2011 AUDI A5 COUPE warning light

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- Once the sta in is no longer v isible, use a soft dry cloth or
tissue to soak up t he mois ture.
Do not use leathe r cle an in g p rodu cts on Alc ant ara® .
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing dust and d irt.
Dust an d grit in the pores and seams can scratch and damage the
surface. If the car is left standing in th e su n fo r long p eriods, th e
Alcantara ® sho uld be protected against direct sun light to prevent it
from fading. S lig ht co lor var iat io ns w ill develop in no rm al use a nd are
not a n ind ication of mater ial deterio ration.
0 Note
• N ever use chem ica l solvents (e .g . lighter fluid, turpentine), waxes,
shoe polish or sim ilar pr od uct s on A lc antar a® su rfa ces .
• To avo id damage, have stubborn sta ins removed by a commerc ia l
cl eaning spe cialis t.
• Do not use brushes, stif f sponges or sim ilar ly abrasive clea ning
aids .•
Safety belts
O nly well -maintained s afety belts work reli ably when
nee ded .
- Keep bel ts clean.
- F or cl ean ing , u se a mild so ap and wa ter so lut io n. Let belts
dr y t ho ro ughly and a way fr om direct s unlig ht .
- Do not a llow in ertia re el safety b elt s to retrac t be fore they
are co mpletely dry.
- Chec k t he co ndition of yo u r safety be lts
regularly .
Heavily soiled safety be lts may not retract properly.
Safety first
& 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 accident.
• Safety belt performance depends on correct installation . Never
remove belt s from the vehicle to clean them .
• Do not use chemical cleaning agents , bleach or dyes. They have
corrosive properties which weaken the webbing.
• When cleaning your safety belts , inspect them fo r damage . If
you discover damage, see your authorized Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~page 256. •
Engine compartment
B e especi ally careful when clean ing the engine co m part ­
me nt.
Always switch off the ign ition before cleaning the engine~& .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum pane l in front of the win dshi eld
under the eng ine hoo d. Thi s preven ts the water d rain holes fro m
becoming blocked, and it prevents debris from enter ing th e veh icle
in ter ior thro u gh t he heat ing and ven tilat ion ducts.
Corrosion protection
Th e eng ine com partment and transm iss io n have bee n co rros io n­
protected at the facto ry .
G oo d ant i- cor ros io n trea tmen t is very i mport an t, pa rt icu larly in t he
wi nte r. If the ve hicle is freq uently d riven on sa lt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum pane l sho uld be tho roug hly .,
Vehicle care Technical data

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Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
- Open the dr iver's door.
F ig . 20 3 Driver 's sid e
f oo twell : e ng in e ho od
r elease leve r
-Pull the re lease lever on the left under the instrument
panel ~ fig. 203 in the directio n of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly under spring press ure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 204 Rel ease le ver
unde r th e eng in e hood
Before opening the eng ine hood, make sure that the wi nd­
shield wipers are flat against the win dshiel d. Otherwise, they
cou ld damage the paint on the hood .
Pull up on t he release under the hood~ fig. 20 4. T his
releases the catch.
- Open t he hood all the way~& .
& WARNING
Hot eng ine coolant can burn you.
• To redu ce the r isk o f be ing burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compa rt­
ment. Wait until no ste am or co olant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood .•

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© Windshield/headlight* washer container (W ) . . . . . . . 290
(J) Power steering reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
The position of the engine oil filling hole=:> fig. 205 (item@) can
differ depending on the engine design .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS=:>
& in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 275. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated power plant that was built
to exacting specifications. This engine needs the right kind of engine
oil that meets specifications regarding quality 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 special quality standard for engine oil
that will help assure that your vehicle's engine will get the lubrication
it needs for proper operation.
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years. Many synthetic oils available today provide better engine lubri­
cation that can outlast traditional petroleum-based oils, making
them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum-based engine oil, the oil that
you use must conform to Audi's oil quality standard VW 502 00 to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help prevent
the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes called "sludge", that
over time can lead to expensive repairs.
Safety first
At the time of printing, engine oils available 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 always
be sure that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oil with
the following specifications printed on the oil container:
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combina­
tion with other designations and oil quality standards.
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity. The proper
viscosity grade oil for your engine depends on climactic or seasonal conditions where you drive. You can use oil with a viscosity grade of
SAE SW40 across all temperature ranges for normal driving condi­
tions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE SW40 is not available, you
can also use viscosity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as it
meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications.
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil standard may not be avail­
able everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend that you
always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that expressly
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
oil that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard VW 502 00 specifica­
tions is available -may you top off with a high quality engine oil, pref­
erably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3, ACEA AS or ACEA BS or
API SL specifications, but even then, only in viscosity grades SAE SW-
40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40. However, during the entire time
between oil change intervals, never top off with more than a total of
0.5 qt/liter engine oil that does not conform to Audi oil specification
vw 502 00. ..
Vehicle care Technical data

-Checking and filling
-------=----- -=-----------------------------------------
For more information about engine oil that has been approved for
your veh icle, please contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa .com or www.audicanada.ca . Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand names etc.) that conform to
Audi oil standard VW 502 00 .
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed according to the mileage
(kilometers) and time intervals specified in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet . Do not exceed these intervals - harmful
deposits from o ld engine oil can reduce engine performance and can
lead to expensive engine repa irs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating properties of oil decrease gradually 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 o il should even be changed
more frequent ly. Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the veh icle in dusty areas or mostly under stop­
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper­
atures stay below freez ing po int for long periods.
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 oil more often than recommended .
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essentia l that you change yo ur oil at the recommended intervals
using only engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to fa ilure to follow recommended main­
tenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dealer will have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a timely manner. •
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
eng ine components, all inte rnal comb ustion eng ines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change sign ifican tly over the life of the engine. Typically,
engines with a specified break-in period (see~
page 246) consume
more oil dur ing the break- in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stab ilized.
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on the
quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the oxidation level of the oil. As any
eng ine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consumption
may increase over time until replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With all these variab les coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified . There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbol in the instrument
cluster lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as possible
~ page 279. Top off the oil at your earliest convenience~ page 279.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS ~
& in "Working in the engine
compartment" on page
275.

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0 Note
• Before w inter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the climate
conditions. This is especially important if yo u live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold.
If necessary, increase the proportion of
coolant additive to 60% .
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system, remember :
- We recommend using only coolant additive G12++ (check the
label) for your vehicle. This coolant additive is available at autho­
r iz ed Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can s ignificantly
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 flu id may adversely affect the
function and performance of 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 checked with a quick
glance.
Fig. 208 Engine
co mpartment : Coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 275.
-Turn off the ignition.
- Read the engine coolant level from the coolant expansion
tank~ fig. 208 . With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "MIN" and "MAX" markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may be slightly above the
"MAX" marking.
The locat io n of the coolant expansion tank can be seen in the engine
compartment illustration~
page 276.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped with an electric coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto-Check
System =>
page 34 will blink until you add coolant and the level has
been resto red to normal. Even though there is an electric coolant
level sensor, we still recommend you check the coolant level from
time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the coo ling system. In the event of
coolant loss, the cooling system should be inspected immediately by
your authorized Audi dealer. It is not enough merely to add coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the boiling point of the
coo lant is exceeded as a result of overheating .
& 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.

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& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Prote ct your face , hands and arms from escaping fluid and
st eam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
• Turn the cap slowl y and very carefully in a counter-clockwise
d irection while applying light, downward pressure on the top of
the cap.
• To avoid being burned, do not spill ant ifreeze or coolant on the
exhaust system or hot engine part s. Under certain conditions , the
e thylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire .
0 Note
Do not add any type of radia tor leak sealant to your vehicle 's eng ine
coo la nt. Adding radiator repair fluid may adverse ly affect the func­
t ion and pe rforma nce o f yo ur cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by yo ur New Vehicle Limited Warranty. •
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine co olant.
Before you c heck anythi ng in the eng ine co mpart men t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS~ & in "W ork ing in
the e ngine compartm ent" on
page 2 75.
- Turn o ff t he engine.
- Let t he engine cool dow n.
- Place a thi ck rag over the coolan t expans io n tank
~ page 282 , fig . 2 08 a nd carefully turn the ca p cou nter­
clockw ise
~ & .
- Ad d cool ant .
- Twist t he ca p on again
tightly.
Safety first
Replaceme nt eng ine coolant must conform to exact spec ifications
=> page 281, "Cool an t". Even in an emerge ncy, i f coolan t additive
Gl2 ++, Gl2+ or Gl2 is not available, do not use a different add itive .
U se plain water instead until you can get the correct additive and ca n
restore the correct ratio . This should be done as soon as possible .
If you have lost a considerable amount of coolant, then you shou ld
add co ld antifree ze and co ld wate r only w hen t he e ng ine is co ld .
Always use
new engine coo la nt w hen refi lling.
Do not fill coolant a bove the "M AX" mark . Excess coolant will be
forced ou t thr ough t he pr ess ure relief va lve in t he cap when the
engine becomes hot.
& WARNING
• The cooling system i s 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 pre ssure on the top
of the cap .
- To avoid be ing burned, do not spill antifreeze or coolant on
the exhaust system or hot engine parts. Under certain condi­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.
• Antifreeze i s poisonous . Always store antifreeze in its original
c ontainer and well out of the reach of children .
• If you drain the coolant, it must be caught and safely stored in
a proper container clearly marked "poison ". ..
Vehicle care Technical data

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0 Note
• Coolant pollutes the environment and could 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 a nd antifreeze ::::>
page 281 must be restored as soon
as possible.
ci> For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused. Always dispose of used coolant
wh ile observ ing all environmental regulations.•
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by itself.
The radiator fan is driven by the engine v ia the V-belt. The viscous
clutch regulates the speed of the fan according to the temperature of
t he coo lant.
An auxiliary electr ic radiator fan* sw itches on and off depending on
coolant temperature and other vehicle operating conditions.
After you switch the engine off, the auxiliary fan can cont inue running
for up to 10 minutes- even with the ignition off. It can even switch on
again later by itse lf::::>
/1 , if
• the temperature of the engine coolant rises due to the heat build­
up from the engine in the engine compartment, or
• the engine compartment heats up because the veh icle is parked in
intense sunlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injury never touch the radiator
fan.
/1 WARNING (continued)
• The auxiliary electric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running.
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drops .•
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick glance.
Fig . 209 Engine
co mpartm ent : Brake
fluid reservoir
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 275.
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 209. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear partition of the engine
compartment on the left side=>
page 276. .,

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The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto­
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause 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:
{(j)) ) will come on=> page 18 and=> page 33. Do not continue to
ope rate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thorough ly
checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop and the
cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the brake
wa rning/ind icator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized Aud i
dealer
immediately .
[I] Tips
The brake fluid reservoir is located undernea th the cover. •
Changing brake fluid
Hove the broke fluid changed by on experienced techni­
Clon.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fl uid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result after
a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid will also decrease
considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake flu id must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your authorized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake fluid
and the know-how to do this for you .
& WARNING
• Brake fluid is poi sonous. It must be stored only in the closed
original container out of the reach of children!
Safety first
& WARNING (continued )
• Brake failure can result from old or inappropriate brake fluid.
Observe these precautions:
-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 reservoir.
- The brake fluid 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
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehicle.
ffi For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal of brake fluid as well as
th e special tools required and the necessary expertise, we recom­
mend that you have the brake fluid changed by your author ized Audi
dealer. •
Battery
General information
Under normal operating 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 electro lyte level checked by
an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop . The electrolyte leve l
should also be checked each t ime the battery is charged=> page 288.
~
Vehicle care Technical data