2013 AUDI S4 SEDAN light

Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the first 250 miles (400 km), new
brake pads do not possess their full braking
effect, they have to be "broken in" first¢& .
You can compensate for this slightly reduced braking power by pushing harder on the brake
pedal. Avoid heavy braking loads during the
break-in per iod.
Operating conditions and driv ing habits
The brakes on today's automobi les are sti ll
subject to wear, depending largely on operat ­
ing conditions and driving habits¢.&. . On
vehicles that are e ither driven mostly in stop­
and-go city traffic or are driven hard, the
brake pads should be checked by your author­
ized Audi dealer more often than specified in
the
Warranty & Maintenance booklet . Failure
to have your b rake pads inspected can result
in red uced brake performance.
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the brak ing
effect of the engine. This way, you p revent un­
necessary wear on the brake system.
If you
must use yo ur brakes, do not hold the brakes
down continuously. Pump the brakes at inter­
va ls.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on
the speed, braking force and outside condi­
tions such as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situat ions, for example after driving
through water, in heavy ra in, after overnight
condensation or after washing your car, the
braking effect can be reduced by moisture or
ice on the brake roto rs and brake pads . The
brakes must be dried first with a few careful
brake applications .
A t hi gher speeds and with the windshield w ip­
ers turned on, the brake pads press against
the brake rotors for a short amount of time .
This occurs at regular intervals without the
Intelligent technology 187
driver noticing and provides for better brake
response time under wet conditions .
T he effectiveness of the brakes can be red uced
when the vehicle is driven on a sa lt-co vered
road and the b rakes are not used. Likewise,
you clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few cautious ap­
plications of the brake ¢ & .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
the discs if the car is not driven regu larly or
on ly for short trips with litt le use of the
brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor ­
rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and discs by braking
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed ¢.&. .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal trave l, then one of the two brake
c ircuits may have failed ¢.&. .
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid
level is monitored electronica lly.
Brake booster
T he brake booster increases the pressure that
you generate with the brake peda l. It works
only when the engine is runn ing .¢ .&.
Brake lining wear status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the openings in the wheel. If neces­
sary, the wheel may be removed fo r this in­
spection ¢
page 252, Changing a wheel .
A WARNING
-
- New brake pads don't have the best stop­
ping power and must be "broken-in" dur-
ing the initial 100 to 150 miles (150 to
~
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•

188 Intelligent technology
200 kilometers) of normal city driving.
You can compensate for this by pressing
the brake pedal more firmly. This also applies later when new pads are instal­
led .
- You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an acc ident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lowe r driving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too
long or too often. This could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency.
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake . This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating
conditions such as passing through wa­
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the
brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums. Carefully apply brakes
for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coat­
ings will be cleaned off after a few care­
ful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency.
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
flow to the front brakes is not obstruct­
ed . Otherwise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake c ircuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopping distance. Avoid driv ing
the vehicle and have it towed to the near- est authorized Audi dealer or
qualified
workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with
the engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, for
example when towing your vehicle, or
because the brake booster has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerably harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance.
Electro-mechanical
power assist, dynamic
steering
The electro-mechanical power assist helps
the driver when steering.
Power steering adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed .
Indicator lights and messages
• Steering defective! Do not drive vehicle!
If this indicator light turns on and stays on
and this message appears, the power steering
may have failed.
Do
not continue driving . See your authorized
Audi dealer or other qualified repair facility
for assistance.
E!"4 Dynamic steering: System fault! You can
continue driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the steering may be more diffi­
cult to move or more sensitive than usual. The
steering wheel may also be at an angle when
driving straight .
Drive slowly to your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop to have the malfunction
corrected .
ls!'fl Dynamic steering: initializing
If this driver message appears and the indica­
tor light is flashing on the instrument panel,
dynamic steering* is being reinitialized. Once
you start the engine after this is finished, the ..,..

steering wheel wi ll be easy to move . Re­
initialization might be necessary if the steer ­
ing wheel was moved hard to the left and
right while the vehicle was not moving. The
d isplay goes out as soon as in itializat ion is
comp lete .
A WARNING
Have the dynamic steering* system mal­
function repaired as soon as poss ible by an
authori zed A udi dealer or any qualified
workshop -risk of accident!
@ Tips
- If the . or 1;r,ij indicator light only stays
on for a short t ime, you may continue
driving.
- The dynamic steering * stability systems
are not available in t he event of a system
malfunction.
- Fo r additional informat ion on dynamic
stee ring*, re fer to
c::> page 111.
Driving with your
quattro ®
Applies to vehicles: with all-wheel drive
With oil-wheel drive, oil four wheels ore driv­
en.
General information
W ith all -whee l dr ive, power is dis tributed to
a ll fo ur wheels. This happens automatica lly
depending on yo ur driving sty le and the road
conditions at the time. See also
c::> page 184 .
A center different ial d is tributes the dr iv ing
power var iably to the front and rear axle. It
wo rks together with se lective whee l to rque
contro l, which activates when driving throug h
curves
c::> page 185. With the sport d ifferen­
tial*, power distribution to the rear w heels is
variable and can be adjusted with Audi drive se lect
c::> page 111 .
The all-wheel drive concept is designed for
hi gh engine power. Your vehicle is exception­
ally powerful and has exce llent dr iving charac ­
ter ist ics both under normal d riving conditions
Int ellig ent technolog y 189
and on snow and ice . Always read and follow
safety precautions
c::> & .
Winter tires
When dr iving in t he winter, yo ur vehicle wi th
a ll -wheel drive h as an adv ant age, even w it h
regular tires. In wi nter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all -sea ­
son tires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing : these tires must be mounted on
all fou r
wheels .
See also c::> page 245, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains a re mandatory on certain
roads, this no rma lly also app lies to veh icles
with all-wheel drive
c::> page 246 , Snow
chains .
Replacing wheels /tires
Vehicles wi th a ll-wheel drive must alw ays
have tires of the same s ize. A lso avoid tires
with different tread depths . For detai ls see
page
c::> page 241, New tires and replacing
tires and wheels.
Off-Road driving?
Your A udi does no t have enough g ro und cle ar­
ance to be used as an off -road vehi cle. It is
therefore best to avoi d rough tracks and un­
even te rrain as much as possib le . Also refer to
c::> page 192.
A WARNING
A lways ad just yo ur dr iv ing to road and traf­
fic conditions. Do not let the extra safety
afforded by all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks .
-Al tho ugh t he all-wheel driv e is ve ry ef­
fective, always remember that braking
capacity is lim ited by tire t raction. You
should t herefore not d rive a t excessive
speeds on i cy or slippery ro ad s urfa ces.
- On wet road surfa ces, be careful not to
d rive too fast bec ause the fron t whee ls
co uld begin to slide on top of the water
(aquaplani ng) . If th is should occur, yo u •
•

190 Intelligent technology
will have no warning from a sudden in­
crease in engine speed as with a front­
wheel drive vehicle. Always drive at speeds wh ich are suited to the road con­
ditions -risk of c rash .
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution
of electrical energy and thus optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting
the engine.
I f a vehicle with a conven tional energy system
i s not d riven for a long period of time , the bat­
tery is discharged by idling c urrent consumers
(e .g. immobilizer) . In certain circumstances it
can result in there being insuffic ient energy
avai lab le to start the engine.
I ntelligent energy management in your veh i­
cle hand les the distribution of electrical ener­
gy . Starting abi lity is marked ly improved and
the life of the battery is extended .
B asically , energy management consists o f
battery diagno sis, idling current manage­
ment
and dynami c ene rg y man agement.
Battery diagnosis
Battery d iagnosis con tinuously dete rm ines
the state of the battery. Senso rs determ ine
battery vo ltage, batte ry cur rent and battery
temperature. This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling current management
I dling c urrent managemen t red uces energy
consumption while the vehicle is stand ing.
With the ignition switched off, it contro ls the
energy s upply to the various e lectrica l compo­
nents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid­
ered.
D epending on the battery's state of charge,
individual consumers are grad ually turned off
to prevent excess ive d ischarge of the battery
and thus ma inta in start ing cap ability .
Dynamic energy management
While the vehi cle is being driven, dynamic en­
ergy management distr ibutes the energy gen ­
erated according to the needs of the indiv id u­
al components.
It regulates consumption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
t h an is being generated and ensures an opti­
mal state of c harge for the battery.
(!) Tips
- But even ene rgy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are limited.
- If start ing ability is threatened, the indi­
cator light(•] appears¢
page 17 .
What you should know
The highe st priori ty is given to main taining
starting capability.
T he battery is seve re ly taxed in short -d istance
driv ing, in city traff ic and during the cold time
o f year. Abundant electrical energy is re­
quired, but on ly a little is generated . It is also
critical if the engi ne is not r unning and electri­
ca l components are tu rned on. In this in­
sta nce ene rgy is be ing consumed bu t none is
being genera ted .
It is in precisely these s ituations t hat you will
notice ene rgy management active ly regu lat­
i ng t he d istribu tion of ene rgy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, e lectr ica l compo ­
nents a re g radually cut back or sw itched off .
T h is reduces energy consumption and ma in­
ta ins s tart ing capability over a longer pe riod .
Some of the convenience func tions may not
opera te, such as the interior ligh ts or the
power seat adjustment. The convenience
functions will be available again wh en you
switch on the ignition and start the eng ine .

With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the engine turned off or use other MMI func­
tions, the battery is being discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to en­
ergy consumption, the following warning ap­
pears in the MMI display :
Please start the engine soon or the system
will be turned off.
The warning indicates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 minutes . If
you wish to continue using the functions , you
have to start the engine.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is being driven , the battery can be ­
come discharged . This happens mostly when
little energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is not optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equili­ brium, consumers which require especially
large amounts of energy are temporarily cut
back or switched off . Heating systems in par­
ticular require a great deal of energy. If you
notice , for example , that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they
have been temporarily cut back or switched
off. These systems will be available again as
soon as the energy balance has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly. This is normal and not
a cause for concern . By increasing engine idle
speed the additional energy required is gener­
ated and the battery is charged.
Intelligent technology 191
•
•

194 Driving and en vironm ent
@ For the sa ke of the environment
Even when the Emission Contro l System is
operating properly, the exhaust gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operating states. This depends on
the sulfur content of the fue l being used .
Using a different brand of fuel may help,
or filling the tank w ith lead-free super
grade gasoline.
Operate your vehicle
economically and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
t he economy of your vehicle, as well as ex ­
haust and noise levels.
Fue l economy, environmental impact , and
wear on you r engine, bra kes and t ires la rgely
depend on th ree factors:
= yo ur personal dr iv ing sty le
- operating conditions
- technical lim itations
If yo u anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easi ly cut your
fue l consumption by 10-15 percent. This sec ­
tion will give you some t ips on how you ca n
he lp the environmen t and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumpt ion estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not co rre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, wh ich will vary depending upon vehi­
cle load an d speed, road and weather con­
ditions, tr ip le ngth, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
celerating .
.,. Avoid unnecessa ry accelerating and braking. Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac­
ce le rating. If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
th us, acce lerate less. Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for example when you see
that the next traff ic light is red .
· Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
.. Try and keep well below your car's maxi-
m um speed .
Acce lerat ing gently red uces fue l cons ump­
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
F uel consumpt ion, exhaust emissions a nd en ­
gine noise inc rease disproportionate ly at high
speeds . If yo u drive at approximately th ree
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption w ill
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed limit and weathe r con­
ditions pe rm it.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is jus t idling it burns up
fuel.
.. Shut the eng ine off when you are not driv ­
ing the vehicle .
.. Do not warm up the vehicle by letti ng the
eng ine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic
jams, when wa it ing for tra ins to pass at rail­
r oad crossings, or at traffic lig hts that have
long wai ts on red . Tu rn ing the eng ine off for
j ust 30-40 seconds saves more fuel tha n is
burned start ing t he e ngine aga in.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fully when it is ru nning at id le. However, wea r
and noxious emissions a re espec ia lly high
whe n the eng ine is wa rm ing up. So you s hou ld
dr ive away as soon as yo u start the engine and
avo id running at high rpms whi le the engine is
still warming up.
ll-

(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 could result in over­
heating or other damage to the vehicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel .
.,. Have your vehicle serv iced at regular inter-
vals .
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authori zed Audi dealer helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically . The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safety and
ab il ity to hold its value, it also affects
fuel
consumption.
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil 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 oi l consumption.
This a lso applies to fuel consumption and en­
g ine output .
0 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.
Driving and environment 195
- 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 .
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be rela tively
high on short trips .
.,. Try to avoid driving short distances with a
cold engine.
The engine and cata lytic converter have to
reach their opt imal
operating temperature to
reduce fuel consumpt ion and noxious emis­
sions effectively .
Just after starting, a co ld engine in a mid-size
car only achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 miles
per gallon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a
half a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/100 km) . After about
2 .5 miles (4 km),
the engine is at its proper operat ing tempera­
ture and fuel economy has reached a normal
level. So you can see that you should avoid
short trips whenever possible.
T he
outside temperature is also cr itical in th is
regard. Your car consumes more fue l in the
winter than in the summer.
•
•

196 Trailer towing
Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a trai ler, p lease remember
that the additional load will affect durability,
economy and performance .
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
For this reason, always fo llow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
ble for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the veh icle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
hitch with a removable ball mount. Always
check with the trailer hitch manufacturer to
make sure that you are using the correct
hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper system . No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake sys­
tems . From time to time, check that all hitch
mounting bolts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
trailer hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your vehi­
cle be struck from behind
¢ A.
Trailer brakes
If your tra iler is equipped with a braking sys­
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to a ll
regulations . The trailer
hydraulic brake system must not be
direct ly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system
~ A.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trai le r.
Trailer lights
T railer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct wiring, sw itches, and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
using the regular outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors . It is important
that you
always have clear vis io n to the rear.
,8. WARNING
- If a trailer has electrical brakes please
note that these brakes are not activated
by the factory-fitted control unit -risk of
accident!
- Afte r removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and
injure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
-
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 tra iler.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held secure ly
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ A in Driving instructions on page 197.
Engine cooling system
T owing a trailer makes the engine work hard ­
er. It is important that the cooling system's
performance is up to the additional load.
Make sure that the cooling system has enough
fluid . .,..