2012 AUDI A5 COUPE brake fluid

This automatic adjustment process will cause
a
slight vib ra tion of the brake pedal and some
noises to alert you that vehicle speed must be
adapted to existing road and traffic condi­
tions.
A WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective, always
remember that braking capability is limit­
ed by t ire traction . A lways adjust your dr iv­
ing speed according to the road and t raff ic
conditions. Do not let the extra sa fety af­
forded by the ABS tempt you into taking
extra risks. The ABS cannot overcome the
laws of physics .
(D Tips
-If ABS is not functioning properly, a
warning light will come on . See
~ page 16.
-If a fault occu rs in the ABS, the EDL is al­
so not functioning . This is indicated by
the ABS warning light .
Brake assist
Brake assist is designed to achieve the opti­
mum broking effect.
Brake assist helps to increase the effective
brak ing power and thus to achieve a shorter
stopping distance. If the driver presses the
brake peda l very quick ly, brake assist auto­
mat ica lly boosts the braking force to the max­
imum level, up to the point where the anti­
lock brake function (ABS) intervenes to stop
the wheels from locking . You should then
keep the brake pedal pressed u ntil the vehicle
has braked to the required speed . Brake ass ist
sw itches itself off as soon as you release the
b rake peda l.
A WARNING
Please remembe r that the accident r is k al­
ways increases if yo u drive too fast, espe ­
cially in corners or on a s lippery road, or if
you fo llow the vehicle ahead of you too
close ly. Increased risk of an accident can-
Int ellig ent technolog y 209
not be compensated for even by brake as­
sist, so always maintain a safe speed.
S .
®
ervotron1c
-
advanced power
steering system
The power steering systems uses the power of
the running engine to allow precise steering
with little effort.
T he advanced Servotronic ® power steer ing
system senses the road speed and elect ron i­
ca lly adjusts power assistance to provide com­
fortab le and safe ste ering response exact ly
matched to the vehicle speed .
Power steering will not work i f the engine is
off. As a result, the stee ring wheel will be hard
to turn .
T he power steering fluid level is checked d ur­
ing the schedu led maintenance services .
(D Note
If there is an e lectronic malfunction, ser ­
votronic
will s till function like a conven­
tiona l power steering system, providing a
constant steering support force that is no
l onger proportionate to the vehicle speed.
This is most noticeable when turning the
steering wheel at low speeds (for example
when parking), -more effort w ill be re­
q uired than usual.
- Be aware of the different than usual
steering response and adjust your steer ­
ing force acco rdingly .
- Have the problem checked and set right
by an Audi dealer as soon as possible.
(D Tips
-Whe n the engine is running, never hold
the steering w heel turned all the way to
the rig ht or to the left for longer t han 15
seconds. The powe r steering pump will
overheat the hydraulic fluid if you keep
holding the stee ring wheel turned all the
way. This is likely to damage the power
steering system .
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218 Trailer towing
Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, p lease remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. Always
check with the trailer hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system . No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems . From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your vehi­
cle be struck from behind
¢ A.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations . The trailer
hydraulic brake system must not be
direct ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system
~ A.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trai le r.
Trailer lights
T railer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct wiring, switches, and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors . It is important
that you
always have clear vis ion to the rear.
,8. WARNING
- If a trailer has electrical brakes please
note that these brakes are not activated
by the factory-fitted control unit -risk of
accident!
- Afte r removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and
injure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
-
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 tra iler.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held secure ly
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ A in Driving instructions on page 219.
Engine cooling system
T owing a trailer makes the engine work hard ­
er. It is important that the cooling system's
performance is up to the additional load.
Make sure that the cooling system has enough
fluid . .,..

Cleaning and protect ion
General information
Regular core preserves vehicle value.
Any automobile is exposed to industrial
fumes , corrosive road salt, etc. A well cared
for Audi can look like new many years after purchase . Regu lar and correct care w ill con­
tr ibute to maintaining the beauty and value of
your Aud i.
F u rth ermor e, good c are may be a conditi on
for subs tantiati ng a w arrant y claim sho uld
c orrosion d amag e or paint d efects oc cur.
Your authorized Audi dealer has a variety of
dedic ated veh icle-car e products and can ad ­
vise which ones to use for cleaning the exter i­
or and interior of your vehicle.
Whether you use products recommended by
Aud i or other commercially available clean ing
agents, please make sure you apply them cor­
rectly .
.&, WARNING
-Cleaning agents may be poisonous. Keep
them out of the reach of children.
- Heed all caut ion labels.
- Always read directions on the container
before using any product. Follow the di­
rect ions carefu lly.
- Most chemical cleaners are concentrated
and have to be diluted .
- Use spot removing fluids only in well
ventilated areas.
- Do not use gasoline, kerosene, d iesel
fuel, nail polish remover or other volatile
fluids. They may be toxic, flammab le or
haza rdous in other ways. Do not wash,
wax or dry the vehicle with the ign it ion
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, e tc. w ithout pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may c u t yourself on sharp -edged metal parts .
Cleaning and protec tion 221
- Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing effic iency¢
page 207, General
information.
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle.
@) For the sake of the environment
Select on ly environmentally friend ly clean­
i ng products . Leftover cleaning products
should not d isposed of in the household
waste.
Care of exterior
Washing
Frequent washing protects the vehicle .
The best protection against environmental i n­
fluences is
frequent washing and waxing . How
often t his is required depends on:
- How much the veh icle is used
- Where the veh icle is parked (garage, in the
open under trees, etc.)
- The seasonal and weather conditions
- Environmental infl uences
T he longer b ird droppings, insects, tree resin,
road and indus tria l gr ime, ta r, soot, road salt
and other materials remain on the vehicle body, the more lasting their destructive ef­
fects wi ll be . High temperatures caused by ex­
posure to intense sun light intens ify the corro­
s ive effect, particularly when humid ity is high
as well.
Under certain circumstances,
weekl y washing
may be necessary. Under other cond itions, a
monthly washing and waxing may be ade­
quate .
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle
should be thoroughly washed, preferab ly in a
professional car wash .
.&, WARNING ,_
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 221.
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226 Cleaning and protec tio n
8_ WARNING
- Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency¢
page 207, General
information.
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the veh icle .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
-
other information ¢ page 221.
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked .
All body cavities wh ich could be affected by
corrosion have been thoroughly protected at
the factory.
This sea ling does not require any inspection or
additional treatment. If any wax should seep
out of the cav ity when the ambient tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed w it h a plastic
scraper and a suitable solvent.
8_ WARNING , ~
Solvents can be dangerous .
- Benzine is flammable and toxic . If you
use benzine for removing the wax, keep
spar ks, flame and lighted c igarettes
away. Never dump benzine on t he
ground, into ope n streams or down sew­
age drains.
- Be sure to observe all safety and env iro n­
me ntal regulations. Follow all instruc­
t ions on the con tainer .
- Always read and hee d all WARN INGS and
other information
¢ page 221 .
Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Audi is also thor­
ough ly protected against corrosion .
Any damage to the undercoating caused by road hazards shou ld be repa ired promptly .
8_ WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong p la­
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additional undercoating or
rustp roofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
ver ter or heat shields. While driv ing, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other info rmation ¢
page 221.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and o ther co rrosive materials w ill
damage the material in the e xhaus t tail pipes
i f they a re not cleaned regular ly . Do not clean
the tail pipes with w hee l cleaner, paint polish,
chrome polish or other abras ive cleaners .
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
that are suitable for sta inless steel.
Your a uthorized Audi dea ler can provide clean­
ing products that have been tested and ap­
proved for your vehicle .
Care of interior
MMI display
Applies to vehicles: with MMI
.,.. Clean the MM I d isplay with a soft clean
cloth and an LC D cleaner .
T he M MI display can be cleaned wit h a profes­
s io nally available " LCD cleane r". The cloth
sho uld be slightly dampened with the clean­
ing fluid to clean the disp lay.
(J) Note
To avoid sc ratching the M MI disp lay, yo u
shou ld neve r clean it dry.
MMI control console
Appl ies to vehicles: wit h MMI
.,.. First clean the MMI contro l conso le w ith a
brush to remove dust from the housing . .,..

238 Check ing and filling
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of automatic trans- mission to "P" (Park); put manual trans­
mission in Neutral.
- Always let the engine coo l down . Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk o f being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill flu ids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili­
ary electr ic fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the eng ine is still warm. The cool­
ant system is pressur ized and hot coo l­
ant could spray out .
-Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot eng ine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the coolant reservoir .
-If work on the fuel system or the electri­
cal system is necessary :
- A lways disconnect the battery.
- Never smo ke or work near heaters or
open flames . Fluids in the engine com ­
partment co uld start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire ext inguisher im­
mediately available.
- T o avoid ele ctrical shock and persona l in ­
jury 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 repa ir
with the engine running:
- Fi rst, fully apply the parking bra ke,
move se lec to r l ever o f automat ic trans- mission to
"P" (Park); put manua l
transmission in Neutra l.
- Always use extreme caution to p revent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact­ ing hot parts. Tie back hair before
starting, and do not wea r clothing that
will hang o r droop into the engine.
- M inim ize exposure to em iss ion and
chemical hazards
~ &, .
A WARNING
=
Ca lifo rnia Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its const ituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cance r and birt h de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fl uids contained in veh icles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
b irth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories conta in lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
When adding flu ids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper conta iner
or fil ler opening, otherwise serious dam­
age to vehicle systems w ill occur.
@) For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regular ly. If
you see spots from oil or o ther ve hicle flu­
i ds, have your vehicle insp ected by a n au­
thorized Audi dealer.

Checking and filling 239
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 203 Typical layout for contain ers and engine oil filler cap
(D Jump start point( +) under a cov -
er .. .. .. .. .............. .. 250, 285
@ Brake fluid reservoir ((0)) . . . . . 246
@ Eng ine oil filler cap ("t=:?1) . . . . . 242
@ Coolant expansion tank (J-) . . . 244
® Jump start point(-) with hex
head screw ..... .......... ..
250, 285
® Windshield/headlight* washer
container
(0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
(j) Power steering reservoir . . . . . . 209
The position of the engine oil filling hole
¢ fig. 203 (item @) can differ depending on
the eng ine design .
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
¢ .& in Working in the engine
compartment on page 237.
-
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 bu ilt to exacting specifi­
cations . This eng ine needs the right k ind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding
quality and viscosity so that it can run
smooth ly and reliab ly. 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 to­
day than it did years ago . Audi has developed
a specia l quality standard for engi ne oil that
will help assure that your vehicle's engine will
get the lubrication it needs for proper opera-
tion. .,..

246 Checking and filling
sca lding 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 flu id and steam by cover ing
the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter-clockwise direction while
applying lig ht, downwa rd pressure on
the top of the cap.
- To avo id being burned, do not spill an­
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys­
tem or hot engine parts . Under certain
conditions, the ethylene glyco l in en­
gine coolant can catch f ire.
- Antifreeze is poisonous . Always store an­
tifreeze in its or iginal container and we ll
out of the reach of children.
- If you drain the coolant, it must be
caught and safely stored in a proper con­
tainer clear ly marked "poison".
@ Note
- Coolant pollutes the environment and
could cause an engine fire . Excess coo l­
ant will be forced out through the pres­
sure relief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
- If, in an emergency, only water can be
added, the correct ratio between water
and antifreeze
c::> page 244 must be re­
stored as soon as possible .
@ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused. Al­
ways dispose of used coolant while observ­
ing all environmental regulations .
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by
itself
T he radiator fan is driven by the engine via the
V-belt . The viscous clutch regulates the speed
of the fan according to the temperature of the
coolant. An auxiliary electric
radiator fan* switches on
and off depend ing on coolant temperature
and other vehicle operat ing condit ions .
After yo u sw itch the engine off, the auxiliary
f an can continue running for up to 10 minutes
- even with the ignit ion off. It can even switch
on again later by itself
c::> &., if
- the temperature of the engine coolant rises
due to the heat build-up from the engine in
the engine compartment, or
- the engine compa rtment heats up because
the vehicle is parked in i ntense sunlight.
_& WARNING
- To reduce the risk of personal injury nev­
er touch the radiator fan.
- The auxiliary electric fan is temperature
controlled and can sw itch on suddenly
even when the engine is not running.
- The auxiliary radiator fan switches on au­
tomatically when the engine coo lant
reaches a certain temperature and will
continue to run until the coolant temper­
ature drops .
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a
quick glance.
Fig. 207 E ngin e compart men t: B rak e fluid rese rvoir
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS c::> A in Working in the engine compart-
ment on p~e 237.
~

~ Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fluid reservoir ¢
fig. 207. The brake fluid
level must be between the "MIN" and
"MAX" markings .
The brake f luid reservoir is located at the rear
partition of the engine compartment on the
l eft side ¢
page 239 .
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the brake pads . This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls considerably be­
l ow the "M IN" mark, the brake wa rning/indi ­
cator light (U .S . mode ls: . , Canadian
models: . will come on
¢page 18 and
¢
page 30. Do not continue to operate the ve­
h icle. The complete brake system shou ld be
thoroughly checked by an authorized Aud i
dealer or qualified workshop and the cause
corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low,
the brake warning/ind icator light will illum i­
nate. Contact an autho rized Aud i deale r
im­
mediately .
(D Tips
The brake f luid rese rvoir is located unde r­
neath the cove r.
Changing brake fluid
Hove the broke fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moistu re from the a ir . If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
hi gh, cor rosion in the b rake system may result
after a per iod of t ime . The bo ili ng po int of the
b rake fluid w ill also decrease considerab ly and
decrease b raking performance.
Therefore, the brake flu id must be changed
e ver y two year s. Always use new b ra ke fluid
which confo rms to Federal Motor Vehicle
S tandard "FMVSS 1 16 DOT 4".
The brake flu id rese rvoi r can be difficult to
reac h, therefo re , we recommend that yo u
h ave the br ake fl uid changed by yo ur autho r­
ized
Audi dealer . Your deale r has the co rrect
Checkin g and fillin g 247
tools, the right brake fl uid and t he know -how
to do this for you .
A WARNING
-Brake fl uid is poisonous. It must be stor­
ed only in the closed or iginal container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can res ult from o ld or inap­
propriate brake f lu id. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only b rake fluid th at mee ts SA E
spe cificat ion
J 17 03 and conforms to
Fe dera l Mo to r Ve hicl e Standard 1 16.
Always check with yo ur authorized Au di
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct brake fluid. The cor rect type of
brake f luid is also ind icated on t he
brake f luid reservoir .
- The bra ke fl uid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes ca n cause a vapor lock if
the b rake fluid is left i n the system too
long. This can se riously affect the effi­
c iency of the b rakes as well as your
safety , T his could result in an accide nt.
(!) Note
Brake fluid will damage the pai nt of your
vehicle.
@) For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal
of brake fluid as well as the spec ial too ls
r equired an d the nec essary expertise, w e
r ecomme nd that yo u have th e brake flu id
c hanged by yo ur aut ho rize d Aud i dea le r.
Battery
General information
U nder normal oper ating cond itions, the bat­
tery in your Audi does not need any ma inte­
nance . With
high outside temperat ures or
lo ng da ily drives we recommend that you have
t h e e lectrolyte leve l che cked by an autho riz ed
A udi de aler or qu alified workshop. The elec­
tro lyte leve l should also be checked e ach time
the battery is charged
¢ page 250 . 1J1>
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