-Checking and filling
-------=------=---------------------------------------------------
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 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 :
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake.
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to "P" (Park).
• 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: -First, fully apply the parking brake, move selector lever of
automatic transmission to "P" (Park). ..,
_____________________________________________ C_h _ e_ c_ k_in --= g'-- a_n _d_ f_i _ll _i_n -=g ::;__ ____.1111
& WARNING (co ntinued )
-Alway s use extreme caution to prevent clothing , jewelry , or
long hair from getting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts or
other moving parts, or from contacting hot parts. Tie back hair
before start ing , and do not wear clothing that will hang or
d roop into the engine.
• Minimize expo sure to emis sion and chemical hazards~& .
& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
• Engine exhaust, some of it s constituents, and certain vehicle
components contain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cali
fornia to cause can cer and birth defects and reproductive harm . In
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and ce rtain products
of component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and birth defects or othe r reproduc
tive harm.
• Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harms . Wash hands after
handling.
0 Note
When adding fluids , a lways make sure that they are poured into the
proper co nta iner o r filler opening, otherwise serio us damage to
vehicle systems will occur.
<£> For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle floor pan from underneath
reg ula rly . If yo u see spot s from o il or o ther vehicle fluid s, have your
vehicle inspected by an authorized Aud i dea ler. •
Vehicle OP-eration
Engine compartment
These are the most i mportan t it ems that you can check.
Fig . 220 Typ ical layout for c ontainer s and engine oil filler cap
(D Jump start point( +) under a cover ........ .. .. .. .. . 293, 334
@ Brake fluid reservo ir ( ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
@ Engine oil f iller c ap
('1::r. ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 4
© Coolant ex pansion ta nk (-L ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 7
© Jump start point( -) w ith he x head screw ..... ... .. . 293 , 33 4
© Winds hield/head light washer container (0 ) . . . . . . . . 295
(j) Power steering reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Th e posi tion of the eng ine o il filling hole ~ fig. 220 (i tem @) can
differ depending on the eng ine des ign . ..,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
___ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_il _l_in _ g _________________________________________ _
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time d ue to the auto
m atic adjus tment o f th e b rake pads. This is no t ca use for alarm.
If the brake flu id level falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light ( U.S. models:
BRAKE , Canadian mode ls:
ID ) will come on=> page 17 and=> page 30. Do not contin ue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thoro ughly
c he cked by an au thor ized Aud i deale r or q ualified works hop and t he
cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the brake
w ar ning/ind ic a tor ligh t will illum ina te. Con ta ct a n au thori ze d Audi
dealer
immediately .
rn Tips
The brake fluid reservoir is located underneath t he cover. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid cha nged b y an experienced tech ni
c ia n.
Brake fluid absorbs mo isture from the a ir . If the water content in the
bra ke fl uid i s too hig h, cor ros io n in th e bra ke system may res ult afte r
a period of time. The boiling po int of the brake fluid will also decrease
cons iderab ly and decrease brak ing perfo rmance .
Th erefo re, th e brake fl uid must be changed
every two years . Always
use new bra ke fluid w hich conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Stan
dard "F MVSS 1 16 DO T 4".
The brake flu id reservoir can be diffic ult to reac h, therefore, we
recommend that you have the bra ke fluid c hanged by your author ized
Audi dealer . Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake flu id
and the know -how to do t his for you .
LJ}. WARNING
• Brake fluid is poisonou s. It mu st be stored only in the closed
original containe r out of the reach of children!
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid.
Observe these precaution s:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE specification
J 1703 and
conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116 . Always check
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 reservo ir.
- The brake flu id must be new . Heavy use of the brakes can
cause a vapor lock if the brake fluid is left in the system too
long. This can seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes as
well as your safety. This could result in an accident.
0 Note
Bra ke fluid will damage the paint of your veh icle.
For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal of brake fl uid as well as
t he s pecial tool s required a nd the nece ssary ex pert ise, we recom
mend that you have t he brake f lu id changed by your authorized Audi
de aler. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operat ing con dit ions, the battery in your Aud i does not
need any main tenance . Wit h high outs ide temperatures o r long daily
dr ives we recommend that yo u have the electrolyte level checked by
an a uth orized Audi dealer o r q ua lified wor kshop. The electro lyte lev el
should also be checked each time the battery is charged=> page 293 . .,_
___________________________________________ C_ h_e _c _k_ i_n ~g_ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _i_n _g __ _
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 a irbag deployment, the battery is disconnected
from the vehicle electrica l system for safety reasons~
& in "Repair,
care and disposal of the airbags" on
page 213.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle funct ions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected. These functions have
to be relearned after the battery termina ls are connected aga in . 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 you do not drive your veh icle 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 ove r a
longer period
~ page 247.
Take into consideration that when you unlock your vehicle, some
convenience functions, such as the master key remote function or
powe r seat adjustment, may not be available. The convenience func
tions 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, particu larly in city traffic or
when travel ing only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dealer
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
~ page 293. A well charged battery will not only p revent start ing
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
Safety first
(I] Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery shou ld 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 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. .,_
Vehicle care Technical data
lfflJL_JC~h~e~c~k~i~n~g~a~n~d:!._!f~il~l:!!in~g L_ ________________________________________ _
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:
• Always wear eye protection. Do not let battery acid or any l~ad
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.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• 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.
• 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. _,.
___________________________________________ C_ h _ e_c _k _ i_n -=g .._ a_n _ d_ f_i _ll _i _ n -=g '-- ....... JIII
& 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
sw itched on or wh en the eng ine is running, otherw ise , 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. •
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 291.
- Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
Vehicle OP-eration
-Make sure the area is well ventilated when you charge the
battery.
- Open the engine hood=:>
page 279.
- 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 =
"positive", 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 amps/14.8
Volt.
- When the battery is fully charged: Turn the charging
equipment off and remove the mains lead from the wall
outlet.
- Now remove the clamps for the charging equipment .
- Close the red cover on the positive pole.
- Close the hood=:>
page 280.
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures of only 32 °F (0 °C) .
Allow a fro zen battery to thaw completely before attempting to
charge it=>&. However , we recommend not using a thawed battery
aga in because the battery casing can be cracked due to i ce formation
and can leak battery acid. .,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
lffll __ C_ h_ e_c _k _i _ n _g ~ a_n _d_ f_il _l_in _ g _________________________________________ _
Battery charging (Maximum charging rate of 30
amps/14.8 Volt )
When charging at /ow voltages (e.g . w ith a trickle charger ), th e
battery cab les do not have to be disconnected first. The batte ry caps
should
not be opened when cha 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 te r t han 14 .8 Vol ts to ch arge yo ur vehicle's ba tte ry .
& WARNING
Charging a battery can be dangerou s.
• Always follow the operating instructions provided by the
battery charger manufacturer when charging your battery .
• Never charge a frozen battery . It may explode be cause of g as
trapped in the ice . Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first.
• Do not reu se batteries which were frozen . The battery h ousing
may have cracked and weakened when the battery froze.
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated area. Keep away from
open flame o r elect rical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas gener
ated by the battery i s explosive.
• To reduce the danger of e xplosion , never connect or disconnect
c harger cable s while the charger is operating.
• Fast charg ing 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 wa shed
off with a so lution of warm water and baking soda to neutralize
the acid.
0 Note
N ever use a fast cha rger as a booster to s tart the eng ine. This w ill seri
ously damage sensitive e lectronic components , such as control units,
re lays, ra dio, etc., as well as t he ba ttery cha rger. •
Battery replacement
The new battery must have the same specifications and
dim ensions as the original equipment b atte ry.
Inte lligent e nergy ma nagement in yo ur vehicle is responsib le for
distr ibuting the elect rical energy throughout your vehicle
~ page 24 7. The intelligent energy management sys tem will keep
the eng ine battery charged better then vehicles without this system.
T o m ake s ure the addi tional e lectr ic al energy is available o nce aga in
after you have changed the battery, we recommend that you install
b atter ies of the same type and manuf actur e only ( the same as t hose
installed at the t ime you r vehi cle was delive red) . Specifications are
listed on t he batte ry ho using. Yo ur authorized A udi dealer m ust code
the batte ry in the energy management system to enable yo u to use
the energy managemen t fu nct ions co rrectly after rep lacing the
battery .
If it is not poss ible to use a battery of this type, the new battery must
have the same capa city, volt age (1 2 volts), amperage, const ru ct ion
and plug sealing .
W hen installing t he ba ttery, ma ke s ure t he ign it ion and all electrica l
cons umers are turned off .
0 Note
Make sure the vent ilatio n hose o n the side of t he battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can lea k out.
Checking and filling IJl!II
--------------------------------------------=------- =------
<£> For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
Batte ries contain sulfuric acid and lead and must always be disposed
of properly in compliance with all environmental regulations.
Disposing of vehicle batter ies improperly is very dangerous to the
environment. •
Windshield/headlight washer
container
Fig. 226 Engine
co mp artmen t: Wind
sh ield and headlight*
washer fluid container
The washer fluid container is marked with the symbol Q on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Working
in the engine compartme nt" on
page 280 .
-Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer fluid. You can fill
the container to the top.
- Press the cap back onto the filler neck after filling the
container.
Vehicle OP-eration
You can find the reservoir capacity in the table in::::, page 342.
Clean water should be used when filling up. If possible, use soft water
to prevent scaling on the washer jets. Always add a glass cleaner solu
tion (with frost protection in the winter).
0 Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or any other additives to fill up
the windshie ld washer reservoir .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data