182 Intelligent technology
-On wet road surfaces , be careful not to
dr ive too fast because the front wheels
cou ld beg in to slide on top of the water
(aquaplaning). If this should occur, you
will have no warning from a sudden in
c rease in engine speed as with a front
wheel drive vehicle. A lways d rive at
s peeds w hich a re suited to the road con
di tions -ris k of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimi zes the
availabili ty of elec trical energy for s tarting
t he engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system
is not driven for a long period of time, the bat
te ry is d ischarged by idling current consumers
(e.g . immobilizer) . In certain ci rcumstances it
can result i n there bei ng ins ufficient ene rgy
ava ilab le to start th e engi ne .
Intell igen t energy management in y our veh i
cle hand les the d istribution of electrical ener
gy. Starting ab ility is markedly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
Basically, energy management consists of
battery diagnos is , idling current manage
ment
and dynamic en ergy management .
Battery diagnosis
Battery d iagnosis continuously determ ines
the state of the battery. Sensors determ ine
battery vo ltage, ba tte ry current and battery
temperature . This dete rm ines the current
state of charge and the powe r of the battery.
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is stand ing.
W ith the igni tion switched off, it cont ro ls the
energy s upply to the va rious e lectr ica l compo
n ents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid
e red. D
epend ing on the ba tte ry's state o f cha rge ,
indivi dual cons umers a re g radually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of t he battery
and th us maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehi cle is being d riven, dynami c en
ergy management distr ibutes the energy gen
erated accord ing to t he needs of the indivi du
al components . It regulates consumption, so
t h at more electrical energy is not being used
t h an is be ing generated and ensures an opti
mal state of charge fo r the battery .
(D Tips
-But even ene rgy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
t ha t the powe r and life of a battery are
limited.
- If start ing ability is t hreatened , the indi
cator light(•) appears ~
page 17.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severe ly taxed in short-d istance
driv ing, in city traff ic and during the cold time
of yea r. Ab undant electrical e nergy is re
quired, but on ly a little is generated . It is also
c rit ical if th e engi ne is no t ru nning and e lectri
ca l c ompone nts are t urned on . In this in
sta nce ene rgy is be ing consumed but none i s
being gene ra ted .
It is in prec isely these s ituations that you will
not ice ene rgy management a ct ive ly reg ulat
in g t he di stribu tion of ene rgy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of seve ral days or weeks , e lectr ica l compo
n ents a re g radually cut bac k or sw itched off.
T h is reduces energy consump tion and ma in
ta in s start ing c apabili ty over a longer pe riod .
Some of the convenience func tions may not
opera te, such as t he interio r lights or the
power seat adjustme nt. The convenience
ll-
functions will be available again when you
switch on the ignition and start the engine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the eng ine turned off or use othe r MM I fu nc
tions, the battery is being discha rged.
I f starting capability is jeopardized due to en
e rgy consumpt ion, the fo llow ing warning ap
pears in the MMI disp lay :
Plea se start the eng ine soon or th e sys tem
w ill b e turn ed off .
The warning ind icates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 m inutes . If
you wish to cont inue us ing the functions , you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is be ing driven, the battery can be
come discharged . Th is happens mostly when
little energy is be ing generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is no t optimal.
To br ing the energy balance back into equili
b rium, consumers which require especially
l arge amounts of energy are tempo rarily cut
back or swit ched off. Heating systems in par
ticular requ ire a g reat dea l o f energy. If you
notice, fo r example, that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they have been temporari ly cut back or switched
off. These systems will be ava ilab le again as
soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You will a lso notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly . This is norma l and not
a cause for concern . By increasing engine idle
speed the add itiona l energy required is gener
ated and the battery is charged.
Int ellig ent technolog y 183
•
•
A WARNING ,~
After driving through water, mud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re
store the full brak ing effect.
([) Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspension or electrical sys
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through wate r.
@ Tips
- Check the depth of the water before dr iv
i ng through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, dr ive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
th rough water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may create waves that raise the water
level and make it too deep for you r vehi
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid dr iving through salt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Warming up and
cooling down
By carefully warming up and cooling down
your vehicle, you can he lp ensure that it is not
overstressed unnecessarily during sporty driv ing.
When warming up, the vehicle is driven at a maximum engine speed of 6000 RPM in order
to raise the engine oil temperature to a mini mum of 140 °F (60 °C) . The tires also only
reach their full road holding capability once
they have warmed up .
The cooling fan can continue to run in your ve h icle after the engine is switched off. Howev
er, driving the vehicle to cool it down is part ic
ularly important . Du ring sporty driving, the
engine and brakes, the exha ust system, and
the transm ission all become ext remely hot.
Before you park the vehicle, you shou ld drive
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 185
it for a few miles/kilometers at light load in
the low rpm range to allow it to cool down.
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission con
trol system (catalytic converter) is function
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run
ning in on environmentally sound manner.
"" Always use lead-free gasoline c> page 202,
Fuel supply.
"" Never run the tank down all the way to emp
ty.
"" Never put too much motor o il in your engine
<=> page 212, ~ Adding engine oil .
""Never try to push- or tow-sta rt you r vehicle.
The catalyt ic converter is an efficient "clean
up" device bui lt into the exhaust system of
the ve hicl e. The cata lytic conve rter bu rns
many of t he pollutants in the exha ust gas be
fo re t hey are re leased into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fue l is critically
important for the life of the catalyt ic convert
er and proper funct ion ing of the engine.
A WARNING ~
- The temperature of the exhaust system
is high, both when driving and after stop
ping the engine.
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once they have become hot . This could result
in burns .
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot exha ust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material wh ich can
cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con
verter or heat shields . Dur ing driving, the
substanc e used fo r undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire. •
•
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
""Try and keep well below your car's maximum
speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
Fu el consumption, exhaust emissions and en
g ine noise increase disproportionately at high
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed limit and weather con
ditions permit .
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
""Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
"" Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut
off the engine in traff ic
jams, when waiting for trains to pass at ra il
road crossings, or at traffic lights that have
l ong wa its on red. Turning the engine
off for
just
30-40 seconds saves more fue l than is
burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle. However, wear
and noxious emissions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
(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 cou ld result in over-
Driving and environment 187
'
heating or othe r damage to the vehicle or
other property.
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
""H ave your veh icle serviced at regular inter-
vals.
By having your vehicle regu larly serviced by an
au thorized Aud i dea ler helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economic all y. The condition
of your veh icle not on ly affects its safety and
ability to hold its va lue, it a lso affects
fuel
consumption .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of o il 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 oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l consumption and en
gine output.
(U) 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.
- 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 .
•
•
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 .
A 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 189
- Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing effic iency¢
page 178. 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 t his is required depends on:
- How much the veh icle is used
- Where the veh icle is parked (garage, in the
open under trees, etc.)
- The seasonal and weather conditions
- Environmental infl uences
T he longer b ird droppings, insects, tree resin,
road and indus tria l gr ime, ta r, soot, road salt
and other materials remain on the vehicle
body, the more lasting their destructive ef
fects wi ll be . High temperatures caused by ex
posure to intense sun light intens ify the corro
s ive effect, particularly when humid ity is high
as well.
Under certain circumstances,
weekl y washing
may be necessary. Under other cond itions, a
monthly washing and waxing may be ade
quate .
After the winter, the underside of the vehicle
should be thoroughly washed, preferab ly in a
professional car wash .
Vehicles with matte finish paint¢
page 192 .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information¢
page 189.
•
•
(D Note
-Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the vehicle is dry. Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, since this
could scratch your vehicle's pa int or w in
dows .
- Never wash your car in bright sunlight.
Drops of water act as magnifying lenses
and may damage your paint.
- When you wash your car in the w inter: if
you r inse your vehicle w ith a hose, be
careful not to aim the stream of water
direct ly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings - they can free ze shut.
- Never use sponges des igned to remove
i nsects, or any kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products. They can damage
you r paint finish.
- Never use a dry cloth o r sponge to clean
the headligh ts. On ly use we t cloths or
sponges to prevent scratches.
It i s best
to use soapy wate r.
- You sho uld remove debris (su ch as in
sects) from the head ligh t lenses on a
r egular basis, for example when refuel
ing your vehicle . Never use a dry cloth or
sponge to clean the head lights. Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent
scratches.
It is best to use soapy water.
@ For the sake of the environment
On ly wash the vehicle in facilit ies specially
designed for that purpose. Th is w ill reduce
the risk of d irty water contaminated with
oil from entering the sewer system. In
some areas, wash ing vehicles outs ide of
these facilit ies is prohib ited.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high
pressure power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple rules .
~ Before us ing the powe r washe r, make sure
yo u have re ad an d u nderstood the WARN-
Cleaning and protec tion 19 1
INGS ¢ A in General information on
page 189 .
~ Always follow the operating instr uctions for
the power washer.
~ Make sure that the jet on the spray hose pro
duces a "fan shaped sp ray" .
~ Do not hold the sp ray nozzle too close to
soft mater ials .
Never use a pow er washer to clean the power
top itself.
Keep a distance from soft materia ls s uch as
rubber hoses or insulating material as well as
sensors and camera lenses.
When cleaning the vehicle with a power was h
er
always follow the operating instructions .
This applies part icu larly to the operating pres
sure and the spraying d istance. Do not point
the spray d irectly at the seals around the s ide
windows, around the doo rs, on the rea r lid or
o n the powe r top. Likewise, do not po int it di
re ct ly at tires, rubbe r hoses, insulat io n ma te
ria l or senso rs
¢ page 193. Hold the spray
nozzle at leas t 1.3 ft (0. 4 m) away from the
vehicle.
Do no t use a high-p ressu re power was her to
remove snow and i ce .
Do not use a jet which sprays water in a d irect
stream o r one that has a rotat ing jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F (60
°() .
A WARNING
Neve r wash t ires with a jet t hat sprays wa
ter in a direct stream . Thi s could cause in
v isi ble d amage to the t ire s and weaken
them, even if the spr ay is from a re lative ly
l ong dis tance and for a sho rt time. Dam
aged and weakened tires can fail and cause
accidents and personal in jury.
([) Note
- Never use a power washer to clean the
powe r top itse lf .
•
•
192 Cleaning and protection
-To a void damaging yo ur vehicle, always
make sure that there is sufficient dis
tance between the spray head and soft
mater ials like rubber hoses, p lastic parts
and sound-deaden ing mater ials as well
as sensors and camera lenses . Never aim
the spray head at t he same po int for a
l ong time. This also app lies to cleaning
headlights and painted bumpers . Re
member: the cl oser the nozzle is to the
su rface o f the materia l, the greater the
stress on the mate rial.
Caring for vehicles with matte finish
paint
Ap plies to vehicles: with matte finish pa int
Vehicles with matte finish point require spe
cial core due to the characteristics of the
poin t.
Washing by hand
To avoid damag ing the pa int when wash ing,
f irst remove dust and large particles from
your ve hicle . Insects, g rease spots and finger
prints are best removed with a special cleaner
for matte finish paint .
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use
too m uch pressure.
R inse the vehicle t ho roughly with wa ter. Clean
the vehicle sta rting at the top and working to
ward the bottom using a
neutral shampoo
and a soft mi crofiber cloth . Stop frequently to
rinse t he cloth thoroughly.
C lean the w heels and sill panels last. Use a
clean
s ponge on these areas .
R in se the veh icle tho roughly aga in and let i t
a ir dry . If there are any wa ter spots, t hey ca n
be removed using a
leather cloth.
C lean again with t he special cleaner for matte
fini sh paint
if ne cessa ry.
Removing stubborn dirt
Bird dropping s or tree sap
are best removed
with plenty of water a nd a m icrofiber cloth. You should
rinse off
ga soline re sidue immed i
ate ly wit h plenty of water.
A WARNING
-
- Wash your vehicle only when the ign ition
is switched off to reduce the risk of a
crash.
-Always read and heed a ll WAR NINGS and
other information
c';> page 189.
(D Note
- Do not treat veh icle parts pa inted with
matte finish paint using polishing mate
r ia ls or hard wax . These p roducts could
cause damage to the appearance or s ur
face that cannot be repaired.
- Never use protective wax . It can destroy
the matte f inish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with
matte finish paint . The paint could be
damaged w hen the stickers or magnets
are removed.
'
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash
the vehicle in d irect sunlight.
- To prevent damage to the pa int surface,
do not use insect remova l sponges ,
rough k itchen spo nges or sim ila r items.
- You should remove deb ris (such as i n
sects) from the headlight lenses o n a
regu lar basis, for example w he n r efuel
ing your vehicle . Only clea n the head
ligh ts u sing a wet cloth or sponge, neve r
a dry one. Clean ing wi th so apy wate r is
recommended .
{D Tips
For more inform ation on special clea ning
p rodu cts designed fo r m att e fin ish pain t,
see your Aud i deale r.
Power top care
The power top requires special care.
K eep ing you r top looking great and mak ing
c e rtain that it lasts a long time depend to a
great ex ten t on prope r use an d ca re. Remove .,.
bird d ropp ings as soon as possib le, since the
corrosive chemica ls in them wi ll cause the
rubber impregnat ion in your top to swell and
possibly allow the fabric to leak.
With
normal soiling , all yo u need to do is
clear the top with a soft brush and clear wa
ter . Always brush in the direction of the fabric
from front to rear.
If the top is
very dirty and has spotted areas
clean it with a brush using a convertible top
cleaner . Always brush in the direction of the
fabric from front to rea r. Rinse w ith plenty of
clear water, and allow the top to air-dry .
Chamo is are not suitable for drying the top .
Never use gasoline, spot remover, benze ne,
pa int thinner or so lvents to remove spo ts. We
recommend that you only use cleaners espe
cially formu lated for use on convertible tops ,
and that you follow the produce use di rections
caref ully. Authori zed A udi deals can p rovide
deta iled information.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information on ¢
page 189.
Never use a high-pressure power washer to
clean the power top.
Wind deflector
App lies to vehicles: with wind deflector
Clear the wind deflector with water or, if it is
heav ily soiled, a chemically neutra l cleaning
solut io n.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
t he information on
¢page 189.
Sensors and camera lenses
-Remove snow wi th a hand brush and remove
ice with a de-icing spray that does not con
ta in solvents .
Cleaning and protec tion 193
- Clean the sensors (adap tive c ruise control *,
parking system *) with a cleaning so lution
that does not contain so lvents and a soft
cloth.
@ Note
- If you wash your vehicle with a press ure
washer,
- make sure there is enough d istance to
sensors in the rear bumper.
- do not clean the camera lenses and the area a round them with the p ress ure
washer.
- N ever use warm o r hot wate r to remove
snow or ice from the came ra lens . This
c ou ld cause t he lens to crack.
- N ever clean the camera lens with abra
sive products .
Waxing and Polishing
Waxing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle paint
to a la rge ex ten t agains t the envi ronmental
f a ctors lis ted under ¢
page 189, Washing and
even against s light scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to protect yo ur
paint as soon as one wee k afte r you r vehicle
has been delivered.
Even if you regularly use a
wa xing process in
a utomat ic car washes, we recommend that
yo u manually a pply a coat o f wax to g ive the
pain t ex tra protection, par ticu larly if water no
longer beads on t he clean paint.
P rotect plast ic body parts w ith car wax in the
same w ay as the veh icle body .
During warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the fo r
ward a rea of the hood. They are much easier
to remove from pa int that is waxed
often .
Polishing
Polish your vehicle only if the paint has lost its
shine and the gloss cannot be brought back
with wax . ..., •
•