2015 AUDI A4 check oil

218 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-basedcoolant addi-
tive G13 antifreeze with ant icorrosion 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.
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo l­
ant in the summer by adding plain water .
The
pr opor tion of coolant add itiv e m ust be at
l eas t 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 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. M ixing the coolant
addit ive with dist illed water is recommended.
_& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
~ &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 212.
(D Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
-
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli­mate 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 additive
to 60% .
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system, remember :
- We recommend us ing on ly coolant ad­
d itive G12 ++ or G13 for your vehicle.
This coolant addit ive is availab le at a u­
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.
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 your New Veh icle
Limited Warranty.
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance.
F ig . 1 85 Engine compar tmen t: Cover on the coo la n t
expans io n t ank
.,. Before you check anything in the engine
compa rtment,
alwa ys read and h eed all
W ARNING S ~ ,& in Working in the engine
compartment on page 212.
.,. Park your vehicle on a level surface .
.,. Turn off the ignition.
.,. Read the engine coolant level from the coo l­
ant expansion tank
c:> fig . 185, c:> page 214,
fig . 182.
With a cold engine, the coolant Iii>-

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level 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
tration
<=> page 214.
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 17 will
blink until you add coolant and the level has
been restored to normal. Even though there is
an electric coolant level sensor, we still rec­
ommend 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.
A 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 .
- To avoid being burned, do not spill anti­
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system
Checking and filling 219
or hot engine parts. Under certain condi­
tions, the ethylene glycol in engine cool­
ant can catch fire.
([) 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 <=>
A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 212 .
Requirement: There must be a residual
amount of coolant in the expansion tank <=>(D.
.,. Turn
off the engine.
.,. Let the engine cool down.
.,. Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank
<=> page 218, fig . 185 and carefully turn
the cap counter-clockwise
<=> .&_ .
.,. Add coolant mixed in the correct ratio
<=> page 218, Coolant up to the MAX mark­
ing.
.,. Make sure that the fluid level remains sta-
ble. Add more coolant if necessary.
.,. Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to
exact specifications <=>
page 218, Coolant.
We recommend using only coolant additive
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 addi­
tive 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 . .,.
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Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a
quick glance.
N
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Fi g. 186 Eng ine compartment: Cover on the brake flu ­
id reservoi r
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
a lwa ys read and heed a ll W ARN­
ING S c:> .&.. in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 212 .
~ Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fluid reservoir
c:> fig. 186, <=> page 214,
fig . 182.
The brake flu id 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 214 .
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
models: .) will come on
r:> page 15. Do not
continue to operate the vehicle. The complete b rake system shou ld be thoroughly checked
by an authorized A udi dealer or qualified
workshop and the cause co rrected . If the
b rake fluid level is too low, the brake warn ing/
indicator light w ill illuminate. Contact an au­
thorized Audi dealer
immediately .
@ Tips
The brake f luid reservoir is located under­
neath the cover .
Checking and fillin g 221
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If
the 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 dec rease considerably 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 "F MVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservo ir can be d iff icult to
reach, the refore, we recommend that you
have the brake fluid changed by your author­
i zed
Audi d ealer. Your dealer has t he correct
tools, the right brake fl uid and t he 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 f luid. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE
spe cificat ion
J 1 7 03 and conforms to
Federa l Moto r Ve hicl e Standard 116.
Always check with yo ur authorized Audi
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct bra ke fluid. The correct type of
brake f luid is also indicated on the
brake f luid 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
l ong. This can seriously affect the effi­
c iency of the brakes as well as your
safety. Th is cou ld resu lt in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your
vehicle .

Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment can
cause excessive tire wear, im­
pairing the safety of the vehi­
cle. If tires show excessive
wear, have the wheel alignment checked by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop.
All wheel drive
Vehicles with quattro must al­
ways have tires of the same size, construction and tread
type. For details see
¢ page 190 .
A WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead
to loss of control, a crash and
serious personal injury!
-Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn
down to the wear indica­
tors.
-Worn tires are a safety haz­ ard, they do not grip well on
wet roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning" and
loss of control.
- Always keep chemicals that
can cause tire damage, such
as grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires.
-
Tires and wheels 24 7
-Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail
suddenly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more
than 6 years old can only be
used in an emergency and
then with special care and at lower speeds.
-Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not
sure of their "previous histo­ ry ." Old used tires may have
been damaged even though
the damage cannot be seen
that can lead to sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle
control.
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256 Tires and wheels
be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are
available from authorized Audi dealers.
A 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 .
- 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.
(D Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer­
tain roads, this normally also applies to
vehicles with all wheel drive.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
corr ect torque.
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
factory installed 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
secu rely and that the b rake system functions
correctly . In certain circumstances, you may not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same model ¢
page 285.
A 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.
Q) 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
diagonally . After changing a wheel, the
torque must be checked as soon as possi ­
ble with a torque wrench -preferably by an
authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop .
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect
ratio tires. These tires have been thoroughly
tested and been selected specifically for your model for their superb performance, road feel ..,.

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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 79
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-Always make sure the transm ission se­
lector lever (automatic transmiss ion) is
in "P" (Park position) or Neutral (manual
transmission) and the park brake is firm­
ly appl ied .
® For the sake of the environment
-Changing the eng ine settings w ill ad­
versely affect em ission levels. This is det­
rimental to the environment and increas­
es fuel consumption .
- 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 t ires.
- Undeployed airbag modules and p reten­
s ioners might be classified as Perchlo­
rate Material -special handling may ap ­
ply, see www.dtsc.ca .gov/hazardous­
waste/perch lorate . When the veh icle or
parts of the restraint system including
airbag modules safety belts with preten­
s ioners are scrapped, all applicable laws
and regulations must be observed. Your
authorized Audi dealer is familiar w ith
these requirements 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 veh icle incorporates the latest safety de­
sign featu res ensu ring a high standard of ac­
tive and passive safety.
This safety could be compromised by non-ap­
proved changes to the veh icle. For this reason ,
if parts have to be replaced, p lease observe
the following points when installing addition­
al accessories:
Con sumer In formation 285
Approved Audi accessories and genuine Audi
parts are available from authorized Audi deal­
er.
T hese dea lers a lso have the necessary facili­
ties, tools and trained specialists to install the
parts and accessories proper ly.
A WARNING
Using the wrong spare parts or using non­
approved accessories can cause damage to
the vehicle and serious persona l injury.
- Use on ly accessories express ly approved
by Audi and genuine Audi spare parts
- These parts and accessories have been
specially designed to be used on your ve­
hicle.
- Never install accessories such as tele­
phone cradles or beverage holders on air­
bag covers or within the airbag deploy­
ment zones . Do ing so will increase the
risk of injury if a irbags are triggered in an
accident!
- Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS r:::;. page 212.
(D Note
-If items other than genuine Audi spare
parts, add-on equipment and accessory
items are used or if repair work is not
performed accord ing to specified meth­
ods, this can result in severe damage to
your vehicle's engine and body (such as
corrosion) and adversely affect your vehi ­
cle's warranty .
- If emergency repairs must be performed
elsewhere, have the vehicle examined by
an authorized Audi dealer as soon as
possible.
- The manufacturer cannot be held liable
for damage wh ich occurs due to failure
to comply with these stipulations.
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Automatic climate control Air vents ... ..... ..... ... .. .. .. .... 80
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Setup ... .. ................. .. .... 81
Automatic S hift Lock (ASL) .. .. .. .. .. .. 95
Automatic transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Automatic S hift Lock (ASL) . . . . . . . . . . . 95
D riving .. .. ............. .... .. .. .. 95
E mergency mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
E me rgency release ........ .. .. .. .. . 100
Kick -down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
M anual shift program .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 98
Remova l lock (ignition key) ... .. .. .. .. 82
Selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Automatic wipe rs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Auto Safety Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Average speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Avoid damag ing the vehicle .. .. .. .. .. . 193
B
Bag hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 4
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 222
Battery location inside the luggage com -
partment .. .. ........... .. .. .. ... 222
Charging . ................ ... ... .. 224
Important warn ings when working on
the battery . ................ ... ... 222
J ump starti ng ............ .... .. .. . 274
L ow . .. .. .. .. .. ........... .. .. ... 19 1
Replacing the ba ttery .. ... .. .. .. .. . 225
State of charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Winter operation . ..... ... .. .. .. .. . 222
Working on the battery .... .. .. .. .. . 222
B efore driving ............. .... .. .. . 126
Bio-ethanol (Fuel) ..... ..... .. .. .. .. . 208
Blended gasoline ... .... ... .. .. .. .. . 207
B lower (automatic climate cont rol) . . . . . . 80
Booster seats ............. .... .. .. . 173
B rake fl uid
Changing the brake fl uid ... .. .. .. .. . 22 1
Checking the brake fluid level ... .. .. . 221
Reservoir .. ............. .... .. ... 221
What is the correct brake flu id leve l? . . 221
What should I do if the brake fluid warn-
i ng light comes o n? .. ..... .. .. .. .. . 221
Inde x 289
Brake system . ..... ... .. .. ..... ... .. 221
Anti- lock b raking system ..... ... .. .. . 19
•
B rake assist system .. .. ..... ... .. .. 185 •
Brake fluid .. .. .. ................. 221
Brake fluid specifications for refill and re-
placement ...... .. ............... 221
B rake light defective ... .. .. ... ... .. . 21
B ra ke powe r ass ist unit ............ . 188
Br akes .. .. .. .. .. .. . .............. 188
Ceram ic bra kes . .. .... ........... .. 188
El ec tromechanica l parking brake ... .. . 87
Warning/indicator lights ..... ... .. .. . 15
Wor n brake pads symbo l . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
B ra kin g
E mergency bra king f unct ion ..... .. .. . 89
braking guard . .. .... ... ....... ..... 101
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Settings ........ .. ............... 108
Break -in per iod .. .. .... ............. 193
Tires ... .. .. .. .. .. ............... 193
Bul bs . ... .. .. .... .. . .. .. ..... ... .. 2 72
C
Califor nia Proposition 65 Warn ing . .. .. 213
B attery spec ifi c .. ............. .. .. 223
Capacities ........ .. ............... 281
Carbon pa rts
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204, 205
Care ..... .. .. .. .... ... .......... .. 202
Cargo area
refer to L uggage compartment . . . 70, 132
Catalytic converter ... .. ...... ... .. .. 194
Cen te r armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Central lock ing .. .. ................. . 31
Cen tral lock ing switch ............. .. 35
Co nvenience key .. .. . .. .. .. ... ... .. . 35
Remote cont ro l key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Ceram ic brake rotors
New brake pads .. ............. .... 188
Ce rtification . ... .... . ... ...... ... .. 286
Chang ing a flat t ire . .. ... ....... .... . 263
Chang ing a wheel .. ............. .... 263
Chang ing engine oil ............. .... 217
Checking Engine coolant level .... ....... .... . 218
Checking t ire pressure ............... 239