154 Intelligent technology
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lower driving position . 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 brak ing 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
conditions such as passing through wa
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the
brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums. Cautiously apply brakes
for a test . Brakes will dry and ice coat
ings will be cleaned off after a few cau
tious brake applications .
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency .
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few cautious
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct
ed. Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
braking capability, resulting in increased
stopping distance. Avoid driving the vehi
cle and have it towed to the nearest au
thorized Audi dealer or qualified work
shop.
- 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 must be pressed considerably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance.
Power steering
When the engine is running , power steering
makes i t easier for the driver to steer.
Power steering helps the driver steer the vehi
cle with little physical effort.
If the engine is not running, the power steer
ing system is also not working . In this case ,
you will find it extremely difficult to turn the
steering wheel.
If you turn the steering fully to the left or
right when the vehicle is stationary, you place
a very heavy load on the power steering sys
tem. Turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right will cause noise in the system. It
also reduces engine idle speed.
(D Note
Do not hold the steering turned fully to
the left or right for more than 10 seconds
when the engine is running . There is a risk
of damage to the power steering system .
(D Tips
-In the event of a power steering system
failure, or if the engine is not running
(while being towed), you will still be able
to steer the vehicle. However, you will re
quire more effort to do so .
- If the power steering system has a leak
or is defective, you should immediately
contact a qualified workshop .
- The power steering system requires a
special hydraulic fluid. The power steer
ing fluid reservoir is located in the en
gine compartment. The correct hydraulic
fluid level is important for proper opera
tion of the power steering system. The
power steering fluid level is checked ac
cording to the Audi maintenance service
schedule.
Engine compartment lid emergency
release
The emergency release loop is located under
the right trim panel near the front passenger
seat.
F ig . 140 Front pas se n ge r footwe ll: emer gen cy re lease
l oo p
Engine compartment
Checkin g and fillin g 177
.. Make sure the rear spoi le r is retracted
¢ page 152 .
.. Pull the loop forward to release the engine
compartment lid . The engine compartment
lid opens sligh tly.
.. Open the eng ine compartment lid ¢
& in
Releasing the engine compartment lid on
page 175.
(D Note
To prevent damage to the vehicle, on ly
open the eng ine compartment lid when
the convert ible top storage bay lid is
closed .
Th es e ar e th e most important it ems that you can ch eck.
F ig. 1 41 Ty pical layout for conta iners , en gin e o il dipst ick and engine o il fi ller cap
(D Power steering fluid reservoi r
(@) ... .. .... .... ... ...... .
@ Eng ine oi l filler cap ('l=r.) .. ...
® Eng in e oi l dipstick
154
180
180
A WARNING
Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢.&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 175 .
-
{!) Tips
The coolant expansion tank is located un
der the convertible top storage bay lid
¢ page 183.
