Checking and fillin g 215
Engine compartment
Engine compartment overview
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 188 Typical l ayout for conta iners and engine o il filler cap
@ Jump start poin t(-) with hex
head screw .. .. ..... ... .. .. . 226, 264
@ Jump start point(+) under a cov-
er .. .. ... ..... ...... ...... 226, 264
@ Brake fl uid reservo ir ((0)) . . . . . 22 2
© Engine oil filler cap ("1:::r.) . . . . . 218
® Coolant expansion tank (-L) . . . 220
© W indshield/headlight washer
container
(0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
_& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
Q .&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 213.
-
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine in your Audi needs the right kind
of oil.
T he eng ine 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 r un
smooth ly and reliably. Choosing the right o il
and changi ng oil within the t ime and mileage
in tervals p rin ted in you r vehicle's Wa rranty
&
Maintenance booklet matters a lot more to
day than it did years ago . Audi has deve lope d
a specia l quality sta ndard for engine oil t hat
will help assure that your vehicle's engine w ill
get the lubrication it needs for proper opera
tion.
220 Check ing and filling
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro
tects the engine from freezing in the winter .
The cooling system is sealed and generally re
quires little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the fac
tory with a permanent coolant which does not need to be changed. The coolant consists of a
mixture of specially conditioned water and the
manufacturer's glycol-based coolant addi-
tive G13 antifreeze with ant icorros ion addi
tives (50% for USA models; 60% for Canadian models) . This mixture both assures the neces
sary frost protection and protects metal com
ponents in the engine's cooling system from
corrosion and scaling.
It a lso raises the boil
ing point of the coo lant.
D o not reduce the concentration o f the coo l
ant in the summer by adding plain water .
The
proportion of coolant add it iv e mu st be at
lea st 50 % but not mo re than 60 %
to main
tain antifree ze protection and cooling efficien
cy. If the coolant frost protect ion is too low,
the coolant could freeze and damage the veh i
cle heating and eng ine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifree ze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- -31° F(-35°C)USA
- - 40 ° F ( -40 °C) Canada.
I f you must add coo lant, use a m ixture of wa
ter and coolant addit ive. Mixing the coolant
addit ive wi th dist illed wate r is recommended.
_& WARNING
Before yo u check any thing in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
¢ &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 213.
(D Note
- Before winter se ts in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
-
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli mate conditions . This is especia lly impor
tant if you live in a reg ion where the win
ter is extreme ly cold. If necessary, in
crease the proportion of coolant add itive
to 60% .
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system , remember :
- We recommend us ing on ly coolant ad
d it ive G12 ++ or G1 3 (check the labe l)
for your vehicle . This coolant additive is
avai lable at autho rized Audi dea lers .
Other types of antifreeze can signifi
cantly reduce corrosion protection. The
resu lting corrosion can cause a loss of
coolant and serious engine damage .
- Do not add any type of rad iator leak seal
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant.
Add ing radiator repa ir flu id may adverse
ly affect the function and performance of
your cooling system and could resu lt in
damage not covered by you r New Ve hicle
Limited War ran ty.
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance.
F ig . 1 91 Engin e compar tmen t: cover o n th e coolant
expans io n tank
Befo re you check anyth ing in the engine com
partment,
always r ead and he ed all WARN
INGS
¢ &_ in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 213.
.,. Park your vehicle on a level surface .
.,. Switch off the ignition .
.,. Read the engine coo lant level from the coo l
a nt expansion tank¢
fig . 191, ¢ page 215, ..,.
fig. 188. With a cold engine, the coolant
lev el should be between the "min" and
"max" markings. When the engine is warm,
the level may be slightly above the "max"
marking .
The location of the coolant expansion tank
can be seen in the engine compartment illus
t ration
<=> page 215.
To obtain an accurate reading , the engine
must be switched
off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with an electric coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System<=>
page 15 will
illuminate until you add coolant and the level
has been restored to normal. Even though
there is an electric coolant level sensor, 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 only if
the boiling point of the coolant is exceeded as
a result of overheating.
&_ WARNING
-
The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of scald
ing from hot coolant by following these
steps.
- Turn
off the engine and allow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escaping fluid and steam by covering the
cap with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in
a counter-clockwise direction while ap
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap.
Checking and filling 221
-To avoid being burned, do not spill anti
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system
or hot engine parts. Under certain condi
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool
ant can catch fire .
(D Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak seal
ant to your vehicle 's engine coolant. Add-
ing radiator repair fluid may adversely af
fect the function and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage
not covered by your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine com
partment,
always read and heed all WARN
INGS <=>.&. in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 213.
"'Turn off the engine.
"'Let the engine cool down .
"' Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank
<=> page 220, fig. 191 and carefully
twist the cap counter-clockwise <=>_& .
"'Add coolant mixed in the correct ratio
<=> page 220, Coolant.
"'Twist the cap on again tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to
exact specifications <=>
page 220, Coolant.
We recommend using only coolant addi-
tive G12++, G13 or in an emergency G12+. Do
not use a different additive. In an emergency
use plain water until you can get the correct
additive and can restore the correct ratio. This
should be done as soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of
coolant , then you should add cold antifreeze
and cold water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Ex -
cess coolant will be forced out through the ..,.
•
•
222 Checking and filling
pressure relief valve in the cap when the en
gine becomes hot.
.&_ WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get
very hot. Reduce the risk of
sca lding from hot coolant by following
these steps .
- Turn off the eng ine and a llow it to cool
down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from
escap ing flu id and steam by cover ing
the cap with a large , thick rag .
- Tu rn the cap slowly and
very carefully
in a counter -clockwise direction while
applying light, downward pressure on
the top of the cap .
- To avo id being burned, do not sp ill an
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys
tem or hot engine parts. Under certain
conditions, the ethylene glycol in en
g ine coolant can catch fire.
- Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store an
t ifreeze in its original container and well
out of the reach of children.
- If you drain the coolant, it must be
caught and safely stored in a proper con
ta iner clearly marked "poison".
(D Note
- Coolant po llutes the environment and
could cause an engine fire. Excess coo l
ant will be forced out through the pres
sure relief valve i n the cap when the en
gine becomes hot .
- If, in an emergency, only water can be
added, the correct ratio between wate r
and antifreeze ~
page 220 must be re
stored as soon as possib le.
@) For the sake of the environment
Dra ined coolant should not be reused . Al
ways dispose of used coolant while
observ
ing all environmental regulations .
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by
itself .
An auxilia ry electric r adiator fan switches on
and off depending on coolan t tempera ture
and other vehicle operat ing condit ions .
After you switch the engine off, the aux iliary
fan can continue running for up to 10 minutes
- even w ith the ignition off . It can even swi tch
on aga in later by itself
c> .&. , if
- the temperature of the engine coo lant rises
due to the heat build-up from the engine in
the engine compartmen t, or
- the engine compartment heats up because
the vehicle is parked in intense sunlight.
.&_ WARNING ,_
- To reduce the risk of personal injury nev
er touch the radiator fan .
- The auxiliary electric fan is temperature
controlled and can sw itch on suddenly
even when the engine is not running .
- The auxiliary radiator fan sw itches on au
tomatically when the engine coo lant
reac hes a certain t emperature and wi ll
continue to run until the coolant temper
a ture drops.
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
Fi g. 19 2 Engin e compart ment: cover on t he bra ke fluid
re servoir
Ill>
CD 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, radio, etc., as well
as the battery charger .
Battery replacement
The new battery must have the same specifi
cations and dimensions as the original equip
ment battery .
Intelligent energy management in your vehi
cle is respons ible for distributing the electri
cal energy throughout your vehicle
c::> page 195. The intelligent energy manage
ment system w ill keep the engine battery
charged bette r than vehicles w ithout t his sys
tem. To make sure the additional electr ica l en
ergy is available once again after you have
changed the battery, we recommend that you
install batteries of the same type and manu
facture only (the same as those installed at
the time your vehicle was delivered). Specifi
cations are listed on the battery hous ing. Your
author ized dealer must code the battery in
the energy management system to enable you
to use the energy management functions cor
rectly after replac ing the battery.
The new battery must have the same capacity,
voltage (12-volts), amperage, const ruct ion
and p lug sealing.
When installing the battery, make sure the ig
n ition and all electr ical consumers are sw itch
ed off .
CD Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the s ide
of the battery is connected, otherwise
fumes or battery ac id can leak out.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper d isposal
of a battery, we recommend your author
ized Aud i dealer change the battery for
you . Batteries contain su lfuric ac id and
Checkin g and fillin g 22 7
lead and must always be disposed o f prop
erly in compliance with a ll environmental
regulations. Disposing of vehicle batter ies
i mproperly is very dangerous to the envi
ronment .
Windshield/headlight*
washer container
Fig. 194 Engine compart ment: cover on th e windshield
and headl ig ht* washer fluid reservo ir
The washer fluid conta iner is marked w ith the
symbol~ on its cap
c::> fig. 194, c::>page 215,
fig. 188.
.,. Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS c::> &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 213.
.. Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer flu
id. You can f ill the container to the top .
.. Press the cap back onto the fi ller neck after
filling the container.
You can find the reservoir
capacity in the table
in
c::> page 271.
Clean water should be used when filling up. If
possible, use soft water to prevent scaling on
washer jets. Always add a g lass cleaner solu
tion (with frost protection in the winter).
([) Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or
any other additives to fill up the wind
shield washer reservoir .
•
•
-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
yo u are not sure of their "previous histo
ry." Old used tires may have been dam
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when d riving, al
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam
age .
(D Note
Please note that summe r and wi nte r tires
are designed for the cond itions that are
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those sta ndard items which may be rep laced)
of au toma tic transmission, power steer ing ,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory-installed equip
ment (whether installed or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the rat io o f the height to the w idth of
the tire in percent . Numbers of 55 or lower in
dicate a low sidewall for improved steering re
sponse and better overa ll handling on dry
pavement .
Bead
means the part of the t ire t hat is made o f
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead .
Cord means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Tire s an d wheel s 229
typica l in those seasons . Aud i recommends
using winter tires during the winter
months . Low temperatures signif icant ly
dec rease the e lasticity of summer t ires,
which affects tract ion and brak ing ability.
If summer t ires are used i n very co ld tem
peratures, cracks ca n form o n the tread
bars , res ulting in perma nen t tire damage
that can cause loud driving noise and un
bala nced ti re s. Audi i s not respon sible for
th is type of damage .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the t ire p ress ure recommended by t he
vehicle manufacture r fo r a tire o f a des ignated
s ize t hat has not bee n driven for more than a
coup le o f miles (k ilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire press ure
is m easured or adjusted.
Curb weight
me ans the we ight of a motor ve hicle with
st andard equipmen t incl ud ing the max imum
capacity of fuel, oi l, and coolant, air condi
tioning and additional weig ht of optiona l
equipment.
Extra load tire
means a t ire design to oper ate a t higher load s
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor
responding standa rd tire . Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "x l", "EXTRA LOAD", o r
"RF" on the sidewal l.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
me ans the load-ca rry ing capac ity of a single
axle system , measured at the tire -ground in
te rfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
mea ns the maximum total loaded we ight of
the ve hicl e. .,..
•
•
236 Tire s and whee ls
including a blowout and sudden deflation that
can cause the vehicle to crash.
Your safety and that of your passenge rs a lso
depends on making s ure that load limits are
not exceeded. Vehicle load includes everybody
and everything in and on the vehicle. These
load limits are techn ically referred to as the
vehicle's
Gr oss Veh icl e W eight R ating
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic
ve hicle, all factory installed accessories, a full
tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids plus
maximum load. The maximum load includes
the number of passengers that the vehicle is
i ntended to carry ("seating capacity") with a n
assumed weight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each
passenger at a des ignated seat ing pos ition
and the tota l we ight of any luggage in the ve
h icle.
The
Gro ss Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be app lied at each
of the vehicle's two axles .
The G ross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance st icker labe l located on the
driver 's side B-p illar. Your A udi has 4 seating
positions, 2 in the front and 2 in the rear for
total seating capacity of 4. Each seating posi
tion has a safety belt
9 page 133, Safety
belts.
The fact that there is an upper limit to your
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating means
that the tota l weight of whatever is being car
ried in the vehicle is limited. The more passen
gers in the veh icle or passengers who are
heav ier than the standard weights assumed
mean that less weight can be carried as lug
gage.
The tire pressure label on your Audi also lists
the maximum combined weight of all of the
occupants and luggage or other cargo that
the veh icle can carry . For the location of the
l abe l
9page 232, fig. 195.
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve
h icle contro l, a crash or other accident, se
rious personal injury, and even death.
- Carrying more we ight than your veh icle
was des igned to carry will prevent the
veh icle from handling properly and in
crease the risk of the loss of vehicle con
trol.
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
veh icle w ith in a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been overload
ed can fail suddenly, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, causing loss of
control and a crash.
- Always make sure that the total lo ad be
ing transpor ted does not make the veh i
cle heavier than the vehicle's Gross Vehi
cle Weight Rating.
Determining correct load limit
U se the exa mple belo w to ca l
c ula te the t otal weight of the
p ass engers a nd lu ggage or oth
e r thin gs that yo u plan to tran s
p o rt so t hat yo u can make sur e
th at yo ur vehi cle w ill n ot be
ove rloa ded.
Steps for Determining
Correct Load Limit
1. Lo cate th e statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGH T OF Q C-
CU PANT S A ND CARGO
SHOULD NE VER E XCEED XXX
KG OR XXX LBS" on your ve
hicle 's placard (tire inflation
11>
2 70 Technical data
Technical data
Vehicle identification
Fig . 228 Vehicle Ident ification Number (VlN) plate: lo·
cat ion on driver 's s ide dash panel
XXXXX XX · X -XXXX XXX xx
r,"\__l f~ -11!111 · NII. ~ V!Hlll -llllll . NO.
IYP IT'fl'E
XXXXXXXX XX X XXXXXXXX
XXX XXX
XX XXXXXXX XX X X XX
XXX
KW XXX
®i ~~:f :l~~ XXXX XXX XXX
@+ ~~r= XXXX I XXXX XXX I XX M ,. AIIISl./ lflllllS
EOA 7D5 4 UB 6XM SSG 5RW
2E H JDZ llB l AS lBA
3FC 5MU 7Xl
FO A
9G3 OG7 O
YH OJF
TL6 J
KA BEH
UlA X9B QZ 7
l XW
8Q3 9Q8 82 4 020
7T6 CV 7 7KO 4X3 2K2
3L4 4 KC 3YO 4I3 502
lS A 7GB Q1A 4GQ
XX X XX X XX X XXXX
Fig. 229 Th e vehicle identificat ion label -inside the
l uggag e compa rtmen t
Vehicle Identification Number (VlN)
The Vehicle Identification Number is located
in different p laces:
- under the w indshield on the driver's side
~fig . 228.
-in the MMI: Select: Function button ICARI >
(Car)* systems> VIN number .
-on the veh icle identification label.
Vehicle identification label
The vehicle identification label is located in
the luggage compartment in the spare wheel
well. T
he label ~
fig. 229 shows the following vehi
cle data:
(D Vehicle Ident ificat ion Number (VIN )
@ . Vehicle type, engine output, transmission
® Engine and transmission code
@ Paint number and interior
® Optional equipment numbers
Th e information of the vehicle identification
lab el can also be found in your Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet.
Safety compliance sticker
The safety compliance sticker is your assur
ance that your new veh icle complies with all
applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards which were in effect at the time the
vehicle was manufactured. You can find this
sticker on the door jamb on the driver's side.
It shows the month and year of production
and the vehicle ident ificat ion number of your
vehicle (perfo rat ion) as well as the Gross Vehi
cl e Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) .
High voltage warning label
The high voltage warning label is located in
the engine compartment next to the engine
hood re lease . The spark ign ition sys tem com·
plies with the Canadian standard IC ES-002.
Weights
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), and
the Gross Axle Weight Rat ing (GAWR) for
front and rear are listed on a sticker on the
doo r jamb on the driver' s side .
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating includes the
weight of the bas ic vehicle plus fu ll fuel tank,
oil and coolant, plus maximum load, which in
cl udes passenger weight (150 lbs/68 kg per
designated seating position) and luggage
weight ~&. - .,.