202 Driving and en vir onm ent
Catalytic converter
Appl ies to vehicles: with gasoline e ngin e
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 .
.. Always use lead-free gasoline¢ page 215,
Fuel supply .
.. Never run the tank down all the way to emp-
ty .
.. Never put too much motor oil in your engine
¢ page 229, Adding engine oil
The catalytic converter is an eff ic ient "clean
up" device built into the exhaust system of
the vehicle. The catalyti c converter burns
many of the pollutants in the exhaust gas be
fore they are released into the atmosphere.
The exclus ive use of unleaded fuel is cr itically
important for the l ife of the cata lytic convert
e r and proper functioning of the engine.
A WARNING
T he temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driving and after stopping
the engine .
- Never touch the exhaust tail pipes once
they have become hot. This could result
in burns.
- Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other material which can
cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exhaust
man ifold, exhaust p ipes, catalytic con
verter or heat shields . During driving, the
substance used for undercoating cou ld
overheat and cause a fire.
@) Note
- Be aware that just one tank f illing with
leaded fuel will al ready seriously de
grade the perfo rmance of the cata lytic
conve rter. -
Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
¢page 229.
-Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
completely empty . The engine co uld m is
fire . Unburned fuel could also get into
the exhaust system and this cou ld cause
the catalytic converter to overheat.
- Do not switch off the ignition while the
vehicle is mov ing .
- Do not continue to ope rate your vehicle
under these conditions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalyt ic converter. Th is
cou ld result in overheating of the con
verter, requir ing its replacement .
- To assure efficient operation of the Emis
sion Control System:
- Have you r vehicle maintained p roperly
and in accordance w ith the service rec
ommendations in your Warranty & Maintenance book let.
- Lack of prope r maintenance as we ll as
improper use of the vehicle wi ll impair
the function of the em ission contro l
system and could lead to damage.
@) For the sa ke of the en vironment
Even when the Emission Control System is
ope rat ing properly, the exhaust gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operat ing states. This depends on
the sulfur content of the fuel being used .
Usi ng a different brand of fuel may help,
or f illing the tank with lead-free super
grade gasoline.
Diesel particulate filter
Applies to vehicles: with diese l eng ine
The diesel part icu late filter filters nearly all of
the soot pa rticles out of the exhaust . T he fil
te r cleans itself automat ica lly unde r no rma l
dr iv ing cond itions . If the filte r cannot clean it
self (for example, because you are on ly driving
short distances), the filter becomes clogged
with soot and the
II symbol for the diesel
particulate filter ill uminates ¢
page 22. ..,.
204 Driving and en vir onm ent
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi
cle load and speed, road and weather con
ditions, tr ip length, etc .
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac
celerating.
• Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the mo st fuel when they are ac
celerating . If you anticipate what is go ing to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus , accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast
wheneve r poss ible -for example when you see
that the next traffic l ight is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
• Try and keep well below your car 's max imum
speed .
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and en
g ine no ise increase d isproportionately at high
speeds. If you dr ive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fue l consumption will
be reduced by one half. Neve r dr ive faste r
than the posted speed limit and wea ther con
d itions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
• Shut the engine off when you are not dr iv ing
the vehicle. •
Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at id le .
T he id ling phase is automatically red uced for
vehicles with the Start/Stop system . It is effi
cient to switch off the engine in vehicles with
out the Start-Stop -System when stopp ed at
railroad crossings and long red lights. Tu rning
the engine off for jus t 30-40 seconds saves
more fuel than is burned by starting the en-
. . gme again .
It takes a long time for the eng ine to warm up
fully when i t is running at idle. However, wear
and noxiou s emissions are espec ially high
when the eng ine is warm ing up . So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avo id running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
W Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af
ter start ing . If wa rning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wo uld go unheeded . Ex tended idling also
produces heat, wh ich could res ult in ove r
heating or other damage to the ve hicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
• Have your veh icle serviced at reg ular in ter -
vals .
By having your ve hicle regu la rly se rviced by an
Audi dealer he lps to ensu re tha t it runs p rop
erly and economically . The condition of your
vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to
ho ld its va lue, it also affects
fuel con sump
tion .
Check your oil e ach time you
fill y our tank.
The amount of o il used is re lated to engine
load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has bee n driven . ..,.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumption.
This also applies to fuel consumption and en
gine output.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main
tenance booklet. Lack of proper mainte
nance as well as improper use of the ve
hicle will impair the function of the
emission control system and could lead
to damage .
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not alter or remove any device, such
as heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other important vehicle compo
nents.
Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively
high on short trips .
.,. Try to avoid driving short distances with a
cold engine .
The engine and catalytic converter have to reach their optimal
operating temperature to
reduce fuel consumption and noxious emis
sions effectively.
Just after starting, a cold 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 operating tempera
ture and fuel economy has reached a normal
level. So you can see that you should avoid
short trips whenever possible.
Driving and environment 205
The outside temperature is also critical in this
regard. Your car consumes more fuel in the
winter than in the summer.
•
•
206 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 trailer, 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 follow the operating
and driving instructions provided and use
common sense.
@ Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must
activate the trailer operation mode
c:::> page 206, Operating instructions.
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 vehicle'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 cor rect
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
trai ler hitch ball mount. This prevents the
hitch from causing damage should your vehi
cle be struck from behind
c:::> A.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brakin g sys
tem, check to be sure that it conforms to all
regulations.
T he trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your veh icle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check with your Audi dealer for correct
wiring, switches 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 v is ion to the rear .
A WARNING
--
After removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle . In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in
jure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shift ing forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
c:::> A in Driving instructions on page 208.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard
er . It is important that the cooling system 's
performance is up to the additional load.
208 Trailer towing
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en
g ine 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 11
must be observed carefully. The coolant tem
perature can increase if you drive on long in
clines in a low gear at high engine speeds. Re
duce your speed immediately if the LEDs in
the top part of the display turn on .
For more information about indicator lights,
refer to.
¢ page 17 .
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov
ing vehicle is at a much greater risk in an
accident . Never let anyone r ide in your car
who is not properly wear ing the restraints
provided by Aud i.
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
a trailer because of the additional weight and
different weight distribution . Safety, perform
ance and economy w ill greatly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig .
Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turn ing, stopp ing and back ing up in an area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become comp lete ly familiar with the way
your ve hicle-trai ler comb ination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a tra iler generally requi res
steering act ion 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 wi
ll need a larger than normal
turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot ac
celerate as fast as you norma lly would be
cause of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass . After passing, a llow
plenty of room for your trailer before chang
ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts , sharp turns or rapid lane
changes.
(D Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during 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 ¢
page 283.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on o 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 .
.. Turn the wheels towards the curb.
.. Apply the parking brake.
.. Select the P selector lever position .
When restarting after parking:
.. Apply the foot brake.
.. Start the engine.
.. Select the D/S selector lever position .
.. Release the parking brake and slowly pull
out and away from the wheel chocks .
.,. Stop and have someone retr ieve the wheel
chocks .
Ill-
Fuel supply and filling
your f uel tank
Gasoline
Fuel supply
Appl ies to vehicles: with gasoline e ngin e
Using the right fuel helps keep the environ
men t clean and preven ts engine damage.
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recomme nded fo r yo ur vehicle is un
leaded premium
g rade gasolin e. A udi recom
mends using TO P TIE R D etergent Gaso line
w it h a mi nimum oc tane ra ting o f 91 A KI (9 5
RON ). For more inform ation on TOP TIER De
t ergent Gasoline, please go to the off ici al
websi te (www .toptie rgas .com) .
T he recommended gasoline octane rating for
your eng ine can also be fo und o n a label loc at
e d on the ins ide of the fuel filler flap . This ra t
i ng may be specified as AK I or RO N.
Your veh icle may also be operated using un
l e ad ed regular g asoline with a min imum o c
tane rating of 87 AKI/91 RO N. However, using
87 AK I/91 RO N octa ne fue l w ill sli ght ly re
d uce eng ine perfo rmance .
Use unleaded ga soline only . Unleaded g aso
line is available th rougho ut the USA, Ca na da,
an d in most E uropean cou ntries . We recom
mend that you do not ta ke yo ur vehicle to
areas or countries where unleaded gasoline
may not be ava ilable.
F or mo re informat io n on refue ling your ve hi
cle, see
q page 217.
Octane rating
Octa ne rating ind icates a gaso line's ability to
r es ist engine d amag ing "kno ck" cau sed b y
p remature ign ition and detona tion. There fore,
buy ing the correct grade of gaso line is very
importa nt to he lp prevent possible engine
damage and a loss of engine performance.
Gasoline mos t common ly used in the Unite d
States an d Canada has the following octane
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 215
ra tings that can usu a lly be found on the fi ller
p ump :
- Premium Grad e: 9 1 -96 A KI
- Regular Grade: 87 - 90 AKI Explanation of the abbreviations:
AKI = Anti K nock In d ex = (R+M )/2 = (RO N
+MON )/2
RON= Resea rch O ctane Num ber
MO N= M otor Octane Number .
(D Note
-Do not use a ny fue l w ith octane rat ings
lower than 87 A KI or 9 1 RO N othe rwise
ex pensiv e engi ne damage w ill occur.
- Do
not use leaded gasoline . The use of
leaded gasoline w ill severely damage
yo ur v ehicl e's cata lytic conve rter a nd its
abi lity to co ntrol ex haust em issio ns.
Blended gasoline
Applies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or
MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unlea ded gasoline blen ded wi th
alcohol o r M TB E (commonly referred to as
oxygenates) if the blende d mixture meets the
f o llow ing criteria:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
- Anti -k n ock index mus t be 87 A KI or higher.
- Blend must contain no mor e than 3% meth-
anol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co-sol -
vents .
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol
or ethyl alcohol)
- Anti -knoc k index must be 87 AKI or h igher.
- Blend must not co nta in mo re tha n 10 %
ethanol.
Blend of ga soline and MTBE
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or high er. ..,.
•
•
216 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
-Blend must contain not more than 1S%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
espec ially we ll for winter or summer driv ing.
During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stat ions where the sea
sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time.
(CT) Note
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these
requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo
nents in the fuel system .
- Do not use fuels that fai l to meet the
specified criteria in this chapter.
- If yo u are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or
its fuel sup plier.
- Do not use fuel for which the contents cannot be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the respons ibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Vehicle or the Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy
or driveability and performance prob l ems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufac
turers is carbon deposit build- up caused by
the type of gasoline you use.
A lthough gasoline grades differ from one
manufacturer to another, they have certain
things in common. All gasoline g rades contain
substances that can cause deposits to co llect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline
brands include additives to keep engine and fuel
systems clean, they a re not equally effec
tive .
A udi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. For more information on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended period of using inadequate
f uels, carbon deposit build-ups can rob yo ur
engine of peak performance.
(D Note
Damage or malf u nct ion due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Aud i New Ve
hicle Limited Warranty.
Diesel fuel
Applies to veh icles: w ith diesel engine
Always use ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) sul
fur content 15 ppm or less.
T he ULSD (U ltra Low Sulfur Diesel) meets the
ASTM-D-97S (grade 2).
Diesel fuel with a higher concentration than
ULSD-Diesel No. 2 ASTM 0975 and Bio-die
sel with a higher concentration than S
% like
B11, B20 or B100 are strictly prohibited.
Serv ice stat ion fue l pumps a re labeled with
the correct fuel information fo r easy recogn i
t ion by the user. If the diesel fuel pump is not
labeled ask the station operator what fue l is
being dispensed before filling up your vehicle.
Service stations offering Diesel fuel are gener
ally located on truck routes or major high
ways. Directories of Diesel fuel stations are
usually available at Diesel fuel stations.
Some states in the USA req uire permits to
purchase Diesel fuel. Check with your State
Motor Vehicle Department.
Diesel fuel may not be ava ilable outside the
USA and Canada. Be sure to check before trav-
eling to other countries . .,..
Winter operation
At temperatures below 20° F (-7° C), Diesel
fuel No.
2 loses its fluidity due to wax separa
tion, which may clog the fuel filter or tank fil
ter and keep the engine from running .
To help the filter from being clogged by wax,
the fuel filter in your vehicle is automatically
preheated. Preheating the fuel filter makes
operation of your vehicle possible with Diesel
fuel No . 2 down to -10° F (-24° C).
If you expect temperatures below
5° F
(-15° C)
ask your fuel dealer whether their
Diese l fuel No.
2 is sufficiently winterized for
the prevailing and expected temperatures.
If not winterized or insufficiently winterized
Diesel fuel has already thickened to the extent
that the engine will not start, warm the vehi
cle up by leaving it in a heated garage.
It is normal that the engine noise leve l (die
seling) is louder during the warm-up period in
winter.
It is also norma l when whitish-blue
smoke comes out of the tailpipe after start ing
and during warm-up . The amount of smoke
depends on the outs ide temperature.
Do not let your Diese l engine id le unnecessari
ly after a cold start. Driving off slowly will
shorten the warm-up period .
A WARNING
-Never use "starting assist fluids." They
may be potent ially explosive or cause a
"run-away" engine condition. This could
result in serious engine damage and per
sonal injury.
- Never use fuel line anti-freeze offered for
gasoline engines .
0 Note
- Your Diesel engine has been specifically
designed to operate only on Ultra Low
Sulfur Diesel fuel. Therefore, never use
home heating oil or regular gasol ine. Th e
properties of these fuels may cause seri
ous damage to the fuel injection system
and to the engine. Using these fuels can
-
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 217
cause expensive engine repai rs and will
also adversely affect your New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
- If Diesel fuel should get on any rubber
hose, it must be wiped off immediately.
Then wash the contaminated hose por
tion with soap and warm water. Do not
allow Diesel fuel to remain on connect
ing hoses . They may develop leaks and
cause serious damage.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the power locking system should fail, you
can still open the flap manually -for detailed
instructions see
¢ page 220.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve
hicle in
¢ page 281.
T he labe l on the inside of the fuel fi ller flap
tells you the correct fuel for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see
¢ page 215.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on board refuel
ling vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you refue l your vehicle. In order to fi ll the tank
properly while protecting the environment,
please follow this refueling procedure careful
ly.
A WARNING
Under normal operating conditions, never
carry addit ional fuel conta iners 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 fire in a collision. If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower,
snow b lower, etc., be very careful and al
ways observe loca l and state laws regard
ing the use, transportation and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the
~
•
•