
Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 19
@:> Light/rain sensor defective
Applies to vehicles: with a utomat ic head lights
The indicator light indicates a defect in the
automatic headlights/automatic wiper sys
tem.
If the symbol illuminates, the light sensor has
failed. For safety reasons, the low beams are
turned on permanently with the switch in
A U
TO . However, you can continue to turn the
lights on and off using the light switch . In the
case of a defect in the rain sensor, the w ind
shie ld wiper lever functions are sti ll available.
Have the light/rain sensor checked as soon as
possible at an authorized Audi dealer.
; Audi magnetic ride
The indicator light monitors vehicle damping .
The indicator l ight
B illum inates when the ig
n ition is switched on as a f unct ion check.
@ Tips
If the ind icator lamp illum inates while you
are driving, there is a malfunct ion in the
veh icle damping. The chass is should be in
spected immediately by an authorized
Audi dea ler .
-::}. Rear spoiler
The warning/indicator light monitors the
electrically retractable rear spoiler.
The warning/ind icator ligh t
IJ has the fol
l owing f unctions:
- It comes on for about 3 seconds as a func
t ion check when the ignition is sw itched on.
- It comes on if there is a malfunction in the
electrically retractable rear spoiler.
Addit ional information about the electrically
retractable rear spoi ler
c> page 148.
ill Tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to vehicles : wit h tire press ure mo nitor ing system
Tire pressure that is too low must be correct
ed as soon as possible.
The warning/indicator lig ht
RE illuminates for
a few seconds after the ignition is turned on
as a function check. If the
RE warning light
comes on, pressure in at least one tire is too
l ow .
.,. Stop driving as soon as possible w ithout en
dangering yourself and other drivers on the
road.
.,. Inspect all tires .
.,. Correct t he tire pressure
c> page 195.
Additional informat ion about the
tire pr es
s ur e monit oring system
can be found
c> page 207.
¢ ¢Turn signals
The indicator light blinks when you use either
turn signal.
Whenever you use the left
B or the right B
turn s ignal, the indicator light blinks . Whe n
you use the emergency flashe r, both indicator
lights flash.
If one of the turn signa l light bulbs bu rn out,
the turn signal w ill blink twice as fast as nor
mal.
Additional informat ion on the turn s ignals
c> page47 .
CRUISE/ c,)"' Cruise control
The tB;m~14 (U SA mode ls)/ • (Canada models)
warning/indicator light illuminates when the
c ruise control is activa ted.

24 Driver information system
Selecting settings
The Driver Information System settings are
menu-guided .
Fig. 14 Display: Menu Settings, comp uter selected
(page 1)
• Press the I RESET I button. The Start menu
appears
c:> fig. 14.
• Press the rocker switch until Set is dis
played .
• Press the
I RESE T I button . A ll the menus ap
pear.
• Press the rocke r swi tch until the desired line
is highlighted (cursor)
c:> fig. 14.
• Press the I RESET I button.
• If necessary, scroll by se lecting and activat
ing the symbol for "Next page" or "Previous
page".
When you have selected the Computer menu
and activated it by pressing the
I RESET I but
ton, two computer levels appear (computer
1
and computer 2). Now you have to select the
level you want using the rocker switch and ac
tivate it w ith the
I RESET I button.
Service interval display
The service interval display reminds you when
your next service is due.
Fig. 15 Section of ins tru ment cl uster: Service interval
d isplay
The schedule for the next oi l change or inspec
tion is ca lculated automatically and displayed
accordingly. The disp lay works in two stages:
Service reminder
30 days before the next service is due, a serv
ice reminder appears in the display when you
turn on the ignition.
After about
5 seconds the display switches
back to normal. The distance and time re
maining are updated each time the ignition is
turned on until the date due for service is
reached.
Service due
When the due date for service is reached, the
message
Service due! appears in the instru
ment cluster immed iate ly after you turn on
the ignit ion . Additionally, a warning tone
sounds. After about 5 seconds the display
switches back to normal.
Calling up the service schedules
If or when an oil change or inspection is due,
can be shown in the instrument cluster by se
lecting the service interva l display. Select
Check > Service > Oil change or Service by us
ing the
I RES ET I bu tton and the rocker switch
c:> page 23, fig. 12.
Resetting the service interval display
Your authorized Audi dea ler will reset the cor
responding service schedule after performing .,.

_& WARNING
You should only return to the saved speed if it is not too fast for the current traffic
conditions - risk of an accident!
Audi magnetic ride
Damping can be adjusted to the driver's pref
erence and it adapts automatically to the cur
rent driving situation.
SPORT •
Fig. 81 Center conso le : Switch for Audi magnetic ride
.,. To turn sport setting on/off, press the
switch
¢fi g. 81 .
Aud i magnetic ride is an electronica lly con
trolled damping system . This chassis system
assists the driver by adapting to the particu lar
situation through imperceptible control proc
esses. The damping provides individual modu
lation of damping forces. For example, with
damping characteristics set to prov ide greater
comfort, damping is set somewhat harder for
a brief period only as required, when rounding
a curve and when brak ing.
Standard setting
Select the standard setting if you prefer a sus
pension setting emphasizing comfort.
Sport setting
Select the sport setting if you prefer a sporty
suspension setting. The LED in the button
II]
comes on to indicate sport setting.
@ Tips
The warning/indicator light Bin the instru
ment cluster comes on in the event of a
malfunction. Drive to the closest author-
On the road 75
ized Audi dealer as soon as possible and
have the malfunction repaired.
Sporty driving
Warming up and cooling down
By carefully warming up and cooling down
you r vehicle, you can help ensure that it is not
overstressed unnecessar ily during sporty driv
ing .
When warm ing up, the vehicle is driven at a
maximum engine speed of 6000 RPM
(Vl0 engine) or 7000 RPM (V8 engine) in or
der to raise the engine oil temperature to a
minimum of 140 °F (60 °C). The tires also on
ly reach their full road holding capability once
they have warmed up.
The cooling fan can cont inue to run in your ve
hicle after the engine is switched off. Howev
er, driving the vehicle to coo l it down is partic
ularly important. During sporty driving, the
engine and brakes, the exhaust system, and
the transmission all become extremely hot.
Before you park the vehicle, you should drive
it for a few m iles/kilometers at light load in
the low rpm range to allow it to cool down.
Driving on a track
Before you take your vehicle out on a track ,
ensure that it is in perfect condition. For ex
amp le, you should check the tire tread and the
brake pads. It is best to increase tire pressure
by about 0.3 bar.
When driving on a track, oil consumption may
be somewhat higher than in "normal" opera
tion
r=> page 178.
You should definitely inspect your vehicle af
ter subject ing it to severe conditions . Are the
brake pads OK? Is there anything unusual
about the tires, including the inner and outer
sidewalls (e.g. tread, blistering)? Are the air
intakes free of leaves and tire dust? Is the oil
level OK? .,,.

The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is dr iven on a salt -covered
road and the brakes are not used. Likewise,
you clean
off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few ca utious ap
plications of the brake<=>,& .
Co rrosion
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 dr iven regularly or
only for short trips with little 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 brak ing
firmly a few times from a moderately high
speed<=> ,&.
Fa ult s in th e bra ke s yste m
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, then one of the two brake
circu its may have failed. Drive immed iately to
the nearest qualified workshop to have the
damage repa ired. Drive at reduced speed on
the way there and anticipate longer stopping
d istances and higher peda l pressure¢ _&.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake flu id level is too low . The brake fluid
l eve l is monito red electronically .
Brake po wer ass ist un it
The brake power assist un it increases the
pressure that you generate with the brake
pedal. It works only when the eng ine is run
ning.
Br ake lining w ear statu s
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 for this in
spection
¢ page 214 .
Int ellig ent technolog y 147
_& WARNING
-You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Other road use rs must not be put at risk -
you may ca use an accident!
- Before descend ing a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear o r lower dr iving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too
long o r too often. Th is could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency .
- Do not " ride the brakes" by resting you r
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 cl imatic and operat ing
conditions such as passing through wa
ter, dr iv ing in heavy rain o r after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winte r, ice can
accumu late on the bra ke pads, lin ings,
discs and drum s. Carefully app ly bra ke s
for a test. Brakes w ill dry and ice coa t
ings w ill be cleaned
off after a few care
fu l brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on
salt -cove red roads without using your
brakes can a lso affect braking efficiency .
Clean
off accum ulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few cautious
brake applications.
- I f you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
f low to the front brakes is not obstruct
ed. Otherw ise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one b rake circuit will impai r
the braking capab ility result ing in an in
creased stopping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle a nd have it towed to the near
est A udi dealer or qualified workshop .
- Never let the veh icle roll to a s top with
the engine shut
off. .,.
•
•

Power steering
When the engine is running, power steering
makes it easier for the driver to steer.
Power steering he lps the driver steer the vehi
cle with little physical effort .
If the engine is not runn ing, the power steer
ing system is also not wo rking. In this case,
you will find it extreme ly difficult to turn the
steering whee l.
If you t urn t he steering fully to the le ft or
right when the vehicle is stationary, you place
a very heavy load on t he power steering sys
tem . T urning the steering wheel fu lly to the
left or r ight will cause noise in the system . It
a lso reduces engine idle speed.
(D Note
Do not hold the steering turned fully to
the left or right for more than 10 seconds
when t he engine is running. There is a risk
of damage to the power steeri ng system .
@ Tips
-In the event of a power steering system
failure, or if the eng ine is not running
(while being towed), you wi ll st ill be able
to stee r the ve hicle . However, you will re
quire more effort to do so .
- If the power steer ing system has a leak
or is defective, you should immed iately
contact a qualif ied wo rkshop.
- The powe r stee ring system requires a
spec ial hyd raulic f luid. The powe r stee r
i ng fl uid reservo ir is lo cated in the en
g ine compar tment . Th e cor re ct hydra ulic
f lui d leve l is important for p ro per opera
tion o f the power steering sys tem . The
power steer ing fl uid leve l is checked ac
cord ing to the Aud i maintenance service
schedule.
Dry sump Lubrication
H igh lateral and long itud inal forces affect the
engine and the vehicle d uring sporty driving.
Ory sump lubr ication ensures that your eng ine
Int ellig ent technolog y 149
is supplied wi th oi l and properly lubricated
even under these conditions .
In a "no rma l" veh icle the o il pump sends the
o il from the o il p an t o the lubr ication points in
t h e engine. The oi l then ret urns to the o il pan .
In extreme situations , the oil p ump may draw
in a ir, which results in insufficient oi l pressure.
Wi th dr y sump lubri cat ion, the o il is not in the
oi l pan (it is "dry"), but in a separate oil tank.
While one p ump supplies t he e ngine with oil ,
a second pump suctions the oil out of the en
gine and returns it to the oil tank. Because the
o il tank is tall and narrow, oil pressure is con
stant even under extreme conditions .
In add ition, the oi l pan in vehicles with dry
sump l ubrication is noticeab ly shallower. This
allows the engine to be installed lower in the
vehicle , bring ing down the center of grav ity .
T his imp roves your ve hicle's handling .
Driving with your
quattro ®
With all-wheel drive, all four wheels are driv
en.
General information
With a ll-wheel d rive, powe r is distr ib uted to
al l four wheels. This happens autom atic ally
depen ding on your d riving s tyle and the ro ad
conditions a t the time . See also ¢
page 144.
The all-whee l dr ive concept is des igned for
high eng ine power. Your veh icle is except ion
al ly powe rf ul and h as ex cellen t driving charac
teristics both under normal driving cond itions
and on snow and ice . Always read and follow
safety precaut ions ¢&. .
Winter tires
When dr iving in the win ter, yo ur vehicle wi th
a ll- wheel d rive h as an advantage, even w it h
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea
son tires) for improved driveability and brak
ing : these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels . See also¢ page 203, Winter tires. .,..
•
•

Driving and
environment
Break-in period
A new vehicle must be broken in, and the
break-in period should be 1,500 miles (2,500
km) . Do not use full acceleration for the first
600 m iles (1,000 km) and do not exceed the
maximum engine speed of 6,000 rpm You
must also not use full accelerat ion between
600 and 1,200 mi les (1,000 to 2,000 km).
Fr om 1,200 to 1,500 miles (2,000 to 2,500
km), you can gradua lly increase maximum en
gine speed to 8,250 rpm for brief periods.
During the first hours of operation, there is
greater friction in the engine and the trans
mission than later when all the moving parts
have broken in.
The way you drive during the first 1,500 miles
(2,500 km) affects engine quality. If you drive
at moderate eng ine speeds thereafter, partic
ularly when the engine is cold, you reduce en
gine wear and increase the potential mileage
of the engine.
Do not drive at RPMs that are too
low. Shift
down when the engine is no longer running
"smoothly". Extreme ly high RPMs are gov
erned automatically.
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that
low-lying parts such as spoilers and exhaus t
system parts do not bottom out and get dam
aged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low
slung chassis (sports chassis) and fully loaded
veh icles.
Driving and environment 153
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the
bottom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than walking speed .
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 braking effect.
(D Note
Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or electrical sys
tem can be severe ly damaged by dr iv ing
th rough water.
(D Tips
- Check the depth of the water before d riv
ing through it.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving
through water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles
may create waves that ra ise the water
level and make it too deep for your vehi
cle to drive through safely.
- Avo id driving through salt water because
it can cause 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 on environmentally sound manner .
.,. Always use lead-free gasoline ~ page 167,
Fuel supply .
.,. Never run the tank down all the way to emp-
~. ~
•
•

(D Note
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
flu id, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercia l cleaning spe
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim
ilarly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
~ Keep belts clean.
~ For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol
ution. Let belts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
~ Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re
tract before they are completely d ry.
~ Check the condition of your safety belts reg
ularly.
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
- Any thing tha t might damage you r safety
belts co uld mean that you and your pas
sengers wo uld not be adequately 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 o r dyes . They have corrosive prop
erties which weaken the webbing.
- When cleaning your safety belts, inspect
them for damage. If you discover dam
age, see your authorized Audi dea ler.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the informat ion
¢page 156.
1) Use o nly the correct cleaning sol utio ns. Neve r use gas
oline or d iese l fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en
gine compartment.
Corrosion p rotection
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatmen t is very impor
tant, partic ularly in the winter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
shou ld be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage .
At the same time, the underside of the veh icle
shou ld be washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease remov ing solutions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed, the a nti-corro
s ion treatment is almost always removed as
well.
It i s therefo re essentia l to have a long
lasti ng corrosion protection reapplied to all
su rfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compa rtment .
A WARNING
--=
Be aware: The eng ine compartment of any
motor veh icle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before work ing in the engine compart
ment, be sure to read the information
¢page 172.
-Before reaching into the front p lenum
panel, a lways remove the ignit ion key.
Otherwise, the w indshield wiper system
could u nintentionally be sw itched on,
possibly caus ing persona l injury from the
mov ing wipe r linkage.
- Never reach i nto the area around or
touch the rad iator fan. The aux iliary fan
is tempe ratu re controlled and ca n sw itch
on s uddenly -even when the ignition is
off. .,.
165
•
•

17 2 Che cking and filling
Checking and filling
Engine compartment
Lid
Releasing the engine compartment lid
The engine compartment lid is released from
in side the vehicle.
Fi g. 1 34 Drive r's s id e: re le asi ng th e eng ine co mpart
ment lid
R equ irement : The ignition must be sw itched
on.
.,. Make sure the rear spoiler is retracted
<=> page 148 .
.,. Pull the button @. The e ngine compart
ment lid opens slightly .
.,. Ope n the engi ne compa rtme nt lid
c:> .&, .
.&_ WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you. To re
duce the risk of bei ng bur ned,
neve r open
the engine compartment lid if yo u see or
hear steam or coolant escaping from the
eng ine compartment. Wa it until no steam
or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefu lly opening the engine compartment
lid .
CD Note
To prevent damage to the vehicle, only
ope n the engi ne compartment lid when
t he convertib le top storage bay lid is
closed .
(D Tips
An emergency re lease can be used i f th e
engine compartment lid cannot be re
l eased with the
button @r::::>page 172.
Engine compartment lid emergency
release
The emergency release loop is located under
the right trim panel near the front passenger
seat.
F ig . 1 35 Fro nt passenger footwe ll: em erge ncy release
l oop
.,. Make sure the rear spo iler is retracted
<=> page 148 .
.,. Pull the loop forwa rd to release the engine
compa rtme nt lid . The engine compar tment
lid o pens s lig htly .
.,. Open the eng ine comp artmen t lid
c:> .&, in
Releasing the engine compartment lid on
page 172 .
CD Note
To preven t dam age to the vehicle, only
open the en gine compartment lid when
the convert ible top stora ge bay lid is
closed.
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment!
Whenever you mu st perform any work in the
engine compartment, for example checking and filling the different fluids, there is a risk
of injury, burn s and accidents. To prevent
personal injury always observe the following
Ill-