switched on all the time. In certain situations
when you need less traction, you can switch
off ESC by pressing the button
lru. Be sure to
switch ESC on again when you no longer need
less traction.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up
when braking . The vehicle can still be steered
even during hard braking . Apply steady pres
sure to the brake pedal. Do not pump the ped
al. A pulsing in the brake pedal indicates that
the system is helping you to brake the vehicle.
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can decrease braking
d istance. It increases braking power when the
driver presses the brake pedal quickly in emer
gency si tuations. You must press and hold the
brake pedal until the situation is over .
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engine power when the drive
wheels begin to spin and adapts the force to
the road condit ions. This makes it easier to
start, accelerate and drive up hills.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The EDL brakes wheels that are spinning and
transfers the drive power to the other drive
wheel or whee ls if the vehicle is equipped with
all-wheel drive*. This function is available up
to about 60 mph (100 km/h) .
In extreme cases, EDL automat ica lly switches
off to help keep the brake on the braked wheel
from overheating. EDL w ill switch on again au
tomatically when conditions have returned to
normal.
..&, WARNING
- ESC, ABS, ASR and EDL cannot overcome
th e laws of physics. This is especially im
portant on slippery or wet roads.
If the
systems begin acting to stabilize your ve
hicle, you should immediately change
your speed to match the road and traffic
condit ions. Do not let the increased safe
ty provided by these systems tempt you
Intelligent technology 143
to take risks. Doing so will increase the
risk of a lo ss of vehicle control, co llision
and serious personal injuries.
- Always adapt your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions. The risk of los
ing control of the vehicle increases when
driving too fast, especially through
curves and on slippery or wet roads, and
when driving too close to vehicles up
ahead. ESC, ABS, the brake assist sys
tem, EDL and ASR cannot prevent colli
sions.
- Always accelerate with special care on
even, smooth surfaces such as those that
are wet or covered with ice and snow.
The drive wheels can spin even with
these assistance systems that cannot al
ways he lp to reduce the risk of loss of ve
hicle control.
@ Tips
- ABS and ASR only work correct ly when
all four whee ls are equipped with identi
cal tires. D ifferent tire si zes can lead to a
reduction in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems
described are working.
- If the ind icator lightD] orE (USA
models)/ [iJ (Canada models) appears,
there may be a malfunction¢
page 18,
¢ page 18.
Switching on and off
ESC turns on au tomatically when you start
the engine.
Fig . 123 Ce nter conso le: ESC OFF butto n
148 Intelligent technology
Battery diagnosi s
Battery diagnosis continuously determines
the state of the battery. Sensors determine
battery voltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling current management
I dling current management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is standing.
With the ignition switched off, it controls the
energy supply to the various electrical compo
nents. Data from battery diagnosis is consid
ered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge,
individual consumers are gradually turned off
to prevent excessive discharge of the battery
and thus maintain starting capability.
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic en
ergy management distributes the energy gen
erated according to the needs of the individu
al components. It regulates consumption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
than is being generated and ensures an opti
mal state of charge for the battery .
(D Tips
-But even energy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
limited .
- If starting ability is threatened, you are informed by a warning
~page 149,
Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability .
The battery is severely taxed in short -distance
driving, in city traffic and during the cold time
of year. Abundant electrical energy is re
quired, but only a little is generated.
It is also
critical if the engine is not running and electri- cal components are turned on.
In this in
stance energy is being consumed but none is
being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you will
notice energy management actively regulat
ing the distribution of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks , electrical compo
nents are gradually cut back or switched off .
This reduces energy consumption and main
tains starting capability over a longer period.
Take into consideration that when you unlock
your vehicle, some convenience functions ,
such as the remote key or power seat adjust
ment, may not be available. The convenience
functions will be available again when you
turn on the ignition and start the engine.
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for example, with
the engine turned off, the battery is being dis
charged.
If starting capability is jeopardized due to en
ergy consumption, a message appears in the
driver information display.
You have to start the engine to charge the
battery.
With the engine running
Although electrical energy is generated when
the vehicle is being driven, the battery can be
come discharged. This happens mostly when
little energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
charge is not optimal.
To bring the energy balance back into equili
brium, consumers which require especially
large amounts of energy are temporarily cut
back or switched off . Heating systems in par
ticular require a great deal of energy. If you
notice, for example, that the heated seats* or
the heated rear window are not heating, they
have been temporarily cut back or switched .,.
162 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
especially well for winter or summer driving.
During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stations where the sea sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time.
@ Note
- Methanol fuels which do not meet these
requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo
nents in the fuel system.
- Do not use fuels that fail to meet the
specified criteria in this chapter .
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or i ts fuel supplier .
- Do not use fuel for which the contents
cannot be identified .
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the responsibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Vehicle or the
Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fue l economy
or driveability and performance prob
lems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufac
turers is carbon deposit build-up caused by
the type of gasoline you use .
Although gasoline grades diffe r from one
manufac turer to another, they have certain
things in common. All gasoline grades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline
brands include additives to keep engine and
fuel systems clean, they are not equally effec
tive. Audi recommends
using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline . For more information on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www.toptiergas .com) .
After an extended period of using inadequate
fuels, built-up carbon deposits can rob your engine of peak performance.
(D Note
Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Audi New Ve
hicle Limited Warranty.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the unlocking system should fail, you can
still open the flap manually -for detailed in
structions see
~ page 164.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve
hicle in~
page 224 .
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap
tells you the correct fuel for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see
~ page 161 .
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refuel
ling vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting the environment while you refuel your vehicle. In order to fill the tank
properly while protecting the environment,
please follow this refueling procedure careful
ly.
.&_ WARNING ~
Under normal operating conditions, never
carry additional fuel containers in your car.
Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport fuel can be dangerous. Such con
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision . If you must
transport fuel to use for your lawn mower, ..,.
snow blower, etc., be very careful and al
ways observe local and state laws regard
ing the use, transportat ion and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the con t ainer meets industry standards (ANSI/
AS TM F8S2 -86).
(D Note
Never drive your vehicle unti l the fuel tank
is completely dry. The irregular supply of
fue l can cause misfir ing. Gasoline cou ld
enter into the exhaust system and damage
the cata lytic conve rter.
Refuelling
F ig. 125 D river's door: Un locki ng fuel filler flap
Fig. 1 26 Fuel cap hooked o n the opened fuel fi ller flap
When adding fuel, the ignition and any cellu
lar phones in the vehicle must be switched
off.
Taking the fuel cap off
.,. To open the fuel filler flap, pull the button
¢fig. 125.
.,. Unscrew fuel filler cap counter-clockwise
and hang it on the fuel filler flap ¢
fig. 126.
Fuel supply and filling your fuel t ank 163
Refuelling procedure
.,. Insert the fuel nozzle from the g asoline
pump into the fuel fi ller neck as far as it wi ll
go .
.,. Select a med ium refuelling rate so that the
nozz le switches off automatically when the
tank is full.
Putting the fuel cap bac k on
.,. After fi lling your tank, twist the fuel filler
cap clockwise until you hear a definite click.
.,. Close the fue l filler flap.
T o avoid fuel spill ing or evaporating from the
fuel tank always close fuel filler cap proper ly
and completely. An improperly closed fuel fill
er cap may also cause the MIL lamp¢
page 30
to come on.
A WARNING
Improper refue ling or handling of fuel can
cause fire, explosion and severe burns.
- Fue l is highly flammable and can cause
severe burns and other injur ies.
- Failure to shut the engine off while refu
eling and/or to insert the pump nozzle
fully into the fuel filler neck could cause
fue l to spray o ut of filler neck or to over
flow. Fue l spray and overflowing fuel can
cause a fire.
- Never use a ce llu lar telephone while re
fue ling. The electromagnet ic rad iat ion
can cause sp arks that can ignite fuel va
pors and cause a fire.
- Never get back into yo ur vehicle while re
fue ling.
If in excep tional circumstances
you must get back in your vehicle while ref ueling, make certain that you close
the door and touch metal to discharge
static electricity before touching the fill
er nozzle again. Static electr icity can
cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors
released during refue ling.
- Never smoke or have an open flame any
where in or near your veh icle when refu
eling or filling a portab le fuel conta iner.
- For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you do not t ravel with a portable
164 Fuel suppl y and filli ng your fuel t ank
fuel container in your vehicle . The con
tainer, full or empty may leak and could
cause a fire, especially in a crash.
- If, under exceptional circumstances, you
must transport a portable fuel container,
please observe the following:
- Never fill a po rtable fuel conta iner
while it is anywhere in or on the vehicle
(for example, in the luggage compart
ment, or on the tr unk). Static electrici
ty can bui ld up while filling and can ig
n ite fuel vapors causing a fire .
- Always place a po rtable fuel container
on the ground before filling.
- Always keep the f iller nozzle complete
l y inside the portable container before
and d uring fi lling.
- If filling a portable container made of
metal, the filler nozz le must always be
in contact with the container. Th is w ill
he lp prevent static electricity from dis
charging and cause a fi re .
- Never sp ill fuel inside the vehicle or
luggage compartment. Fuel vapors are
h ighly flammable.
- Always observe local and state/provi n
cial laws regarding the use, storage
and transporta tion of fuel conta iners.
- Make certain the fuel container meets
industry standards (ANSI/ ASTM
F8S2 -86) .
d) Note
If any fuel has spilled onto the car, it
should be removed immediate ly to prevent
damage to the paint .
@ For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated nozzle
switches off automatically for the first
time, the tank is full. Do not try to add more fue l because fuel may spill out. In
add it ion, the expans ion space in the fuel
tank will be fi lled -causing the fue l to
overflow whe n it becomes warm and pol
lute the env ironment.
(D Tips
- Running your engine whi le refue lling
may cause vapors to escape or even fuel
to spill out of the tank. This would then
shut off the fuel nozz le before the tank
is full.
- Do not refuel your vehicle with the igni
tion switched on. The fuel gauge may otherwise not ind icate the correct fue l
level after ref uelling .
Unlocking the fuel filler flap
by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the
power locking system should fail.
F ig . 12 7 Luggage compartment: Cover in the rig ht
side interio r trim
If the power locking system should fail, you
can still ope n the flap ma nually:
.. Open the rear lid .
.. Open the round cover in the right-side interi
or trim.
.. Remove the red plastic knob from its retain
er .
.. Pull the p lastic cord in the d irect ion of the
arrow to unlock the fuel fi ller flap
qfig. 127.
Checking and filling Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig. 128 Dr ive r's s ide footwe ll: e ng ine hood relea se
lever
"' Open the driver's door .
"' Pull the release lever on the left under the
instrument panel
i=> fig. 128 in the d irection
of the arrow .
The hood pops up slightly under spring pres
sure.
Opening the engine hood
F ig . 129 Release lever u nde r the engine hood
Before opening the engi ne hood, make sure
that the windshield wipers are flat against the
windshie ld. Otherwise, they could damage the
paint on the hood.
"' Lift the hood slight ly ¢
_A .
"' Pull up on the release under the hood
¢ fig . 129. This releases the catch.
"' Open the hood all the way .
Checking and fillin g 165
A WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the eng ine
compartment . Wait unt il no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care
fu lly opening the hood.
Closing the engine hood
"' Pull the hood down until the pressure from
the struts is reduced.
"' Let the hood
drop down and latch in p lace.
Do not try to push it shut; it may fail to en
gage ¢_& .
A WARNING
--
A hood that is not completely latched
could fly up and b lock your view while dr iv
ing.
- When you close the engine hood, check it
to make sure the safety catch has proper
ly engaged. The hood shou ld be flush
with the surround ing vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while driv ing that the hood
is not secured properly, stop at once and
close it .
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment!
Whenever yo u must pe rform any wo rk in the
e n g ine compartment, for e xample ch ecki ng
and filling th e diff erent fluids, there is a risk
of injury, burn s and a ccidents. To prev ent
p ersonal injury always obse rve the foll owing
WARNINGS . The engine compa rtment of an y
vehicle i s a hazardou s area !
¢ &.
A WARNING ~
To help avoid injury, be fo re yo u check any
thing under the hood:
- Sw itch off the engi ne.
- Remove the ignition key.
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance .
Fig. 134 Eng ine compartme nt: cover o n the coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine com
partment,
a lway s read and he ed all WARN
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 165.
.,. Park your vehicle on a level surface.
.,. Switch the ignition
off .
.,. Read the coola nt level at the coolant expan
s ion tank
¢ page 167, fig . 130. With a cold
engine, it must be above the "min" mark.
With a hot engine, it can be a l ittle above
the indica ted range.
The location of the coolant expans ion tank
can be seen in the engine compar tment illus
tration
¢page 167.
To obtain an accurate read ing, the eng ine
must be switched
off.
The expans ion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with a n electric coolant level sensor.
When the coo lant level is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System¢
page 17 will
illum inate 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 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
i ng system should be inspected immediately
Checkin g and fillin g 173
by your authorized Audi dea ler . It is not
enough merely to add coo lant .
In a
s ealed system, losses can o ccu r on ly if
the boiling point o f the coo lant is exceeded as
a res ult of overheating.
(D Note
Do not ad d any type of radiator leak sea l
ant to your veh icle's engine coo lant. Add
ing radiator repa ir flui d may adverse ly af
fect the function and performance of yo ur
cooling system and could result in damage
not covered by your New Vehicle Limited
War ranty.
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anyth ing in the engine com
partment,
alway s read and heed alt WARN
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 165.
... Tu rn off the engine .
.,. Let the engine cool down.
.,. Place a thick rag ove r the coolant expansion
tank ¢
page 173, fig. 134 and carefully
twist the cap counter-clockwise ¢_& .
.,. Add coo lant m ixed in the correct rat io
¢ page 172, Coolant .
.,. Twist the cap on aga in tightly.
Rep lacement engine coo lant must conform to
exact specificat ions¢
page 172, Coolant.
We recommend using only coolant add itive
Gl2 ++, Gl3 or in an emergency Gl2+. Do not
use a different additive. In an emergency use
plain water until you can get the correct addi
tive and can resto re the correct ratio . Th is
shou ld be done as soon as possib le.
If you have lost a cons iderab le amount of
coolant, then you should add cold ant ifreeze
and co ld wate r on ly 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 fo rced o ut through the ..,_
•
•
17 4 Che cking and filling
pressure relie f valve in the cap when the
engine becomes hot .
.&_ WARNING
-The coo ling 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.
- Protec t your face, hands and arms from
escap ing fl uid and steam by cover ing
the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Tu rn the cap slowly and
very ca refully
in a counter -clockwise direct ion while
applying light, downward p ress ure 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 glyco l in en
g ine coolant can catch fire.
- Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store an
t ifreeze in its or iginal container and we ll
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 cool
ant will be forced out through the pres
sure re lief
valve in 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 172 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 obse rv
ing all environmental regulations .
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by
itself .
The electric radiator fan is controlled by ther
moswitches that switch on and off depending
on coolant and eng ine compartment tempera
tures.
An a uxiliary electric radiator fan* sw itches on
and off depending on coolant temperature
and other vehicle operat ion conditions .
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 switc h
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 compartment, or
- the engine compartment heats up because
the vehicle is parked in intense sunlight.
.&_ WARNING
-
- To reduce the risk of personal inju ry 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 ru nning.
- The auxiliary radiator fan sw itches on au
tomatically when the engine coo lant
reac hes a certain t emperature and w ill
continue to run until the coolant temper
a ture drop s.
Brake fluid
' Checking brake fluid level
N
N
N
" ~
Fi g. 13S Engine compartment: cover on th e brake fluid
reservoir