2010 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET Owners Manual

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• -31°F(-35°C)USA
• -40°F ( - 40°() Canada .
You can mix the Gl2+ + coolant additive with other additives (G12+ or
G12). Always check with your authorized Aud i dealer.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "Work ing in the engine
compartment" on
page 280.
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if th e
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions . This is especially important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold .
If necessary, increase the proportion of
coola nt additive to 60% .
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system, remember:
- We recommend using only coolant additive Gl2++ (check the
label) for your vehicle . This coolant additive is available at autho­
r iz ed Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly
reduce corrosion protection . The resulting corrosion can cause
a
loss of coolant and serious engine damage.
• Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's
eng ine coolant . Adding radiator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by yo ur New Vehicle Limited Warranty .•
Vehicle OP-eration
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig. 223 Engine
compartment: Coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS ~ & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 280 .
-Turn off the ignition.
- Let the engine cool down .
- Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
~ fi~ . 223 a nd carefully twist the cap counter-clockwise
~& -
- Read the engine coolant level in the open coolant expan­
sion tank~ fig. 223 . With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "min" and "max" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
"max" marking .
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the engine
compartment illustration=>
page 281.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off. ~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric coolant
level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warn ing light in the Auto-Check
System ~
page 29 will blink until you add coolant and the level has
been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric coolant
level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level from
time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling system. In the event of
coo lant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immed iate ly by
your authorized Audi dealer .
It is not enough merely to add coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coolant is exceeded as a result of overheating.
& WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot. Reduce
the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these steps.
• Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
• Protect your face, hands and arms from escaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
• Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
direction while applying light, downward pressure on the top of
the cap.
• To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on the
exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain conditions, the
ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant to your vehicle's engine
coo lant. Adding radiator repair fluid may adverse ly affect the func­
tion and performance of your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty.•
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS::::::> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 280.
-Turn off the engine .
- Let the engine cool down.
- Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion tank
=> page 287, fig. 223 and carefully turn the cap counter­
clockwise ::::,
&.
- Add coolant .
- Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
~ page 286, "Coolant". Even in an emergency, if coolant additive
G12 ++, G12+ or G12 is not available, do not use a different additive.
Use plain water instead until you can get the correct additive and can
restore the correct ratio. This should be done as soon as possible .
If you have lost a considerable amount of coolant, then you should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the ''MAX" mark. Excess coolant will be
forced out through the press ure re lief va lve in the cap when the
eng ine becomes hot .
& WARNING
• The cooling system is under pressure and can get very hot.
Reduce the risk of scalding from hot coolant by following these
steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down. _.,

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& WARNING (co ntinued )
-Protect your face , hand s and arms from e scaping fluid and
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Tu rn the cap slowl y and very carefully in a counter-clockwi se
direction wh ile applying light, downward pre ssure on the top
of the cap .
- To avoid be ing burned , do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhau st sy stem or hot engine parts . Under certain condi­
tions, the ethylene glycol in eng ine coolant can catch fire .
• Antifreeze i s poi sonou s. Alway s store antifreeze in it s original
container and well out of the reach of children.
• If you drain the coolant, it must be caught and saf ely stored in
a proper container clearly marked "poison ".
0 Note
• Coolant pollutes t he environment and could cause an engine fire.
E xcess coo lan t w ill be forced o ut through the pressure rel ie f va lve in
t he cap when the engine becomes hot .
• If, in an eme rgency, o nly w ate r can be ad ded , the co rrec t rat io
between water and antifreeze::::;,
page 286 must be restored as soon
as possi ble.
~ For the sake of the environment
Dr ained coolant sho uld no t be reused. A lways dispose of used coo lan t
wh ile observ ing all environmental regula tions. •
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on autom atically by itself.
Th e radiator fa n is d rive n by the engine via t he V-bel t. The v iscous
cl utch reg ulates t he spee d of the fan accord ing to the tem perature of
t he coolan t.
Safety first
An auxiliary e lectric rad iator fa n* switches o n and off depending on
co olan t tempe rature and ot her vehicle ope rating condi tions.
After you sw itch the engine off, the aux iliary fan can continue running
for up to 10 m inutes -even with the ignition
off. It can even switch on
again la ter by itself ::::;, & , if
• the temperature of the eng ine coolant rises due to the heat build­
up from the eng ine in the engi ne comp artment, o r
• the engine compartment heats up because the veh icle is parked in
in tense s unlight.
LJ}. WARNING
• To reduc e 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 sw itches on automat ically when the
engine coolant rea ches a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drops .•
Vehicle care Technical data

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Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brak e flu id l evel c an be checke d with a quick gl ance.
F ig . 2 24 Engi ne
comp artme nt: Br ak e
fluid re ser voi r
Before you check anythi ng in the eng ine compart ment ,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working i n
the e ngine compar tment" on
page 280 .
- Read the bra ke flu id level from the bra ke fluid reservoir
~ page 29 0, fig . 224. The bra ke fluid level must be
between the "MI N" and " MAX" m ark ings.
T he bra ke fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartmen t on the left side=> page 281 .
The flu id level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
m atic adjus tment o f th e br ake pad s. This is no t ca use for alarm.
If the b ra ke fl uid leve l falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, t he
brake warn ing/i nd icator light ( U.S. models:
BRAKE , Canadia n models:
«D> ) will come on=> page 17 and=> page 28 . Do not continue to
operate t he vehicle. The complete brake system should be thoro ughly
c hec ked by an au thor ized Aud i deale r or q ualified works hop a nd the
cause corrected.
If the b rake fluid level is too low, the brake wa
rning/ind icator light will illum inate. Contact a n author ized Aud i
de aler
immediately .
W Tips
The b rake fl uid reservo ir is located un derneath the cover .•
Changing brake fluid
Hav e th e b rake fluid chang ed by an experi enc ed techni ­
c ia n.
Br ake flui d ab sorbs mois ture from the air. If the wate r cont en t in the
brake flu id is too hig h, corros ion in the brake system may result after
a period of time. The boil ing po int of the brak e fl uid w ill also de cre as e
considera bly and d ecrease b raking performance .
T herefo re, the brake f lu id m ust be c hanged
every two years . Always
use new br ake fluid w hich confo rm s to Federal Motor Veh icle Sta n­
dard "F MVSS 116 DOT 4".
T he bra ke fl uid r eserv oir ca n be diffi cult t o rea ch, there fore, we
recommend that you have the brake f lu id changed by yo ur autho rized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools , the rig ht bra ke fl uid
and the k now -how to do t his for you .
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
• Brake failure can result from old
or inappropriate brake fluid.
Observe these precautions:
-Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification
J 1703 and
conform s to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116 . Always che ck
with your authorized Audi dealer to make sure you are using
the correct brake fluid. The correct type of brake fluid is also indicated on the brake
fluid reservoir . ~

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& WARNING (co ntinued )
-The brake fluid mu st be new. Heavy use of the brake s can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid i s left in the sy stem too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety . This could result in an accident.
0 Note
B rake fluid will damage the pain t of your ve hicle.
c£> For the sake of the environment
Because of the p rob lem of proper d isposal of b rake fl uid as we ll as
the spec ia l too ls requ ired and the necessary expert ise , we recom­
mend th at yo u have the brake fl uid ch anged by your authori ze d Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating cond itions, t he battery in your Audi does not
need any maintenance. W ith
high o uts ide temperatures or long daily
dr ives we recomme nd that yo u have the electro lyte level ch ecked by
an a utho rized Audi dealer o r q ua lified workshop. The e lectrolyte leve l
sho uld also be che cked ea ch t ime the battery i s ch arge d=>
page 293 .
Have t he battery checked when yo u take you r vehicle in for serv ice .
You a re well a dvised to rep lace a batte ry that is o lde r than 5 years.
With certa in ty pes of a irbag deployment, the ba tte ry is disconnected
from the vehicle e lectr ica l system for safety reasons=>
& in "Repair,
c are and disposal of the air bags " on
page 214.
Safety first
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle f unctions ( power w indow reg ulators, for examp le) are
lost if the batte ry termina ls a re disconnected . These funct ions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals are connected again . To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle electr ica l system when absolute ly necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If yo u do not drive your ve hicle over a period of severa l days o r wee ks,
elect rical compo nents are g radually cut bac k or swi tched off. This
re du ces ene rgy consumption and maintains start ing capability over a
longer period=>
page 2 47.
Take into consideration that when you unlock your vehicle, some
c onvenie nce func tions, such as the master key remote func tion o r
power seat adjustme nt, may not be avai lable. The convenience func­
tions will be available again w he n you t urn on the ign it ion and sta rt
the engine .
Winter operation
During the winter months , battery capacity tends to decrease as
t empe ra tu res drop . This is beca use more power is a lso cons umed
wh ile starting, and the headlights, rear w indow defogger , etc ., are
used more o ften .
Avoid unne cessa ry powe r consum ption, part icu larly in city traffic o r
when traveling only short distances. Let your authori zed Audi dealer
che ck t he capa city of the vehicle b atte ry befo re w inte r sets in
=>
page 293 . A well charged battery will not only prevent start ing
pro blems when t he we ather is co ld, bu t w ill also last l onge r.
[ i ] Tips
If yo ur vehicl e is lef t standi ng fo r seve ral weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the veh icle battery should be removed and stored
whe re it will no t free ze . This will preven t it from being dam aged and
having to be replaced .•
Vehicle care Technical data

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Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near the
battery.
The battery is located in the luggage compartment under the
floor. Before you check anything in the lu~gage compart­
ment, read and heed all WARNINGS=>
&-
Always heed the safety warnings, when working on the vehicle
battery or the vehicle electrical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important when
working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYMBOLS and safety pre­ cautions when working on the battery.
@
®
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Always wear
gloves and eye protection.
No
- sparks
- flames
- smoking .
When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen
gas which is explosive and could cause personal
injury.
Always keep the battery well out of reach of chil­
dren .
& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on the electrical system,
there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire. Read and heed
the following WARNINGS:
& WARNING (continued)
• Always wear eye protection. Do not let battery acid or any lead
particles get on your skin or clothing. Shield your eyes. Explosive
gases can cause blindness or other injury.
• Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid can cause
blindness and severe burns.
-Always wear gloves and eye protection. Do not tilt the
battery because acid could leak out of the ventilation open­
ings.
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immedi­
ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and get medical
attention.
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek medical attention
immediately.
• Do not expose the battery to an open flame, electric sparks or
an open light.
• Do not smoke.
• Do not interchange the positive and negative cables.
• When working on the battery, be sure not to short-circuit the
terminals with tools or other metal objects. This would cause the
battery to heat up very quickly, which could lead to damage or
explosion and personal injury.
• When a battery is charged, it produces hydrogen gas which is
explosive and could cause personal injury.
• Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children.
• Before work is done on the electrical system, disconnect the
negative ground cable.
• Before performing any work on the electrical system, switch
off the engine and ignition as well as any electrical equipment.
The negative cable on the battery must be disconnected. If you are
just going to replace a light bulb, then it is enough to switch off the lights. ..,_

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& WARNING (continued)
• Before disconnecting the battery, switch off the anti-theft
alarm system! Otherwise you will set off the alarm.
• When disconnecting the battery, first disconnect the negative
cable and then the positive cable.
• Before reconnecting the battery, make sure all electrical
consumers are switched off. Reconnect the positive cable first and
then the negative cable. Never interchange the cables -this could
start a fire!
• Never charge a frozen or a thawed-out battery. It could
explode! If a battery has frozen, then it must be replaced. A
discharged battery can freeze over at 32°F (0°C).
• Make sure the vent hose is always attached to the opening on
the side of the battery.
• Never use batteries which are damaged. There is the danger of
an explosion! Always replace a damaged battery.
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
• Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive problems. Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
• Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when the ignition is
switched on or when the engine is running, otherwise, you will
damage electronic components in the electrical system.
• If your vehicle is going to stand for a long period of time without
being driven, protect the battery from "freezing", otherwise it will be
damaged and will then have to be replaced. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery.
Fig. 225 Engine
compartment: Connec­
tors for charger and
jumper cables
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below::::;, & and::::;, &
in "Working on the battery" on
page 292.
-Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
- Make sure the area is well ventilated when you charge the
battery .
- Open the engine hood ::::;,
page 2 79.
- Remove the cover over the positive terminal in the plenum
chamber.
- Open the red cover on the positive pole::::;, fig. 225.
- Connect the charger connectors according to the instruc-
tions to the jump start bolts . (Bolts under the red cover=
"pos itive", Bolts with hex head = "negative").
- Only now plug the mains lead for the charging equipment
into the wall outlet and turn it on::::;, &.
- Make sure the charging rate is not over 30 arnps/14.8
Volt. ....
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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- When the battery is fully charge d: T urn th e charg ing
equ ipment off an d remove the ma ins lea d from t he wall
ou tle t.
- Now remove the clamps for th e ch ar ging equip men t.
- Close the red cover o n the posit ive po le.
- Close the hood
=:> page 280 .
A discharged battery can freeze at tempe ra tu res of only 3 2 °F ( 0 °C) .
Allow a froze n battery to thaw comp lete ly before attempt ing to
charge it~ & . H owever, we recommend not using a thawed batte ry
again because the battery casing can be c rack ed d ue to ice format ion
and can lea k battery acid.
Battery charging (Maximum charging rate of 30
amps/14.8 Volt)
Wh en charging a t /ow voltages (e.g. with a trickle charger), t h e
battery cables do not have to be disconnected first. The battery caps
should not be opened w hen c ha rging a ba ttery.
It is not necessary to remove the battery from the luggage compart ­
me nt.
Fast charging the battery (charging rate above 14.8
Volts)
For technical reasons do not use a battery cha rger that uses voltage
grea ter than 14.8 Vol ts to cha rge yo ur vehicle's batte ry.
& WARNING
Charging a battery can be dangerous .
• Always follow the operating instructions provided by the
battery charger manufacturer when charging your battery .
• Never charge a frozen battery . It may explode because of gas
trapped in the ice. Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first.
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• Do not reuse batteries which were frozen. The battery housing
may have cracked and weakened when the battery froze.
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated area. Keep away from
open flame or electr ical spark . Do not smoke . Hydrogen gas gener­
ated by the battery is explosive .
• To reduce the danger of explosion, never connect or disconnect
charger cable s while the charger i s operating.
• Fast charging a battery is dangerous and should only be
attempted by a competent technician with the proper equipment .
• Battery acid that may spill during charging should be washed
off with a solution of warm water and baking soda to neutralize
the ac id.
0 Note
N ever use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine. This w ill seri·
ously d amage sens it ive e lec tronic components, suc h as con trol units,
re lays, rad io, etc., as well as t he battery charger. •
Battery replacement
Th e ne w batt ery m us t hove the s ome speci fic ati ons and
d imensio ns as the origi nal e quip ment battery.
Inte lligent e ne rgy management in yo ur vehicle is respo nsib le for
dis tribu ting the elec trical energy througho ut yo ur vehicle
~ page 247. The intelligent energy management system will keep
t he e ngine bat tery ch arged bette r then vehicles wi thou t this syste m.
T o make sure the addi tional e lectr ica l energy is available once aga in
after you have changed the batte ry, we recommend that yo u inst all
batter ies of the same type a nd m anuf actu re only ( the same as t hose
installed at the time yo ur vehicle was delive red). Specificat ions are
listed o n the batte ry hous ing . You r a utho rized Audi dealer w ill then
code the battery management control unit. .,_