10 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Instruments and warning/indicator Lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster and controls
The instrument cluster is your central source of information.
Fig. 3 Overv iew of the instrument cluster
Hybrid drive*: the instrument cluster var ies
c:> page98 .
(D Coolant temperature gauge 10
@ Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
@ Warning/indicator lights . . . . . . 14
© ISETlbutton .. .. . . .. . . . . . . . . 11
® Display
- Driver information system 20
- Time and date display . . . . . . . 12
- Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
@ Reset button for trip odometer . 13
(j) Speedometer
@ Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
(D Tips
The illumination for the instrument cluster
lights up whenever you switch on the igni
tion with the
vehicle headlights off . As
the daylight fades, the instrument cluster
illuminat ion likewise dims automatically
and will go out completely when the out
side light is very low. This feature is meant
to remind you to switch on the headlights
when outside light condit ions become
poor.
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coolant gauge q page 10, fig. 3 (D
only works when the ignition is on. To prevent
damage to your engine, please note the fol
lowing important po ints:
Engine cold
If the needle is at or close to the bottom of
the gauge, the engine has not yet reached its
operating temperature. Avoid high engine
speeds, heavy engine loads, and heavy throt
tle app lications.
Normal temperature
When the engine has reached its operating
temperature, the needle will move to the mid
dle of the gauge and remain there . If the en
gine is working hard at high outs ide tempera
tures, the needle may move higher on the
gauge. This is not a cause for concern as long
as the . warning light in the instrument
cluster display does not illuminate. .,..
Instrument s and warning /indicator lights 11
Warning light in th e instrument cluster
display
If the . warning light in the instrument clus
ter disp lay flashes, this can mean one of two
things: either the coolant
temperature is too
high, or the coolant
level is too low
¢page 30.
If the needle is we ll in the upper area of the
ga uge, the coo lant temperature is too high.
Stop the veh icle , switch the engine off, and
allow it to cool.
I f the warni ng light comes o n
again after driving a short distance, contact
an author ized Audi d ealer or other qualif ied
wo rkshop.
.&, WARNING
- Always o bserve the w arning i n
¢ page 226, Engine compartment, be
fore opening the hood a nd checking the
engine coolant level.
- Never open t he engine hood i f you see o r
hear steam, or if you see engine coolant
dr ipping from the engine compa rtment .
You could bu rn yourself. Let t he e ngine
cool off first so that you cannot hear o r
see any steam or e ngine coolant .
CD Note
-Mo unt ing additional lights or accessories
i n front of the a ir inlets red uces the cool
i ng effect of the radiator. At h igh outside
temperatures o r high eng ine load, the
engine co uld ove rheat.
- The front spo ile r has been designed to
properly distrib ute the cooling air when
t h e v ehicle is moving. If the spoiler is
damaged, th is co uld reduce the cooling
effe ct and the engi ne co uld th en over
h eat . Ask y our author iz e d Aud i de aler f or
ass istance.
Tachometer (engine rev counter )
The tachometer indicates the engine R PM
(revolu tions per minutes) .
If engine RPM drops be low 1,50 0, you should
dow nshift to the nex t lo wer ge ar. Th e re d ar ea at the end of the scale indica
tes maxim um
p ermissible engine RPM after the break -in pe
riod. Before reaching this a rea , move these
lector lever to position 0/5 o r ease your foot
off the acce lerator pedal.
CD Note
The tac hometer needle @ ¢ page 10,
fig. 3
sh ould on ly briefly be in the red
zo ne: you cou ld damage yo ur eng ine! T he
beginn ing of the red z one var ies depend-
i ng o n the engi ne.
@) For the sake of the environment
Upsh ifting early saves fuel and reduces e n
gine noise .
~button
You can perform different functions with this
button.
Fig . 4 SET butto n in the instrument cluster
The !SET ! button performs the followi ng fu nc
ti ons:
Switching on time, date, temperature
display, and odometer
The disp lay appea rs fo r approximate ly 30 sec
o nds when yo u pre ss the
!SET ! butt on¢ fig. 4
wi th t he igni tion off .
Starting the Auto -Check sequence
T he Auto-Chec k system ¢ page 2 7 constant-
ly mo nitors c erta in individua l functions and
c ompone nts of the vehicle whe n the igni tion
is turned on an d when the vehicle is moving.
With the ign it ion turned on, yo u can start the
"Auto-Check sequence" by pressing the
iSE Ti liJJ,,
30 Driver in formation d isplay
...L Engine cooling system malfunction
A malfunction in the engine cooling system
must be repaired as soon as possible .
If the . symbol flashes in the display, either
t he eng ine cool ant
temperature is too h igh or
the eng ine coolant
level is too low . A dr iver
message appears as well to explain the mal
function in more detail. The d rive r warning
goes out afte r about 5 seconds, but it ca n be
b rought up a t any time by p ress ing the
!SE TI
button again.
Turn off engine and ch eck coolant l evel
• Pull off the road .
• Stop the vehicle .
• Turn off the engine.
• Check coo lant level¢
page 240.
• Add coolant if ne cessa ry ¢ page 241 .
• Co ntin ue d riving only after the eng ine cool
ant warn ing/ indicato r light goes o ut.
• Contact your a uthorized Audi dea ler for as-
sistance if necessary.
If the engine coolant level is co rrec t, then the
radia tor fan may be the cause o f the malf unc
tion .
A WARNING
-If your veh icle should break down for
mechanical or other reasons, park at a
safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the engi ne and turn on the hazard
wa rning lights ¢
page 52, Emergency
flash ers.
-
- Never open the hood if you see or hea r
steam o r coolant esca ping from the en
gine compa rtme nt - you risk being s cald
ed. Wait until you can no longe r see or
hear steam or coo lant es caping.
- T he e ngine compartmen t of a ny veh icle
is a dan gerous area. Before you perform
any wor k in the engine compartment,
t ur n of the engine and allow it to coo l.
Follow the wa rning stickers ¢
page 226,
Engine compartment.
(D Note
Do not continue driv ing if the . symbo l
ill um inates . There is a mal function in the
engine cooling system -you could damage
your engine.
"l:::r. Engine oil pressure malfunction
T he red engine oil pressure warning symbol
requires immediate service or repair. Driving with a low
oil pressure indication is likely to
cause severe engine damage .
If the . symbo l on the disp lay flashes, the
engine oil pressure is too low. A driver mes
sage appears as we ll to exp la in the malfunc
t io n in more detail. The dr iver warning goes
o ut afte r abo ut 5 seconds , but it can be
brought up at any t ime by p ressing the
~ 1s =ET= I
button ag ain.
Turn off engin e! O il pressure too low
• Stop the vehicle.
• Turn the engine off.
• Chec k the engine o il level ¢
page 238 .
• Contact yo ur au thorized Aud i deale r for as-
sistance if necessa ry.
Eng ine oil level too low
If the engine oil level is too low, add engine
o il
¢page 238.
Engine oil leve l correct
If the symbol . flashes even tho ugh the en
gine oil leve l is correct, please contact your
nearest authori zed Aud i Dea ler for assistance.
Do not continue dr iving . Do not leave the en
gine running
idle, either .
(D Tips
- The engine oil pressure symbol. is
not an indicator for a low eng ine oil lev
e l. Do not rely on it. Instead, check the
oil level in your engine at regular inter
vals, preferably each time you refuel, and always before going on a long trip .
Warm and cold Climate control
Description
The climate control system warms, cools and
adds humidity to the a ir in the veh icle inter io r.
It is the most effect ive when the windows and
panoramic sliding sunroo f* are closed . If
there is a build-up of heat inside the vehicle,
venti lation can help to speed up the cooling
process.
I n all heating mode f unctions except
defrost,
the blower on ly switches to a higher speed
once the engine coolant has reached a certain
temperature.
Condensation from the cooling system can
drip and form a puddle of water under the vehicle. This is normal and does not mean there
is a leak.
Pollutant filter
The po llutant filte r removes po llutants s uch
as dust and pollen from the air.
The air pollutants filte r must be changed at
the in tervals specified in you r Wa rranty
&
Main tenance book let, so tha t the air condi
tioner can properly work.
I f you drive you r vehicle in an area with h igh
a ir po llution, the fi lter may need to be
ch anged more freq uent ly than specified in
your Aud i Warranty
& Ma intenance booklet. If
i n doubt, ask your authorized A udi Service Ad
visor for advice .
K ey coded settings
The climate con trol settings are automat ically
stored and assigned to the remote cont ro l key
that is in use .
& WARNING
Reduced visibility is dangero us and can
cause accidents . -
Warm and cold 79
-For safe driving it is very important that
all windows be free of ice, snow and con
densat ion.
- Comp letely fam iliarize yourse lf with the
proper use and funct ion of the heat ing
and ve nti lation system and especially
how to defog and defrost the w indows.
- Never use the windshield wiper/washer
system in freez ing weather unt il you
have warmed the w indshield first, using
the heating and ventilation system. The
washer sol ution may free ze o n the wind
shie ld and red uce visib ility.
(D Note
- If you suspect that the air conditioner has been damaged, switch the system
off to avoid furt her damage and have it
i n spected by a q ua lified dea lership.
- Repairs to the Audi air conditioner re
quire specia l techni cal know ledge and
speci al tools. Contact an autho rized Aud i
dealer fo r ass istance.
@ For the sake of the environment
B y reduci ng the amou nt of f uel you use,
you also red uce the amount of pollutan ts
emitted in to the air.
(D Tips
- Keep the air intake s lots ( in fro nt of the
w indshield) free from ice, snow and de
br is in order to maintai n the proper f unc
tion of the climate control system.
- T he energy management system may
switch the seat heating* or rear window
defroster off temporar i Ly . These systems
are available again as soon as the energy
balance has been restored.
- The air flowing out of the vents and
throughout the vehicle's entire interior is
discharged at the rear of the ve hicle.
Make sure that the outlet slots are not
covered by clothing, etc.
on the time of year, people inside the ve
hicle can be exposed to very high or very
low temperatures .
0 Note
Avoid high engine rpm, full throttle and
heavy engine loads until the engine has
reached operating temperature -other-
wise you risk engine damage.
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not let the engine run while parked to
warm up . Begin driving immediately. This
reduces unnecessary emissions.
@ Tips
- After starting a cold engine, there may
be a brief period of increased noise be
cause the oil pressure must first build up in the hydraulic valve adjusters . This is
normal and not a cause for concern .
- If you leave the vehicle with the ignition
switched on, the ignition will switch off
after a certain period of time . Please
note that electrical equipment such as
exterior lights will switch off as well
when that happens .
Switching engine off
App lies to vehicles: with Conve nie nce key
"" Bring your vehicle to a complete stop.
... Move the selector lever to the P or N posi
tion.
"" Press the
!START ENGINE STOPI button
r:::;, page 86, fig. 100 .
Steering lock
The steering locks when you turn the engine
off using the
I S TAR T ENGINE STOP I button
and open the d river 's doo r. T he locked steer
ing helps prevent vehicle theft.
Emergency off
If necessary, the engine can be switched off
with the selector lever in the R or D/S posi
tions. To do so , step on the brake pedal and
press and hold the
I START ENGINE STOP I but-
On the road 87
ton. The vehicle speed must be less than 6
mph/ 10 km/h.
A WARNING
- Never turn off the engine before the ve
hicle has come to a complete stop . The
full function of the brake booster and the power steering is not guaranteed . You
must use more force to turn or brake if
necessary . Because you cannot steer and
brake as you usually would, this could
lead to crashes and serious injuries.
- For safety reasons, you should always
park your vehicle with the selector lever
in P . Otherwise, the vehicle could inad
vertently roll away.
- The radiator fan can continue to run for
up to 10 minutes even after you have
turned off the engine and removed the ignition key. The radiator fan can also
turn on again if the engine coolant heats
up because of intense sunlight or heat
build-up in the engine compartment.
- Always take the key with you whenever you leave your vehicle. Otherwise, the
engine could be started or electrical
equipment such as the power windows
could be operated. This can lead to seri
ous inJury.
- Never leave children or persons requiring
assistance unattended in the vehicle. The
doors can be locked using the remote
transmitter, preventing people from es
caping from the vehicle on their own in
the event of an emergency. Depending
on the time of year, people inside the ve hicle can be exposed to very high or very
low temperatures.
(D Note
If the engine has been under heavy load
for an extended period, heat builds up in
the engine compartment after the engine is switched off -there is a risk of damaging
the engine. Allow the engine to run at idle
for about two minutes before switching it
off .
214 Trailer towing
• Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
• Always apply brakes early .
• Monitor the temperature gauge.
W eig ht distribution
Towing a loaded tra ile r with an empty car re
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight . If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
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
b le, while keeping the trailer as light as possi
ble under the circumstances. Whenever possi
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com
partment of the tow vehicle wh ile observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed . Re
duce your speed eve n mo re if load, weathe r or
wind condi tions are unfavorable -part icu larly
when going dow nhill.
Reduce vehicle speed immediately if the t rail
e r shows the slightest sign of swaying. Do not
tr y to s top the sw ayin g by acce ler atin g.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing trailers are lower tha n for
regula r vehicles.
Always apply brakes early . When driv ing
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en
g ine b raking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of
the brakes alone can cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
T he coolant temperature gauge
c:> page 10
must be observed carefully . If the needle
moves close to the upper end of the scale , re
duce speed immed iate ly and/or turn off the
a ir cond itione r. If the coolant temperature warning light in
the instr ument 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
i ng vehicle is at a much greater risk in a n
accident . Never let anyone ride in your ca r
who is not p roperly wea ring the rest raints
p rov ided by Audi.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles d ifferently when towing
-
a trai ler because of the additional weight and
different weight distr ibut ion. Safety, perform
ance and economy will greatly depend on how ca refully you load your trai ler and ope rate
you r rig.
Befo re you actually tow your tra iler, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area
away from t raffic. Keep pract ic ing unt il you
have become completely familiar wit h the way
yo ur vehicle-tra iler combination behaves and
responds.
Backi ng up is difficult and requ ires practice.
Backi ng up w ith a t railer gene rally requires
stee ring action opposite to tha t when backing
u p you r vehicle witho ut a tr ailer.
Maintai n a greater d ista nce between your ve
hicle and the one in front of you. You w ill need
more room to stop. To compensate fo r the
t railer, you w ill need a larger than normal
tu rning rad ius.
When passing, remembe r that you cannot ac
ce le rate as fas t as you no rma lly would be
ca use of the added load. Make sure yo u have
enough room to pass . After passing, a llow
plenty of room for yo ur trailer before cha ng
ing lanes again.
Avoid jer ky s tarts, sharp t urns o r rapid lane
changes.
234 Checking and filling
-Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of automatic trans- mission to P (Park).
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of 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 fluids on hot engine compo
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool
ant system is pressurized and hot cool ant could spray out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
- Do not remove the engine cover under
any circumstances. This increases the
risk of burns.
- If work on the fuel system or the electri
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or
open flames. Fluids in the engine com
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal 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 repair
with the engine running: -
First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever of automatic trans
mission to P (Park).
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
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 wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards
c:> &, .
&_ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con
tain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac
cessories contain 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 fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam
age to vehicle systems will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly. If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu
ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au
thorized Audi dealer.
240 Checking 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-based coolant additive Gl3 ant ifreeze
with anticorros ion add itives (SO% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian models). This mix
ture both assures the necessary frost protec
tion and protects metal components in the
engine's cooling system from corrosion and
scaling. It also 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
proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50% but not more than 60%
to main
tain antifreeze protection and cooling efficien
cy. If the coolant frost protection is too low,
the coolant could freeze and damage the veh i
cle heating and engine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- - 31 °F ( - 35°() USA
- - 40°F ( - 40°() Canada .
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
c:> &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 233.
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant addit ive in
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli
mate cond itions. This is especially impor
tant if you live in a region where the w in- ter
is extreme ly cold . If necessary, in
crease the proportion of coolant additive
to 60%.
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system, remember:
- We recommend using only coolant ad
ditive Gl2++ or Gl3 for your vehicle.
This coolant additive is available at au
thorized Audi dealers. Other types of
antifreeze can significantly reduce cor
rosion protection. The resulting corro
sion can ca use a loss of coolant and se
rious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of radiator leak seal
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant .
Add ing radiator repair fluid may adverse
ly affect the function and performance of
your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance .
Fig. 199 Engine compartment : cover on t he coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anyth ing in the engine com
partment,
always read and heed all WARN
INGS c:> &. in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 233 .
.. Park your vehicle on a level surface .
.. Turn off the ignition .
.. Read the engine coolant level from the
coolant expansion tank
c:> fig. 199,
c:> page 235, fig. 196 . With a cold engine,
the coolant level should be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings. When the