2011 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET oil level

Driver information display
If a component is malfunctioning or if the need for an urgent repair
h as been de te cte d, th is will appea r in th e instrument clus ter display.
You will also hear an a udible warning to ne. The displays are color
coded in either red or yellow depend ing on their level of priority.
A red symbo l mea ns
Danger , a yellow symbo l ind icates Warning . In
certain situations, information message for the driver appear in addi­
t ion to the red and yellow symbo ls.
T he Auto-Check Contro l w ill automatica lly perform a test each t ime
you switch on the ignition . With the selector lever in
P or N , the
following message appears in the d isplay:
When stationary apply footbrake while sele cting gear.
W hen you a se lec t a d iffe ren t gear ( for ex ample: R , D , etc .), t he
message w ill disappear a nd the Auto-Check function is d isplayed.
If t he re is a ma lfunction, then the malfunct ion message will appear
about
15 seco nds afte r you sta rt the veh icle . At the same t ime you
wi ll hear a warning tone. •
Driver information messages
Driver information messages are sho wn in th e instru­
ment cluster display in addition to symbols .
Fig. 22 I nstrumen t
clu ster: SET bu tton
For examp le , if the transmiss ion se lector lever is not in the P position
w hen the eng ine is tu rne d off, the following mess age appears :
Shift to P , otherwi se vehicle can roll away. Door s do not lock if
le ver is not in P.
Th e ig nit io n key can on ly be removed w ith t he sele cto r in this pos i­
tion . T hi s and other messages are brought up if a funct io n cannot be
c ar ried out.
Driver messages and red symbols
If a red symbo l appear s in the disp lay, a driver mess age is also
displayed automatically.
F or example, the symbo l for a prob lem w ith en gine oi l press ure
appears in the display . The message :
Switch off engine! Oil pressure too low
The d river mess age in the display goes out afte r abo ut 5 seconds. The
dr iver message can be displayed aga in by briefly pressing the
! SET ]
button ~ fig. 22 .
Driver messages and yellow symbols
If a yellow symbol appears in the di spla y, a drive r message is also
displayed automatically.
F or example, the symbo l.,,. appears in the dis play, i ndicating low
w indshield washer fl uid leve l. The following message also a ppears:
Please refill washer fluid
Th e dr iver mess age d isappears a fter a f ew seconds. The dr iver
message can be displayed again by briefly pressi ng the
(SET]
button .•

Red symbols
A red symbol means DANCER.
0
"'
~ co a,
Fig. 23 Display:
Danger symbol
-Pull off the road.
-Stop the vehicle.
-Turn off the engine .
- Check the malfunctioning system. Contact your autho-
rized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop for assistance.
Red symbols indicate a priority 1 malfunction -Danger!
With a priority 1 malfunction , a red symbo l appea rs in the upper
center area of the display=> fig. 23. A driver message appears as well
t o expla in the malfunction in more detail. When this symbol appears,
three warning tones sound in succession. The symbo l continues to
flash until the fau lt has been corrected.
If
several priority 1 ma lfunctions are prese nt, the symbo ls appear in
succession and remain for about 2 seconds.
Th e driver warning goes out after about S seconds, but it can be
brought up again at any time by pressing the
[SET I button.=> page 28
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Driver information display
D Alternator failure
=> page29
BRAKE
USA models: =:>page 30
Brake system malfunction

Canada models: =:>page 30
Brake system malfunction
.J_ Engine coolant level too
=> page 31
low/engine coolant temperature
too high
I I
~ Engine oil pressure too low => page 31
-=:>page 32 ~,w Refill engine oil now
II
Q!!) -4 Steering ma lfunction =:> page 32
© ... Ignition lock malfunction =:> page 32
Alternator malfunction 0
If the D symbol in the instrument panel disp lay flashes, then there
is a malfunction in the alternator or the vehicle electronics. A warning
to the driver w ill appear, too . The dr iver warning goes out after about
S seconds, but it can be brought up at any time by pressing the
!SET I
button again.
Usually, you can still drive to the next dealership. Turn off a ll but the
most necessary electrical consumers, since these drain the vehicle's
battery.
0 Note
If the the _ f_ warning symbol (coo lant system malfunction) also
•
ligh ts up on the inst rume nt panel during the trip=> page 31, then .,_
Vehicle care Technical data

& WARNING (continued)
first under hard braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause loss of
vehicle control and an accident. Have your vehicle repaired imme­ diately by your authorized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop.
Drive slowly and avoid sudden, hard brake applications. •
Engine cooling system malfunction -•-
A malfunction in the engine cooling system must be repaired as soon as possible.
If the - t-symbol flashes in the display, either the engine
coolant
temperature is too high or the engine coolant level is
too low. A driver message appears as well to explain the
malfunction in more detail. The driver warning goes out after
about 5 seconds, but it can be brought up at any time by
pressing the
[SET] button again.
Switch off engine and check coolant level
- Pull off the road.
- Stop the vehicle.
- Turn off the engine .
- Check coolant level==>
page 287.
- Add coolant if necessary ==> page 288.
- Continue driving only after the engine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
- Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary .
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be the
cause of the malfunction.
Controls and equip ­
ment Safety first
Driver information display
& WARNING
•
If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights=>
page 67, "Emer­
gency flashers
A".
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment· you risk being scalded.
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant
escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn of
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
=> page 2 72, "Engine compartment".
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the-~- symbol illuminates. There is a
malfunction in the engine cooling system -you could damage your
engine. •
Engine oil pressure malfunction The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair. Driving with a low oil pres­
sure indication is likely to cause severe engine damage.
If the 'l=:7: symbol on the display flashes, the engine oil pres­
sure is too low. A driver message appears as well to explain
the malfunction in more detail. The driver warning goes out
after about 5 seconds, but it can be brought up at any time by
pressing the
[SET] button again.
Switch off engine! Oil pressure too low
-Stop the vehicle.
Vehicle care Technical data

Driver information display
- Turn the engine off.
- Check the engine oil level=>
page 284.
-Contact your authorized Audi dealer if necessary.
Engine oil level too low
If the engine oil level is too low, add engine oil=> page 284.
Engine oil level correct
If the symbol 't=7: flashes even though the engine oil level is correct,
please seek professional assistance . Do not continue driving . Do not
leave the engine running
idle, either.
(I] Tips
• The engine oil pressure symbol~ is not an indicator for a low
engine oil level. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the oil level in your
engine at regular intervals, preferably each time you refuel, and
always before going on a long trip.
• The yellow oil level warning indication ... :lo requires oil refill or
workshop service without delay. Do not wait until the red oil pres­
sure warning ~ starts to flash before you respond to the low oil
level warning . By then, your engine may already have suffered
serious damage. •
Fill engine oil now~
~-Please replenish oil now
If the ~ symbol lights up, then the oil has to be replenished right
now =>
page 284. •
Steering malfunction ~-
If there is a malfunction in the electronic steering column
lock, the steering cannot be unlocked.
If the @l- symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic steering column lock . A driver message
appears as well to explain the malfunction in more detail.
The driver warning goes out after about 5 seconds, but it can
be brought up at any time by pressing the (SET] button
again.
Stop the vehicle and turn off the engine. Steering
defective
- Obtain professional assistance.
- Do
not tow your vehicle .
& WARNING
Your vehicle must not be towed in the event of a malfunction in
the electronic steering column lock because it cannot be steered
due to the locked steering. If it is towed with the steering locked,
there is the risk of an accident.
(I] Tips
The symbol's appearance might be different in some models. •
Ignition lock malfunction©-
A malfunction in the ignition lock must be repaired imme­
diately.
If the ©- symbol in the display blinks, there is a malfunction
in the electronic ignition lock. A driver message appears as
well to explain the malfunction in more detail. The driver
~

warning goes out after about S seconds, but it can be brought up at any time by pressing the !SETI button again
Defective ignition switch Get it serviced!
-Do not turn the engine off.
- Drive immed iately to an authorized service facility to have
the malfunction corrected.
If there is a malfunction in the electron ic ignition lock, the ignition
cannot be turned off . Drive immediately to an authorized service
facility to have the cause of the malfunction corrected.
On vehicles w ith convenience key *, the e ng ine should not be switched
off using the start/stop button because the engine cannot be started
again after the ignit ion has been switched off.
[ i ] Tips
The symbol's appearance might be d ifferent in some models. •
Yellow symbols
Ayellow symbol means WARNING.
Fig. 24 Display:
Yellow warning
symbol
Yellow symbols indicate a priority 2 malfunction -Warning!
Con tro ls a nd e quip ­
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Driver information display
When a yellow warning symbol appears, one warning tone sounds. A
dr iver message appears as well to expla in the malfunction in more
detail. The driver warn ing goes out after about 5 seconds, but it can
be brought up at any time by pressing the
! SET] button again.
Check the function displayed as soon as possible . The yellow symbol
will not go out again until the reason for the malfunction has been
corrected.
If several priority 2 malfunctions are present, the symbols appear in
succession and remain for about 2 seconds.
Dynamic steering*
~ page34
-Worn brake pads ~poge35
Battery voltage ~poge36
Defective light bulb* ~poge35
Check engine oil level => page 36 or
~page36
Engine oil sensor malfunction ~page36
-
Low fuel level =:>page 36
- -Windshield
washer fluid ~poge35
level low
Convenience key*
~poge34
Key not in vehicle
Light/rain sensor* defective
::::>poge35
--
Dynamic headlight range => page37
control defective ...
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

Driver information display
Fuel supply too low I
When the symbol illuminates, this means there are about 2.1
gallons (8 liters) of fuel left in the fuel tank. Time to refuel!
=;, page 275.
If the symbol lights up, even when there is ample fue l in the tank, and
the text
TANK SYSTEM MALFUNCTION! CONTACT WORKSHOP
appears in the display, there is a fault in the system. Contact a quali­
fied workshop to have the fault rectified. •
Applies to veh icles: w ith batte ry vol tage warning
Battery voltage L:
If battery power drops into the range where it can limit the ability of
the engine to start, this the symbol appears in the instrument
cluster display with the following driver message battery charge low:
Indicates charging by being driven.
While this driver notification is displayed, you have to be prepared for
limited starting capability.
Driver message appears and goes out again
If this driver message appears after the ignition is turned on or while
driving and it goes out again after a while, the battery has been
adequately recharged.
Driver message appears and does not go out again
If this driver notification appears after the ignition is turned on or
wh ile driving and does not go out again, the battery's state of charge
is not in the optimal range. Starting capability is restricted. Have the
battery checked at an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified work­
shop as soon as possible. •
Check engine oil ~
, Add oil, max x qt (l). You may continue driving
If the . symbol lights up displaying this driver message, then add a
maximum of 1 liter at your earliest opportunity~
page 284. •
Engine oil level ~i.
c,,-Please check oil level
When the symbol illuminates, check the engine oi l level as soon as
possible~
page 284. Top off the oil at your earliest opportunity
~page284. •
Engine oil sensor defective
Oil level! Sensor defective
,., _,..
If the symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer and
have the oi l sensor inspected. Until you have this done, check the oil
level each time you refuel just to be on the safe side~
page 284. •
Applies to vehicles: with engine speed limitation
Engine speed limitation -~
Do not exceed max. engine speed of XXXX rpm
Th e ·, symbol illuminates when there is an engine control malfunc­
tion . The ind icator light 'in the instrument cluster also illuminates.
Th e engine speed is limited to the speed displayed in the driver infor­
mation system. Keep in mind that the engine speed will not exceed
the va lue displayed in the driver information system, for example
when downshifti ng.
Please go to an author ized Audi dealer or other qualified workshop to
have the malfunction repaired. •

Intelligent technology
'-------------------------------------------------
Corrosion
T he re may be a te ndency fo r d irt to build u p on the bra ke pads and
co rrosion to form on the d iscs if the car is not dr iven reg ularly o r only
for short trips with litt le use of the bra kes .
If the brakes a re not used freq uen tly, or if co rrosion has formed o n
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
fir mly a few times from a mode rat ely h igh spee d~ & .
Faults in the brake system
If yo u sh ou ld noti ce a sudden increase in b rake peda l trave l, then one
of the two brake circu its may have failed~& .
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfunctions can occ ur in t he brake system if the brake fluid level is
t oo low. The bra ke f lu id level is moni tore d elec tron ically.
Brake lin ing wear status
Brake lin ing wear may be checked by v isua l inspect ion of the condi­
tion of the brake pads throu gh the open ings in the whee l.
If neces­
sary, the whe el may be removed fo r thi s insp ection~
page 320,
"Changing a w hee l".
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit. Other
road users must not be put at risk - you may cau se an accident!
• Before descending a steep grade, reduce speed and shift trans­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake . This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance.
• Under certain climatic and operating condition s such as
passing through water , driving in heavy rain or after washing the
& WARNING (co ntinued )
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winter,
ice can ac cumulate on the brake pads, linings, dis cs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few careful brake appli cations.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without u sing your brakes can also affect braking efficiency . Clean
off accumulated salt coating from b rake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applic ations.
• If you damage the front spoiler, or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes i s not obstructed .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective­
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping di stance. Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop.
n
Brake booster
The b roke boost er odds extra broking po wer.
The bra ke boos ter wor ks wi th v acuum pressure whi ch is crea ted o nly
when the eng ine is ru nning~ &.
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working, for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged, the brake pedal mu st be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance. •

Driving and environment
- Never put too much motor oil in your engine=> page 284,
"Adding engine oil~".
- Never try to pus h- or tow-sta rt your vehicle.
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean-up" dev ice built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns many of
the pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
T he exclusive use of unleaded fuel is c riti cal ly import ant for the life of
the catalytic converter and proper funct io ni ng of the eng ine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
exhaust sy stem may come in conta ct with dry gras s, brush, fuel
spill or other material which can cause a fire.
• Do not apply addit ional undercoat ing or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold , exhau st pipes , catalytic converte r or
heat shield s. During driving, the sub stan ce u sed f or under coating
c ould o ve rheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with leaded fuel w ill already
ser iously degr ade the performance of the ca talytic co nve rter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil level =>
page 284.
• Do not dr ive until the f uel tank becomes com plete ly empty . T he
engine could misfire . Unburned fuel cou ld also get into the ex ha ust
system and t his co ul d cause t he ca talyt ic converter to ove rheat .
• Do not turn off the ignition while the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle u nder these conditions, as
otherwise f uel can reac h the c ata ly tic conve rter. This co uld res ult in
over heat ing of the converter, requir ing its replacement.
• T o ass ure eff icien t operat ion of the Emission Cont rol System: -
Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
th e se rvice reco mmend ations in your W arran ty
& M ain ten ance
booklet.
- Lack of prope r main ten anc e as well as imp roper use of the
veh icle w ill impair the fu nction of the emission control system and
c o uld l ead to d amage.
~ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Contro l System is operat ing proper ly, the
exhaust gas can have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell u nder some
operating states. This depends on t he sulfur content of the fue l being
used . Using a different brand of fuel may help , o r fil lin g the tank with
lead-free supe r grade gasoline. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Yo ur person al sty le of drivi ng will determine the e cono my
of your vehicle, as well as e xhaust and noise levels .
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and wear on your engine,
bra kes and tires large ly depe nd on three fa ctors:
• your perso nal driv ing style
• operat ing cond itions
• technical lim itations
If you an ticipa te wh at yo u nee d to do nex t and drive e co nom ically,
you can easily cut your fuel consumption by 10- 15 percent. This
se ct io n w ill give you so me tips on how you ca n he lp the env ironment
and your pocketbook .
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