2014 AUDI RS7 SPORTBACK coolant level

10 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
Instruments and warning/indicator Lights
Instruments
Instrument cluster and controls
The instrument cluster is your central source of information.
Fig. 3 Overv iew of the inst rument cluster
CD Coolant temperature gauge ...
@ Tachometer (engine rev counter)
@ Turn signals ........... .. .. .
© Display with
- Driver information system .. .
- Warning/ind icator lights
® Tachometer 10
11
46
23
11
@ Fuel
gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
@ Tips
The instrument illumination (for dials and
needles) turns on when the ignition is on
and the vehicle lights are turned off . As
the daylight fades, the illumination of the
dia ls likewise dims automatically and will
go out completely when the outside light
is very low. This feature is meant to rem ind
you to switch on the headlights when out­
side light conditions become poor.
Engine coolant temperature gauge
The engine coolant gauge CD c:> page 10, fig. 3
only works when the ignition is on . To prevent
damage to your engine, please note the fol­
l owing important points:
Engine cold
,.._ N
9 (!)
" a,
If only the LEDs at the bottom of the gauge
turn on, the engine has not reached operating
temperature yet. Avoid high engine speeds, heavy engine loads and heavy th rottle applica­
t ions.
Normal temperature
The engine has reached its operating temper­
ature once the LEDs up to the center of the
gauge turn on unde r normal driv ing cond i­
t ions . Th e LEDs higher up may turn on when
the engine is under heavy load or the exterior
temperature is high. This is no need to worry
as long as the . warning light in the instru­
ment cluste r does not illum inate . If the LEDs
i n the upper area of the disp lay and the indica­
tor light . in the instrument cluster display
turn on, the coolant temperature is too high
c:>page 15.
A WARNING
-Always observe the warn ing in
c:> page 213, before opening the hood
and checking the engine coolant level.

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 11
- Never open the engine hood if you see or
hear steam, or if you see engine coolant
dr ipping from the engine compartment.
You could burn yourself . Let the engine
cool off first until you can no longer see
or hear steam or coo lant escaping.
Q) Note
- Mount ing additional lights or accessories
i n front of the a ir inlets reduces the cool­
i ng effect of the rad iator . At h igh outside
temperatures or high eng ine load, the
engine could overheat.
- The front spo ile r has been designed to
proper ly distribute the cooling air wh en
t h e veh icle i s moving.
If the spoiler is
damaged, this cou ld red uce the cooling
effect and the engine co uld then over ­
heat . Ask yo ur authorized Audi dea ler fo r
ass istance.
Tachometer (engine rev counter)
The tachometer indicates the engine RPM
(revolutions per minutes).
If engine R PM drops be low 1 ,500, you should
downshift to the next lower gea r. T he red area
at the end of the sca le indicates maximum
pe rmissib le engine RPM after the break- in pe­
riod. Before reach ing this area, move these­
lector lever to position 0/5 (Drive) or ease
your foot off the accelerator peda l.
(D Note
The tachometer needle should only br iefly
be in the red zone: you cou ld damage your
eng ine! The beginn ing of the red zone var­
ies depending on the operati ng tempera­
ture of the eng ine .
@ For the sake of the environment
Upshift ing early saves fuel and reduces en­
gine noise.
@ Tips
The engine speed is limited when the en­
g ine is co ld - the full engine output is not ava
ilable . When the engine is at operating
temperature, the red area in the tachome­
ter moves to a higher RPM range.
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge only works when the ignition is
on. If the fue l level drops below 2 .6 gallons
(10 lite rs), the bottom LED turns red and the
indicato r light ~ turns on
¢ page 21 . The
bottom L ED blinks red whe n the fuel level is
very low.
The possible range based on the current fuel level is shown in tab@~
page 23, fig. 4.
(D Note
Neve r run the ta nk completely dry. A n ir­
r egular supply of f uel can cause engine
misfiring and fuel could enter the exha ust
system. The catalytic co nve rter could t hen
ove rheat and be damaged .
Warning/indicator
Lights
Description
The ind icator lights in the instrument cluster
blink or tur n on. They indica te f unct ions or
malfunctions
¢ & .
Messages may appea r with some indicato r
li ghts. A warning signal will sound at t he
same t ime . The indica to r li ghts and messages
i n the center of the displays may be rep lace d
by other disp lays. To show them again, select
the tab for ind icator lights and messages us­
ing the multif unction steering whee l
¢ page 23. If there are several malfunc­
tions, you can display them one at a time us­ i ng the thumbwheel.
Some indicators lights in the d isp lay can turn
on in severa l co lors.
A WARNING
- Failure to heed warning lights and other
important vehicle informat ion may resu lt
IJI,,

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 15
(USA models): If the warnin g light 1111 and
the warning light
EiJ appear together, imme­
d iate ly contact your authorized Aud i dea ler or
qua lified workshop to have all brake pads in­
spected
¢ page 20 .
When t he light comes on, an audib le warning
signal is also given .
A WARNING
-Always observe the warnings in
¢ page 213, before opening the hood
and checking the brake fluid.
- Driv ing with low brake fluid is a safety
hazard . Stop the car and get professional
assistance.
- If the 1111 (USA models)/ . (Canada
mode ls) brake system indicator light
tu rns on together with the ABS and ESC
indicator lights, the ABS/ESC regu lating
function may have failed. Functions tha t
stabilize the ve hicl e are no longer availa­
ble. This cou ld cause the vehicle to
swerve and increase the risk of sliding .
Drive carefully to the nearest a uth orized
Audi dealer or other qualified workshop
and have the malfunction corrected.
- If the brake warning/indicator light does
not go out after a few seconds and the
park ing brake is released, or lights up
wh ile you are drivi ng, the fluid level in
the brake fluid reservoir is too low .
If you
b elieve that it is safe to do so, proceed
immediately at low speed to the nearest
autho riz ed Au di d ealer o r qualifie d re pair
f acili ty and have the bra ke system in­
spected.
- Always kee p in m ind tha t afte r several
brake applicat ions, yo u will nee d greater
pressure on the brake peda l to stop your
vehicle. Do not re ly on strained brakes to
respond w ith maxim um stopping power
in critical situations. You must allow for
increased braking distances . The extra
distance used up by fad ing brakes could
lead to an acc ident.
PARK!< ®> Electromechanical parking brake
The warning/indicator light monitors the
electromechanical parking brake .
If the indicator light- (USA models)/ .
(Canada models) turns on, the parking brake
was set . If the park ing brake is set when the
ignition is off, the indicator light turns off af­
te r abo ut 20 seconds.
The warning/indic ator light will go out when
the parking brake is re leased .
-(USA models ) ,. (Canada models )
Caut ion: Vehicle parked too steep
If the indicator light b links and the message
appears, there is not enough braking power to
keep the vehicle from roll ing. The brakes have
overheated. The vehicle could roll away even
o n a small incl ine .
Press brake pedal to release parking brake
To re lease the par king brake, press the brake
peda l and press the button ~ or start driv ing
with starting assist at the same time
¢ page 78.
Pl eas e r elease parking brake
To re lease the park ing b rake manually , press
the b rake peda l and press the button~ at the
same time. The parking b ra ke only releases
a ut omat ica lly if the d river 's sa fe ty belt is fas­
tened.
Ill Parking brake!
If the DI indicator lig ht turns on and th is
message appears, there is a parking brake
malfu nction . D rive to your authorized Audi
deal er or qualified workshop immediately to
have the malfun ct io n corrected.
-L Engine cooling system malfunction
A malfunction in the engine cooling system
must be repaired as soon as possible .
• Switch off engine and check coolant lev el liJI,

16 Instruments and warning/indicator lights
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, the coo lant temperature is too
h igh or the coo lant level is too low.
.,. Pull off the road.
.,. Stop the vehicle.
.,. Turn off the engine.
.,. Check coolant level¢
page 220 .
.,. Add coolant if necessary ¢ page 221 .
.,. Continue driving only after the engine cool­
ant warn ing/indicator light goes out.
.,. Contact you r authorized Aud i dealer for as-
s istance if necessary .
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be the cause of the malfunc ­
tion .
• Coolant temperature too high! Please let
engine run with vehicle stationary
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, let the engine run at idle for a
few minutes to cool down.
A WARNING , _ -
- If your veh icle should break down for
mechanical or other reasons, park at a
safe distance from moving traffic, turn
off the engine and turn on the hazard
wa rning lights¢
page 45, Emergency
flasher.
- Never open the hood if you see or hear
steam or coolant escaping from the en­
gine compartment -you risk being scald­
ed. Wait until you can no longer see or
hear steam or coo lant escaping .
- Th e engine compartment of any vehicle
is a dangerous area. Before you perform
any work in the engine compartment,
turn of the eng ine and allow it to cool.
Follow the warning stickers¢
page 213.
(D Note
Do not continue driving if the . symbol
illuminates. There is a malfunction in the
engine cooling system -you co uld damage
your engine.
0 Battery
This warning/indicator light detects a mal­
function in the generator or in the vehicle's
electrical system .
The. warn ing/ indicator light illuminates
when you switch on the ignition and must go
out after the engine has started .
• Alternator fault: Battery is not being
charged
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there is a malfunction in the
generator or vehicle electrical system.
Drive to your authorized A udi dealer or quali­
fied workshop immediate ly. Because the vehi­
cle battery is discharging, turn off all unnec ­
essary electrical equipment such as the rad io.
Seek professional assistance if the battery
charge level is too low.
t•) Low battery: battery will be charged
while driving
If the indicator light turns on and the mes­
sage appears, there may be limited starting
ability.
If this message turns off after a little while,
the battery charged enough while driving.
If the message does not turn off, have your
a uthor ized Aud i dealer or qualified workshop
correct the malfunction.
-ft Safety belts
This warning/indicator light reminds you to
put on your safety belt.
The . warn ing/ indicator light illum inates
whe n the ignition is switched on to remind
the driver and any front passenger to put on
the safety be lt. Addit iona lly, an aco ustic wa rn­
ing (gong) w ill also so und .
For more Information¢
page 133, ,i Safety
belt warning light.

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 ..,.
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•

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>

in P (Park posi tion) an d the park brake is
applied.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Chang ing the engine settings wi ll ad ­
versely affect emission levels . This is det­
rimenta l to the environment and increas­
es fue l cons umption .
- Always observe env ironmental regula­
tions when d ispos ing of old engine oil,
used brake fluid, dirty engine coolant,
spent batter ies or worn out tires.
- Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
s ioners might be classified as Perchlo­
rate Material -spec ial handling may ap­
ply, see www .dtsc .ca .gov/hazardous­
waste/perch lorate . When the veh icle or
parts of the restrai nt system includ ing
airb ag mod ules safety be lts wit h preten­
s ioners are scrapped, all applic able laws
and regulations must be observed. Your
a utho rized Audi dea le r is familiar with
these req uirements and we recommend
that you have your dealer perform this
serv ice for you .
Additional accessories,
modifications and
parts replacement
Additional accessories and parts
replacement
Always consult an authorized Audi dealer be­
fore purchasing accessories .
Your vehicle incorporates the latest safety de ­
sig n featu res ensuring a high standard of ac­
tive and passive safety .
This sa fe ty could be compromised by non-ap­
proved changes to the veh icle . For this reason ,
if pa rts have to be replaced, p lease observe
the following points when install ing addition­
a l acc essories:
Approved Audi accessor ies and genuine Audi
pa rts are ava ilable from authorized Aud i deal­
e rs.
Con sumer In formation 275
T hese dea le rs a lso have the necessary facili ­
ties, tools a nd trained specialists to install the
parts and accessories properly .
_& WARNING
Using the wrong spare parts or using non­
approved accessories can cause damage to
the vehicle and ser ious persona l injury .
- Use on ly accessories express ly approved
by Audi and ge nuine Audi spare parts
- These parts and accessories have been
specially designed to be used on your ve­
hicle .
- Never install accessor ies such as tele­
phone crad les or beverage ho lders on air­
bag covers or w ithi n the airbag deploy­
ment zones. Do ing so wi ll increas e th e
ris k of injury if a irbags are triggered in an
accide nt!
- Before you check anything in the engine
compa rtment, always read and heed a ll
WARNIN GS
<:!)page 213.
(D Note
-If items other than ge nuine Audi spare
parts, add-on equipment and accessory
items are used o r if repair wo rk is no t
perf ormed ac cor ding to spe cifie d meth­
ods, this ca n resu lt in seve re dam age to
your vehicle's engine and bo dy (such as
co rrosion) an d adve rsely affect yo ur vehi­
cle 's warranty .
- If emergency repairs must be perfo rme d
elsewhere , have the vehicle examine d by
an authorized A udi dealer as soon as
possible.
- The manufacturer cannot be held lia b le
for damage wh ich occ urs due to failure
to comply with these stipu lations.
Technical Modifications
Our guidelines must be complied with when
technical modifications are made.
A lways consult an authorized Audi dealer be-
-
fore start ing work on any modifications. ..,_
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