
_____________________________________________ C_h _ e_ c_ k_in --= g'-- a_n _d_ f_i _ll _i_n -=g ::;__ ____..
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working in the engine
c ompartment " on
page 289 . •
Applies to vehicles : w it h 12-cylin der engine
Engine compartment overv iew: 12-
cylinder engine
These are the most important items that you can check .
Fig. 242 T ypic al la yo ut fo r co nta iner s, engi ne oil dip stick and e ngine o il fill er
cap
(D W indsh ield/ headligh t washer con tainer (Q ) . . . . . . . . 305
@ Brake fluid reservoir(' ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
® Engine oil dipst ick (o range) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
~ehicle OP-eration
© Engine oil filler cap (~) .. . ...... ............. . .
© Coolant expansion tank (-1- ) .................... .
& WARNING
294
297
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , alw ay s
read and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working in the engine
c ompa rtment " on
page 289 .
[ i ] Tips
The coo la nt expansion tank is located under a cover. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engi ne oil used in your Audi needs the right k ind of oil .
The eng ine in your Audi is a soph isticated powerplant that was built
to exacting specificat io ns. This engine needs the r ight kind of engine
oil that meets sp ecifications regard ing qua lity and viscosity so that it
can run smoothly and reliably . Choosing the right oil and chang ing oi l
with in the time and mi leage intervals prin ted in your veh icle's
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet matters a lot more today than it did
years ago . Audi has dev eloped a special quality st andard for engine o il
that wi ll help assure that your vehicle's engine will get the l ubrication
i t n eed s fo r proper ope ration .
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years . Many sy nthet ic oils available today provide bette r engine lubri
cat ion that can outlast t raditional petroleum- based oi ls, mak ing
them a smart choice for use throug hout the life of your Audi.
Whethe r you u se syntheti c or pet roleum-b ase d engine o il, the oil that
you use must conform to Aud i's o il quality standard VW 502 00 to
help keep you r ve hicl e's engine run ning smooth ly and help prevent ..,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

lffl) __ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_i l_ l_i n_ g _________________________________________ _
the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes ca lled "sludge," that
over time can lead to expensive re pairs.
At the time of pr int ing, engine o ils available in the U .S . and Canada
that meet the exacting s pecifications 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 s ure that you use an approved o il.
To help prevent the format ion of harmful deposits use only oil with
the following specifications printed on the oil container:
Audi oi l stand ard VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in comb ina
tion with other designations and o il quality standards.
Vi sco sit y
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity . The proper
viscos ity grade oil for your eng ine depends on climactic or seasonal
conditions where you drive. You can use oi l with a v iscosity grade of
SAE SW40 across all tempera ture ranges for norma l driving cond i
tions.
However, if engine o il viscosity grade SAE SW40 is not avai lable, you
can a lso use viscos ity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as it
meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications .
Be cause eng ine oil that meets the A udi oil standard may not be avail
able everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend that you
always carry w ith you an extra quart (liter) o f oi l that expressly
conforms to the VW 502 00 specif ication, in case you have to top off
the oi l while on the road.
On ly if the level of the o il is at or be low the min imum mark on the oil
dipstick - and no oil that expressly conforms to Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 spec ificat ions is ava ilable - may you top off with a high
quality engine oil, preferably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3,
ACEA AS or ACEA BS or AP I SL spec ifications, but even then, on ly in
viscos ity grades SAE SW-40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40. However,
dur ing t he entire time between oil change intervals, neve r top off w
ith more tha n a total of 0 .5 qt/liter eng ine o il that does not
con form to Audi o il specification VW 502 00.
For more information abo ut eng ine oil that has been approved for
your vehicle, p lease contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relat ions at 1 (800) 822-2834 or v isit our web site at
www.audiusa.com or www .audicanada.ca. Here you will also find a
cur rent list of oils (manufacture rs, brand names e tc.) t hat co nform to
Audi oil standard VW 502 00.
Chan ging the e ngine oil
T he eng ine oil and oil fi lter must be changed according to the mileage
(kilometers) and time interva ls specified in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenan ce boo klet. Do no t exceed these interva ls - harmful
deposits from old eng ine oil can reduce engine performance and can
lead to expensive engine repairs.
Chang ing t he oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating properties of oil decrease gradually d uring
normal veh icle use. If you are not sure when you have your o il
changed, ask your authorized A udi Service Advisor.
Under some circumsta nces the engine oil should even be changed
more frequently. Change oil more often if you drive most ly short
dis tances, ope rate the vehicle in dusty areas or mostly under stop
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper
a tures stay below freezi ng point for long periods .
Detergent add itives in the oil will make fres h oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short t ime . This is normal and is not a
reaso n to cha nge the oil mo re often than recommended.
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essentia l that you change your o il at the recommended intervals
using only engine o il that comp lies w it h Aud i oil standard
VW 502 00 . Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or ma lfunctions due to fa ilure to follow recommended main
tenance and use requirements as set forth in the Aud i Owner's
Ma nual and W arra nty
& M ai ntenance book let. Your deale r will have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in ._