2013 AUDI A4 SEDAN warning light

steering wheel wi ll be easy to move . Re­
initialization might be necessary if the steer ­
ing wheel was moved hard to the left and
right while the vehicle was not moving. The
d isplay goes out as soon as in itializat ion is
comp lete .
A WARNING
Have the dynamic steering* system mal­
function repaired as soon as poss ible by an
authori zed A udi dealer or any qualified
workshop -risk of accident!
@ Tips
- If the . or 1;r,ij indicator light only stays
on for a short t ime, you may continue
driving.
- The dynamic steering * stability systems
are not available in t he event of a system
malfunction.
- Fo r additional informat ion on dynamic
stee ring*, re fer to
c::> page 111.
Driving with your
quattro ®
Applies to vehicles: with all-wheel drive
With oil-wheel drive, oil four wheels ore driv­
en.
General information
W ith all -whee l dr ive, power is dis tributed to
a ll fo ur wheels. This happens automatica lly
depending on yo ur driving sty le and the road
conditions at the time. See also
c::> page 184 .
A center different ial d is tributes the dr iv ing
power var iably to the front and rear axle. It
wo rks together with se lective whee l to rque
contro l, which activates when driving throug h
curves
c::> page 185. With the sport d ifferen­
tial*, power distribution to the rear w heels is
variable and can be adjusted with Audi drive se lect
c::> page 111 .
The all-wheel drive concept is designed for
hi gh engine power. Your vehicle is exception­
ally powerful and has exce llent dr iving charac ­
ter ist ics both under normal d riving conditions
Int ellig ent technolog y 189
and on snow and ice . Always read and follow
safety precautions
c::> & .
Winter tires
When dr iving in t he winter, yo ur vehicle wi th
a ll -wheel drive h as an adv ant age, even w it h
regular tires. In wi nter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all -sea ­
son tires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing : these tires must be mounted on
all fou r
wheels .
See also c::> page 245, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains a re mandatory on certain
roads, this no rma lly also app lies to veh icles
with all-wheel drive
c::> page 246 , Snow
chains .
Replacing wheels /tires
Vehicles wi th a ll-wheel drive must alw ays
have tires of the same s ize. A lso avoid tires
with different tread depths . For detai ls see
page
c::> page 241, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels.
Off-Road driving?
Your A udi does no t have enough g ro und cle ar­
ance to be used as an off -road vehi cle. It is
therefore best to avoi d rough tracks and un­
even te rrain as much as possib le . Also refer to
c::> page 192.
A WARNING
A lways ad just yo ur dr iv ing to road and traf­
fic conditions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks .
-Al tho ugh t he all-wheel driv e is ve ry ef­
fective, always remember that braking
capacity is lim ited by tire t raction. You
should t herefore not d rive a t excessive
speeds on i cy or slippery ro ad s urfa ces.
- On wet road surfa ces, be careful not to
d rive too fast bec ause the fron t whee ls
co uld begin to slide on top of the water
(aquaplani ng) . If th is should occur, yo u •
•

190 Intelligent technology
will have no warning from a sudden in­
crease in engine speed as with a front­
wheel drive vehicle. Always drive at speeds wh ich are suited to the road con­
ditions -risk of c rash .
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting
the engine.
I f a vehicle with a conven tional energy system
i s not d riven for a long period of time , the bat­
tery is discharged by idling c urrent consumers
(e .g. immobilizer) . In certain circumstances it
can result in there being insuffic ient energy
avai lab le to start the engine.
I ntelligent energy management in your veh i­
cle hand les the distribution of electrical ener­
gy . Starting abi lity is marked ly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
B asically , energy management consists o f
battery diagno sis, idling current manage­
ment
and dynami c ene rg y man agement.
Battery diagnosis
Battery d iagnosis con tinuously dete rm ines
the state of the battery. Senso rs determ ine
battery vo ltage, batte ry cur rent and battery
temperature. This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling current management
I dling c urrent managemen t red uces energy
consumption while the vehicle is stand ing.
With the ignition switched off, it contro ls the
energy s upply to the various e lectrica l compo­
nents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid­
ered.
D epending on the battery's state of charge,
individual consumers are grad ually turned off
to prevent excess ive d ischarge of the battery
and thus ma inta in start ing cap ability .
Dynamic energy management
While the vehi cle is being driven, dynamic en­
ergy management distr ibutes the energy gen ­
erated according to the needs of the indiv id u­
al components.
It regulates consumption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
t h an is being generated and ensures an opti­
mal state of c harge for the battery.
(!) Tips
- But even ene rgy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are limited.
- If start ing ability is threatened, the indi­
cator light(•] appears¢
page 17 .
What you should know
The highe st priori ty is given to main taining
starting capability.
T he battery is seve re ly taxed in short -d istance
driv ing, in city traff ic and during the cold time
o f year. Abundant electrical energy is re­
quired, but on ly a little is generated . It is also
critical if the engi ne is not r unning and electri­
ca l components are tu rned on. In this in­
sta nce ene rgy is be ing consumed bu t none is
being genera ted .
It is in precisely these s ituations t hat you will
notice ene rgy management active ly regu lat­
i ng t he d istribu tion of ene rgy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, e lectr ica l compo ­
nents a re g radually cut back or sw itched off .
T h is reduces energy consumption and ma in­
ta ins s tart ing capability over a longer pe riod .
Some of the convenience func tions may not
opera te, such as the interior ligh ts or the
power seat adjustment. The convenience
functions will be available again wh en you
switch on the ignition and start the eng ine .

With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the engine turned off or use other MMI func­
tions, the battery is being discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to en­
ergy consumption, the following warning ap­
pears in the MMI display :
Please start the engine soon or the system
will be turned off.
The warning indicates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 minutes . If
you wish to continue using the functions , you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is being driven , the battery can be ­
come discharged . This happens mostly when
little energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is not optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equili­ brium, consumers which require especially
large amounts of energy are temporarily cut
back or switched off . Heating systems in par­
ticular require a great deal of energy. If you
notice , for example , that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they
have been temporarily cut back or switched
off. These systems will be available again as
soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly. This is normal and not
a cause for concern . By increasing engine idle
speed the additional energy required is gener­
ated and the battery is charged.
Intelligent technology 191
•
•

(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af­
ter starting . If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
would go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which could result in over­
heating or other damage to the vehicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel .
.,. Have your vehicle serv iced at regular inter-
vals .
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authori zed Audi dealer helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically . The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and
ab il ity to hold its value, it also affects
fuel
consumption.
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certain
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3 ,000 miles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oi l consumption.
This a lso applies to fuel consumption and en­
g ine output .
0 Note
-Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec­
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet. Lack of proper mainte ­
nance as well as improper use of the ve­
hicle will impair the function of the
emission control system and could lead
to damage.
Driving and environment 195
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer .
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System and other important vehicle compo­
nents .
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be rela tively
high on short trips .
.,. Try to avoid driving short distances with a
cold engine.
The engine and cata lytic converter have to
reach their opt imal
operating temperature to
reduce fuel consumpt ion and noxious emis­
sions effectively .
Just after starting, a co ld engine in a mid-size
car only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 miles
per gallon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a
half a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/100 km) . After about
2 .5 miles (4 km),
the engine is at its proper operat ing tempera­
ture and fuel economy has reached a normal
level. So you can see that you should avoid
short trips whenever possible.
T he
outside temperature is also cr itical in th is
regard. Your car consumes more fue l in the
winter than in the summer.
•
•

196 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 trai ler, 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 tra iler is equipped with a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to a ll
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, sw itches, 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 io n 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 197.
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 . .,..

Tire pressure
When towing a trai le r, inflate the t ires of your
vehicle to the co ld tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the label located on the driver's
side B-pillar (vis ible when the door is open).
Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufac­
turers' specifications.
Light s
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check
to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be su re tra iler sa fety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to per ­
mit turning corners . When you install safety
chains, make sure they w ill not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains shou ld cross under the trai ler
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separatio n from the hitch .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling o f vehicle
and trai ler, p lease note the following:
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer whe n your car it­
self is not loaded .
.,. Be especia lly careful when passing other
vehicles .
.,. Observe speed limits .
.,. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.,. Always apply brakes ea rly .
.,. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight di stribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight . If this cannot be avo ided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steer ing control.
Trailer towing 197
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, while keep ing the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the c ircumstances. Whenever poss i­
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com ­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more d iff icult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -pa rticularly
when going downhill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest s ign of sway ing .
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds
for vehicles tow ing tra ilers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving downh ill, shift into a lower gear to use the en ­
gine braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge ¢ page 10
must be observed carefully . If the need le
moves close to the upper end of the scale, re­
duce speed immediately and/or turn off the
air conditioner.
If the coolant temperature warning light •
in the instrument cluster starts flashing, pull
off the road, stop and let the engine
idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build -up .
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov ­
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident . Never let anyone ride in yo ur car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
prov ided by Audi.
-
•
•

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 . Regular and correct care w ill con­
tr ibute to maintaining the beauty and value of
your Aud i.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition
for substantiating a warranty claim should
corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Your authorized Audi dealer has a variety of
dedicated vehicle-care 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
Audi or other commercially available cleaning
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 caution labels.
- Always read directions on the container
before using any product. Follow the di­
rect ions carefully.
- 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 ignition
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, e tc. without pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts.
Cleaning and protection 199
-Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing effic iency¢
page 187. Test the
brakes carefully each time you wash the
veh icle.
@) 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 th is 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 influences
T he longer b ird droppings, insects, tree resin,
road and indus trial gr ime, tar, soot, road salt
and other materials remain on the vehicle
body, the more lasting their destructive ef­
fects will be . High temperatures caused by ex­
posure to intense sun light intens ify the corro­
sive effect, particularly when humid ity is high
as well.
Under certain circumstances,
weekly 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 ,_
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information¢
page 199 .
•
•

200 Cleaning and protec tio n
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle
can normally be washed without problems in
an automatic car wash. However, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sign of the facility, the filtering of the wash
water, the type of wash and care mater ial , etc.
I f the pa int has a dull appearance afte r going
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi­
ately.
If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing the
windows and the roof . Factory installed an­
tennas must not be removed.
I f you have installed additional accessor ies on
the vehicle - such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c;, page 199.
Before washing the vehic le in an automatic
car wash, p lease make sure to retract the
exterior m irrors to prevent them from be­
ing damaged.
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi­ cle by hand.
• Before you start washing, make sure you
have read and understood the WARNINGS
r:::;, A in General information on page 199 .
• First soak all dried di rt until it is soft, then
rinse it off .
• As you clean your vehicle, start with the
roof and work your way down to the bottom,
us ing a sponge, a sponge glove o r a clean
brush. •
Rinse the sponge or the sponge g love often,
flushing it clean each time .
• Use spec ial car shampoo only for very per­
sistent d irt .
• Rinse the car thoroughly with wa ter .
• Use a chamo is leather to gently w ipe the ex-
ter ior dry .
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
wheels, door sills and other regions exposed
to road dirt . In this way, you will not scratch
the pa int with coarse particles imbedded in
the sponge the next t ime you wash the car.
&_ WARNING
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or o ther ha rd
to reach parts withou t protecting you r
hands and arms. You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts .
-A lways read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other info rmation
c;, page 199.
{D Note
- N ever try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
t he su rface of the veh icle is dry . Neve r
use a dry cloth or sponge, since this
cou ld scratch your vehicle's paint or win­
dows .
- Never wash your car in bright s unli ght .
Drops of wate r act as magn ifying lenses
and may damage your paint .
- When you wash your car in the winter: if
you rinse yo ur vehicle with a hose, be
careful not to aim the stream of water
directly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings - they can freeze shut .
- Never use sponges designed to remove
insects, or any k itchen scouring sponges
o r simi lar p roducts . They can damage
your pai nt finish .
- You should remove debris (such as in ­
sects) from the headlight lenses on a
regu lar basis, for example when refuel­
ing your vehicle . Never use a d ry cloth o r
sponge to clean the headlights. On ly use
wet cloths o r sponges to prevent
scratches. It is best to use soapy water.
-