Driving and environment
The amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value after a certain mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 mi les (S,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oil consumption.
Th is also applies to fuel consumption and engine output .
0 Note
• Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with the
service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the vehicle w ill
impair the function of the emission control system and could lead to
damage.
• Do not alter or remove any component of the Emission Control
System unless approved by the manufacturer.
• Do not a lter or remove any device, such as heat shields, switches,
ignition wires, valves, which are designed to protect your vehicle's Emission Contro l System and other important vehicle components .•
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high on short
trips .
-Try to avoid driving short distances with a cold engine.
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal oper·
ating temperature
to reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a cold engine in a mid-size car only achieves a fuel
economy of 6-8 m iles per gallon (30-40 l/100 km) . After about a half
a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100 km). After about
2.5 mi les (4 km), the engine is at its proper operat ing temperature and fuel economy has reached a normal
level. So you can see that you
should avoid short trips whenever possible .
The
outside temperature is also crit ical in this regard . Your car
consumes more fue l in the winter than in the summer. •
Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in pla ce to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or s ideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer => & in "Driving instruc
tions" on
page 256.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harde r. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additional load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the label located either on the
dr iver's side B-pillar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' spec
ifications.
Lights
The headl ight settings should be checked w ith the trailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit
turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to p revent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Driving instruct!ons
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other veh icles .
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results in a highly unstable
distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low
speeds only to avo id the r isk of losing steer ing control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. Th is means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissible,
wh ile keeping the trailer as light as possible under the c ircumstances.
Whenever possible, trans fer some cargo to the luggage compart
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
Th e higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icularly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately i f the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating. _,
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
t railers are lowe r than for regular veh icles.
Always apply brakes early. When dr iv ing downh ill, sh ift in to a lower
gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge~ page 8 must be observed care
fully. If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditione r.
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
star ts flashing
-t- , pull off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat bu ild-up.
& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk in an accident. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided by Audi. u
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
------------
Your vehicle handles differently when tow ing a tra iler because of the
additiona l weight and different weight distribution. Safety, perfor
mance and economy will greatly depend on how carefu lly you load
your trailer and operate your rig .
Before you actua lly tow your trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep pract icing until you have
become completely familiar with the way your vehicle-t railer combi
nation behaves and responds.
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Backing up
is d iff icult and requ ires practice . Backing up with a trailer
generally requires steering action opposite to that when backing up
your vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in front
of you. You will need more room to stop . To compensate fo r the
trailer, you will need a larger than norma l turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you
normally would because of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for you r
trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes .
[I) Tips
• Do not tow a trai ler during the break-in per iod of your vehicle.
• If you tow a tra iler, your Audi may requi re more frequent mainte
nance due to the extra toad~
page 343. •
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only after doing the following:
When parking:
-Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone place chocks under both the vehicle and the
trailer wheels.
- With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake .
- Move the se lector lever to
P.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
When rest arting afte r parking:
- Apply the foot brake.
- Start the engine.
- Move the selector lever to
D.
- Release the parking brake and slowly pull out and away
from the wheel chocks .
- Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel chocks.
(I] Tip s
If you move the se lector lever of the automat ic transm ission* to P
before applying the parking brake and before blocking the wheels,
you may have to use mo re force late r to move the lever out of the
P
position.
-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d___. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Cleaning and protection
General information
Regular care preserves vehicl e val ue.
Any automobile is exposed to industria l fumes, co rrosive road salt,
e tc. A well ca red for Audi c an look lik e new many ye ars after pur cha se.
Regu lar and correct care w ill contribute to mai nta in ing t he bea uty
a nd valu e of your Au di.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition for substantiating a
warranty claim should corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Yo ur au thori zed Audi d eale r h as a var iety of dedicated vehicle-care
products
and can advise w hich ones to use for clea ning the exterior
a n d inter io r of your ve hicle.
W het her you use products recommended by Aud i or other comme r
cia lly availab le cleaning agents , please make sure yo u appl y them
co rrectly .
& WARNING
• Cleaning agents may be poisonous . Keep them out of the reach
of children.
• Heed all caution labels .
• Always read directions on the container before using any
product. Follow the directions carefully.
• Most chemical cleaners are concentrated and have to be
diluted .
• Use spot removing fluids only in well ventilated areas.
• Do not use gasoline, kero sene , diesel fuel , nail polish remover
or other volatile fluids . They may be toxic, flammable or
hazardous in other ways. Do not wash, wax or dry the vehicle with
the ign ition on or the engine running .
& WARNING (continued )
• Do not clean the under sides of chassi s, fenders , wheel covers,
etc. without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut your
self on sharp-edged metal parts.
• Moisture and ice on brakes may impair braking efficiency
~ page 243, "General information ". Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle .
'£> For the sake of the environment
Select only envir onmenta lly fr iendly clea ning produc ts . Leftover
cleaning pro ducts sho uld not dis posed of i n the household waste .•
Care of exterior
Washing
F re quent w ashin g protec ts th e vehicle.
T he best protection aga inst env ironmental influences is frequent
w ashi ng and w ax ing. How oft en thi s is requ ired depen ds on :
• How m uch the vehicle is used
• Whe re the ve hicle is parke d (gar age, in the o pen un der tr ees, etc.)
• The seasona l and weather conditions
• Environ mental influences
T he longer bird droppings , insects , tree resin, road and industria l
gr ime, t ar, soo t, road sa lt and o ther ma ter ia ls remain on t he veh icle
body, the more lasti ng their destructive effects w ill be. H igh temper
atu res cause d by ex pos ure to intense s unlight int ensify the co rrosive
effect, part icu larly when humid ity is high as we ll.
~
-Cleaning and protection pn, _____________________ _
0 Note
• Never use chemical so lvents (e.g. lig hte r fluid, turpentine), waxes,
shoe po lish or simi lar p roducts on Alca ntara ® surfaces .
• To avo id damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commerc ia l
cleaning specialist .
• Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim ila rly abrasive cleaning
aids. •
Safety belts
Only well-maintain ed safety belts work reliably when
needed .
-Keep be lts clea n.
- For cleani ng, use a mi ld soap and wa ter solution. Let be lts
d ry thoroug hly and away fro m dir ect sun light.
- Do not allow in ertia re el s afety b elts to ret ra ct bef ore t hey
are comp le tel y dry .
- C heck the condi tion of y our safety bel ts
regularly .
Heavily soiled safety belts may no t re tract p roper ly .
& 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 a ccident.
• 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
corro sive properties which weaken the webbing .
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• When cleaning your safety belts , inspect them for damage. If
you discover damage , see your authorized Audi d ealer .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other info rmation
=:> page 260 . •
Engine compartment
B e especi ally care ful w hen cleaning the engine comp art
men t.
Always switch off the ignition before cleaning the engine=>& .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front of the windsh ield
un der th e eng ine hoo d. This p revents the wate r drain holes from
becom ing b locked, and it prevents debris from entering the ve hicle
inter io r thr ough the heat ing and ventila tion ducts.
Corrosion protection
Th e engine compartment and tran smission have been cor rosion
protected at the factory.
Goo d an ti- cor ros ion treatmen t is very impo rtan t, pa rtic ula rly in the
w inte r. If the vehicle is frequently driven on sa lt treated roads, t he
entire eng ine compa rtment and plenum pane l sho uld be thoroug hly
cleaned at the end of w inter and retreated to prevent sa lt damage . At
the same time, the underside of the vehicle should be washed as we ll.
If the eng ine co m par tment is clea ned at any time wi th grease
removing solutions
2l, or if you have the engine washed, the anti
c o rrosion treatment is a lmost always remove d as we ll.
It is the refore
essential to have a long-last ing corrosion protect io n reapplied to all
s u rfaces, seams, joints and components in the engine compartmen t. ~
2
l Use on ly the co rrect clean ing so lut ions . Neve r use gaso line or d iese l fuel.
Cleaning and protection Ill
---------------=---------=----
& WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a
potentially hazardous area.
• Before working in the engine compartment, be sure to read the
information =:>
page 272.
• Before reaching into the front plenum panel, always remove
the ignition key. Otherwise, the windshield wiper system could unintentionally be switched on, possibly causing personal injury
from the moving wiper linkage.
• Never reach into the area around or touch the radiator fan. The
auxiliary fan is temperature controlled and can switch on suddenly
- even when the ignition is off.
• Do not wash, wax or dry the engine with the engine running.
Moving or hot parts could injure you.
• 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 260. •
Safety first Vehicle care Technical data
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Using the right fuel helps keep the environment clean and
prevents engine damage.
Fuel recommendation
The f ue l recommended for yo ur vehicle is unleaded premium grade
gasoline. See also=>
page 342, "D at a". Aud i recommends using TO P
TIER Detergent Gasoline with a m inimum octane rating of 91 AKI (9S
R ON ). For more inform ation on TOP TIE R De tergent Gasoline, please
go to the official website (www .topt iergas .com) .
Th e recommended gasoline octane rating for your engine can a lso be
found on a labe l located o n the i nside of t he fue l fille r flap. This rating
may be specified as AKI o r RON .
Yo ur vehicle may a lso be opera ted u sing unle aded reg ula r gaso line
w ith a minim um octane rating of 87 AKI/91 RON. However, using 87
AKI/91 RON octane fue l will slig htly reduce engi ne pe rformance.
Use unleaded gasoline only . Unleaded gaso line is available
througho ut the USA, Canada, and in most E uropean countries. We
recommend tha t you do not take your ve hicl e to a reas or countries
where unleaded gasoline may not be availab le.
For mo re in format io n on refueling your vehi cle, see =>
page 275 .
Octane rating
Octane r atin g indica tes a gaso line's ability to resis t eng ine dam ag ing
"knock" caused by premature ignition and detonatio n. Therefore,
buying the co rr ec t gr ade o f gas oline is very im port an t to help prevent
poss ible engine damage and a loss of engi ne performance .
Gaso line most common ly used in the United States and Canada has
the following octa ne rat ings that can usually be fou nd on the filler
pump: •
Premium Grade : 9 1 -96 AKI
• Regu lar Grade: 87 - 90 AKI
E xp lanation o f the a bbrev iations:
AKI= Anti Knock Index= (R +M)/2 = (RON+MON)/2
RON= Resea rch Octane Number
M ON= M otor Octane Number.
(D Note
• Do not use any f uel w ith oc tane ra tings lower than 87 AKI or 91
RO N othe rw ise ex pensive engine damage will occu r.
• Do
not use leade d gasoline. The use of leaded gasoline w ill
severely damage you r vehicle's catalytic co nve rter and i ts ab ility to
control exhaust emissions.•
Blended gasoline
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or MTBE (methyl
tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unleade d gasoline blended w ith alcoho l or M TBE
( c ommon ly refe rred to as oxygenates) if the blen ded mixture meets
the fo llowing c riter ia:
Blend of g asoline methanol (wood alcohol or methyl alcohol)
• Anti -k nock inde x must be 87 AKI or higher.
• B lend must con tain no mo re t han 3% met hano l.
• Blend must contain more than 2% co-solvents.
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol or ethyl alcohol)
• Anti- knock index must be 87 AKI o r higher.
• B lend must no t conta in mo re than 10% e thanol.