on a slope w ithout the veh icle tipping over
sideways (depends on center of gravity). Maxi m um permitted latera l ang le: 35°
Breakover angle
I ndicates the angle up to whi ch the veh icle
can drive ove r a ramp at low speed w it h out
the unde rside of the vehicle hitting the edge
of the ramp.
- Vehicl es with out air spring s: maximum
breakover ang le: 21, 1 °
- Vehicl es with adaptive air su sp ension* :
maximum b reakove r angle: 23.8° (at h igh
l evel 2)
Approach /d eparture angle
Transition from the horizontal p lane to a gra
d ient or from a grade bac k to level ground . In
d ic a tes the angle up to which the vehicle can
drive onto or off a slope at low speed wi thout
striking the bumper or the underbody.
- Vehicl es without air spring s: maximum ap
proach/depart ure angle: 21.0° (front),
23.4 ° (rear)
- Vehicl es with adaptiv e air su sp ension* :
maximum approach/departu re angle at high
l evel 2 : (front) 23,5°, (rear) 25 .4°
Ground clearance
The distance between the road surface and
the lowest po int of the ve hicle underbody .
-Vehicles w ithout air spring s: ground clear
ance: 8 .1 in (204.8 mm)
- Vehicles w ith adapti ve air suspension *:
maximum ground clearance: 9 .4 i n
(239 .8 mm) at high level 2
A WARNING
Exceeding the stated maximum figures
can result in severe injuries or ve hicle dam
age.
- All the information was gathered on lev
el, firm and non-slippery road surfaces,
and unde r dry wea ther conditions.
- Ideal conditions do not p revail offroad.
Never utilize the maximum read ings to
Driving off road 239
their f ullest, always leave a safety re
serve.
Driving tips
On poor road and offroad, there is always on
ly one motto: Plan ahead and drive slowly!
Please obse rve the fo ll ow ing when d riving
away from paved roads :
.,. Drive on ly on roads and offroad sections
which ma tch the design of yo ur vehicle and
your abilities as a driver. Never take r isks!
.,. Drive slow ly and plan ahead!
.,. Take into consideration the
ground clear
an ce
of your vehicle .
.,. Act ivate the
ESC off road mode q page 225
as needed.
.,. Use the
hill descent control q page 226
when dr iv ing down steep sections on h ills .
Unpa ved ro ads and offroad
Drive slowly on unfamiliar roads and unknown
offroad section s, and look out for unexpected
obstacles (e .g. po tholes, rocks, tree s tumps,
etc .) .
To prevent the vehicle from bottoming and
avo id damage to the underbody, you should
drive straight across severe bumps in the
ground with only one side of the veh icle so
that only two of your whee ls cross the bumps .
Drive b risk ly through sandy or marshy offroad
sec tions and do not stop, i f at all possible .
Driving throu gh wate r
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when d riving through water, for examp le on
flooded roads:
- The wa ter must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body .
- Do not dr ive faste r tha n walk ing speed .
Driving on a slope
If you ever find yourself not able to climb a
s lope, do not try to turn around , drive back
down in
r e ver se . Otherwise, you run the r isk
of tipp ing ove r. ..,.
•
•
chains, make sure they will not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The cha ins shou ld cross under the trai le r
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch.
(D Note
If you are going to tow a trailer, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
¢page 159, Towing a trailer.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core and consideration.
To obtain the best poss ible handling of vehicle
and traile r, p lease note the following:
.,. Do not tow a loaded tra iler whe n your car it
self is not loaded.
.,. Be especially careful when passing other
vehicles .
.. Observe speed limits.
.. Do not d rive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Tow ing a loaded trai ler with an empty ca r re
sults in a high ly unstable distribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
l ow 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 permiss i
ble, 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-
Trailer towing 243
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable - particularly
when going downhill.
Red uce veh icle speed
immediately if the trail
er shows the slightest sign of sway ing.
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds
f or vehicles towing trailers are lower than for
regular vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downh ill, shift into a lowe r 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 your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
prov ided by Audi .
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
-
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
a trai ler because of the additional weight and
different weight distr ibution. Safety, perform
ance and economy will great ly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig.
Before you actua lly tow your tra iler, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
•
•
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 245
- Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing effic iency¢
page 228, 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 seasona l 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 245.
•
•
258 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Winter operation
At temperatures below 20° F (-7° C), Diesel
fuel No.
2 loses its fluidity due to wax separa
tion, which may clog the fuel filter or tank fil
ter and keep the engine from running .
To help the filter from being clogged by wax,
the fue l filter in your vehicle is automatically
preheated. Preheating the fuel filter makes
operation of your vehicle possible with Diesel
fuel No. 2 down to -10° F (-24° C).
If you expect temperatures below
5° F
(-15° C)
ask your fuel dealer whether their
Diese l fuel No.
2 is sufficiently winterized for
the prevailing and expected temperatures.
If not winterized or insufficiently winterized
Diesel fuel has already thickened to the extent
that the engine will not start, warm the vehi
cle up by leaving it in a heated garage.
It is normal that the engine noise leve l (die
seling) is louder during the warm-up period in
winter. It is also norma l when whitish-blue
smoke comes out of the tailpipe after starting
and during warm-up . The amount of smoke
depends on the outs ide temperature.
Do not let your Diese l engine idle unnecessari
ly after a cold start. Driving off slowly will
shorten the warm-up period.
A WARNING
- Never use "starting assist fluids." They
may be potent ially explosive or cause a
"run-away" engine condition. This could
result in ser ious engine damage and per
sonal injur y.
- Never use fuel line anti-freeze offered for
gasoline engines.
(D Note
- Your Diesel engine has been specifically designed to operate only on Ultra Low
Sulfur Diesel fuel. Therefore, never use
home heating oil or regular gasoline. The
properties of these fuels may cause seri
ous damage to the fuel injection system
and to the engine. Using these fuels can
-
cause expensive engine repairs and will
also adversely affect your New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
- If Diesel fuel sho uld get on any rubber
hose, it must be wiped off immediately.
Then wash the contaminated hose por
tion with soap and warm water. Do not allow D iesel fuel to remain on connect
ing hoses . They may develop leaks and
cause serious damage.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the power locking system shou ld fail, you
can still open the flap manua lly -for detailed
instructions see ¢
page 261.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve
hicle in
Technical Data ¢page 322 .
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap
te lls you the correct fuel for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see ¢
page 256.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refuel
ling vapo r recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fue l vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you refuel your vehicle. In order to fi ll the tank
proper ly while protecting the environment,
please fo llow this refueling procedure careful
ly.
A WARNING
-Under normal operating conditions, never
carry addit ional fuel conta iners in your car .
Gas canisters and other conta iners used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such con
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision.
If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower,
snow blower, etc., be very careful and al
ways observe loca l and state laws regard
ing the use, transportation and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the ..,.
oils available today provide better engine lu
brication that can outlast traditional petrole
um-based oils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleumbased engine oil, the oil that you use must
conform to Audi's oil quality standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine) to
help keep your vehicle's engine running
smoothly and help prevent the formation of harmful deposits , sometimes called "sludge,"
that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of printing, engine oils available in
the U .S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or VW 507 00
(vehicles with diesel engine) are synthetic en
gine oils. This does not mean, however, that
every synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil
standard VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline
engine) or VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel
engine). So always be sure that you use an ap
proved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful de posits use only oil with the following specifi
cations printed on the oil container :
-Audi oil standard VW 502 00 (gasoline en
gine)
- Audi oil standard VW 507 00 (diesel en-
gine)
Oil container labels may carry the specifica
tion singly or in combination with other desig
nations and oil quality standards.
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their vis
cosity . The proper viscosity grade oil for your
engine depends on climactic or seasonal con
ditions where you drive. You can use oil with a
viscosity grade of SAE SW40 ac ross all tem
perature ranges for normal driving conditions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE
SW40 is not available, you can also use viscos
ity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as
it meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00
Checking and filling 267
(vehicles with gasoline engine) or VW 507 00
(vehicles with diesel engine) specifications.
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil
standard may not be available everywhere
when you need it, we strongly recommend
that you always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that expressly conforms to the
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine) spec
ification, in case you have to top
off the oil
while on the road.
Applies to vehicles with gasoline engine on
ly: Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick -and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 502 00 specificat ions is available - may
you top
off with a high quality engine oil, pref
erably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3
or API SM specifications, but even then, only in viscosity grades SAE SW-40, SAE SW-30, or
SAE OW-40 . However, during the entire time
between oil change intervals, never top off
with more than a total of 0.5 qt/liter engine
oil that does not conform to Audi oil specifica
tion VW 502 00.
Applies to vehicles with diesel engine only:
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the
minimum mark on the oil dipstick - and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard
VW 507 00 spec ifications is available - may
you top
off with a high quality engine oil, that
meets ACEA C3 or API CF specifications, but
even then, only in viscosity grades SAE
5W-40, SAE 5W-30, or SAE OW-40. However,
during the entire time between oil change in
tervals, never top off with more than a total
of 0 .5 qt/liter engine oil that does not con
form to Audi oil specification VW S07 00.
For more information about engine oil that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact either your authori zed Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834
or visit our web si te at www.audiusa .com or
www .audicanada .ca. Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand
names etc.) that conform to Audi oil standard
lilJJ,,
•
•
268 Checking and filling
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles with diesel engine).
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed
according to the m ileage (ki lometers) and
time intervals specified in your vehicle 's War
ranty
& Maintenance booklet. Do not exceed
these intervals -harmful deposits from old
engine oil can reduce engine performance and
can lead to expensive engine repairs.
Changing the oil at the recommended inter
va ls is so very important because the lubricat
ing properties o f oi l decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when
you have your o il changed, ask your author
i z ed Audi Service Advisor.
Under some ci rcumstances the engine oi l
should even be changed more frequently .
Change oi l more often if you drive mostly
short distances, operate the vehicle in dusty
areas or mostly under stop-and-go traffic con
d itions, or when you use your vehicle w here
temperatures stay below freez ing point for
l ong periods .
Detergent additives in the o il w ill make fresh
oil look dark after the engine has been run
ni ng for a short time . This is normal and is not
a reason to change the oil more often than
recommended.
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of
maintenance
It is essential that you change your oil at the recommended intervals using only engine oil
that complies with Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoli ne engine) or
VW 507 00 (veh icles with diese l engine) . Your
Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malf unctio ns due to failure to fol
lo w recommended maintenance and use re
quirements as set forth in the A udi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
Your dea ler will have to deny warranty cover
age unless you present to the dealer proof in
the form of Service or Repa ir Orders that all scheduled maintenance was
performed in a
timely manner.
Engine oil consumption
To provide effective lubrication and cooling for
internal engine parts, all internal combustion
engines use some o il. Oil consumption varies
from engine to engine and may change over
the life of the engine. Engines tend to use
more o il during the break-in period tha n they
do afterward, when oil consumption has sta
bilized. Depending on the way the vehicle is
driven and the operating conditions, oil con
s u mption can be up to 1 quart per 1,200
miles (1 liter per 2,000 km) . Consumption
may be higher within the first 3,000 m iles
(5,000 km) .
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil con
sumption depends on oil quality as well as vis
cosity, engine speed (rpm), outs ide tempera
ture, road conditions, the amount of oil dilu
t ion caused by condensed water or fue l resi
due, and ox idat ion of the oil. Oil co nsumption
may increase with engine wear over time, un
t il replacement of worn engine pa rts may be
come necessary.
Because of all these variables, there is no
standard or "norma l" rate of oil consumption .
We urge you to check the engine oil level at
regular intervals, preferably every time you
fill the fuel tank, and always before a long
trip.
The oil pressure warning light. is not an
indicator of low engine oil level. If the warn
ing light does not go out after starting, or
flashes while driving (above 1500 rpm), a
buzzer will sound. It indicates that the oil
pressure is too low . Stop the engine immedi·
ately, check the engine oil level and add oil if
necessary. If the engine oil level is normal,
but the light continues to flash, do not keep
driving or let the engine idle, as damage may
occur .
II-
272 Che cking and filling
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- -31° F(-35°C)USA
- - 40 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
_& WARNING
-
Before yo u check anything in the e ngine
compar tment, alw ays read and heed all
WARN INGS
¢.&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 264 .
(D Note
- Befo re win ter se ts in, have the coolan t
che cked to see if t he coolant ad dit ive in
you r vehicle is s ufficien t to mee t the cli
mate conditions. T his is especially impor
tant if yo u live in a region where the w in
ter is extremely co ld. If necessary, in
crease the proport io n of coolant additive
to 60%.
- When adding coolant addit ive to your
cooling system, remember:
- We recommend using only coolant ad
ditive G1 2++ o r G13 fo r your vehicle.
Thi s coo lant add itive is available at au
thorized A ud i dealers. Other types of
antifreeze can significantly reduce cor
rosion protection. The res ulting corro
sion can cause a loss of coo lant and se
r ious eng ine damage.
- Do not add any type of radiator leak sea l
ant to your ve hicle's engine coo lant.
Adding rad iator repair fluid may adve rse
ly affec t the function and perfo rmance of
you r cooling system and could result in
damage not cove red by your New Vehicle
Limited Wa rranty.
Checking the engine coolant level
T he engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance .
Fig . 2 4 7 Engin e compa rtm en t: Coo lant expansio n ta nk
Befo re you check anyth ing in the en gine com
partment,
alway s read and h eed all WARN
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 264.
.,. Park yo ur vehicle on a level surf ace .
.,. Tur n off the ignition.
.,. Let the engine cool down.
.,. Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank ¢
fig. 24 7, ¢ page 266, fig . 243 and
carefull y twist the cap counter-clockwise
¢,&. .
.,. Read the engine coolant level in the open
coo lant expansion ta nk. W ith a cold eng ine,
the coolant level should be between the "min " and "max " mar kings. When t he en
g ine is wa rm, the level may be slightly above
the "max" mark ing.
T he locat ion of the coo lant expansion tan k
c an be see n in the engine compartmen t illu s
t ration
¢ page 266.
T o obtain an accu rate reading, the engine
must be switched off.
The expansion tank in your veh icle is equipped
with an electr ic coo lant level senso r.
When the coolant leve l is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System¢
page 32 will
blink unti l you add coolant and the level has
been resto red to normal. Even though there is
an electric coo lant level senso r, we still rec
ommend you check the coolant level from
time to t ime .
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling
system . In the event of coolant loss, the cool
ing system should be inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not
enough merely to add coolant.
In a
sealed 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 under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of scald
ing 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 fluid and steam by covering the
cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in
a counter-clockwise direction while ap
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill anti freeze or coolant on the exhaust system
or hot engine parts. Under certain condi
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool
ant can catch fire.
(D Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant. Add
ing radiator repair fluid may adversely af
fect the function and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage
not covered by your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
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 page 264.
Checking and filling 273
.. Turn off the engine .
.. Let the engine cool down.
.. Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank
c:;, page 2 72, fig. 247 and carefully
twist the cap counter-clockwise c:;, &, .
.. Add coolant .
.. Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to
exact specificat ions
c:;, page 2 71, Coolant. We
recommend using only coolant additive G12+
+, G13 or in an emergency G12 +. Do
not use a
different additive. In an emergency use plain
water until you can get the correct additive
and can restore the correct ratio. This should
be done as soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of
coolant, then you should add cold antifreeze
and cold water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling .
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Ex
cess coolant will be forced out through the
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
scalding 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 fluid and steam by covering
the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully
in a counter-clockwise direction while
applying light, downward pressure on
the top of the cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill an
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys
tem or hot engine parts. Under certain
conditions, the ethylene glycol in en
gine coolant can catch fire.
- Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store an
tifreeze in its original container and well
out of the reach of children. .,.
•
•