2013 AUDI S4 SEDAN brakes

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
~
•
•

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 ..,..

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 th rough safely.
- Avoid dr iving through sa lt water because
i t can ca use corrosion.
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 an environmentally sound manner.
11-Always use lead-free gasoline q page 210,
Fuel supply .
"'" Never run the tank down a ll the way to
empty.
11-Never put too much motor oil in your en-
gine
q page 220, ~ Adding engine oil .
11-Never try to push -or tow-start your veh icle .
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean­ up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle . The catalytic converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be­
fore they are released into the atmosphere .
Drivin g and en vironm ent 193
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critically
important for the life of the catalytic convert­
er and proper funct ion ing of the engine.
A WARNING
-
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other mate rial wh ich can
cause a fir e.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or rustp roof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
ve rter or heat shields. During driv ing, the
substance used for undercoating co uld
overheat and cause a fire.
(D Note
- Be aware that just one tank filling with
leaded fu el w il l already ser iously de­
gra de the performance of the catalytic
c onverte r.
- Do not ex ceed t he cor rect eng ine oil level
qpage 220.
- Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
comple tely empty. The engine co uld m is­
fire . Unburned fuel could also get in to
the exhaust system and th is co uld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat .
- Do not turn off the ignition while the ve ­
hicle is moving.
- Do not continue to ope rate your veh icle
unde r these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converte r. T his
cou ld result in overheating of the con­
verter, requir ing its replacement.
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis ­
sion Control System:
- H ave you r vehicle maintained prope rly
and in accorda nce w ith the serv ice rec­
ommendat ions in yo ur Warranty &
M ain tenance boo klet.
- L ack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehi cle w ill impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage . ..,. •
•

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 . .,..

Tire pressure
When towing a trai le r, inflate the t ires of your
vehicle to the co ld tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the label located on the driver's
side B-pillar (vis ible when the door is open).
Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufac­
turers' specifications.
Light s
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving off. Check
to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be su re tra iler sa fety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to per ­
mit turning corners . When you install safety
chains, make sure they w ill not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains shou ld cross under the trai ler
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separatio n from the hitch .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core and consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling o f vehicle
and trai ler, p lease note the following:
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer whe n your car it­
self is not loaded .
.,. Be especia lly careful when passing other
vehicles .
.,. Observe speed limits .
.,. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.,. Always apply brakes ea rly .
.,. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight di stribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight . If this cannot be avo ided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steer ing control.
Trailer towing 197
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, while keep ing the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the c ircumstances. Whenever poss i­
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com ­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more d iff icult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -pa rticularly
when going downhill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest s ign of sway ing .
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits . In some areas, speeds
for vehicles tow ing tra ilers are lower than for
regular vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving downh ill, shift into a lower 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 yo ur car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
prov ided by Audi.
-
•
•

198 Trailer towing
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle hand les different ly when tow ing
a trailer because of the addit ional weight and
different weight distribution . Safety, perform­
ance and economy wi ll greatly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopp ing and backing up in an area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you have become completely familiar with the way
your veh icle-trailer combination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a trai ler generally requires
steering action opposite to that when backing
up your vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your ve­
hicle and the one in front of you. You will need
more room to stop. To compensate for the
trailer, you will need a larger than normal
turning radius .
When passing, remember that you cannot ac­
celerate as fast as you normally would be­
cause of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass . After passing, allow
plenty of room for your tra iler before chang­
in g lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a tra iler dur ing the break-in
period of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may re­
quire more frequent maintenance due to
the extra load
q page 2 72.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer . If it can­
not be avoided, do so only after doing the fol­ lowing :
When parking:
.. App ly the foot brake.
.. Have someone place chocks under both the
vehicle and the trailer wheels .
.,. With chocks in place, slowly release the
brakes until the wheel chocks absorb the
load.
.. Tur n the wheels towards the curb.
.. App ly the parking b rake.
.. Place an automatic transmission* in P, re­
spectively a manual transmission in first or reverse gear.
When restarting after parking:
.. App ly the foot brake .
.. Start the engine.
.. Move the se lector lever to D/S, respectively
a manual transmission in first gear.
.. Release the parking brake and slow ly pu ll
out and away from the wheel chocks.
.. Stop and have someone retr ieve the wheel
chocks .
(D Tips
If you move the selector lever of the auto­
matic transmission* to P before applying
the parking brake and before blocking the
whee ls, you may have to use more force
lat er to move the lever out of the P posi­
tion.

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 . Regular and correct care w ill con­
tr ibute to maintaining the beauty and value of
your Aud i.
Furthermore, good care may be a condition
for substantiating a warranty claim should
corrosion damage or paint defects occur.
Your authorized Audi dealer has a variety of
dedicated vehicle-care 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
Audi or other commercially available cleaning
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 caution labels.
- Always read directions on the container
before using any product. Follow the di­
rect ions carefully.
- 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 ignition
on or the engine running.
- Do not clean the undersides of chassis,
fenders, wheel covers, e tc. without pro­
tecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself on sharp-edged metal parts.
Cleaning and protection 199
-Moisture and ice on brakes may impair
brak ing effic iency¢
page 187. 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 th is 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 influences
T he longer b ird droppings, insects, tree resin,
road and indus trial gr ime, tar, soot, road salt
and other materials remain on the vehicle
body, the more lasting their destructive ef­
fects will be . High temperatures caused by ex­
posure to intense sun light intens ify the corro­
sive effect, particularly when humid ity is high
as well.
Under certain circumstances,
weekly 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 ,_
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information¢
page 199 .
•
•

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.