
___________________________________________ C_ h_e _c _k_ i_n ~g_ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _i_n _g __ _
& 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

•--=C:.:.h.:.. e=. c=.:..:: k .:.:in ..:. g ~ a::..:..: n~d .:...:.. f:....:il ..:.li :.:.n.;.: g~ ------------------------------------------
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

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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 e lectrical system for safety reasons=>
& in "Repair,
care and disposal of the airbags" on
page 204.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regulators, for example) are
lost if the battery terminals are disconnected. These functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are connected aga in . To
prevent this, the battery should only be disconnected from the
vehicle electrical system when absolutely necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not dr ive your vehicle 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 over a
longer period=>
page 243.
Take into consideration that when you unlock you r vehicle, some
convenience functions, such as the master key remote function or
power seat adjustment, may not be available. The convenience func
tions will be available again when you turn on the ign ition and start
the engine.
W inter operation
During the w inte r months, battery capacity tends to decrease as
temperatures drop. This is because more power is also consumed
wh ile starting, and the headlights, rear window defogger, etc., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, particularly in city traffic or
when traveling only short distances. Let your authorized Audi dealer
check the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter sets in
=> page 288. A well charged battery will not only prevent starting
problems when the weather is cold, but will also last longer.
W Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several weeks at extremely low
temperatures, the vehicle battery should 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 anyth ing 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 . .,,_

Checking and filling "" ------------------~::....::..:..._~---=---
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 rea ch 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, imm~di
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.
Safety first
& WARNING (continued)
• 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. I! 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. .,,_
Vehicle care Technical data

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& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
• Battery post s, terminal s and related ac cess orie s co ntain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California
to caus e cancer and reprodu ctive pr oblem s. Wa sh hand s after
handling .
0 Note
• Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when the ignition is
switched on or when the engine is running, otherwise, you wi ll
damage electro nic components in t he e lectr ical system .
• If your ve hicle is go ing to st and for a long per iod of time witho ut
being d riven, protect the battery from "freezing", ot herw ise it will be
damaged and will then have to be replaced. •
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery .
Fig. 21 0 En gine
c om partme nt: C on nec
t or s fo r ch arge r and
jump er ca bles
Always read and heed all WARNINGS below ~ & and ~ &
i n "Work ing o n the batte ry" on
page 286 .
-Turn o ff t he ign it ion and all electrica l cons umers. -
Make sure the area is well vent ilate d wh en you c harge the
ba ttery .
- Open t he e ngi ne hood =?
page 274.
- O pen the red cover on the positive pole =? fig. 21 0.
- Con nect the charger con nectors accordi ng to the instruc-
tions to the
jump start bolts . (B olts un der the red cover =
"positive" , Bo lts w it h hex head = "negative") .
- Only now p lug t he ma ins lead for t he c har ging equipme nt
i n to t he wall outlet and tu rn it on ~ & .
-Make sure the charging rate is not over 30 amps /14 .8
Volt.
- When t he batte ry is fu lly c harged: Tu rn the cha rg ing
eq uipment o ff an d
remov e the main s le ad from the wa ll
out let.
- Now remove the clamps for the charging equipment.
- Close the re d cover on the positive pole .
Cl ose the hood ~
page 2 75.
A d ischa rged b atte ry can freeze at t empe ra tures of only 3 2 °F (0 °( ).
Allow a fro zen ba ttery to thaw comp letely before attempt ing to
c harge it =:, & . H owever, we recomme nd not using a thawed b attery
again because the battery casing ca n be cracked due to ice formation
and can leak b attery a cid.
Battery charging (Ma ximum charging rate of 30
amp s/14.8 Volt)
When charging at low vol tages (e.g. w ith a trickle charger ), the
b attery cables do not have to be disconnected first. The batte ry caps
should
not be opened when charging a batte ry .
It is not necessary to remove the battery from the luggage compart-
ment.
~

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Fast charging the battery (charging rate above 14 .8
Volts)
For technical reasons do not use a battery charge r that uses voltage
greater than 14.8 Volts to charge yo ur vehicle's battery.
& WARNING
Charging a battery can be dangerous.
• Always follow the ope rat ing instructions provided by the
battery charger manufacturer when charging your battery .
• Never charge a frozen battery. It ma y explode because of gas
trapped in the i ce . Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first .
• Do not reuse batteries which were frozen . The battery housing
may hav e cra cked and weakened when th e batter y froze.
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated area . Keep away from
open flame or electr ical spark . Do not smoke . Hydrogen gas gen er
ated by the battery i s explosive.
• To reduce the danger of explo sion, n ever conne ct or dis connect
c harger cables while the charger is operating.
• Fast charging a battery is dangerous and should only be
attempted by a competent te chnician with the proper equipment.
• Battery acid that may spill during charging should be washed
off with a solution of warm water and baking soda to neutralize
the acid.
0 Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the eng ine. This w ill seri
ous ly damage sens itive elect ronic components, such as control units,
re lays, rad io, etc., as well as the battery charger. •
Safety first
Battery replacement
The ne w ba ttery must have the same spe cific ations and
dimensions as the original equi pment battery.
Inte lligent energy management in your veh icle is responsible for
dist ributing the ele ct ric a l ene rgy t hroughout yo ur veh icle
~ page 243. The intelligent energy management system will keep
t he eng ine ba ttery c ha rged better then vehicles wi thou t this system.
To make sure the additional e lectrical energy is available once again
after you h ave changed the ba tte ry, we re commend t hat yo u inst all
batter ies of the same type and ma nufacture only (the same as t hose
installe d at the time your ve hicle was delivere d). Specifications a re
listed on the battery housing . Your authorized Aud i dealer must code
the batte ry in the energy management system to enable you to use
the energy management f unctions co rrectly after rep laci ng the
battery.
If it is no t poss ibl e to use a batte ry of thi s ty pe, the new ba tte ry mus t
have the same capac ity , voltage (12 volts) , amperage , construction
and plug sea ling .
Whe n ins tal ling the ba ttery, make sure the ign it io n and a ll electr ica l
cons umers are turned off.
0 Note
Make s ure t he venti lation hose on the s ide of the battery is
co nnected, o the rwise fumes or battery acid can lea k out.
W For the sake of the environment
B ecau se of the p roblem of proper di sposal of a ba tte ry, we recom
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
B atteries con tain sulfuri c acid and lead and m ust always be dispose d
of properly in comp liance w it h all environmental regulations.
Dis pos ing o f vehi cle b atter ies im proper ly is ve ry dange ro u s to the
environment .•
Vehicle care Technical data

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Windshield/headlight* washer
container
Fig. 211 E ngine
compartment: Wind
shie ld and headlight*
washer fluid container
The washer fluid container is mark ed with the symbol¢ on
its cap.
- Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS => & in "Working
in the engine compartment" on
page 275.
- 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 .
You can find the reservoir capacity in the table in:::::::, page 339.
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 windsh ield washer reservoir .•