
~ Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
~ Always apply brakes early.
~ Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded tra iler with an empty ca r re
sults in a high ly unstable distribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should
be loaded to the extent possible and permiss i
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi
ble under the circumstances. Whenever possi
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com
partment of the tow vehicle wh ile observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult 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 -part icularly
when going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trail
er shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds
for veh icles towing trailers are lower than for
regular vehicles.
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 ove rheat
and fail.
Coolant temperature
T he coolant temperature gauge c:> page 10
must be observed carefully . If the needle
moves close to the upper end of the scale, re
duce speed immed iate ly and/or turn off the
air cond itioner.
Trailertowin g 215
If the coolant temperature warning light in
the instr ument 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 your car
who is not properly wearing the restraints
prov ided by Audi .
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing
-
a trailer because of the additional weight and
different weight distr ibut ion. Safety, perform
ance and economy will greatly depend on how
carefully you load your trailer and operate
your rig.
Before you actually tow your tra iler, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area
away from traffic. Keep practicing until you
have become completely familiar w ith the way
your vehicle-tra ile r combination behaves and
responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice .
Backing up with a trailer generally requires
steering action opposite to that when backing
u p you r vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater d ista nce between your ve
hicle and the one in front of you. You w ill need
more room to stop. To compensate fo r the
trailer, you w ill 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 yo u have
enough room to pass. After passing, a llow
plenty of room for your trailer before chang
ing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts , sharp t urns or rapid lane
changes.
•
•

216 Trailertowing
-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 293.
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:
,,. Apply the foot brake.
,,. Have someone place chocks under both the
vehicle and the trai ler wheels.
,,. With chocks in place, slowly re lease the
brakes until the whee l chocks absorb the
load.
,,. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
,,. Apply the parking brake .
,,. Move the selector lever to P.
When restarting after parking:
,,. Apply the foot brake.
,,. Start the eng ine.
,,. Move the selector lever to D/S.
,,. Re lease the park ing brake and slowly pull
out and away from the wheel chocks.
,,. Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks.
@ Tips
If you move the selector lever of the auto
mat ic transmission to P before applying
the parking brake and before blocking the
wheels, you may have to use more force
later to move the lever out of the P posi
tion.

218 Vehicle care and cleaning
A WARNING
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition
is off and follow the instructions from
the car wash operator to reduce the risk
of accidents .
- To reduce the r isk of cuts, protect your
self from sharp meta l components w hen
wash ing the unde rbody or the inside of
the whee l housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking ef
fect may be de layed due to mo isture on
the b rake ro to rs or i ce in the winter. The
brakes must be dried first with a few
careful brake applications.
(!;) Note
- If you wash t he vehi cle in an automatic
ca r wash, yo u m ust fold the exterior m ir
ro rs in to reduce the r is k of damage to
the mirrors. Power folding exte rior m ir
ro rs * must only be folded in and out us
i ng the power folding function.
- Compare the track of your vehicle wit h
the distance between the gui de rails of
the facility - there is a risk of damage to
the wheels and t ires.
- Compare the height and width of your
vehicle with the he ight and width of the
tunnel at the fac ility. -
To p revent paint damage, do not wash
the vehicle in di rect sunlight.
- T o reduce the ris k of damage to the sur
face, do not use insect removing spong
es, kitchen sponges or similar items.
- M atte finish painted veh icle compo
nents:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the
surface, do not use polishi ng agents or
hard wax.
- Never use car wash cycles that apply protective wax.
It can destroy the
matte fi nish effect.
- Do not place any stickers o r magnet ic
signs on v ehicle parts painted w ith
ma tte fi nish paint. The paint cou ld be
damaged when the stickers o r mag nets
a re removed .
@ For the sake of the environment
O nly wash the ve hicl e in facili ties spe cially
d esi gned for that p urpose. This will red uce
the r is k of dirty wate r contam ina ted with
o il from entering the sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When cleaning and caring for individua l vehi
cle components, refer to the fo llowing tab les .
The information contained there is simp ly rec
ommendat ions . For quest io ns or for compo- nents that are not listed, refer to an author
ized Audi dealer or a qualified workshop. Also
fo llow the information found in <=> & .
Cleaning exterior Component Situation Solution
Wiper blad es Dirty <=> page 55, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Headlights/ Dirty Soft sponge with a mild soap so
lution al
tail lights
Sen sors / Dirty Sensors : soft clot h w it h a so lvent-free cleaning p roduct
camera l enses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol -free cleaning
so lution
Snow/ice Hand brush/so lvent -free de-icing spray

Vehicle care and cleaning 219
Component Situation Solution
Wheels
Road sa lt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
Exhaust tail Road salt Water, cleaning solut ion suitable for stainless steel, if
pipes necessary
Decorative Dirty Mild soap
solutional, a cleaning solution suitab le for
parts/ stainless steel, if necessary
trim
Paint
Paint damage Refer to the paint number on the veh icle data label, re-
pair with touch up paint~
page 289
Spilled fuel R inse with water immediately
Rust fi lm Rust film1 remover, then protect with hard wax; for ques-
tions, refer to an authorized Audi dealer or a qualified
workshop
Corrosion Have it removed by an aut horized Audi dealer or a quali-
fied workshop
Water no longer Protect with hard wax (at least twice per year)
beads on th e surface
of clean paint
No shine even Treat
with suitable polish; then apply paint protectant if
though paint has the polish that was used does not contain any protec-
been protected/
tant
paint looks poor
Carbon parts Dirty Clean the same way as pa inted parts ~ page 217, Car
wash es
al Mild soap sol utio n: maximum two tablespoons neutral soap in a lite r of water
Cleaning interior
Component Situation Solution
Windows
D irty Glass
cleaner, then wipe dry
Decorative Dirty Mild soap solutional
parts/
trim
Plastic parts
Dirty Damp cloth
H eavily soiled Mild soap solutional, solvent-free plast ic cleaning solu-
tion, if neces sary
Displays Dirty Soft cloth with LCD cleaner
Controls Dirty Soft
bru5,h, then a soft cloth with a mild soap solut ional
Safety belts Dirty Mild soap solutional, allow to dry befo re letting them re-
tract
•
•

232 Checking and filling
-Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of automatic trans- mission to P (Park).
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care
fully opening the hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com partment.
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool
ant system is pressurized and hot cool ant could spray out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
- Do not remove the engine cover under
any circumstances. This increases the
risk of burns.
- If work on the fuel system or the electri
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or
open flames. Fluids in the engine com
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in
jury while the engine is running or being
started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running: -
First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever of automatic trans
mission to P (Park).
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact ing hot parts. Tie back hair before
starting, and do not wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards
c:> &, .
&_ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con
tain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac
cessories contain lead and lead com
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam
age to vehicle systems will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly. If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu
ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au
thorized Audi dealer.

Checking and filling 233
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 198 Typical layout for contain ers and engine oil filler cap
(D Jump start point( +) under a cov -
er .. .. .. .. .............. .. 244, 284
@ Brake fluid reservoir ((0)) . . . . . . 241
@ Eng ine oil filler cap ("t=:?1) . . . . . . 236
@ Coolant expansion tank (J-) . . . 239
® Jump start point(-) with hex
head screw ..... .......... ..
244, 284
® Windshield/headlight washer
container
(0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
The pos ition of the engine o il filling hole
¢ fig. 198 (item @) can differ depending on
the engine design.
A WARNING
-
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢&.
in Working in the engine
compartment on page 231.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine in your Audi needs the right kind
of oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated
powerplant that was built to exacting specifi
cations. This eng ine needs the right k ind of
engine oil that meets specifications regarding
quality and viscosity so that it can run
smooth ly and reliab ly. Choosing the right oil
and changing oil within the time and mileage
intervals printed in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet matters a lot more to
day than it did years ago . Audi has developed
a specia l quality standard for engine oil that
will help assure that your vehicle's engine will
get the lubrication it needs for proper opera-
tion. .,..

Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a
quick glance.
N
N
;:;;
" 03
"'
Fi g. 202 Eng ine compartment: cover on the brake flu id
reservoir
Before you check anything in the engine com
partment,
a lwa ys read and heed all WARN
ING S c:> .&.. in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 231 .
~ Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fluid reservoir
c:> fig. 202, <=> page 233,
fig . 198 .
The brake flu id level must be be
tween the "MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear
partition of the engine compartment on the
left side
c::> page 2 33 .
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads . This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably be
low the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/indi
cator light (U.S. models:~, Canadian
models: .) will come on
c> page 18 and
c::> page 29 . Do not continue to operate the ve
h icle. The complete brake system should be
thoroughly checked by an authorized Aud i
dealer o r qualified workshop and the cause
corrected.
If the brake fluid level is too low,
the brake warning/indicator light will illum i
nate . Contact an authorized Audi dealer
im
m ediatel y.
Checkin g and fillin g 241
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by on experi
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling point of the
brake flu id will also dec rease considerably and
decrease braking pe rformance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always use new brake flu id
which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle
Standard "F MVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservo ir can be d iff icult to
reach, the refore, we recommend that you
have the brake fluid changed by your author
i zed
Audi d ealer. Your dealer has t he correct
tools, the right brake fl uid and the know-how
to do this for you .
A WARNING -.
-Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stor
ed only in the closed original container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can resu lt from o ld or inap
propriate brake f luid. Observe these pre
cautions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE
spe cificat ion
J 1 7 03 and conforms to
Federa l Moto r Ve hicl e Standard 116.
Always check with yo ur authorized Audi
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct bra ke fluid. The correct type of
brake f luid is also indicated on the
brake f luid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is left in the system too
l ong . This can seriously affect the effi
c iency of the brakes as well as your
safety. Th is cou ld resu lt in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your
vehicle .

242 Checking and filling
@ For the sake of the environment
Be cause of the problem of proper disposa l
of brake flu id as we ll as the special tools
req uired and the necessary expert ise, we
recommend that you have the b rake fluid
changed by your author ized Audi dealer.
Battery
General information
Unde r normal operating conditions, the bat
tery in your A udi does not need any mainte
nance. With
high outside temperatures or
long daily dr ives we recommend that you have
the elect ro lyte level checked by an authorized
Aud i dea ler o r qualified workshop . The elec
trolyte leve l sho uld a lso be c hecked each t ime
the battery is c harged ¢
page 244.
Have the battery checked when you take your
ve hicle in for service . Yo u are well adv ised to
replace a bat tery that is older tha n 5 yea rs .
W ith certa in types of a irbag deployment, t he
battery is d isconnected from the vehicle elec
tr ica l system fo r safety reasons ¢
& in Re
pair, core and disposal of the airbags on
page 171.
Hybr id d rive *: you can find important i nforma
tion about the high voltage battery under
¢ page 97.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some veh icle functions (power w indow regu
lators, for example) are lost if the battery ter
minals a re discon nected. These functions have
to be re learned after the ba tte ry term inals a re
connect ed aga in. To prevent this , the battery
should only be d isconnected from the vehicle
e lec tric al sys te m whe n absolu tely necessa ry
for rep airs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If yo u do not dr ive you r vehicle over a pe riod
of severa l days or w eeks, ele ct rical com po
n e nt s are gr adually cu t ba ck o r swi tched off .
T his redu ce s energy consu mp tion and mai n- ta
ins s tart ing c apability over a longer pe riod
¢ page 203.
Take i nto consi deratio n that whe n you unl ock
yo ur vehicle, some conven ien ce f un ctions ,
s u ch as the inte rior ligh ts or the powe r sea t
adjustment, may not be availab le. T he con
venience functions will be avai lab le aga in
when you tu rn on the ign ition and start t he
engine.
Winter operation
Du ring the winte r mon ths, bat tery ca pac ity
tends to dec rease as tem peratures drop . This
is beca use more power is a lso consumed wh ile
starting, and the headlights, rear wi ndow de
fogger, etc ., are used more often.
Avoid unnecessary powe r consum ption, pa r
t icu lar ly in city traffic or when traveling only
sho rt distances. Let your authori zed Aud i
dealer check the capacity of the vehicle bat
te ry before winter sets in ¢
page 244. A well
c h arged battery will not on ly preven t starti ng
problems when the wea ther is cold, but w ill
also last lo nger.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the ba ttery.
The battery is located in the luggage compart
me nt under the floor . B efo re you c hec k any
t hi ng in the luggage compartmen t,
read and
heed all WARNINGS
¢ & -
Hybrid dr ive* : yo u can find impo rtant informa
t io n about the h igh vol tage ba tte ry unde r
¢page 97 .
Always heed the safety warnings , when work
ing on the v ehicle ba tte ry or the vehicle e lec
t rical sys tem to preven t inju ry .