2013 AUDI A4 SEDAN engine coolant

222 Check ing and filling
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro ­
tects the engine from freezing in the winter .
The cooling system is sealed and generally re­
quires little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the fac­
tory with a permanent coolant which does not need to be changed. The coolant consists of a
mixture of water and the manufacturer's gly ­
col-basedcoolant additive G 13 antifreeze with
anticorrosion add itives (SO% for USA mode ls;
60% for Canadian models). This mixture both
assures the necessary frost protection and protects metal components in the engine's
cooling system from corrosion and scaling. It
a lso raises the boiling point of the coolant .
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo l­
ant in the summer by adding plain water .
The
p ro po rti on of c ool ant add it iv e mu st b e at
lea st 50 % but not mo re th an 60%
to main­
tain antifree ze protection and cooling efficien­
cy. If the coolant frost protect ion is too low,
the coolant could freeze and damage the veh i­
cle heating and eng ine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- -31° F(-3S°C)USA
- - 40 ° F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
_& WARNING
Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
¢ &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 215.
(]) Note
-
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coo lant additive in
your vehicle is s uffic ient to meet the cli­
mate cond it ions . Th is is especially impor­
tant if you live in a region where the w in­
ter is extremely cold . If necessary, in- crease the p
roportion of coo lant additive
to 60%.
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system, remember:
- We recommend us ing on ly coolant ad­
d itive G12++ or G13 for your veh icle .
This coolant additive is availab le at au­
thor ized Audi dealers. Other types of
ant ifreeze can s ignificantly reduce cor­
rosion pro tection. The resulting cor ro­
sion can cause a loss o f coolant and se ­
rious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of rad iator leak seal­
ant to yo ur vehicle's engine coolant .
Adding radiator repair fl uid may adverse ­
ly affect the function and performance of
your cooling system and cou ld resu lt in
damage not covered by your New Veh icle
Limited Warranty.
' Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance.
F ig. 170 En gin e compa rtm en t: Cover o n the coo la n t
expans io n ta nk
-"' -"' >< .,
"'
.. Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment,
alwa ys read and heed all
W ARNINGS ¢ .&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 215 .
.,. Park your vehicle o n a level surface .
.,. Tu rn off the ignition .
.. Read t he engine coolant level from the
coo la nt expansion tank ¢
fig. 170 ,
r=:> page 217, fig . 167. With a cold engine,
the coolant leve l should be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings . When the en­
gine is warm, the level may be slightly above
the "MAX" marking.
IJII,

The location of the coolant expansion tank
can be seen in the engine compartment illus­
tration
q page 217 .
To obtain an accurate read ing , the eng ine
must be switched off .
The expa nsion tank in you r vehicle is equipped
with an elec tric coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System
q page 18 wi ll
b lin k until you add coo lant and the level has
been restored to norma l. Even t hough the re is
an e lec tric coolant level sensor, we s till rec ­
ommend you check the coolant leve l from
time to time .
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indi cate a leak in the coo ling
sys tem. In the event of coolant loss, the cool­
ing system should be inspected immedia tely
by your authorized A udi dealer. It is not
enough merely to add coolant.
I n a
s ealed system, losses can occur only if
the boiling point of the coolant is exceeded as
a result of overheating.
A WARNING
The cooling system is unde r press ure and
can get ve ry hot. Reduce the risk of sca ld­
ing from hot coolant by following these
steps.
- Turn off the engine and allow it to coo l
down.
- Protect yo ur face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering the
cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefu lly in
a counter-clockwise direction wh ile ap­
plying light, downward pressure on the
t op of the cap .
- To avoid being bu rned, do not spill ant i­
freeze or coo lant on the exhaust system
o r hot eng ine parts . Unde r certai n condi­
t ions, the ethy lene g lycol in engine cool­
an t ca n catc h fire.
Checkin g and fillin g 223
@ Note
Do not ad d any type of radiator leak sea l­
ant to your ve hicle's engine coolant. Add ­
i ng radiator repa ir flui d may adverse ly af­
fect the funct ion and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage not cove red by your New Vehicle l imi ted
Warranty .
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anyth ing in the eng ine com ­
partment,
always read and heed all WARN­
INGS q & in Working in the engine compart ­
ment on page
215 .
.,. Turn off the engine.
.,. let the engi ne cool down.
.,. Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank
q page 222, fig . 170 and carefully turn
the cap counter-clockwise
q &_ .
.,. Add coo la nt.
.,. Twist the cap o n aga in
tightly.
Rep lacement engine coo lant must confo rm to
exact spec ificat ions
q page 222, Coolant. We
recommend using on ly coo lant additive G 12+
+ , G 13 or in an eme rgency G12+. Do
not use a
different additive. In an emergency use pla in
water until you can get the correct additive
and can restore the correct ratio . This sho uld
be done as soon as possible.
If you have los t a cons iderab le amount o f
coolant , then you sho uld add cold antifreeze
and co ld water on ly when the engine is cold.
A lw ays use
new engine coo lant w hen refilling.
Do not f ill coo lant above t he "MAX" mark. Ex­
cess coola nt w ill be fo rced o ut through t he
pressure relief valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of ..,.
•
•

224 Checking and filling
scalding from hot coolant by following
these steps.
- Turn off the eng ine and a llow 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
i n a counter-clockwise direction while
apply ing l ight, downwa rd p ress ure on
the top of the cap .
- To avo id being burned, do not sp ill 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 po llutes the env ironment 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, on ly water can be
added, the correct ratio between water
and antifreeze
c::> page 222 must be re­
stored as soon as possible .
@ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be re used. Al­
ways dispose of used coolant while observ­
ing all environmental regulat ions.
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by
itself
The radiator fan is driven by the engine via the
V-be lt . The viscous clutch regulates the speed
of the fan according to the temperature of the
coolant. An a
uxiliary electric radiator fan* switches on
and off depending on coolant temperature
and other vehicle operat ing condit ions .
After yo u sw itch the engine off, the aux iliary
f an can continue running for up to 10 minutes
- eve n wit h the ignition off. It can even switc h
on again later by itself
c::> &. , if
- t he tempe rature of the engine coo lant 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 in jury nev­
er touch the radiator fan.
- The auxiliary electric fan is temperat ure
controlled and can sw itch on suddenly
even when the engine is not running.
- The a uxiliary radiator fan sw itches on a u­
tomatically when the engine coo lant
reaches a certai n 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.
F ig . 17 1 Eng ine compartment: Cover on the brake flu­
i d reservo ir
Before you check a nyth ing in the engine com­
partment,
always read and h eed all WARN ­
INGS c::> .&. in Working in the engine compart-
ment on page 215. .,..

(D Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to
start the engine . This will seriously dam­
age sensitive electronic components, such
as control units, relays, radio, etc ., as well
as the battery charger .
Battery replacement
The new battery must have the same specifi­
cations and dimensions as the original equip­
ment battery .
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle is responsible for d istributing the electr i­
cal energy throughout your vehicle
c::>
page 190 . The intelligent energy manage­
ment system w ill keep the engine battery
charged bette r then vehicles w ithout t his sys­
tem. To make sure the additional electr ica l en­
ergy is available once again after you have
changed the battery, we recommend that you
install batteries of the same type and manu­
facture only (the same as those installed at
the time your vehicle was delivered). Specifi­
cations are listed on the bat tery hous ing. Your
author ized Audi dealer must code the battery
in the energy management system to enable
you to use the energy management functions
correctly after replac ing the battery .
If it is not possible to use a battery of this
type, the new battery must have the same ca­
pacity, voltage (12 volts) , amperage, con­
struction and plug sea ling.
When insta lling the battery, make sure the ig ­
nition and all electr ical consumers are turned
off.
(D Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the s ide
of the battery is connected , othe rwise
fumes or battery ac id can leak out .
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper d isposal
of a battery, we recommend your author­
ized Aud i dealer change the battery for
Checkin g and fillin g 229
you. Batteries contain sul fur ic acid and
l ead and must always be disposed of prop­
erly in comp liance with a ll environmental
regulations. Disposing of vehicle batter ies
i mproperly is very dangerous to the envi­
ronment .
Windshield/headlight*
washer container
Fig. 173 En gin e compart men t: Cove r on the w ind­
s hi eld an d headligh t* was her fl uid conta iner
The washer fluid container is marked w ith the
symbol
Q on its cap c::> fig. 173, c::> page 217,
fig. 167 .
.,. Before you check anything in the engine
compa rtment,
always read and heed all
WARNINGS
c::> .&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 215.
.,. Lift the f iller cap tongue to add washer flu­
id. You can fi ll the container to the top .
.. Press the cap back onto the fi ller neck after
filling the container .
You can find the reservoir
capacity in the table
in c::>
page 2 70 .
Clean water should be used when filling up. If
possib le, use soft water to prevent scaling on
the washer jets . Always add a glass cleaner
solution (with frost protection in the winter) .
(D Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or
any other additives to fill up the wind­
shield washer reservoir .
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•

268 General information
General information Explanation of
technical data
Some of the technical data listed in this man ­
ual requires further explanation .
The technical data for your vehicle is listed in
the charts starting on
r:::> page 2 70. This sec­
tion provides general information, notes and restrictions which apply to this data .
Vehicle identification
The key data is given on the vehicle identifica­
tion number (VIN) plate and the vehicle data
sticker.
Fig. 201 Veh icle Ide ntific atio n Number (VlN) p late: lo ­
cation on driver 's sid e das h panel
Fig. 202 The vehicle identi fication label -inside the
luggage co mpa rtmen t
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
is located on the driver's side so that it is visi­
ble from the outside through the windshield
r:::> fig . 201 . You can also display the Vehicle
Identification Number of your vehicle in the
radio or in the MM!*. Select :
!CAR ! function
button
> Vehicle ID number (VIN) or select:
ICARI function button > Car systems control
button
> Servicing & checks > VIN number . The
vehicle identification label
is located in the luggage compartment near
the battery .
The label¢
fig. 202 shows the following vehi­
cle data :
(D Production control No .
@ Vehicle identification No.
® Type code number
@ Type designation/engine output in Kilo-
watts
® Engine and transmission code letter
@ Paint No./Interior
(f) Optional equipment No.'s
Vehicle data 2 to 7 are also found in your War­
ranty
& Maintenance booklet.
The safety compliance sticker
is you r assurance that your new vehicle com­
plies with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards which were in effect at the
time the vehicle was manufactured . You can
find this sticker on the left door jamb.
It
shows the month and year of production and
the ve hicle ident ification number of your vehi ­
cle (perforation) as well as the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) .
The high voltage warning label
is located on the lock carr ier .
The spark ignition system complies with
the Canadian standard ICES-002.
Weights
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), and
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for
front and rear are Listed on a sticker on the
left door jamb.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating includes the
weight of the basic vehicle plus full fuel tank,
oi l and coolant, plus maximum load, wh ich in­
cludes passenger weight (150 lbs./68 kg per
Ill>

274 Con sum er Inf ormation
-Always make sure the transmission se­
lector lever (automatic transmiss ion) is
in "P" (Park position) or Neutral (manual
transmission) and the park brake is firm­
ly applied.
@) For the s ake of the environment
-Changing the engine settings w ill ad­
versely affect emission levels. This is det­
rimental to the environment and increas­
es fuel consumption .
- Always observe environmental regula­
tions when disposing of old engine oil,
used brake fluid, dirty engine coolant,
spent batteries or worn out tires.
- Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
s ioners might be classified as Perchlo­
rate Material -spec ial handling may ap­
ply, see www.dtsc.ca .gov/hazardous­
waste/perch lorate. When the veh icle or
parts of the restraint system including
airbag modules safety belts with preten­
sioners are scrapped, all app licable laws
and regulations must be observed . Your
authorized Audi dealer is familiar with
these requirements and we recommend
that you have your dealer perform this
serv ice for you .
Additional accessories,
modifications and
parts replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
Always consult on authorized Audi dealer be­
fore purchasing accessories.
Your veh icle inco rporates the latest safety de­
sign featu res ensuring a high standard of ac­
tive and passive safety.
This safety could be compromised by non-ap­
proved changes to the veh icle. For this reason ,
if pa rts have to be replaced , please observe
the following points when installing addition­
a l accessories: Approved Audi accessories and genuine Audi
parts are available from authorized Audi deal­
ers.
T hese dea lers a lso have the necessary facili­
ties, tools and trained specialists to install the parts and acc essories proper ly .
A WARNING
-Using the wrong spare parts or using non-
approved accessories can cause damage to
the veh icle and ser ious personal injury.
- Use on ly accessories express ly approved
by Audi and genuine Audi spare parts
- These parts and accessories have been
specially designed to be used on your ve­
h icle .
- Never install accessories such as tele­
phone crad les or beverage ho lders on a ir­
bag covers or within the airbag deploy­
ment zones . Do ing so will increase the
risk of injury if a irbags are triggered in an
accident!
- Before you check anything in the engine
compa rtment, always read and heed a ll
WARNINGS
9 page 208 .
(D Note
-If items other than genu ine Audi spare
parts, add-on equipment and accessory
items are used or if repair work is not
performed accord ing to specified meth­
ods, this can resu lt in seve re damage to
your vehicle's eng ine and body (such as
corrosion) and adversely affect yo ur vehi ­
cle's warranty .
- If emergency repairs must be performed
elsewhere, have the vehicle examined by
an authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible .
- The manufacturer cannot be held liable
for damage wh ich occ urs due to failure
to comply with these stipu lations.

A
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60, 274
AC (automatic climate control) ... .. .. .. 69
adaptive cruise control Vehicles with manual transmission 99
Adaptive cruise control ...... .. .. .. .. .. 97
C leaning sensors/camera ... ... .. .. . 201
Messages .. ................ ... ... 105
Request for driver intervention . . . . . . . 103
Setting the driving program .. .. .. .. . 102
Adaptive dampers .......... .. .. .. .. . 111
Adaptive light ................ ... ... . 44
Adaptive Light (defective) ......... .. .. 22
Adding Engine coolant ........... .. .. .. .. .
Engine oil .. ................ ... .. .
Windshield washer fluid ......... .. .
Additional accessories
Additives 223
220
229
274
Engine oil .. ............. .... .. .. . 220
Adjustable steering column ... ... .. .. .. 72
Adjusting Air distribution (automatic climate con-
trol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
I nstrument illumination ... .. .. .. .. .. 47
Steering column .................... 72
Temperature (automatic climate control) 70
Airbag Warning/indicator lights ... .. .. .. .. .. 20
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 , 161
Advanced Airbag System ....... ... .. 148
Advanced Airbag System components . 151
Care . .. ... . .... ... ..... ..... .. ... 157
Children . .. ............. .... .. .. . 166
Child restraints ........... .. .. .. ... 167
Components (front airbags) . . . . . . . . . 151
Danger of fitting a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Disposal . .. .. ........... .. .. .. ... 157
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148, 149
How do the front airbags work? . . . . . . 153
How many airbags does my vehicle
have? 151
How the Advanced Airbag System com-
ponents work together .... .. .. .. .. . 152
Important things to know .. .. .. .. .. . 144
Index 277
Indicator light ..... ............... 155
Monitoring . ... .... ............... 155
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light ....... 155
Repairs ... .. .. .. ................. 157
Safety instructions ................. 157
Side airbags ..... .. ............... 159
Side curtain airbags .. .... .. .... .... 162
Weight-sensing mat ............... 166
When must the system be inspected? . 155
all-wheel drive .. .. ................. 189
Alloy wheels .. .... .. ............... 204
All wheel drive Winter tires . .. .. .... ........... .. 245
Anti-free ze
refer to Engine coolant system ... .. .. 222
Anti-lock braking system ............ . 184
Warning/indicator lights ............ . 19
Anti-slip regulation ................. 184
Anti-theft alarm warning system ... .. .. . 32
Anti-theft systems Electronic immobilizer ............... 38
Armrest .. .. .. .. .. .. . ... ...... ... .. . 56
Ashtray ...... .. .. .................. 59
Asterisk What does it mean when something is
marked with an asterisk? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Audi braking guard
refer to braking guard . ........... .. . 97
Audi drive select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Adaptive dampers .. .............. . 111
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Dynamic steering . .... ......... .. .. 111
Setting the driving mode ........ .. .. 112
Sport differential . .... ............. 111
Audi Service Repair Manuals and Litera-
ture 272
AU TO
Automatic climate control . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Automatic headlights . ...... ... .. .. . 44
Auto Lock ... ... .... ................ 32
Automatic belt retractor ............. 139
Automatic car wash
refer to Washing . .. ........... .... 200
Automatic climate control Air vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Setup ........ .. .. . ............... 71
•
•

Engine Compartment ................ .. ... 217
Coolant .. .. ................. .. .. . 222
Hood .... .. ................. .. ... 215
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72, 75
Starting with jumper cables .. .. . ... . 262
Stopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 76
Engine compartment Safety instructions ........ .. .. .. .. . 215
Working the engine compartment 215
Engine coolant
Indicator light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Engine coolant system ...... .. .. .. .. . 222
Adding coolant ........... .... .. .. . 223
Checking coolant leve l ..... .. .. .. .. . 222
Checking the engine coolant level .. .. . 222
Radiator fan ................ ... ... 224
Engine coolant temperature
Temperatu re gauge ....... .. .. .. .. .. 10
Engine data .. ............. .... .. ... 270
Engine hood Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
How to release the hood ... .. .. .. .. . 215
Engine oil ... .. ........... .. .. .. ... 217
Adding .. .. ............. .... .. ... 220
Additives ... ................ ... ... 220
Changing . ................. ... ... 221
Check oil level ........... .. .. .. ... 220
Consumption ............ .... .. .. . 220
Indicator light ........... .. .. .. 17,21
Oil consumption . ............. ... .. 219
Oil grades ................ ... ... .. 217
O il level symbol ............. ... ... . 21
Pressure malfunction ...... .. .. .. .. .. 17
Sensor defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Specification and viscosity . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine speed limitation ........ .... ... 21
Environment Break-in period ........... .... .. ... 192
Catalytic converter ........ .. .. .. .. . 193
Disposing of your vehicle battery .. .. . 229
Driving at high speeds .......... .... 194
Driving to minimize pollution and noise 194
Fuel ..... .. ................. .. ... 212
Fuel economy . ........... .. .. .. ... 194
Leaks under your vehicle ... .. .. .. .. . 215
Letting the vehicle stand and warm up. 194
Proper disposal of drained brake fluid . 225
Index 281
Proper disposal of drained engine cool-
ant ....... ... .... ............... 223
Proper disposal of drained eng ine
oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220, 221
Recycling used engine oil ............ 220
Roof rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Unleaded fuel .. .. .. . .. .... ........ 210
What should I do with an old battery? . 229
EPC
refer to E lectronic power control . . . . . . 20
ESC (Electronic Stabilization Control)
Warning/indicator lights ............. 19
Ethyl alcohol (Fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Event Data Recorder (EDR) ............ 184
Exhaust tail pipes
Cleaning ... ..... .. ............... 204
Expansion tank .. .. .. ............... 222
Exterior lighting . .. ............... .. .
44
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting ..... .... ................ 47
Dimming ... ..... .. ................ 48
Heating ....... .... ................ 47
F
Fan
Radiator 224
Fastening Booster seats .. .. .... ......... .... 173
Convertib le child safety seats .... .. .. 172
Infant seats ..... ................. 171
Flat tire
Chang ing ... .. .... ... .......... .. 252
flexible fuel . .. .. .. .. .. ........... .. 211
Floor mats ... ... .... ............... 131
Fog lights/rear fog light(s) ............. 44
Fo lding the rear seats ............... .. 64
Foot pedals . .. .. .. .. . .............. 131
For the sake of the environment Gasoline fumes and the environment .. 212
Letting the engine warm up . . . . . . 72, 75
Refueling . .. .. .. .. ............... 212
Saving fuel by early upsh ifting ..... .. . 11
Front airbags Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
How they work ... .. ... ....... .... . 153
Frontal collisions and the laws of physics 137
•
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