2010 AUDI A5 COUPE warning light

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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. 220 Driver's side
footwell: engine hood
release lever
-Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel
~ fig. 220 in the direct ion of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly under spring pressure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 221 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.
Pull up on the release under the hood :::} fig. 221. This
releases the catch .
- Open the hood all the way:::}& .
& 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. •

Checkin g and fillin g -
--------------~-
•
© Windshield/headlight * washer container (~ l . . . . . . . 286
0 Power steering reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
The position of the engine oi l filling hole=> fig. 222 (item
@l can
differ depending on the engine design .
& WARNING
Befo re you che ck a nythin g in the en gin e com partment , always
read and h eed all WARNING S
=> & in "Workin g in th e e ngine
co mp artm ent " o n
page 271. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of
oil.
T he engine in your Audi is a sophisticated power plant that was built
to exacti ng specifications . This engine needs the right kind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding qua lity 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 spec ial quality standard
for engine oi l that will help assure tha t your vehicle's engine will get
the lubr ication it needs for proper operation .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years . Many synthe tic oi ls availab le today provide better engine
lubrication that can outlast traditional pet roleum-based oils ,
making them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthet ic or petroleum -based engine oil, the oi l
that you use must conform to Audi's oi l quality standard VW 502 00
to help keep your veh ic le's engine running smoothly and help prevent the formation of harmful deposits
, sometimes called
"sludge", that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oi ls avai lable in the U .S . and Canada
that meet the exacting specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00 are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, however, that every
synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00 . So
a lways be sure that you use an approved oi l.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oil with
the fo llowing specifications printed on the oil container:
Audi oil sta ndard VW 502 0 0
Oil container labels may carry th e specification singly or in combi­
nation with o ther designa tions and oil quality standards.
Visc osit y
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity . The proper
v iscosity grade oi l for your engine depends on c limactic or seasona l
conditions where you drive. You can use oil wi th a viscosi ty grade of
SAE 5W40 across al l temperature ranges for normal driving condi­
tions .
Howeve r, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE 5W40 is not available, you
can a lso use viscosity grade SAE 5W-30 or SAE 0W -40 as long as it
meets Audi oil qua lity standard VW 502 00 specifications.
Because engine o il that meets the Audi o il standard may not be
avai lable everywhere when you n eed it, we strongly recommend
that you a lways carry with you an extra quart (liter) of o il that
express ly conforms to the VW 502 00 specification, in case you have
to top off the oil while on the road .
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the minimum mark - and no
oi l that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard VW 502 00 specifi ­
cations is availab le - may you top o ff with a high qua lity engine oil,
preferably synthetic -based, that meets ACEA A3, ACEA A5 or
ACEA 85 or API SL specifications, but even then, on ly in viscosity
grades SAE 5W -40, SAE 5W -30, or SAE 0W -40. However, during the
en tire time between oil change intervals, never top off with more _,.
Vehicle care I t •

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than a total of 0.5 qt/liter engine oil that does not conform to Audi
oi l specification VW 502 00.
For more information about engine oi l that has been approved for
your vehicle, please contact e ither your authorized Audi dealer or
Aud i Custo mer Relations at 1 (800) 822 -2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www.audicanada.ca. Here you will a lso find a
current list of o ils (manufacture rs, brand names etc.) that con form
to Audi oi l standard VW 502 00.
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil fil ter must be changed according to the
mi leage (kilometers) and time intervals specified in your vehicle's
Warranty & Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed these intervals -
harmful deposits from old engine oil can reduce engine perfor­
mance a nd can lead to expens ive eng ine repairs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very important because the lubricating properties of oi l decrease gradual ly during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, ask your authorized Audi Service Adviso r.
Under some circumstances the engine oil should even be changed more frequently . Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, ope rate the vehicle in dusty areas or m ostly under stop ­
and -go traffic cond itions, or when you use your vehicle where
temperatu res stay below freezing point for long per iods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time. This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oi l more o ften than recommended.
Dam age or malfunctions d ue to la ck of ma inten ance
It is essential that you change your oi l a t the recommended in terva ls
using on ly engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damag e or ma lfunctions due to failure to follow recommended
maintenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and War ranty & Mai ntenance booklet. Your dealer wi ll have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in the form of Service or Repair Orders that all schedu
led maintenance
was performed in a timely manner. •
Engine oil consumption
The e ngine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount o f oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrica tion and coo ling of in terna l
engine components, all interna l combustion engines consume a
cer tain amoun t of oil. Oi l consump tion varies from e ngine to engine
and may change significantly over the life of the engine. Typical ly,
engi nes w ith a specified break -in p eriod (see =>
page 243) consume
more o il during the break- in period than they consume after oil
consump tion has stabi lized .
Under normal conditions, the ra te of oil consumpt ion depends on
the quality and viscosity of the oil, the R PM (revolutions per minute)
at which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil di lution from water
con densa tion or fue l residue and the oxi dation leve l of t he oi l. As
any engine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consump ­
tion may increase over time until replacemen t of wo rn components
may become necessary.
With all these variables coming into play, no standard rate of oi l
consumptio n can be establ ished o r speci fied. There is no alternat ive
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yel low engine oil l evel warn ing sy mbol in t he instrumen t
cluster ._ lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as
p ossible :::::>
page 275. Top off the o il at your earliest conven ience
=>
page 275.
& WARNING
Befo re you che ck anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS
:::::> & in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 271 .

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0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especia lly important if you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold. If necessary, increase the proportion of
coo lant additive to 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your coo ling system,
reme mber:
- We recommend using only coolant additive G12+ + (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant addit ive is ava ilable at autho­
rized 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
engine coolant . Adding radiator repair fluid may adverse ly affect the
function and performance o f your cooling system and cou ld result
in damage not covered by your New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checke d with a quick
glance.
Fig . 2 25 Engine
c omp artmen t: Coo la n t
e xpan sion tank
Be fo re y ou c heck anything in the e ngine compar tm en t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS==> & in "Working in
the eng ine compartment" on
page 271.
Tur n off the ignitio n.
- Let the engine coo l down.
P lace a th ick rag ove r the coola nt expans io n tank
==> fig. 225 and carefully twist th e cap counter-c lockwise
==> & .
Read t he e ngin e coola nt level i n the open coo la nt expan­
sion tank==> fig. 225. W ith a cold eng ine, the coolant leve l
sho uld be bet ween the "m in" and "max" markings. W hen
t h e eng ine 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 272.
To obtain an accurate read ing, the engine must be switched off .
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an e lectric
coo lant leve l sensor.
When the coolant leve l is too low, the warning light in the Auto ­
Check System =>
page 30will blink until you add coolant and the
level has been restored to normal. Even though there is an electric
coo lant level sensor, we still recommend you check the co olant level
from t ime to time.
C oolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a le ak in the cooling system . In the event
of coo lant loss, the co oling system should be inspec ted i mmedi ­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not enough mere ly to add
coo lant.
In a
s ealed system, losses can occur on ly if the boi ling point of the
coo lant is exceeded as a result of overheating. ...

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•
& WARNING
The cooling sy stem i s under pre ssure and can get very hot . Redu ce
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
ste am by cover ing the cap with a large , thick rag .
• Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter -clockwise
dire ction while applying light , downward pressure on the top of
the cap .
• To avoid being burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on the
e x haust 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 sea lant to your vehicle's engine
coolant. Adding radia to r repa ir flu id may advers ely affect the fu nc­
tion and performance of your coo ling system and could res ult in
damage not covered by y our New Vehic le Lim ited War ra nty .•
Adding coolant
B e very care ful when ad ding e ngine cool ant.
Be for e you check a nything in the engine com partmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Work ing in
t h e eng ine compa rtment" on
page 271 .
-Tur n o ff th e en gine.
- Let the e ng in e cool d own.
- Plac e a thi ck rag over the coo la nt expansion tank
~ page 2 78 , fig. 2 25 and carefully tur n t he cap coun te r­
cl ockwi se
~ &.
Add coo lan t.
- Twist the cap on aga in
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to exact specifications
~ page 2 77, "C oolant". Even in an eme rgency, if co olant addi tive
G12+ +, G12 + or G12 is not availab le, do not use a different additive.
U se pla in water ins tead until you can ge t the c orrect add itive and
can res tore the correc t rat io. Th is shou ld be done as soon as
p os sible.
I f y ou hav e los t a co ns ide rab le amou nt of coo la nt, then y ou should
add cold antifreeze and cold water only when the engine is cold .
A lways use
new e ngine c oolant w he n r efil ling .
D o not fill coolant a bove the " MAX" mark. Excess coola nt w il l be
forced out through the pressure relief 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 .
- 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 exhau st system or hot engine parts. Under certain condi ­
tions, the ethylene glycol in eng ine coolant can catch fire .
• Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store antifreeze in its original
container and well out of the reach of children .
• If you dra in the coolant , it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper container clearly marked "poison ".
~
Vehicle care I t •

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0 Not e
• Coolant pollutes the environment and cou ld cause an engine
fire. Excess coolant will be forced out through the pressure relief
valve in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
• If, in an emergency, only water can be added, the correct ratio
between water and antifreeze ~
page 277 must be restored as soon
as possible .
ci> For the sake of the environment
Dra ined coolant should not be reused . Always dispose of used
coolant whi le observing all environmental regulations. •
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by itself.
The rad iator fan is driven by the eng ine v ia the V-be lt . The v iscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the tempera ture
of the coo lant .
An auxiliary electric radiator fan * swi tches on and off depending on
coo lant temperature and other vehicle operating conditions.
After you switch the engine off, the auxiliary fan can continue running for up to 10 minut es -even with th e igni tion o ff. It can even
switch o n again later by itself~ & , if
• the temperature of the engine coo lant rises due to the heat
bui ld -up from the engine in the engine compartment, o r
• the engine compartment heats up because the vehic le is parked
in intense sun light.
& WARNING
• To reduce the ri sk of per sonal injury never tou ch the radiator
f a n.
& W AR N ING (continu ed )
• The auxiliary e le ctri c fan i s temperature controlled and can
s w itch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan swit ches on automatically when the
engine coolant reache s a ce rtain temperature and will con tinue to
run until the coolant t emperatur e drop s. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
Th e brake fluid level c an be checked with a quick glance.
Fig . 22 6 En gin e
co mp art m ent : B ra ke
fl uid re servoir
Befo re yo u c heck anything in th e en gin e compar tme nt,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working in
the eng ine compartment" on
page 271 .
Read the brake fl uid level from the bra ke fluid reservoir
~ fig . 226. T he b rake fluid leve l must be betwee n the
" M IN " and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side~
page 272 . .,_

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•
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
m atic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level fal ls
considerably below the "MIN" mark , the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models :
BRAKE, Canadian models:
{(j))) will come on=> page 16 and => page 29. Do not continue to
operate the vehic le. The complete brake system should be thor ­
oughly checked by an author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop
and the cause corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the brak e
warning/ind ica tor light will illuminate. Contact an authorized Audi
dea ler
immediatel y.
[ i J Tip s
The brake fluid reservoir is located underneath the cover. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni ­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air . If th e water content in the
brake fluid is too h igh, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time. The boi ling point of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance .
Therefore , the brake fluid must be changed
ev ery tw o ye ars. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federa l Motor Veh ic le Stan ­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
T he brake fluid res ervoir can b e difficul t to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho ­
rized
Audi de ale r. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know -how to do this fo r you .
& WARNING
• Brake f luid i s poi sonou s. It mu st b e stored on ly in the clo sed
o riginal cont aine r out of the r eac h of childr en!
& WARN ING (c ontinued )
• Brake f ailur e can re sult fr om old or inappropriate bra ke fluid .
Ob se rve these p recauti ons:
- Use on ly brake fl uid that meet s SAE specification
J 17 03 and
c on fo rm s to Feder al Mot or Vehicle Sta ndard 11 6. Always c heck
with your authorized Audi de ale r to m ake sur e you are u sing
th e c orre ct b rake flu id . T he cor re ct t ype of br ake fluid is als o
indi cated on the brake fluid r eservoir.
- The br ake f luid mu st be ne w. H eavy u se of the b rake s can
c au se a vapor lock if the brake fluid i s left in the system to o
long. Thi s c an seriou sly affe ct the effi ciency of the brake s as
well as your safety . This could re sult in an a ccid ent .
0 Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle .
ffi For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
the special too ls required and the necessary expertise, we recom­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized Audi
dea ler .•
Battery
General information
Under normal operat ing conditions, the battery in your Audi does
not need any maintenance. With
high outside temperatures or long
daily drives we recommend that you have the electrolyte level
checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop. The
e lectrolyte level should a lso be checked each time the battery is
charged
=> page 284 . ~
Vehicle care I t •

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Have the battery checked when you take your vehicle in for service.
You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years.
With certain types of airbag deployment, the battery is discon­ nected from the vehicle electrical system for safety reasons=>
& in
"Repair, care and disposal of the airbags" on
page 202.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window 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 electr ical system when absolute ly necessary for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of several days or
weeks, electrical components are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and maintains starting capability
over a longer period=>
page 241.
Take into consideration that when you unlock your vehicle, some
convenience functions, such as the master key remote function or power seat adjustment, may not be available. The convenience
functions will be available again when you turn on the ignition and start the engine .
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop . This is because more power is also consumed
while starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when traveling only short distances . Let your authorized Audi dea ler
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=>
page 284 . A well charged battery will not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
[ i ] Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze. This will prevent it from being damaged and
having to be replaced. •
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 luggage
compartment,
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.