Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
11-Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
11-Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut
off the engine in traffic
jams, when waiting for trains to pass at rail
road cross ings, or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine
off for
just 30-40 seconds saves more fuel than is
burned starting the engine again.
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle. However, wear
and noxious emissions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up .
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af
ter starting. If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wou ld go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which cou ld 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 .
11-Have your vehicle serviced at regular inter-
vals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authorized Audi dealer helps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically. The condition
of your vehicle not only affects its safe ty and
ab ility to hold its value, it also affects fuel
consumption .
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
Driving and environment 235
The amount of oil 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 certain
mileage has been driven.
You must drive your vehicle about 3,000 miles
(S,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l consumption and en
gine output.
(D Note
- Have your veh icle ma inta ined properly
and in accordance with the service rec
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main
t enance booklet. Lack of prop er mainte
nance as well as improper use of the ve
hicle will impair the function of the
emission cont ro l 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 .
11-Try to avoid driv ing short distances w ith a
cold engine.
T he engine and cata lytic converter have to
reach their optimal operating temperature to
reduce fuel consumpt ion and noxious emis
s ions effectively .
Just after starting, a co ld engine in a mid-size
car on ly achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 mi les
per gallon (30-40 l/l00km). After about a
half a mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg
(20 l/100 km). After about
2 .5 miles (4 km), liJI,
•
•
Driving off road
Driving in difficult road
conditions and offroad
General information
The operation of the E lectronic Stabilization
Control (ESC) is expanded fo r operation away
from paved roads. In situations where slip or a
differential lock ing funct ion is required, the
offroad mode can be activated
c:::> page 224.
Hill descent control is a lso ava ilable in the off
road mode, which automat ically brakes the
ve hicl e and thereby keeps speed consta nt
when differe nt w heel speeds a re detected
when descending a hill
c:::> page 226. Your A ud i
a lso has permanent a ll-wheel drive in addi
tion.
H oweve r, your Aud i is not a pure off road ve hi
cle . It was not built for d riving unde r extreme
conditions, e.g. for trips that are in the nat ure
of an expedition .
Drive only on road s and offro ad sections
which match the de sign of y our vehicl e and
you r abilitie s as a dri ver. Ne ver t ake ri sks!
Before driving offroad
- Check the eng ine oi l level, t ire pressu re ,
coolant level , and the fluid level in the w ind
shield washe r reservo ir.
- Stow luggage items a nd other objects in the
l uggage compartment, and sec ure t hem
against s lid ing aro und .
After driving offroad
- After trips off road, remove any twigs and
othe r foreign objects from the grill , the un
derbody and the wheels. Pay spec ia l atten
t ion to fore ign ob jects (stones) which have
become lodged in t he tire tre ad.
- Clean t he body and the vehicle unders ide,
and inspect the veh icle for possible damage.
- Clean dirty w indows , headlamp lenses, rear
li gh ts, and license plates .
- Perfo rm a brake check (particularly after
t ravell ing throug h water) .
Driving off road 237
A WARNING
-Drive especially attentively and plan
ahead in diff icu lt road conditions and
when off road. Excessive speed o r inco r
rect maneuve rs can cause injuries and
damage to the vehicle.
-
- Always adapt your speed and driving
style to road, offroad, t raff ic, and weath
e r condition s. D rive e spe cially slowly off
road when yo ur view is restricted.
- Please be aware that in offroad mode,
pa rti cularly on a smoo th and s lippery
road, the whee ls may have an increased
tendency to spin and the vehicle may
break away -danger of skidding!
- Stability is limited in the offroad mode .
@ For the sake of the environment
Avoid damage to the environment and re
spect na ture .
@ Tips
Only d rive where it is permitted and stay
on marked roads and paths.
Explanation of some technical terms
T he following data refer to ideal cond itions .
Depend ing on ve hicle load and gro und condi
tions and the environment, the numbers may
vary .
It is the driver's responsibility to decide
whether a veh icle can overcome a specific sit
uat ion
c:::> &, .
Gradient angle
The number o f meters in altitude ga ined over
a distance of 109.4 ya rds or 100 meters
(grade) are given as a percentage o r degrees.
Information about the gradient the vehicle
can climb under its own power (depends in
part on the road surface and engine power).
Max imum perm itted grade : 31
°
Lat eral angle (slo pe of veh icle )
Indicates the angle up to which the vehicle
can be driven diagona lly or across the fall line
on a slope without the vehicle tipp ing over
IJll,
•
•
If the vehicle threaten s to tip o ver when
d riv ing across a slope , you mu st imm ediate
ly steer downhill in the di rection of the
slope.
D o not park your vehicle on steep slopes or
grades .
To reduce the risk of t ipping over, dr ive on
slopes in the d irection o f the downward slope
(fa ll line) -
not cro sswi se.
~ WARNING
After driving through water, m ud, 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 braking effect.
(D Note
-
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmiss ion, suspension or electrical sys
tem can be severely damaged by driving
through water.
{l) Tips
- Check the depth of the wate r before dr iv
i ng through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, dr ive in reverse
or switc h the engine off when driving
t h rough water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may create waves that raise the water
leve l and make it too deep for your vehi
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid dr iving through sa lt water because
i t can cause corrosion.
Driving off road 239
•
•
Weight Rating will also change the per
formance and handling characteristics of
your vehicle, which could cause a crash resulting in serious injury or death .
- The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your
vehicle would be exceeded if your vehicle
is simultaneously equipped with Panor
amic sliding sunroof; third-row seating;
trailer towing equipment (factory or
dealer-installed), and running boards
(dealer-installed) . UNDER NO CIRCUM
STANCES MAY ALL SUCH ITEMS BE IN
STALLED ON THE SAME VEHICLE.
Operating instructions
MAX 6.9"
MAX175mm
E
1/1 E 1/1 ... a)
m
Fig. 231 Perm itted ba ll posit ion of the trailer hitch
Trailer towing weights
With a factory-installed trailer hitch, the
maximum permissible trailer weight is 6,615
lbs (3,000 kg). The maximum permissible un
braked trailer weight is 1,650 lbs (750 kg).
With an
aftermarket trailer hitch, the maxi
mum permissible trailer weight is 5,512 lbs
(2,500 kg). These specifications apply when
driving on roads having an incline of less than
12%.
Permissible tongue load
For best vehicle handling under these
changed cond itions, adjust the trailer load so
that the tongue load is at the maximum al
lowable or slightly lower. You can get an ap
proximation of the tongue load with a bath
room scale or you can measure the load at a
trucking company or weighing station .
With a
factory-installed trailer hitch, the
maximum permissible load on the ball hitch Trailer towing 241
may not exceed 662 lbs (300 kg). With an
af
termarket
trailer hitch, the maximum permis
sible load on the ball hitch may not exceed
551 lbs (250 kg).
It is recommended to use
the maximum permissible load.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ .& in Driving instructions on page 242.
Ball mount
The trailer hitch may only be used with suita
ble ball mount and ball ¢
fig. 231. Installa
tion of the hitch ball must be carried out in ac
cordance with the manufacturer's instruc
tions. At the height dimension of 1.5 in
(38.S mm) a tolerance of+/- 0.5 in (12. 7 mm)
is permissible.
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.
Make sure that the cooling system has enough
fluid .
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the tire pressure label. The tire
pressure label is located on the driver's side B
pillar . Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire
manufacturers' specifications .
Lights
The headlight settings should be checked with
the trailer attached before driving
off. Check
to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly .
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety 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
Ill-
•
•
250 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
-Blend must contain not more than 15%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
especially well for winter or summer driving. During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stations 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 fail to meet the
specified criteria in this chapter.
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or
its fuel supplier.
- 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 responsibility 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 lems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
Applies to vehicles: with gasoline engine
A major concern among many auto manufac
turers is carbon deposit build-up caused by
the type of gasoline you use.
Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another, they have certain
things in common. All gasoline grades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect
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 are not equally effec
tive.
Audi 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
fuels, carbon deposit build-ups can rob your
engine of peak performance.
(D Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Audi New Ve
hicle Limited Warranty.
Diesel fuel
Applies to vehicles: with diesel engine
Always use ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) sul
fur content 15 ppm or less.
The ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) meets the
ASTM-D-975 (grade 2).
Diesel fuel with a higher concentration than
ULSD-Diesel No. 2 ASTM D975 and Bio-die
sel with a higher concentration than 5
% like
811, 820 or 8100 are strictly prohibited.
Service station fuel pumps are labeled with
the correct fuel information for easy recogni
tion by the user. If the diesel fuel pump is not
labeled ask the station operator what fuel 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 require permits to
purchase Diesel fuel. Check with your State
Motor Vehicle Department.
Diesel fuel may not be available outside the
USA and Canada. Be sure to check before trav-
eling to other countries.
ll-
252 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
_&. WARNING
Under normal operating conditions, never
carry additional 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 afire 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, transportat ion and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the con
tainer meets industry standards (ANSI/
ASTM F8S2 -86).
(D Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fuel tank
is completely empty. The irregular supp ly
of fuel can cause misfiring . Gasoline could
enter the exhaust system and damage the
catalyt ic converter.
Refuelling
Fig . 232 Right rear vehicle side : Open ing t he fue l filler
fl ap
Fig. 233 Fu el cap hooked on the opened fue l filler fl ap
When adding fuel, the ignition and any cellu
lar phones in the vehicle must be switched
off . When activating 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
.,. To open the fue l filler f lap, press on the left
side of the flap¢
fig. 232 -arrow-.
.,. Unscrew fue l filler cap counter-clockwise
and hang it on the fuel filler flap ¢
fig. 233.
.,. Check the label on the inside of the fuel fill
er flap to determine if the vehicle must be
fueled with gasoline or diesel fuel.
Refuelling procedure
.,. Insert the fuel nozzle from the gasoline
pump into the fuel filler neck as far as it wi ll
go .
.,. Select a medium refuelling rate so that the
nozzle switches off automatically when the
tank is fu ll.
Putting the fuel cap back on
.,. After filling your tank, twist the fuel filler
cap clockwise as far as it wi ll go.
.,. Close the fuel filler flap.
T o avoid fuel spilling or evaporating from the
fuel tank always close fuel filler cap proper ly
and completely. An improperly closed fuel fill
er cap may also cause the MIL lamp¢
page 27
to come on (only vehicles with gasoline en
gine) .
_&. WARNING
Improper refueling or handling of fuel can
cause fire, explosion and severe burns.
- Fuel is highly flammable and can cause
severe bu rns and other injuries.
- Failure to shut the engine off while refu
eling and/or to insert the pump nozzle
fu lly into the fuel filler neck could cause
fuel to spray out of filler neck or to over
f low . Fu el spray and overflowing fue l can
cause a fire.
- Never use a cellular telephone while re
fue ling. The electromagnetic radiat ion
can cause sparks that can ignite fuel va
pors and cause a fire .
Checking and filling Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig. 23 9 Drive r's s id e footw ell: eng in e hood relea se
l e v e r
"' Open the driver's door .
"' Pull the release lever on the left under the
instrument panel
i=> fig . 239 in the d irection
of the arrow .
The hood pops up slight ly under spring pres
sure.
Opening the engine hood
F ig . 2 40 Relea se le ve r u nde r the e ngin e hood
Before opening the engi ne hood, make sure
that the windshie ld wipers are flat against the
windshie ld. Otherwise, they cou ld damage the
pain t on the hood.
"' Lift the hood slight ly ¢
_A .
"' Pull up on the release under the hood
¢ fig . 240. This releases the catch.
"' Open the hood all the way . Checkin
g and fillin g 257
A WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coo lant escaping from the eng ine
compartment . Wait unt il no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care
fu lly opening the hood.
Closing the engine hood
"' Pull the hood down until the pressure from
the stru ts is reduced.
"' Let the hood
drop down and latch in p lace.
Do not try to push it shut ; it may fail to en
gage ¢_& .
A WARNING
--
A hood that is not completely latched
could fly up and b lock your view while dr iv
i n g.
- When you close the engine hood, check it
to make sure the safety catch has p roper
ly engaged . The hood shou ld be flush
with the surround ing vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while driv ing that the hood
is not secured prope rly, stop at once and
close it .
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment.
Whene ver you must perform any wo rk in the
eng ine compartment, for e xample checking
and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To pr event per
sonal injury always observe the following
WARNINGS . The engine compartment of an y
vehicle i s a hazardou s area
¢ Lh, .
A WARNING ~
To help avoid injury, befo re yo u check any
thing under the hood:
- Tu rn off the engi ne.
- Remove the igni tion key.
258 Checking and filling
-Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever 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
th ick 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 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
~ &, .
A 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.