162 Cleaning and protection
Plastic parts and imitation leather
You can clean plastic parts and imitation
l eathe r with a damp cloth .
If this does not re
move the dirt, you can treat these parts only
with specia l
sol vent-free pla st ic cleaning and
care product s.
A WARNING
So lvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to dep loy .
- Never clean the instrument pane l or the
surface of Airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents w ill make
the surface of th is part porous.
- Serious injur ies can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the informat ion
¢ page 156 .
Cleaning agents containing solvents will
attack the material and can change the
way it behaves.
Carbon-fiber parts
App lies to vehicles: with carbon-fibe r parts
The carbon-fiber parts of your vehicle have a
p a inted su rface . They do not require any spe
cial care and are cleaned like plast ic parts
¢ page 162 .
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fab rics and fabr ic coveri ngs (e.g. seats, doo r
tr im panels, etc.) should be cleaned a t reg ular
inte rva ls with a vacu um cleaner. This removes
surface dirt particles which could become em
bedded in th e fabric thro ugh use. Steam
cleaners shou ld not be used, because the
s team tends to push the dir t deeper into the
f abric and lock i t there.
Normal cleaning
Gener ally, we re commend using a soft sponge
o r a lint -free microfibe r cloth to the clean fab
ric. Brushes s hou ld only be used for carpets
and floor mats, since other fab ric surfaces
could be harmed by b rushes.
Norma l su rface s tains can be cleane d using a
commercially availab le foam cleaner . Spread
the foam on the s urface of the fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently . Do not satu
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam dry us ing
absorbe nt, dry cloths (e .g. m icrofiber cloth)
and vacuum i t after it has dried completely .
Cleaning stains
Stains caused by beverag es (e .g. coffee, fr uit
j uice, etc .) can be treated with a mild deter
gen t solution. Apply the detergent solution
with a spo nge . In the case of stubborn stains,
a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the stain and worked i nto the fabric. After
wards, use copious amounts of clean wa ter to
remove the rema ining deterge nt. App ly the
wate r w ith a damp doth or sponge and pat
th e fabric dry wi th an abso rbent, dry cloth .
Stai ns from choco late or ma keup should have
de tergent pa ste (e.g. ox-gall so ap) rubbed in
to them. Afterwa rds, remove the soap wi th
water (damp sponge) .
Alcohol can be used to treat sta ins from
grease, o il, lipstick or a ballpoint pen . M elted
grease or dye mus t be patted off using a b
sorbent ma terial.
It may be necessary to re
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa
ter.
In the case of gene ral soiling of the upho ls
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specia list t hat has the equipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabr ic surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction.
A WARNING
-A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
¢ page 156.
@ Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Natural leather
App lies to vehicles: with natura l leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties , natural look and feel of interior
leather.
G ene ra l
We offer many different types of leather on
our veh icles. Most are different types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various co lors .
The intensity of the color determines the visu
al characteristics and appearance . If the sur
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has
been left in a relatively natural condition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. F ine veins, closed grains, insect
b ites, skin folds, and subtle variations in co lor
remain visible . These cha racte ristics demon
strate that the mater ia l is na tural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col
or finish .
It is therefore more sensitive to so il
ing and wear, wh ich is something you need to
consider if ch ild ren, an imals o r othe r factors
m ight prove to be particularly hard on the
l eather .
By contrast, leather types that are cove red by
a co lored finish laye r are more durable. This
h as a posit ive effect on the leather's resist
ance to wear and soiling in daily use . On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu
ra l leather are bare ly or not apparent. Howev
er, this does not mean that the leather itself
is of infer ior quality.
Ca re and handling
Because of the exclusive nat ure of the types of
l eather that Audi uses and their unique prop
erties (such as sensitivity to oils, grease, soi l
ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care-
Cleaning and protec tion 163
ful with these leathers, and a ce rtain type of
care is required. For example, dark clothing
mater ia ls can disco lor leather seats (especia l
l y if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correctly) . Dust and dirt particles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect
and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams .
The leather should be cleaned regularly as needed . After having been used for a relat ively
long time, your leather seats will acqu ire a
rich aged fin ish . This is a character istic of nat
ural leathe r and a s ign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural
product over the life of your ve hicle, you
shou ld follow the recommendat ions below:
(D Note
- To keep your leather from b leac hing out,
do not allow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time . If you
have to leave the veh icle parked outside
for long per iods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to s un
light.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent sc ratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather .
{i) Tips
-After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leather preser
vative creme that contains UV-b lockers
and that works into the leather. Th is
creme will nour ish and mo isturize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay
supple . It also helps to build up a protec
tive coating on the surface .
- Clean the leather every 2 - 3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh marks made by ballpo int
pens, ink, lipstick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as poss ible.
- Preserve the color of the leather as need
ed by us ing a special colored leather care
creme to touch up areas of uneven color . •
•
164 Cleaning and protection
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Natural leather requires special care and at
tention.
Normal cleaning
• Clean soiled are as with a slightly moistened
cotton or woolen cloth.
More stubborn dirt
• More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
cloth saturated with a mild soap solution (2
tablespoons mild liquid soap).
• Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather , and make certain that no water
soaks into the seams .
• Wipe off the soap solution with a soft, dry
cloth .
Cleaning spots
• Remove fresh water-based spots (such as
coffee, tea, juices, blood) with an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
• Remove fresh
grease or oil-based spots
(such as butter, mayonnaise , chocolate) with
an absorbent cloth or paper towel, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface
of the leather.
• Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if
oil/
grease spots have dried on.
• Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint
pen, felt marker, fingernail polish, water
based paint, shoe polish, etc.) with a spot
remover specifically formulated for leather .
Leather care
• Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized
Audi dealer) to care for the leather .
• Apply the product very sparingly.
• Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any questions about cleaning and
caring for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact your authorized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our
full range of leather care products, such as: -
Leather cleaning and care kit
- Cremes to care for colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpoint pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oil/grease dissolving spray
- New and upcoming products .
_&. WARNING
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
~ page 156.
(D Note
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or similar products on the leather surfaces
in your Audi .
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercial cleaning spe
cialist.
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Applies to vehicles: with Alcantara upholstery
Removing dust and dirt
• Moisten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces.
Removing stains
• Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or
with diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcohol.
"' Dab at the stain . Start at the outside and
work inwards .
• Once the stain is no longer visible, use a soft
dry cloth or tissue to soak up the moisture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al
cantara.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing dust and dirt .
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface . If the car is
left standing in the sun for long periods, the
Alcantara covers should be protected against
direct sunlight to prevent it from fading .
Slight color variations will develop in normal
use and are not an indication of material dete-
rioration. ""
(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-
WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area!
c::> &.
A WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check any
thing under the engine compartment lid:
- Switch off the engine.
- Remove the ignition key.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of S tronic to "N"
(Neutral); put manual transmission in
Neutral.
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the engine compartment lid if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping
from the engine compartment. Wait un
til no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before carefully opening the en
gine compartment lid .
- Keep children away from the engine com
partment .
-Never spill fluids on hot engine compo
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap when the engine is still warm. The coolant 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:
Checking and filling 173
- 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 S tronic to "N"
(Neutral); put manual transmission in
Neutral.
- 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 wear no clothing that will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and chemical hazards
c::> .&. .
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.
@ 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
IJI>
•
•
17 4 Che cking and filling
fluids, have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized Audi dealer.
Closing the engine compartment lid
.. Make sure that the rear spo iler is retracted
¢ page 148.
.. Pull the engine compa rtment lid dow n until
the p ress ure from the struts is reduced .
.. Pr ess the eng ine compartment lid closed
¢ &_ .
Eng ine compartment
A WARNING
-- W hen you close the engine compartment
lid, chec k it to make su re the safety catch
has prope rly engaged . The engine com
pa rtment lid s ho ul d be flush w ith the
sur ro un ding vehicle body parts .
- If you notice while driv ing t hat the en
g in e compartmen t lid is not secu red
p roperly, sto p at once and cl ose it .
These ore the most important items that you con check .
Fig . 136 Ty pica l layout fo r co ntai ners , e ngin e o il dipst ick and engin e o il fille r cap (man ual t ra n sm iss io n)
F ig . 1 37 Typ ica l layout fo r co ntain ers, e ngin e o il d ipstic k and e ng in e o il fill er cap (S t ro nic )
W ith manual transmission: @ Engine oil f iller cap(~) ,
(D Power steering f luid rese rvoir
@ E ngine o il d ipst ick ...... .... .
(@) ... .... .... ....... .. .. . 14 9
180
178 ....
With S tronic transmission:
(!) Powe r steeri ng fluid rese rvoir
(~ ) ... .. ................ . . 149
@ Engine oi l filler cap ("1::r.) with
engine oil dipstick, ........ .. 180, 179
A WARNING
Before you ch eck a nything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
~ A in Working in the engine
compartment on page 173.
@ Tips
The coolant expansion tank is located un
der the convert ible top storage bay lid
~page 183.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications (8-cyl.-engine )
The engine in your Audi needs the right kind
of oil.
-
The engine in your Audi is a soph istica ted
powerp lant tha t was b uilt to exacting specifi
cations . This engine needs the r ight kind of
engine oi l that meets specifications regarding
qua lity and viscosity so that it can run
smoothly and reliably. Choos ing the right oi l
and changing oil within the time and mileage intervals printed in your veh icle's Warranty
&
Ma intenance book let matters a lot more to
day than it d id yea rs ago. A udi has developed
a special quality standa rd for engine oil that
will he lp assure tha t your veh icle's eng ine will
get the lubrica tion it needs for prope r opera
tion.
M odern eng ine lub rication has taken a quan
t um leap in the last few yea rs. Ma ny synthetic
oils availa ble today provide be tter eng ine lu
b rica tion that can outlast traditional pe trole
um-based o ils, making them a smart choice
for use throughout the life of your A udi.
Whether yo u use syn thetic or petroleum
based engine oil, the oil that yo u use must
conform to Audi's oil qua lity standard VW S02
00 to help keep your vehicle's engine running
Checkin g and fillin g 175
smooth ly and he lp prevent the format ion of
harmful deposits, sometimes ca lled "s ludge,"
that over time can lead to expensive repairs.
At the time of prin ting, engine oils ava ilab le in
t h e U.S . and Canada that meet the exacting
specifications of Audi oi l standard VW 502 00
are synt het ic eng ine oi ls . Th is does not mean,
however, that every synthetic engine oil will
meet Audi o il standard VW 502 00. So always
be sure that you use an approved oil.
To he lp prevent the formation of harmfu l de
pos its use on ly oil with the following specifi
cations pr inted on the o il conta iner:
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
Oil containe r labels m ay car ry the s peci fica
t ion sing ly or in combina tion wi th othe r desig
na tions and oil quality s tanda rds .
Viscosity
Engine o ils are graded accord ing to thei r vis
cosity. The p roper viscos ity grade oil fo r yo ur
engine depends o n climactic or seasona l con
ditions where yo u drive. You must use oil w it h
a v isco sity g rade of SA E 5W-30 all temper a
tu re ranges fo r norma l d riving condi tions.
Because eng ine o il that meets the Audi oil
sta ndard may not be availab le everyw here
whe n you need i t, we strong ly reco mmend
t h at you a lways carry wit h you an ex tra quart
( li ter) of oil that exp ress ly con forms to the
VW 502 00, in case you have to top
off the oil
whi le on the road.
Only if the level of the o il is at or be low the
minimum ma rk on the oi l dipstick -and no oil
that expressly conforms to Audi oi l VW 502
00 is ava ilab le -may you top
off with a h igh
quality eng ine o il, preferab ly synthetic-based,
that meets ACEA A3 or API SM specifications. However, duri ng the entire time between oi l
c h ange in tervals, neve r top
off w ith more tha n
a total of 1 qt/lite r engine oil that does not
confo rm to Aud i oil spec ifi cat ion VW 50 2 00.
For more information abo ut eng ine oi l that
has been approved for your veh icle, please
contact e ither you r autho rized Aud i dea le r o r ..,.
•
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