
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
qu ires 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 anticorros 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 also raises the boil
ing point of the coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo l
ant in the summer by adding plain water .
The
proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50% but not more than 60%
to main
tain antifree ze protection and cooling efficien
cy. If the coolant frost protection is too low,
the coolant could freeze and damage the vehi
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 mixture of wa
ter and coolant addit ive. Mixing the coolant
additive with distilled water is recommended.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
c::;, .&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 214.
(D Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
Checkin g and fillin g 221
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli
mate conditions. This is especia lly impor
tant if you live in a region where the win
ter is extremely co ld. If necessary, in
crease the proportion of coolant additive
to 60% .
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system, remember :
- We recommend using only coolant ad
ditive G12++ or G13 for your vehicle .
This coolant additive is available at au
thorized Audi dealers. Other types of
antifreeze can significantly reduce cor
rosion protection. The resulting corro
sion can cause a loss of coolant and se rious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of radiator leak seal
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant.
Adding radiator repair fluid may adverse
ly affect the function and performance of
your cooling system and could result in
damage not covered by your New Veh icle
Limited Warranty.
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance.
Fig. 185 En gin e compar tment: Cover on the coo la n t
expansio n tan k
"' Before you check anything in the engine
compa rtme nt,
always read and heed all
WARNINGS c::;, .&, in Working in the engine
compartment on page 214.
"'Park your vehicle on a level su rface .
.,. Turn off the ignition .
.,. Read the engine coolant level from the cool
ant expansion tank
i=> fig . 185, c::;, page 216,
fig . 182. With a cold engine, the coolant Iii>

222 Check ing and filling
level should be between the "MIN" and
"MAX" markings. When the engine is warm,
the leve l may be slightly above the "MAX"
marking .
The location of the coolant expansion tank
can be seen in the engine compartment illus
tration
c:> page 216.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must be switched
off.
The expansion tank in you r vehicle is equipped
with an e lectric coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning light in the Auto-Check System
c:> page 17will
b link until you add coo lant and the level has
been restored to no rma l. Even though there is
an electric coolant level sensor, we still rec
ommend you check the coolant leve l from
time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cool ing
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cool
ing system should be inspected immediately
by your authorized A udi dealer.
It is not
enough merely to add coolant.
I n a sealed system, losses can occur only if
the boiling point of the coolant is exceeded as
a result of overheat ing.
A WARNING
The cooling system is unde r 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
dow n.
- Protect yo ur 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 wh ile ap
plying light, downward pressure on the
top of the cap .
- To avoid be ing burned, do not spill ant i
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system
'
or hot engine parts. Under certa in cond i
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine coo l
ant can catch fire.
(D Note
Do not a dd any type of radiator leak sea l
ant to your veh icle's engine coolant. Add
i ng radiator repa ir fl uid may adverse ly af
fect the funct ion and performance of your
cooling system and could result in damage
not covered by your New Veh icle L imited
War ranty .
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anyth ing in the eng ine com
partment, always read and heed all WARN
INGS
c:> A in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 214 .
Requirement: There m ust be a res idual
amount of coo lant in the expans ion tank
c:> (]) .
.,.. Turn off the eng ine .
.,.. Let the engin e cool down.
.,.. Place a thick rag over the coo lant expansion
tank
c:> page 221 , fig. 185 and carefully turn
the cap counter-clockwise
c:> .&_ .
.,.. Add coo lant m ixed in the correct rat io
c:> page 221, Coolant up to the MAX ma rk
ing.
.,.. Mak e s ure t hat the fl uid leve l remains sta-
b le. Add more coo lant if necessary.
.,.. Twist the cap on again
tightly .
Replacement engine coo lant must confo rm to
ex act spec ific at ions
c:> page 221, Coolant.
We recommend using only coolant add it ive
G12 ++, G13 or i n an emergency G 12+. Do
not
use a different add it ive. In an emergen cy use
plain wa ter until yo u can ge t the correct addi
tive and can restore t he correct ratio. This
sho uld be done as soon as possib le .
If you have los t a cons iderab le amount o f
coolant, the n you sho uld add cold ant ifree ze
and co ld wate r on ly when the engine is cold.
Always use
n ew engine coo la nt w hen refilling . .,.

224 Checking and filling
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a
quick glance .
N N ~ N
" (X) (0
Fig. 186 Engine compart ment: Cover on the brake flu·
id reservo ir
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 214 .
.. Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fluid reservoir ¢
fig. 186, ¢ page 216,
fig . 182.
The brake fluid level must be be
tween the "MIN" and
"MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear
partition of the engine compartment on the
left side
¢ page 216.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads . This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls
considerably be
low the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/indi
cator light (U.S. models: ., Canadian mod
els: .) will come on¢
page 15. Do not con
tinue to operate the vehicle . The complete
brake system should be thoroughly checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop and the cause corrected .
If the
brake fluid level is too low, the brake warning/
indicator light will illuminate. Contact an au
thorized Audi dealer
immediately .
@ Tips
The brake fluid reservoir is located under
neath the cover.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If
t he water content in the brake fluid is too
high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling point of the
brake flu id will also decrease conside rably and
decrease braking pe rformance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years . Always use new brake flu id
which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle
Standard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we recommend that you
have the brake fluid changed by your author
ized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct
tools, the right brake fluid and the know-how
to do this for you .
A WARNING
- Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stor
ed only in the closed original container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can resu lt from o ld or inap
propriate brake fluid. Observe these pre
cautions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SA E
specification
J 1703 and conforms to
Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 116.
Always check with your authorized Audi
dealer to make sure you are using the
correct brake fluid. The correct type of
brake f luid is also indicated on the
brake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is left in the system too
long . This can seriously affect the effi
c iency of the brakes as well as your
safety. This could resu lt in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your
vehicle .

not exceeded . Vehicle load includes everybody
and everything in and on the vehicle. These
l oad limits are techn ica lly referred to as the
ve hicle's
Gross Veh icle We ight Rat ing
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic
veh icle, all factory insta lled accessories, a full
tank of fu el, oil, coolant and other fluids plus
maximum load. The maximum load includes
the number of passengers that the vehicle is
i n tended to carry ("seating capacity") with a n
assumed weight of 150 lbs . (68 kg) for each
passenger at a des igna ted sea ting pos ition
and the tota l we ight of any l uggage in the ve
h icle. If you tow a trailer, the weight o f the
trailer hitch and the tong ue weight of the
l oaded trailer must be included as part of the
veh icle load.
The
Gro ss A xle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each
of the vehicle's two ax les.
The G ross Vehicle We ight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance sticker labe l located on the
driver's side B -pi llar . Your Audi has 5 seating
positions, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear for
tota l seating capacity of 5. Each seating posi
tion has a seat belt¢
page 138, Safety belts.
The fact that there is an upper limit to your
veh icle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating means
that the tota l weight of whatever is being car
ried in the vehicle (including the weight of a
trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the
loaded trailer) is limited. The more passen
ge rs in the veh icle or passengers who are
h eav ier than the standa rd weights assumed
mean that less weight can be ca rr ied as l ug
gage.
The tire pressure labe l on you r Audi also lists
the maximum combined we ight of all of the
oc cu pants and luggage o r othe r ca rgo that
the vehicle can carry . For the location o f the
l abe l
¢page 234, fig. 189.
Tires an d wheel s 239
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve
h icle contro l, a crash or other accident, se
rious pe rsonal 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, incl uding a blowout
and sudden defla tion, causing loss of
contro l and a crash.
- Always ma ke sure that the total load be
ing transpor ted - incl uding the weight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a loaded trailer -does not ma ke the vehi
cle heavier than the vehicle's Gross Vehi
cle We ight Rating.
Determining correct load limit
U se th e example below to ca l
culate the total weight of the
pa ssengers and lu ggage or oth
e r thing s that you pl an t o tran s
po rt so that you can make sur e
that your vehicle will not be
o verloaded.
Steps for Determining
Correct Load Limit
1 . Lo cate th e statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF O C
CUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NE VER E XCE ED XXX
KG OR XXX LBS"on your vehi-
c le 's pla card (tire inflation ..,
•
•

Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front
wheels, and only to certain tire sizes. Ask your
authorized Audi dealer on which tire sizes
snow chains can be used.
The snow chains must have low-profile links
and must not be thicker than 0.53 inch
(13.5 mm), including the lock .
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putting snow chains on your vehicle
~ 0. For safety reasons cover caps must then
be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are avail
able from authorized Audi dealers.
~ WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehi
cle or installing them incorrectly can in
crease the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
- Snow chains are available in different sizes. Always make sure to follow the in
structions provided by the snow chain
manufacturer .
- When driving with snow chains never
drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow chains.
- Always observe local regulations.
(D Note
- Remove snow chains before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wearing the snow
chains down unnecessarily.
- Snow chains, which come into direct con
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or
damage it . Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitably covered . Check
the position of the snow chains after
driving a few yards and correct if neces
sary. Follow the instructions from the
snow chain manufacturer when doing so.
(j) Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer
tain roads, this normally also applies to
vehicles with all wheel drive.
Tires and wheels 24 7
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque.
The design of wheel bolts is ma tched to the
factory inst alled rims. If different rims are fit
ted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted
securely and that the brake system functions
correctly.
In certain circumstances, you may not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same model~
page 2 77.
&_ WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel
bolts can become loose causing loss of
control , a collision and serious personal in
jury.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clean so the
wheel bolts can turn easily and be prop
erly tightened.
- Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and
the threads in the wheel hubs. They can become loose while driving if greased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specified
torque .
- Only use wheel bolts that belong to the
rim being installed .
- Never use different wheels bolts on your
vehicle.
-Always maintain the correct tightening torque for the wheel bolts to reduce the risk of a wheel loss. If the tightening tor
que of the wheel bolts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi
cle is moving.
If the tightening torque is
too high, the wheel bolts and threads
can be damaged and the wheel can be
come loose.
(I} Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is
90 ft lbs . (120 Nm) with a tolerance of
± 7,4 ft lbs. (± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bolts .,..
•
•

Right cockpit fuse assignment
Fig. 209 Right cockpit: fuse pane l wit h plastic clip
Fuse panel @ (black )
No . Consumer
Amps
5 Steering
column switch
5
modu le
7
Terminal 15 diagnostic con-
necta r 5
8
Gateway (Databus diagnos-
5
tic interface)
9 Supplementary heater 5
Fuse panel@ (brown )
No .
Consumer Amps
1 CD/DVD player 5
2 Wi-Fi
5
3 MMI/Radio 5/20
4 Instrument cluster
5
5 Gateway
(instrument cluster
5
control module)
6 Ignition lock
5
7 Light switch
5
8
Climate control system
40
blower
9 Steering column lock
5
Fuse s and bulb s 263
No. Consumer
10 Climate
control system
11 Te
rm inal 30 diagnostic con-
n ectar
12 Steering
column switch
module
Right luggage compartment fuse
assignment Amps
10
10
5
F ig . 210 Right luggage compartment: fuse panel w ith
plast ic cl ip
Fu se panel @ (bla ck)
No . Consumer Amps
2 Rear window heater (Ca brio-
30
let)
3 Power
top latch (Cabriolet)
30
4 Power top hyd
raul ics (Cab-
so riolet)
Fuse pan el@ (black )
No. Consumer Amps
Luggage compartment lid
1 control
module (allroad)/
30/10
Power top contro l modu le
(Cabriolet)
2 Retractable rear spoiler
10
(RS 5 Coupe)

This might happen, for example, when
heavy components such as the engine
b lock or transmiss io n are removed .
- When removing heavy components like
these, anchor vehicle to ho ist or add cor
responding weig hts to mai nta in the cen
ter of g ravity. Otherwise, the veh icle
m ight tilt o r slip off t he hois t, causi ng
serious p ersona l injury.
(I) Note
- Be awa re of th e fo llowing points befo re
li fting the vehicle:
- The vehicle should never be lifted or
jacked up from underneath the engine oil pan , the transmission housing , the
front or rear axle or the body s ide
members. This could lead to ser ious
damage.
- To avoid damage to the underbody or
chassis frame , a rubber pad must be
inserted between the floor jack and
the lift points .
-Before driv ing over a workshop hoist,
check that the vehicle weight does not
exceed the permi ssible lifting capacity
of the hoi st.
- Before driv ing over a workshop hoist,
ensure that there i s sufficient clear
ance between the hoist and low parts
of the vehicle.
Emergency situations 2 71
•
•

Technical Dat a 273
Gros s Axle We ight Rating
The G ross Axle Weight Rating is the maxim um
l oad that can be applied at each axle of the
vehicle
c::> &. .
Vehicle capacity weight
The vehicle capac ity we ight (max. load) is list
ed on the d river 's side 8-p illar.
_& WARNING
- T he ac tual Gross Axle Weight Rat ing at
t he front and rea r axles sho uld not ex
ceed the perm issible weights, a nd their
combination must not exceed the G ross
Vehicle Weight Rat ing.
Dimensions
Leng th in (mm)
Width in (mm)
Width (across mir rors) in (mm)
He ight (unloaded)a) in (mm)
T urning circle diamete r
ft (m)
-
-Exceeding perm iss ible weight ratings can
result in veh icle damage, acc idents and
pe rsonal injury.
([) Note
-Th e ve hicl e capacity weig ht figu res apply
when the load is d istr ibuted evenly in the
vehicle (passengers and luggage). When
transport ing a heavy load in the luggage
compartment , carry the load as near to
t he rear ax le as poss ible so that the vehi
cle's handling is not impaired.
- Do not exceed t he maximum permissible
ax le loads or the maximum g ross vehicl e
we ight. A lways remember that the v ehi
cl e's handling w ill be affe cted by the ex
t ra lo ad. Therefo re, adju st yo ur speed ac
c o rding ly.
- Always o bserve loc al regulat io ns.
A4Sedan
S4Sedan allroad
1
85. 1 (4701) 185.7 ( 47 16 ) 1 85.9 (47 21)
71.9 (1826) 71.9 (1826) 72 .5 (1841)
80.3 (2 040) 80.3 (2 040) 78.9 (2 006)
56 .2 (1427) 55 .4 (1406) 58 .0 (1473)
37.7 (1 1.5) 37. 7 (11. 5) 37. 7 (11. 5)
aJ The heig ht of t he ve hicle depends on th e t ires and the suspensio n.
When driving up s teep ramps, on ro ugh roads,
over cur bs, etc . it is impo rtant to remembe r
that some parts of your ve hicle, such as spoil -
Capacities
Fuel ta nk: tota l capacity
Windsh ield and headlight* washer fluid container ers o
r exha ust system componen ts, may be
close to the ground. Be carefu l not to damage
them.
gal (liters) 16. 1 (6 1.0)
quarts (lite rs) 4.8 (4.5)
•
•