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>
•
•
182 Checking and filling
Checking the engine coolant level
Proceed carefully when checking the coolant.
Fig. 144 Convertible top: se rvice position
Fig. 145 Convert ible top sto rage bay: coo lant expan
sion tank
Before you check anything in the engine com
partment,
always read and heed all WARN
INGS c:::> &_ in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 173
and park your vehicle on a
level surface.
The coolant expansion tank is located in the
right side of the convertible top storage bay
under the round metal cover
c:::> fig. 145. The
convertible top must be in the service position
to check the coolant leve l
c:::> fig. 144.
Bringing the closed convertible top into
the service position
.. Switch the ignition on .
.. Pull and hold the convertible top switch .
.. Press and hold the rear window switch too
until the convertib le top moves into the
service position
c:::> fig. 144.
Bringing the open convertible to into the
service position
.. Switch the ignition on.
.. Press and hold the convertible top switch. ..
Press and hold the rear window switch too
until the convertible top moves into the
service position
c:::> fig. 144.
Opening the coolant expansion tank cover
.. Stop the engine and allow it to cool.
.. Switch the ignition off .
.. Care fully remove the bolts in the cover@
using a screwdriver and remove the cover.
The coolant reservoir is located below
¢fig. 145.
Checking the engine coolant level
.. Place a rag or cloth on the cap of the coolant
expansion tank and turn the cap
carefully to
the left (counter-clockwise)
c:::> .&, .
.. Read the coolant leve l inside the coolant ex
pansion tank¢
fig. 145. With a cold engine,
it must be above the "min" mark. With a hot
eng ine, it can be a little above the indicated
range.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with an electric coo lant level sensor
c:::> page 15. We still recommend you check the
coolant level from time to time .
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cool
ing system should be inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer. It is not
enough merely to add coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur on ly if
the boiling point of the coo lant is exceeded as
a result of overheating .
A WARNING
-- The cooling system is under pressure. Do
notopenthecapofthecoolantexpan
sion tank when the engine is hot. You
ris k be ing sca lded.
- The coolant additive, and therefore the
coo lant itself, is haza rdous to hea lth .
Keep the coolant additive in the original
188 Checking and filling
cracked and weakened when the battery
froze.
- Charge the battery in a we ll ventilated
area. Keep away from open f lame or elec
trical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas
generated by the battery is explosive.
- To reduce the danger of explosion, never
connect or disconnect charger cables
wh ile the charger is operating.
- Fast charg ing a battery is dangerous and
should only be attempted by a compe
tent technicia n w ith the proper equip
me nt.
- Battery acid that may spill during charg
ing should be washed off with a solution
of warm water and baking soda to neu
tralize the acid.
(D Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to
start the engine. This will seriously dam
age sensitive electronic components, such
as control units, relays, rad io, etc., as we ll
as t he battery charger.
(D Tips
- The vehicle battery must not be charged
with a standard small charger that p lugs
i nto the c igarette lighte r o r outlet.
- Only charge the battery through the con
nect ions in the luggage compartment.
Windshield washer
container
Fig. 148 Luggage compartment: Wind shie ld washer
fl uid reser voir
T he washer fluid container is marked with the
symbol
O on its cap ~page 174, fig. 136 .
,. Lift the fi ller cap tongue to add washer flu
id. You can fil l the container to the top.
,. Press the cap back onto the filler neck after
fi lling the container .
You can find the reservo ir
c a p acit y in the table
in
~ page225
Clean water should be used when filling up. If
possible, use soft water to prevent scaling on
the washer jets. Always add a glass cleane r
solution (with frost protection in the winter).
(D Note
- Do not mix e ngine coolant ant ifreeze or
any other additives to fill up the w ind
shield washer reservoir .
- Do not use g lass cleaners conta ining
pai nt so lvent; you risk damaging the
paint.