
___________________________________________ C_ h_e _c_ k_ i_n _g _ a_n _d_ f_il _li _n _g __ fflllll
•
Closing the engine hood
- Pull the hood down until the pressure from the struts is
reduced .
- Let the hood
drop down and latch in place. Do not try to
push it shut;
it may fail to engage => &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could fly up and block your
view while driving.
• When you close the engine hood, check it to make sure the
safety catch has properly engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop
erly, stop at once and close it. •
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine
compartment!
Whenever you must perform any work in the engine compartment,
for example checking and filling the different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area!
~ &
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood :
• Switch off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake .
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to "P" (Park);
put manual transmission in Neutral .
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• 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 .
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components . They can cause a
fire.
• Never touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary electric fan is
temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly.
• Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still
warm. The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant could
spray out.
• Protect your face, hands and arm from steam or hot engine
coolant by placing a thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
• If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in
the engine compartment could start a fire .
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
• To avoid electrical shock and personal injury while the engine
is running or being started, never touch :
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage electronic ignition
system.
• If you must perform a check or repair with the engine running: ..,
Vehicle care
I t •

___ C_ h_ e _ c_k _in--= g'-- a_n _d_ f_il _li _n --=g==-- --------------------------------------------
& WARNING (continued )
-First, fully apply the park ing brake, move selector lever of
automatic transmission to "P " (Park ); put manual transmission
in Neutral.
- Alway s use extreme c aution to prevent clothing , jewel ry , or
long hair from gettin g caught in the radiator fan , V-belts or
other moving parts , or from contacting hot parts. Tie back hair
before starting , and wear no clothing that will hang or droop
into the engine.
• Minimize exposure to emission and chemi cal hazard s
=> &.
& WARNING
Californ ia Proposition 65 Warning :
• Engine exhaust , some of its constituents , and certa in vehicle
component s contain or emit chemical s known to the State of Cali
fornia to cause cancer and birth defe cts and reproductive h arm . In
addition, certain fluid s contained in vehicles and certain products
of component wear contain or emit chem icals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproduc
tive harm.
• Battery po sts , terminal s and related ac cessories contain lead
and lead compounds , chem icals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms. Wash hand s after
handling .
0 Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that the y are poured into the
proper container or filler opening, otherwise serious damage to
vehicle systems will occur .
<£' For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in t ime, inspect the veh icle floor pan from unde r
neath regularly. If you see spots from oil or other vehic le fluids, have
you r ve hicle i nsp ected by a n authori zed Audi dealer .•
Engine compartment
Ap plies to veh ic les: with 1. 8I180-h p eng ine
2 .01 200-hp engine
Th ese a re th e mo st imp ortan t items that you can check.
F ig . 137 Engine comp artment : 2 .01 200 -hp engine
G) Coolan t expansion tank (J _) ... ........ ..• ..•. ....
0 Engine oil f iller cap ("t:::r.) . .. ... .• .. .... .... ... ...
© En gine oil d ipstick ( orange) .. ...... ... .. .. .. .... .
© B ra ke fluid reservoir ( ) . ... ...... .... .... ... .. .
225
222
2 21
2 27 ..

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© Jump start points(+) under a cover, (-) bolt head ... .
© Windshield/head light washer container ( O ) .... ... .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 217. •
Applies to v ehic le s : w ith 3,2 1 250 -hp eng ine
3 .21 250-hp engine
280
233
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 138 Engine compartment: 3.21 250-hp engine
0
0
®
©
Coolant expansion tank (J _J
Engine oil dipstick (orange)
Engine oil filler cap
('l:::r.)
Brake fluid reservoir ( ) 225
221
222 227
© Jump start points (
+l under a cover, (-) bolt head .. . .
© Windshield/headlight washer container (Q ) ....... .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS
=> & in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 217. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
280
233
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of
oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated powerplant that was built
to exacting spec ifications. This engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding quality and viscosity
so that it can run smoothly and reliably. Choosing the right oil and
changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your
vehicle's Warranty
& Maintenance booklet matters a lot more today
than it did years ago . Audi has developed a special quality standard
for engine oil that will help assure that your vehicle's engine will ge t
the lubrication it needs for proper operation .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years . Many synthetic oils available today provide better engine
lubrication that can outlast traditional petro leum -based oils ,
making them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum -based engine oil, the oi l
that you use must conform to Audi's oil quality standard VW 502 00
to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help prevent the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes called
"s ludge," that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c _ k_in --= g'-a _ n_d _ f_il _li _n -=g =-- ____.•
• the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injury never touch the radiator
fan.
• The auxiliary electric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drops. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick glance.
Fig. 143 Engine
compartment: brake
fluid reservoir
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 217.
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 143. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located behind the rear partition of the
engine compartment on the left side~ page 218.
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:
(Cf))) will come on~ page 19 and~ page 33. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized
Audi dealer
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 will 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 Federal Motor Vehicle 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.
~
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_n ...:::g::;...._ a_n_d _ f_ i_ll _in -'g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
& WARNING
• Bra ke fluid i s poiso nou s. It must be stor ed only in the clo se d
original container out of the rea ch of children!
• Bra ke failure can re sult from old or inappropri ate br ake fluid .
Ob serve the se pre cauti ons:
- Use o nly br ake fluid th at m eets S AE spe cific ation
J 1703 and
co nform s to Fed era l Mo tor Vehic le Standard 11 6. Alway s check
w ith your authori zed Aud i de aler to mak e sure y ou are usi ng
the correc t brake fluid. The corre ct type of brake flu id i s also
indica ted on the br ake fl uid re se rvoi r.
- The brake fluid mu st be new . Heavy u se of the brake s can
ca use a vapor lock if th e bra ke fluid is left in the system too
long. Thi s can seriou sly affect the effic iency of the brake s as
w ell as y our safet y. T his c ould re s u lt in an a ccident .
0 Note
Brake fluid wil l damage the paint of your vehicle .
~ 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
dea ler. •
Battery
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with a specia l battery, an AGM battery. This
ba ttery is loca ted in the luggage compar tment and must be
replaced with an original equipment battery. Under normal oper
ating conditions, the battery is
ma inten anc e-free .
Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service .
You a re well advised to replace a battery that is o lder than 5 years .
Disconn ecting th e batt ery te rmin als
Some vehicle functions (power w indow regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected. These functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected again. To prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehic le electrical sys tem when abso lutely necessary for repairs .
Vehi cles not dri ven for lo ng p eriods
If you are going to let your vehic le stand for a long time and n ot
drive it, you should remember there are e lectrica l components
whic h are still functioning and they will draw energy from the
battery and drain it, for example, the engine immobilizer. To prevent
t his, you can eithe r charge the batte ry occasionally to keep it in
good working condition or you can disconnect the negative cable
on the battery.
W int er op erati on
During the winter months, batte ry capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop . This is because more power is also consumed
whi le starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc ., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when trave ling o nly short distances . Let your authorized Audi dealer
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
~ page 232. A we ll charged battery will not only preven t starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
Repla cing batter y
The new battery must hav e the same capacity, voltage ( 12 volts),
amperage, construction and p lug sea ling, as the orig inal battery .
Specifications are listed on the battery housing. Batteries specia lly
developed by Aud i fulfill the main tenance, output, and safe ty
requirements. ...,

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
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, particu larly considering the comparatively small patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehic le 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 regularly inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, s lashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
blowouts.
A vo iding d am age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
fluid off the tires.
Inspect the ti res regu larly for damage (cuts, cracks or b listers, etc.l .
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tir es
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota
t ion. This ensures you to be able to mount them correctly when you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
S tore tires in a vertical pos it ion if they a re not mounted on r ims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tir es
New tires have to be broken in=>&.
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
H idd en damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one s ide, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire cti ona l t ires
A unidirectional tire can be identif ied by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate . You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . This is necessary s o that these
tires can develop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=>
page 273.
& WARNING
New t ires o r ti re s th at a re old , worn or d am aged cann ot pro vid e
maximum cont rol and braking ability .
• New tires te nd to be slippery and mu st be bro ken in . To redu ce
the ri sk o f lo sin g co ntro l, a collis ion and serious per sonal injurie s,
dri ve w ith special care f or the fi rst 350 m ile s ( 560 km l.
• Driving w ith w orn or damaged tire s can lead to lo ss of control ,
sudd en tir e fa ilure , inc ludi ng a blowout a nd sudden defl atio n, ..,_

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
& WARNING (continu ed )
crashes and serious personal in jur ies . Have worn or da maged t ires
replaced immediately .
• Tires age even if they are not being u sed and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds. T ires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then w ith special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the co mbined we ig ht ( in excess o f those sta nda rd items
which may be rep laced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power w indows, powe r seats, rad io, a nd heater, to
the extent that these items are avai lab le as factory-installed equip
m ent (w hether insta lled or not).
Aspect ratio
means t he ratio o f th e height to t he w idt h of the tire in perce nt.
N umbers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewa ll for improved
steer ing respo nse and b ette r overall ha ndl ing on dry pave ment.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of stee l wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdow n of the bond be tween co mponents i n the bead.
Cord
means the strands fo rmi ng the plies in the ti re.
& W ARNING (continued )
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history. " Old used t ire s may ha ve been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• If you noti ce unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving , always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Cold tire inflation pressure
mea ns t he ti re pressure reco mm ended by the ve hicle ma nufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been d riven for more tha n
a cou ple o f miles (k ilometers) at low speeds in t he t hre e ho ur per iod
before the tire pressure is measured or ad justed .
Curb weight
means the weight of a moto r vehic le with standard equipment
i nc lud ing the max imu m capac ity o f fue l, o il, and coola nt, a ir c ond i
tioning and additiona l weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to ope rate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EX TRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side
wa ll.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR ")
means the load -carrying capacity of a sing le ax le system, measured
at the ti re -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR "l
means the ma ximum tot al l oade d weigh t of the vehicle.
Vehicle care I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure . You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at the maximum permissible infla
tion pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressure to which a tire may be
in flated. Also called "maximum inflation pressure ."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewalls of
an inflated tire, including elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not previously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty battery, and special trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Recommended inflation pressure
see =:> page 235, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Reinforced tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than 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 tire beads are seated .
Rim diameter
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If you change your wheel
size, you will have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam
eter.
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .