If a spot starts to rust, however , a simple
touch-up job will not be enoug h. The affected
surface must be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti -rust pr imer before the painted
finish can be restored.
The number for the origina l vehicle paint can
be found on the vehicle ident ification labe l
<=:>page 268.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c::> page 199 .
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean all windows regularly to remove road
fi lm and car wash wax b uildup .
.,. Remove snow from windows using a brush .
.,. Use a plast ic 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 with a clean piece 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
pl astic ice sc ra p er -better still, a spray
de icer -to remove
ic e from windows and mir
rors .
The windows must not be cleaned with insect
remover or wax since these can interfere with
the function of the windshield wiper blades
(chatter) .
Oi l, grease, o r silicone residue can be removed
with
glass cleaner or silicone remo ver . How
ever, wax residue requires the use of a special
ly formulated solvent . Please contact your au
thor ized Audi dealer for adv ice on safe prod
ucts for wax removal.
W indows should also be cleaned on the inside
at regular intervals.
Never dry w indows with the same chamois
that you use to dry painted surfaces. Wax resi-
Cleaning and protec tion 203
due on the chamois can impair vis ion through
the windows .
A WARNING
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c::> page 199.
-The windshield must not be treated with
water-repellent materials. They can in
crease glare under poor v is ibility condi
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the hor izon. In addi
tion, they can cause the w indshield w ip
ers to chatter.
(D Note
- Never use warm o r 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 t he ins ide of the rear w indow
over the wires .
- T o help prevent dirt from scratch ing the
w indow, always sc rape in a forward di
rec tion -pushing the sc raper away from
yo u -never bac k and forth.
- Wate r lea king from the i nside of the rear
w indows may damage sens itive e lec trica l
c omponents located ei ther under the
rear parcel shelf or in the rear trunk area .
Always ensure that water never leaks
through 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 instal ling window
tint ing) .
- Damage or malfunction of electrical
compone nts due to water damage or any
other outside influence is not covered by
the Audi New Ve hicle Limited War ranty.
See you r Wa rranty
& M ain tenance boo k
let for addit ional detai ls about your war
ranty.
•
•
204 Cleaning and protec tio n
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
• Wash the whee ls with a sponge or hose
brush every other week.
• For deep cleaning afterwards, use only a
dedicated
aci d-fr ee cast alloy wheel cleaner .
• Rub a coat of
liq uid wax onto the r ims every
t h ree month . Be sure to reach and treat a ll
parts of the rim .
To preserve the decorat ive appearance of the
cast alloy whee ls, some specia l care is neces
sa ry. In addit ion to road dirt and sa lt, b rake
d ust is a lso corros ive. If left on for too long,
b rake dust can cause pitting.
Use only specia l
acid-free cleaners formulated
for a lloy rims . Safe p roducts are available at
your author ized Audi dealer. Never leave the
cleane r on the rims longe r than specified on
the label. If not rinsed off promptly, the acid
contained in some cleaners can attack the
threads on the whee l bolts.
Never use ab rasive 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 possible.
A WARNING
- Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency ¢
page 187. Test the
brakes carefully each time you wash the
vehicle .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 199.
-
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does no t need to be
checked.
A ll body cavities which co uld be affected by
corrosion have been thoroughly protected at
the factory.
This sealing does not require any inspection or
addit ional treatment . If any wax should seep
out of the cav ity when the ambient tempera- ture is high, it can be removed with a p
lastic
scraper and a suitable solvent.
A WARNING
-Solvents can be dangerous.
- Benzine is flammab le and toxic. If you
use benzine for removing the wax, keep
sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes
away. Never dump benz ine on the
ground, into open streams or down sew
age drains.
- Be sure to observe all safety and environ
mental regulat ions . Follow all instruc
tions on the container .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 199.
, Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Audi is also thor
oughly protected against corros ion.
Any damage to the undercoating caused by road hazards 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 stproof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con
verter or heat shields. While driving, the substance used for undercoating could
overheat and cause a fire.
'
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 199.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and other corrosive materials will
damage the material in the exhaust tail pipes
if they are not cleaned regularly. Do not clean
the tail pipes with wheel cleaner, pa int polish,
chrome polish or other ab rasive cleaners.
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
that are suitable for stainless steel.
Your authorized Audi dealer can provide clean
ing products that have been tested and ap
proved for your vehicle .
Care of interior
Infotainment components
The Radio/MM!* display may be clea ned with
a soft cloth and commercially-availab le "LCD
cleaner" . The cloth should be coated lightly
when the cleaning solution when cleaning the
display .
The
MMI* controls must be cleaned first with
a brush so that dirt does not enter the un it or
enter between the buttons and the housing.
Then wiping the controls with a cloth damp
ened with dish detergent and water is recom
mended.
(D Note
- To avoid scratch ing the display, you
shou ld never clean it dry.
- To prevent damage, make 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 surfaces.
Chrome care products and alkaline cleaners
will attack alum inum surfaces and can dam
age them ove r time.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
r::> page 199.
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fa brics and fabric coverings (e.g. seats, door
trim panels, etc.) should be cleaned at regular
intervals with a vacuum cleaner. This removes
surface dirt particles which could become em bedded in the fabr ic through use. Steam
cleaners should not be used, because the
steam tends to push the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there.
Cleaning and protection 205
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
or a lint -free microfiber cloth to the clean fab
ric. Brushes shou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fabric surfaces
could be harmed by brushes.
Normal sur face stains can be cleaned using a
commercially available foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the s urface of the fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not satu
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam dry using
absorbent, dry cloths (e.g. m icrofiber cloth)
and vacuum it after it has dried completely.
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverages (e.g. coffee, fr uit
jui ce, etc.) can be treated with a mild deter
gent solution. Apply the detergent solution
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 remaining deterge nt. Apply the
water with a damp cloth or sponge and pat
the fabric dry with an absorbent, dry cloth.
Stains from choco late or makeup should have
detergent paste rubbed into them. After
wards, remove the soap with water (damp
sponge).
Alcohol can be used to treat stains from
grease, oil , lipstick or a ballpoint pen. Melted
grease or dye must be patted off using ab
sorbent materia l.
It may be necessary to re
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa
ter.
In the case of genera l soiling of the upho ls
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specia list t hat has the equipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabr ic surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
r::> page 199.
•
•
206 Cleaning and protec tio n
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas . For pers istent dirt
use an Audi approved
so lv ent-fr ee plastic
cleaner/protectant.
_& WARNING
So lvents can change the propert ies of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to dep loy.
-
- Never clean the instr ument pane l or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents.
- Products containing solvents w ill make
the surface o f this part porous.
- Serious injur ies can result if plastic pa rts
come loose when the airbag is deployed .
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other information
¢page 199.
(D Note
Cleaning agents contain ing solvents will
attac k the mater ial and can change the
way it behaves.
Natural leather
Appl ies to vehicles: with natural 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 veh icles . Most are differe nt types of nappa
l eather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in var ious co lors .
The intensity of the color determines the v isu
al character istics and appearance .
If the sur
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
the n the leather is a nappa leat her that has been left in a relative
ly natura l condition . This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes we ll. Fine veins, closed grains, insect
bites, skin fo lds, and s ubt le variations in color
rema in v is ible. These character istics demon
strate that the material is natural.
Natura l nappa leather is not covered by a co l
or finish. It is therefore more sensit ive to soil
ing and wear, which is someth ing you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors
mig ht prove to be part icularly hard o n the
l eather .
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 da ily use . On the
othe r hand, the typica l charac teristics of natu
ral le a the r are barely o r not appa rent. Howev
er, th is does not mean that the leather itse lf
is of inferior quality.
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leather that Aud i uses and their uniq ue p rop
erties (such as sens itivity to oils, grease, soil
ing, etc.), yo u w ill need to be somewhat ca re
ful with these leathers, and a certain type of care is requi red . For example, dark clothing
mater ials can disco lor leather seats (especia l
ly if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correct ly). Dust and dirt particles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect
and can damage the leather surface as well as
wea ken seams .
The leather should be cleaned regularly as needed . After hav ing been used for a relat ively
long time, your leather seats will acq uire a
rich aged fi nish. This is a character istic of nat
ur al leathe r and a s ign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural
product over the life of your veh icle, you
shou ld follow t he recomme ndat io ns be low: ..,.
(D Note
-To keep your leathe r from bleaching out,
do not a llow 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 d irect exposure to sun
l ight .
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip pers, rivets or sha rp pieces on belts can
l eave pe rmanent scratches o r scrape
mar ks on the surface of the leather.
@ Tips
- After each time you clean the leathe r and
at reg ular i nte rva ls, use a leather prese r
vat ive cream th at co ntains UV-blo ckers
and th at wor ks into the leather. This
cream will no urish and moistur ize the
l eather, helping it to breathe and stay
supple . It also helps to b uild up a protec
tive coat ing on the surface.
- Clean the leather every 2 - 3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh marks made by ba llpoint
pens, in k, 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 .
Normal cleaning
.,. Clean soiled areas w it h a slightly mo istened
cotton or woolen cloth.
More stubborn dirt
.,. More stubbo rn dirt can be removed using a
cl oth saturated with a m ild soap so lution ( 2
tablespoons mi ld liquid soap) .
Cleaning and protec tion 207
.,. Never allow the soap sol ution to sa turate
the leather, and make certain that no water
soaks into the seams .
.,. Wipe
off the soap so lution with a soft, dry
cloth.
Clean ing spots
.,. Remove fresh wate r-ba sed spots (such as
coffee, tea, juices, blood) with an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.,. Remove fresh
grease or oil -based spots
(such as butter, mayonnaise, chocolate) with
an absorbent clot h or pape r towel, or use
the cleaner from the leather care k it if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface
of t he leathe r.
.,. Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if
oil /
grease spot s have dried on.
.,. Remove s pecific kinds of spots (ballpoint
pen, fe lt mar ker, fingernai l polish, water
based pa int, shoe po lish, etc.) with a spot
remover specifically formulated for leather.
Leather care
.,. Every ha lf year use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized
Audi dea ler) to care for the leather .
.,. App ly the product very spar ingly.
.,. Wipe it
off with 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 a uth orized Audi dea ler, who
will be g lad 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 ballpoint pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc .
- Oil/grease d issolving spray
- New and upcom ing products .
_&. WARNING
Always read and heed all WAR NINGS and
other information
q page 199.
•
•
208 Cleaning and protection
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
similar products on the leather surfaces
in your Audi.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains removed by a commerc ial cleaning spe
cialist.
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
App lies to vehicles: with A lcantara® up holstery
Removing dust and dirt
,. Moisten a cloth,
squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces .
Removing stains
,. Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or
with diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcohol.
,. Dab at the stain. Start at the outside and
work inwards .
,. Once the stain is no longer visible, use a
soft dry cloth or tissue to soak up the mois
ture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al
cantara ®.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing
dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
left standing in the sun for long periods, the
Alcantara ® 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 .
IQ) Note
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces .
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commerc ial cleaning spe
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, st iff sponges or sim
i larly abrasive cleaning aids . Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia
bly when needed
.
,. Keep belts clean.
,. For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol
ution. Let belts dry thorough ly and away
from d irect sunlight.
,. Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re
tract before they are completely dry.
,. Check the condition of your safety be lts
reg
ularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly.
A WARNING
-
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash .
- Anyth ing that might damage your safety
be lts 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 installation. Never remove belts
from the vehicle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents,
bleach or dyes. They have corrosive prop
erties which weaken the webbing.
- When cleaning your safety be lts, inspect
them for damage . If you discover dam
age, see your authorized Audi dealer.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 199.
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en
gine compartment.
Always switch off the ignition before clean
ing the engine
c.? .&, .
Plenum panel
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front
of the windshield under the engine hood. This
prevents the water drai n holes from becoming
blocked, and it prevents debris from entering
the vehicle interior through the heating and
ventilat ion ducts .
Corro sion prot ecti on
The engine compa rtment and transmiss ion
have been corrosion-protect ed at the factory.
Good ant i-corrosion treatment is very impor
tant , particularly in the winter. If the veh icle
is frequent ly driven on sa lt treated roads , the
enti re engine compartment and plenum panel
should be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
wint er and retreated to pr ev ent sa lt damage .
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle
should be washed as we ll.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with gr ease r emoving solutions
1l, or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro sion treatment is a lmost 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
e ngine compartment .
.8, WARNING
Be aware: The engine compa rtment of any
motor vehicle is a po ten tially h azardous
area .
- Before working i n the engine compart
ment, be s ure to read the in format ion
Q page 215 .
-Be fore rea ching into the front plenum
pane l, always remove the ignition key .
Otherw ise, the windshield wiper system
cou ld uni ntentiona 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 ig nition is
off .
- Do not wash, wax or dry the engine w ith
the engine running . Moving or hot parts
cou ld inju re you .
- Do not clean the underside of the chas
sis, fenders, wheel cove rs, or other hard
l ) Use o nly t he 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 209
to reach parts without protecting your
hands and arms . You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
Q page 199.
•
•
212 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
websit e (www.toptiergas .com) .
After an extended period of using inadequate
fuels, built -up carbon deposits can rob your
engine of peak performance.
CD Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Audi New Ve
hicle Limited Warranty.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel fi ller flap.
If the power locking system should fail, you
can st ill open the flap manually -for detailed
instructions see¢
page 214 .
You can find the fuel t ank ca pa city of your ve
hicle in
Technical Data¢ page 270.
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap
tells you the correct fuel for your veh icle. For
more inform ation about fuel specifications,
see
¢page 210 .
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refuel
ling vapor recovery system . This feature helps
to preven t fuel vapors from escaping from the
ta nk and polluting the environment while you
refuel your vehicle . In order to fill the tank
properly while protect ing the env ironment,
p lease follow this refueling procedure careful
l y .
& WARNING
Under normal operating conditions, never
carry add itiona l fuel containers in your car .
Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such con
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a f ire in a collision. If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower,
snow blower, etc ., be very careful and al
ways observe local and state laws regard
ing the use, transportation and storage of such
fuel containers . Make certain the con
tainer meets industry standards (ANSI/
ASTM F852 -86).
CD Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fue l tank
is completely empty. The irregular supply
of fue l can cause misfir ing. Gasoline could
enter the exhaust system and damage the
catalytic converter .
Refuelling
Fig. 161 Righ t rea r v ehicle s ide: Opening th e fuel filler
flap
Fig . 16 2 Fuel fille r flap wit h at tac hed fuel ca p
When act ivat ing the central locking, the fuel
filler flap is automatically unlocked or locked.
Refuel the vehicle with the ignition turned
off.
Taking the fuel cap off
.,. Turn off the igni tion .
.,. Press the left side of the fuel filler f lap to
open it¢
fig. 161 -arrow -.
.,. Unscrew fue l cap counter-clockwise and
hang it on the fue l filler flap
¢ fig . 162.