2013 AUDI RS5 CABRIOLET warning

194 Cleaning and protection
If the polish used does not contain preserva ­
tive compounds, the paint must be waxed af­
terwards .
_& WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
r::;, page 189.
([) Note
Do not use car wax on
- matte or anod ized metal trim
- r ubbe r o r r ubbe r-like tr im.
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special core.
For environmenta l reasons, Audi fabricates
the br ight tr im strips and t rim pieces from
pu re chromium-free a luminum.
Dirt and marks on the trim str ips should be
removed with a
pH-balanced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleaner). Author ized
Aud i dealers carry clean ing products which
have been tested for use on your ve hicle and
a re not harm ful to the env ironment.
To avo id corros ion on the exterior tr im str ips,
only a pH-balanced solut ion should be used
fo r the w indshield washe r.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WA RNI NGS and
other inform ation
r::;, page 189.
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special core.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and ligh t surface dir t. For other soil, use
a lukewarm all-purpose clea ning solution or a
mild saddle soap for viny l trim. Remove wate r
spots and tr aces o f so ap wit h a cl ean, damp
cloth or sponge . Use a clean, soft clot h to rub
d ry .
Grease, tar or o il stains can be removed w ith a
cle an cloth or sponge so aked w it h a ll-p urp ose cl
eaner or with a so lvent designed espec ia lly
to clean vinyl.
Oc cas ional ly app ly a colo rless v inyl or le athe r
preserva tive to re tain the m ater ia l's lus ter
and pliability.
A WARNING
'
A lways read and heed all WAR NIN GS a nd
other info rmation
r::;, page 189.
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral -pH products to remove spots
and deposits from a luminum surfaces.
Chrome care products and a lkaline cleaners
will attack a luminum surfaces and can dam­
age them over t ime.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WAR NIN GS and
o ther info rmat ion
r::;, page 189.
Touch-up paint
Minor point damages should be touched up
immediately.
"' Use eit her a touch-up paint stick or spray
pa int to cover m ino r scratches and nicks.
Your a uthorized Audi dea ler has touch-up
paint fo r minor scratches and stone chips.
Scratches should be touched up soon after
they occ ur to prevent corrosion.
If a spot starts to rust, however, a s imple
touch-up job will not be enough. T he affected
su rface must be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti- rust p rime r before the painted
finish can be restored.
The number for the orig inal veh icle pai nt can
be fo und o n the vehicle identification label
r:::;, page 261.
A WARNING ~
Always read a nd heed all WARNI NGS and
other informatio n
r::;, page 189.

Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road
film and car wash wax buildup.
• Remove snow from windows using a brush.
• Use a plastic ice scraper to remove ice from
windows and mirrors.
• Remove other residue on the windows with
a spray-on glass cleaner .
• Wipe the windows dry w ith a clean p iece of
cloth or kitchen paper towel.
The best way to remove snow from windows
and mirrors is to use a brush. Use a non -abra­
sive
p la stic ic e scrap er -better still, a spray
de icer - to remove
ic e from windows and mir­
r ors.
T he windows must not be cleaned with insect
remover or wax s ince these can interfere with
the function of the w indshield wiper blades
(chatter).
O il, grease, or silicone residue can be removed
w ith
glass cleaner or silicon e re mover. H ow­
ever, wax residue requ ires the use of a special­
l y form ulated solvent. P lease contact your au­
thor ized Audi dealer for adv ice on safe prod­
ucts for wax removal.
W indows shou ld a lso be cleaned on the inside
at regular i nterva ls.
Never dry w indows with the same chamois
that you use to dry painted surfaces . Wax resi­
due on the chamois can impair vision through
the windows.
.8, WARNING
- Alw ays re ad and heed all WARN INGS and
other information
~ page 189.
- The windshie ld m ust not be treated with
water-repe llent m aterials. They can i n­
crease glare under poor visib ility condi ­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or whe n
the sun is low on the horizon . In addi­
t ion, they can cause the windshield wip­
ers to chatter.
Cleaning and protec tion
@ Note
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from w indows and mirrors .
Th is could cause the glass to crack.
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
st ickers on the ins ide of the rear w indow
over the wires.
- To help prevent dirt from scratching the window, always scrape in a forward di­
rection - pushing the scraper away from
you - never back and forth.
- Water leak ing from the inside of the rear
w indows may damage sens itive electrical
compone nts located either under the
rear parcel shelf or in the rear trunk area.
Always ensure tha t water never lea ks
t hro ugh the body section of the vehicle.
Yo u can do th is by using waterproof pro ­
tection over the vehicle's electrical com­
ponents (e.g . when install ing window
tinting) .
- Damage or malfunction of electrical
components due to water damage or any
other o utside infl uence is not covered by
the Audi New Veh icle Limited Warranty.
See your Warranty
& Maintenance book ­
let for addit ional details about your war­
ranty.
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
• Wash the wheels with a sponge or hose
brush every other week.
• For deep clean ing afterwards, use on ly a
ded icated
acid-fr ee cast alloy wheel cleaner .
• Rub a coat of
liquid wa x onto the rims every
three month. Be su re to reach and treat all
pa rts of the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels, some special care is neces­
sary. In addi tion to road dirt and salt, brake
dust is also co rrosive . If left on fo r too long,
brake dust can cause pitting.
IJI>
195
•
•

196 Cleaning and protection
Use only special acid -free cleaners form ulated
for a lloy rims. Safe products are available at
your author ized Audi dealer . Never leave the
cleaner on the rims longer than specified on
the label.
If no t rinsed off promptly, the acid
contained in some cleaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bolts .
Never use abras ive or metal polishing clean ­
ing agents. If the protective coating has been
chipped, e .g . by k icked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as poss ible.
A WARNING
- Moist ure and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency ~
page 178. Test the
br ake s ca refully each time you wash the
vehicle.
- Always read and heed all WARNI NGS and
other informa tion ~
page 189.
Body cavity sealing
-
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked.
A ll body cavities wh ich could be affected by
corrosion have been thoroughly protected at
the facto ry.
T his sea ling does not require any inspection or
addit io nal treatment. If any wax should seep
out of the cav ity when the ambient tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed w it h a plastic
scrape r and a su itab le so lven t.
A WARNING
So lvents can be dange rous.
- B enzine is flammable and t oxic.
If you
use benzine for removing the w ax, keep
spar ks, flame and lighted cigaret tes
away. Never dump benzine on t he
ground, into open streams or down sew­
age drains.
- Be sure to observe all safety and env iron­
menta l regulations . Follow all instruc­
t ions on the container.
- Always read and heed all WAR NIN GS and
other information
¢ page 189. Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Aud i is also thor­
oughly protected against cor ros io n.
Any damage to the unde rcoating ca used by
road ha zards should be repaired prompt ly.
A WARNING ....__
Too much undercoating in the wrong p la­
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additional undercoating or
r u stp roof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
ver ter or heat shields. While driving, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overhea t and cause a fire.
- Always read and heed all WAR NINGS and
o ther info rmation ¢
page 189.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and o ther co rrosive materials w ill
damage the mate ria l in the e xhaus t ta il pipes
i f they are not cleaned regular ly . Do not clean
the tail pipes with w hee l cleaner, pa int polish,
c h rome polish or other ab rasive cleane rs .
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
t h at are suitable for sta inless steel.
Your a uthorized Audi dea ler can prov ide clean ­
ing products that have been tested and ap­
proved for your vehicle .
Care of interior
Infotainment components
The Rad io/MM !* disp lay may be cleaned w ith
a soft cloth and comme rcially-ava ilable "LCD
cl eaner". The clot h should be coated lightly
whe n the cleaning solution w hen clea ning t he
display.
T he M MI* con trols m ust be clean ed first wi th
a b rush so tha t dirt does not en ter the uni t or
enter between the buttons an d the housing.
The n wiping the controls with a cloth ..,.

dampened with dish detergent and water is recommended.
(D Note
- To avoid sc ratch ing the disp lay, yo u
shou ld never clean it dry.
- To preven t damage, ma ke s ure fl uids do
not enter the controls .
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots
and depos its from alum inum s urfaces.
C hrome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum inum surfaces and can dam­
age them over time .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ~
page 189.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fab rics and fabr ic coveri ngs (e.g . seats, doo r
tr im panels, etc.) should be cleaned at reg ula r
i nte rva ls wi th a vac uum cleaner . Thi s removes
sur face dirt particles which could become em­
bedded in the fabr ic through use . Steam
cleane rs shou ld not be used, because the
steam tends to push the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there.
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
or a lint-free microfiber cloth to the clean fab­ ric. Brushes should on ly be used for carpets
and floor mats, s ince other fabric surfaces
could be harmed by brushes.
Normal surface sta ins can be cleaned using a
commercia lly available foam cleaner. Spread
the foam on the surface of the fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not sat u­
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam d ry using
absorbent, dry cloths (e .g . microfibe r cloth)
and vacuum it afte r it has dr ied comp lete ly .
Cleaning and protec tion 197
Cleaning sta ins
Stains caused by bever ages (e.g . coffee, fr uit
ju ice, etc.) can be treated with a mild deter ­
gent solution. Apply the detergent so lution
with a sponge. In the case of stubborn stains, a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked into the fabric . After­
wards, use copious amounts of clean water to
remove the rema ining deterge nt. Apply the
water wit h a damp cloth or sponge and pat
t h e fabric dry with an abso rbent, dry clot h.
Stai ns from choco late or makeup should have
detergent paste rubbed i nto them . After ­
wards, remove the soap w ith water (damp
sponge).
A lcohol can be used to treat stai ns from
grease, o il, lipstick or a ballpoint pen . M elted
grease or dye must be patted off using ab­
sorbent mater ial. It may be necessa ry to re ­
t reat the areas with de tergent pas te and wa­
te r.
In the case of gene ral soiling of the uphols­
tery a nd cover material, we recommend hir ing
a speci alist t hat h as the eq uipment to clean
t h e se at cove rs and othe r fabr ic surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
~ page 189.
(D Tips
Open Ve lcro fas teners on yo ur clothing can
damage the seat cover . Please make sure
that Ve lcro fasteners are closed .
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas. For persistent d irt
use a n Aud i approved
solvent-free p lastic
clea ner/protectant .
•
•

198 Cleaning and protection
8_ WARNING
Solvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to deploy.
-
-Never clean the instrument panel or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents will make
the surface of this part porous.
- Serious injuries can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 189.
(D Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents will
attack the material and can change the
way it behaves.
Natural leather
App lies to vehicles: with natura l leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather.
General
We offer many different types of leather on
our vehicles. Most are different types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colors.
The intensity of the color determines the visu­ al characteristics and appearance. If the sur­
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has
been left in a relatively natural condition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. Fine veins, closed grains, insect
bites, skin folds , and subtle variations in color
remain visible. These characteristics demon­
strate that the material is natural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col­
or finish.
It is therefore more sensitive to soil­
ing and wear, which is something you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors
might prove to be particularly hard on the
leather. By contrast, leather types that are covered by
a colored finish layer are more durable.
This
has a positive effect on the leather's resist­
ance to wear and soiling in daily use. On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu­
ral leather are barely or not apparent . Howev ­
er, this does not mean that the leather itself
is of inferior quality .
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leather that Audi uses and their unique prop­
erties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, soil­
ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care­
ful with these leathers, and a certain type of care is required . For example , dark clothing
materials can discolor leather seats (especial­
ly if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correctly). Dust and dirt particles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect
and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams.
The leather should be cleaned regularly as
needed. After having been used for a relatively
long time, your leather seats will acquire a
rich aged finish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ural leather and a sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural
product over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendations below:
(D Note
- To keep your leather from bleaching out,
do not allow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the vehicle parked outside
for long periods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sun­
light.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent scratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather.
(D Tips
-After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leather
1111>

preservative cream that contains UV­
blockers and that works into the leather .
This cream w ill nourish and mo istur ize
the leather, he lp ing it to breathe and
stay supple. It also helps to build up a
protective coating on the surface.
- Clean the leather every 2 - 3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipst ick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as possib le.
- Preserve the color of the leather as need­
ed by using a special colored leather care
cream to touch up areas of uneven color.
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention.
Norm al cleaning
.,. Clean soiled areas with a slightly mo istened
cotton or woolen cloth.
Mor e stub born dir t
.,. More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
cloth saturated with a m ild soap so lution (2
tablespoons m ild liquid soap) .
.,. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather, and make certa in that no water
soaks into the seams .
.,. Wipe off the soap solution with a soft, dry
cl oth.
Cleaning spots
.,. Remove fresh w ater -b ased spots (such as
coffee, tea, ju ices, blood) w ith an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.,. Remove fresh
grea se or oil -based spot s
(such as butter, mayon naise , chocolate) wi th
an absorbent cloth or paper towe l, or use
the cleaner from the leat her ca re kit i f the
spot has not yet penetrated into the s urface
of the leather .
.,. Use an oil/grease dissolv ing spray, if
oil /
grease spots h ave d ried on.
Cleaning and protec tion 199
.,. Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint
pe n, fe lt marker, fingernai l polish, water­
based pa int, shoe po lish, etc .) with a spot
remover specifically formu lated for leather.
L e ather care
.,. Every half yea r use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized
Audi dea ler) to ca re for the leather .
.,. App ly the product very spar ingly.
.,. Wipe it off w ith a damp cloth.
If you have any q uestions about cleaning and
caring for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact your authorized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our
full range of leather care products, such as :
- Leather cleaning and care kit
- Creams to ca re fo r colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpoin t pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oil/grease d issolving spray
- New and upcom ing products .
.&_ WARNING
Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other in formation
r:!) page 189 .
(D Note
- Never use chem ica l so lvents (e .g . lighte r
fluid, tu rpe nti ne), waxes, s hoe polish o r
simi la r prod ucts on the lea ther surfaces
i n yo ur Audi .
- To avoid damage, have stubbo rn sta ins
removed by a comme rcial clean ing spe­
c ialist .
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Applies to vehicles: with Alcantara® upholste ry
R emoving du st and dirt
.,. Moisten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces .
Removing stains
.,. Moisten a cloth with lukewa rm wate r or
w ith di luted
ethyl (rubbing ) alc ohol.
•
•

200 Cleaning and protec tio n
• Dab at the stain . Start at the outside and
work inwards .
• Once the stain is no longer visib le, use a soft
dry cloth or tissue to soak up the moisture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al­
cantara ®.
You may use a suitable shampoo for remov ing
dust and dirt .
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
l eft stand ing in the sun for long periods, the
A lcantara ® should be protected against direct
sunlight to prevent it from fading. Slight color
variations will develop in normal use and are
not an indication of material deterioration .
@ Note
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fl uid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
similar products on Alcantara ® surfaces .
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercial cleaning spe­
cia list.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim­
ilarly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia­
bly when needed .
• Keep be lts clean .
• For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol­
ution . Let be lts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
• Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re­
tract before they are completely dry.
• Check the condition of your safety belts
reg ­
ularly .
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
-Anything that might damage your safety belts could mean that you and your pas­
sengers would not be adequate ly pro­
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­
rect insta llation. Never remove be lts
from the veh icle to clean them .
- Do not use chemical clean ing agents,
bleach or dyes. T hey have corrosive prop­
erties which weaken the webb ing .
- When clean ing your safety belts, inspect
them for damage. If you discover dam­
age, see your authorized Audi dealer .
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
Q page 189 .
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
Al ways s witch off the ign it ion befo re clea n­
ing the engine ¢ Li:::,..
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front
of the windshield under the engine hood . This
prevents the water drain holes from becoming
blocked, and it prevents debris from enter ing
the vehicle interior through the heating and
ventilat ion ducts.
Corro sio n p rot ection
T he engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory .
Good anti- co rrosion treatmen t is very impor­
tant, particu larly in the w inte r.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
shou ld be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage.
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle
should be washed as well. .,..

If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease removing solutions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro­
sion treatment is almost always removed as
well. It is therefore essential to have a long­
lasting corrosion protection reapplied to all
surfaces , seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment .
.8, WARNING
Be aware: The engine compa rtment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially h azardous
area .
- Before working in the engine compart­
ment, be s ure to read the informat ion
r=;, page207 .
-Before reaching into the front plenum
pane l, always remove the ignition key .
Otherwise, the windshield wiper system
cou ld unintentiona lly be switched on,
poss ibly causing personal injury from the
moving wiper linkage.
- Never reach into the area around or
touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary fan
is temperature controlled and can switch
on suddenly- even when the ign it ion is
off .
- Do not wash, wax or dry the engine w ith
the engine running . Moving or hot parts
could inju re you .
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts w ithout protecti ng your
hands and arms. You may cut yourse lf on
s harp-edged metal parts .
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
othe r information
r=;, page 189.
l ) Use o nly the co rr ect clean in g s olu tio ns. Ne ve r use ga s­
o line or d ie sel fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion 20 1
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