint to cover
minor scratches and nicks.
Your Audi dealer has touch-up paint for minor scratches and stone
chips . Scratches should be touched up soon after they occur to
prevent corrosion.
The number for the original vehicle paint can be found on the
vehicle identification label~
page 288.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 198.a
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road film and
carwash wax buildup.
- Remove snow from windows using a brush.
- Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from windows and
mirrors.
- Remove other residue on the windows with a spray-on
glass cleaner.
- Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of cloth or
kitchen paper towel.
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Paint scratches should be touched up as soon as possible to prevent
corrosion => page 202, "Touch -up pain t" .
& WARNING
• Moi sture and i ce on brake s may affect braking efficiency -
=> page 186 , "Gene ral inform ation ". Te st the brakes caref ully a fter
e ac h veh icle was h.
• Alway s read and heed all W ARNING S and t he infor mation
=> page 1 98. •
App lies to vehi cles : w ith Cast a lloy whee ls
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
- Wash the wheels with a spo nge or hose brush every
o ther week .
- For deep cleaning afte rwards, use only a dedicated
a cid
free
cast alloy whee l cleaner.
- Rub a coat of
liquid wa x onto the rims every t hree month .
Be sure to reach and treat all parts of the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels,
some special care is necessary. In addition to road dirt and salt, brake dust is also corrosive . If left on for too long, brake dust can
cause pitting.
Use on ly specia l acid -free cleaners formu lated for a lloy rims . Safe
products are availab le at your Audi dealer . Never leave the cleaner
on the rims longer than specified on the label. If not rinsed off
promptly, the acid contained in some c leaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bo lts . Never use abrasive or metal polishing cleaning agents
. If the protec
t ive coating has been chipped, e.g . by kicked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as possib le.
& WARNING
• Moisture and ice on br akes m ay affect braki ng effici ency
=> page 1 86, "Gen eral inf or mation ". Te st the brake s carefully each
ti m e you w ash th e vehi cle .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informa tion
=> page 198 . •
Body cavity sealing
T he body cavity se aling does not need to be checked.
All body cavities which could be affected by corrosion have been
given thorough protection at the fac tory.
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treat
ment . If any wax should seep out of the cavi ty when the amb ient
temperature is high, it can be removed with a p lastic scraper and a
suitable solvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerou s.
• Ben zin e is flamm able and to xic. If you use b en zi ne for re moving
the wax, keep spark s, flame and lighted cigarette s away . Never
dump ben zine on the ground , into open st ream s or do wn sewage
dr ain s.
• Be sure to ob serve all safet y and env ironment al regul atio ns .
Follow all in stru ction s on the c ont ainer .
• Alwa ys read and heed all WARNINGS and the infor mation
=> page 1 98 . •
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-Rem ove fresh grea se or oil -ba sed spot s (such as butter,
mayonnaise, choco la te) with an abs orbent c lo th or paper
towel, or use the c leaner from the leather care kit if t he
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface of th e
l eather.
- Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, i f
oil/grea se spots
have dried on .
-Remove specific kinds of spo ts (ballpoint pen, felt
mar ker, fingernail polish, water-based pain t, shoe polish,
etc .) wit h a sp ot remover specif icall y formu la ted for
l eat her.
Leather care
- Every half year use an approved leathe r care product
(available from your A udi dealer) to care for the leat her .
- App ly the produc t very spar ingly.
- Wip e it off wit h a dam p cloth.
If you have any questions about c leaning and car ing for the lea ther
in your vehic le, it is best to contact your authori zed Audi dealer, who
wi ll be glad to help you an d tell you about our full range of leather
care products, such as:
• Leather cleaning and care kit
• Cremes to care for co lored lea ther
• Spot re movers f or ballpoi nt pens, shoe polish, e tc.
• Oil/grease disso lving spray
• New and upcoming products.
& WARNING
Alwa ys read and heed all WARNING S and the infor mation
=> page 198 .
0 Note
• Never use chem ical solven ts (e .g . lighter fluid, turpentine),
waxes, shoe po lish or simi lar products on the leather surfaces in
your Audi.
• To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commer
cia l cleaning specialist. •
Applies to veh icle s: w ith Alcan tara up ho lstery
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Removing dust and dirt
- Moiste n a clot h, squeeze out excess water and wipe down
the seat surfac es.
Removing stains
- Moisten a clo th wi th lukewarm water or with diluted
ethyl (rubbing ) alcohol.
- Dab at the stain. Start at the o utside and work inwards .
- Once the stain is no longer visib le, use a soft dry cloth or
tissue to soak up the moisture .
Do not use leather cleaning products on A lcantara .
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing dust and di rt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can scratch and damage the
surface. If the car is le ft standing in the sun for long periods, the
A lcantara should be protected against direct sunl ight to p revent it
from fading . Slight color variations will deve lop in normal use and
are not an indication of ma ter ial deterioration. .,
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•
0 Note
• Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter fluid, turpentine),
waxes, shoe polish or similar products on Alcantara® surfaces.
• To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commer
cial cleaning specialist.
• Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or similarly abrasive cleaning
aids. •
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work reliably when
needed.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract properly.
- Keep belts clean.
-For cleaning, use a mild soap and water solution. Let
belts dry thoroughly and away from direct sunlight.
- Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to retract before
they are completely dry.
- Check the condition of your safety belts
regularly.
& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash .
• Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean that
you and your passengers would not be adequately protected in an
accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation. Never
remove belts from the vehicle to clean them .
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents, bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
& WARNING (continued)
• When cleaning your safety belts, inspect them for damage. If
you discover damage, see your Audi dealer .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
~ page 198. a
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the engine compart
ment.
Always switch off the ignition before cleaning the engine ~ &
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front of the windshield
under the engine hood. This prevents the water drain holes from
becoming blocked, and it prevents debris from entering the vehicle
interior through the heating and ventilation ducts.
Corrosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission have been corrosion protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatment is very important, particularly in the
winter. If the vehicle is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel should be thor
oughly cleaned at the end of winter and retreated to prevent salt
damage. At the same time, the underside of the vehicle should be
washed as well.
I f the engine compartment is cleaned at any time with grease
removing solutions
21 , or if you have the engine washed, the anti
corrosion treatment is almost always removed as well. It is therefore
essential to have a long-lasting corrosion protection reapplied to all
~
21 Use only the correct cleaning solutions. Never use gasoline or diesel fuel.
Vehicle care I t •
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Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
-Open the driver's door .
Fig. 135 Driver's side
footwell: engine hood
release lever
-Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel
=> fig. 135 in the direct ion of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly under spring pressure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 136 Release lever
under the engine 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 up on the release under the hood => fig. 136. This
releases the catch.
- Open the hood all the way.
The hood is kept in the open position by two gas struts.
& 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. •