188 Smart Technology
by pressing firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid
heavy braking during the break-in period.
Wear Brake pad
wear is largely dependent on the
way the vehicle is driven and on operating
conditions. This is especially true if you are
driving frequently in the city and on curves or
with a sporty driving style.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on
the speed, braking force and outside condi
tions such as temperature and humidity.
Effect of water and road salt
In certain situations, for example after driving
through water, in heavy rain, after overnight
condensation or after washing your car, the
braking effect can be reduced by moisture or
ice on the brake rotors and brake pads. The
brakes must be "dried" first with a few careful
brake applications.
At higher speeds and with the windshield wip
ers turned on, the brake pads press against
the brake rotors for a short amount of time.
This action which is not felt by the driver hap
pens at regular intervals and facilitates a bet
ter reaction time for the brakes in wet weath
er.
The braking effect can also be reduced if you
are driving on salted roads and you do not ap ply the brakes for long periods of time. The
layer of salt on the brake rotors and pads
must be worn off first when the brakes are ap
plied.
Corrosion
Leaving the vehicle parked for long periods of
time, low mileage and avoiding heavy braking
can contribute to corrosion on the brake ro
tors and dirty brake pads.
If you usually avoid heavy braking or if there is
corrosion present, occasional heavy braking at
high speeds is recommended to clean the
brake rotors and pads
Q &. .
Brake system malfunction
if you notice that the brake pedal travel has
suddenly gotten larger, then a brake circuit
may have failed. Drive to your authorized Audi
dealer or qualified repair facility immediately
to have the problem corrected. On the way
there, drive with reduced speed and keep in
mind that a long braking distance and in
creased pressure on the brake pedal will be
necessary.
Low brake fluid level
When the brake fluid level is low, malfunc
tions in the brake system may occur. The brake fluid level is electronically monitored .
Brake booster
The brake booster amplifies the pressure you
apply to the brake pedal. It only works when
the engine is running.
A WARNING
-- You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Other road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lower driving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold the pedal down too
long or too often. This could cause the
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency.
- Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake. This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance.
- Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as passing through wa
ter, driving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter, ice can
accumulate on the brake pads, linings,
discs and drums. Carefully apply brakes
202 Caring and cle aning
_& WARNING
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition
is off and follow the instructions from
the car wash operator to reduce t he risk
of accidents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect your
self from sharp meta l components when
wash ing the underbody or the inside of
the wheel housings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking ef
fect may be de layed due to mo isture on
the brake rotors or ice in the winter. The
brakes must be dried first with a few
careful brake applicat ions .
@ Note
- If you wash t he vehicle in an automatic
ca r wash, you must fold the exterior m ir
r o rs in to reduce the r isk of damage to
t h e m irrors. Power foldi ng exterior m ir
r o rs* must on ly be folded in and o ut us
i ng the p ower folding function.
- To prevent pa int damage, do not wash
t h e ve hicle in direc t sunli ght. -
To reduce the ris k of damage to the sur
face, do not use insect removing spong
es, kitchen sponges or similar items.
- Matte finish painted veh icle compo
nents:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the
surface, do not use polishi ng agents or
h a rd wax.
- Never use protect ive wax. It can de
stroy the matte fi nish effec t.
- Do not place any stickers o r mag net ic
s igns on vehicle parts painted w ith
matte fi nish pa int. The paint cou ld be
d amaged when the sticke rs o r mag nets
ar e removed. @ For the sake of the environment
Only wash the ve hicl e in facilities spec ia lly
de signed for that purpose. This will red uce
the r is k of dirty w ate r contam ina ted with
oi l from entering the sewer sys tem.
Cleaning and care information
When clea ning and ca rin g for individua l vehi
cle components, refer to the fo llow ing tab les.
The informa tion con taine d there is s imp ly rec
ommendations. Fo r quest ions or for compo -nents that ar
e not listed, refer to an author
i z ed Audi dea ler. Also follow the in format io n
f o und in¢ ,&..
Exterior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Wind shield wip-
Deposi ts ¢ page 47, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
er blades
headlights /
Deposits Soft sponge with a m ild soap solutiona>
Tail lights
Sensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth with a so lvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol-free cleaning
so lution
Snow/ ice Hand brush/solvent -free de -icing spray
Wheels Road sa lt Water
Brake d ust Acid-free special cleaning so lution
E x haust ta il Road sa lt Water, cleaning solut ion suitable fo r sta inless steel, if
pipes necessary