2015 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET ignition

Child safety
-If the backrest is not securely latched, the
child and the child restraint will be thrown
forward together with the backrest and will
strike parts of the vehicle interior. The child
can be seriously injured or killed .
- Never install rearward-facing child safety
seats or infant carriers on the front passen ­
ger seat . A child will be seriously injured and
can be killed when the passenger airbag in­
flates.
- The inflating airbag will hit the child safety
seat or infant carrier with great force and
will smash the child safety seat and child
against the backrest, center armrest, door
or roof.
- Always install rearward-facing child safety
seats or infant carriers on the rear seat.
- Forward-facing child safety seats or infant
carriers installed on the front passenger's
seat may interfere with the deployment of
the airbag and cause serious injury to the
child.
- It is safer to install a forward-facing child
safety seat on the rear seat.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS when­
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used
c:!> page 152. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat
c:!> page 133, Child
restraints on the front seat -some impor­
tant things to know .
A WARNING
Always take special precautions if you must
install a forward or rearward-facing child re­
straint on the front passenger's seat in excep­
tional situations:
- Whenever a forward or rearward-facing
child restraint is installed on the front pas­
senger seat, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light must come on and stay on whenever
the ignition is switched on.
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not come on and stay on, perform the
checks described
c:!> page 142, Monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System.
162
-
- Take the child restraint off the front passen­
ger seat and install it properly at one of the
rear seat positions if the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light does not stay on whenever
the ignition is switched on .
- Improper installation of child restraints can
reduce their effectiveness or even prevent
them from providing any protection.
- An improperly installed child restraint can
interfere with the airbag as it deploys and
seriously injure or even kill the child .
-Always carefully follow the manufacturer 's
instructions provided with the child safety
seat or carrier.
- Never place additional items on the seat that can increase the total weight registered
by the weight-sensing mat and can cause in­
jury in a crash.
A WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:
- Always make sure the forward-facing seat
has been designed and certified by its man­
ufacturer for use on a front seat with a pas­
senger front and side airbag.
- Never put the forward-facing child restraint
up, against or very near the instrument pan­
el.
-Always move the passenger seat into its
rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft
adjustment range, as far away from the air­
bag as possible before installing the for­
ward-facing child restraint. The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position.
- Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
A WARNING
Rearward-facing child restraints:
- A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat
installed on the front passenger seat will be
seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates -even with an Ad-
vanced Airbag System . .,.

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-The inflating airbag will hit the child safety
seat or infant carrier with great force and
will smash the child safety seat and child against the backrest, center armrest, door
or roof.
- Always be especially careful if you must in­
stall a rearward facing child safety seat on
the front passenger seat in exceptional cir­ cumstances.
-A tight tether strap on a rearward-facing child restraint attached to the front passen­
ger seat can put too much pressure on the
weight-mat in the seat and register a heavi­
er weight in the Advanced Airbag System .
The heavier weight registered can make the
system work as though an adult were on the
seat and deploy the Advanced Airbag when
it must be suppressed causing serious or
even fatal injury to the child.
- Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
- If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not come on and stay on, immediately in­
stall the rearward-facing child safety seat in
a rear seating position and have the airbag
system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer.
Activating the convertible locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure a
child restraint.
Alw ays heed the child s afety seat manufacturer 's
instructions when installing a child restraint in
your vehicle . To activate the convertible locking
retractor:
.. Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on
the rear seat.
.. Slowly pull the belt
all the way out .
.. Route it around or through the child restraint
belt path ~,& .
.. Push the child safety seat down with your full
weight to get the safety belt really tight.
.. Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that
seating position.
Child safety
.. Guide the safety belt back into the retractor un­
til the belt lies flat and snug on the child safety
seat.
.. You should hear a "clicking" noise as the belt
winds back into the inertia reel. Test the con­
vertible locking retractor by pulling on the belt .
You should no longer be able to pull the belt
out of the retractor. The convertible locking re­
tractor is now activated .
.. Make sure that the red release button is facing
away from the child restraint so that it can be
unbuckled quickly.
.. Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is
properly tight and fastened so that the seat
cannot move forward or sideways more than
one inch (2.S cm).
A WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improp­
erly installed child restraint can cause serious
personal injury or death in a crash.
- Always make sure that the safety belt re­
tractor is locked when installing a child safe­
ty seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place
during normal driving or in a crash.
- Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in
place even if a child is not sitting in it. A
loose child safety seat can fly around during
a sudden stop or in a crash.
- Always make sure the seat backrest to which
the child restraint is installed is in an up­
right position and securely latched into
place and cannot fold forward. Otherwise,
the seatback with the child safety seat at­
tached to it could fly forward in the event of
an accident or other emergency situation .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS when­
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used
Qpage 152. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat~
page 133, Child
restraints on the front seat -some impor­
tant things to know.
163

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The all-wheel drive concept is designed for high
engine power . Your vehicle is exceptionally pow­
erful and has excellent driving character istics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre­
cautions <=>
,&.
Winter tire s
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with all­
wheel drive has an advantage, even with regular
tires. In winter road conditions it may be advisa­
ble to mount w inter tires (or all-season tires) for
improved driveability and braking: these tires
must be mounted on
all four wheels. See also
<=> page 224, Winter tires.
Tire chains
Where tire chains are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally also applies to vehicles with
all-wheel drive <=>
page 224, Snow chains.
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with all-wheel drive must a lways have
tires of the same size. Also avoid tires with differ­
ent tread depths. For details see page
<=>
page 216, New tires or wheels.
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clear­
ance to be used as an off-road vehicle. It is there­
fore best to avoid rough tracks and uneven ter­
rain as much as possible. Also refer to
<=>page 177.
A WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic
conditions. Do not let the extra safety afford­
ed by all-wheel drive tempt you into taking
extra risks.
- Although the all-wheel dr ive is very effec­
t ive, always remember that braking capacity
is limited by tire traction. You should there­
fore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or
slippery road surfaces.
- On wet road surfaces, be careful not to dr ive
too fast because the front wheels could be ­
gin to slide on top of the water (aquap lan­
ing). If this shou ld occur, you will have no
Smart Technology
warning from a sudden increase in engine
speed as with a front-wheel drive vehicle.
Always drive at speeds which are suited to the road conditions -risk of crash.
Energy management
Starting ability is optimized
Energy management controls the distribution of
electrical energy and thus optimizes the availa­
bility of electrical energy for starting the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional energy system is
not driven for a long pe riod of time, the battery
is discharged by idling current consumers (e.g.
i mmobil izer). In certain circumstances it can re­
su lt in there being insufficient energy available to
start the engine.
Intelligent energy management in your vehicle
hand les the distribution of electrical energy.
Starting ability is markedly improved and the life
of the battery is extended.
Basically, energy management consists of
bat­
tery diagnosis , idling current management
and
dynamic energy management.
Battery diagnosis
Battery diagnosis continuously determines the
state of the battery . Sensors determine battery
vo lta ge, battery current and battery tempera­
tu re. This determines the current state of charge
and the power of the battery.
Idling current management
Idling current management reduces energy con­
sumption whi le the vehicle is standing. With the
ignition switched off, it contro ls the energy sup­
ply to the various electrical components. Data
from battery diagnosis is considered.
Depending on the battery's state of charge, indi­
vidual consumers are gradually turned off to pre­
vent excessive discharge of the battery and thus
maintain starting capability .
Dynamic energy management
While the vehicle is being driven, dynamic energy
management distr ibutes the energy generated ..,.
175

Smart Technology
according to the needs of the individual compo­
nents. It regulates consumption, so that more
electrical energy is not being used than is being
generated and ensures an opt imal state of
charge for the battery.
(D Tips
- But even energy management cannot neg­
ate the limits of physics. Consider that the
power and life of a battery are limited.
- If starting ability is threatened, the indica­ tor light (•) appears ¢
page 16.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining start­
ing capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the cold time of
year. Abundant electrica l energy is requ ired, but
only a little is generated. It is also critical if the
engine is not running and electrical components
are turned on. In th is instance energy is being
consumed but none is being generated.
It is in precisely these situations that you will no­
tice energy management actively regulating the
d istr ibut ion of energy.
Vehicle stands for an extended period
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks, e lectrical components are
gradually cut back or switched
off. This reduces
energy consumption and maintains starting ca­ pability over a longer period . Some of the con­
ven ience funct ions may not operate, such as the
interior lights or the powe r seat adjustment. The
conven ience functions w ill be available again
when yo u sw itch on the ignition and start the en­
gine.
With the engine turned off
I f you listen to the radio, for example, with the
engine turned
off or use other MMI functions,
the battery is being discha rged .
If starting capability is jeopardized due to energy
consumption, a message appears in the MMI dis­
p la y. The message indicates that the system will
176
be switched off automatically in a moment . If
you wish to continue using the functions, you have to start the eng ine.
With the engine running
Althoug h elec trical energy is generated when the
vehicle is being driven, the battery can become
discharged . This happens mostly when litt le en ­
ergy is being generated and a great dea l con­
sumed and the battery's state of charge is not
optimal.
To bring the energy ba lance back into equilibri­
u m, consumers which require especially large
amounts of energy are temporar ily cut back or
switched
off. Heating systems in part icular re­
quire a great deal of energy. If you notice, for ex­
ample, that the heated seats* or the heated rear
window a re not heating, they have been tempo­
rarily cut back or switched
off. These systems w ill
be ava ilable again as soon as the energy ba lance
has been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has
been increased slightly . Thi s is normal and not a
cause for concern. By incr easing eng ine idle
speed the additional energy required is generated
and the battery is cha rged.

Driving and th e environment
(D Tips
- Check the depth of the water before driving
through it.
- Do not stop the veh icle, drive in reverse or
switch the engine
off when driving through
water.
- Keep in mind that oncoming vehicles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to dr ive
through safely.
- Avoid driving through sa lt water because it
can cause corrosion.
Catalytic converter
It is very important that your emission control
system (catalytic converter) is functioning prop­ erly to ensure that your vehicle is running in an
environmentally sound manner .
~ Always use lead-free gasoline c:::;, page 190,
Fuel supply .
~ Never run the tank down a ll the way to empty .
~ Never put too much motor oil in your engine
c:::;, page 199, 9::?1 Adding engine oil .
~ Never try to push- or tow -start your veh icle.
The cata lytic conve rter is an eff icient "clean-up"
dev ice bu ilt into the exhaust system of the vehi­
cle. The cataly tic converter burns many of the
pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are re ­
leased into the atmosphere.
The ex clusive use of u nleaded fuel is critically im­
por tant for the life of the catalyt ic converte r and
p roper functioning o f the engine.
A WARNING ,..___ -
- The temperature of the exhaust system is
high, both when driving and after stopping
the engine.
- Never touch the exha ust tail pipes once they
have become hot. This could result in burns.
- Do not park o r operate the vehicle in areas
whe re the hot exhaust system may come in
contact with dry grass, brush, fue l spill or
other mater ial which can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproofing on or near the exha ust man i-
178
fold, exha ust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. During driv ing, the substance
used for undercoat ing could overheat and
cause a f ire.
Cl) Note
- Be aware that just one tank fill ing with
le ad·
ed
fue l w ill already ser iously degrade the
performance of the catalytic converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
c:::;,page 199.
-Do not drive until the fue l tank becomes
completely empty. The engine co uld m isfire.
Unburned fuel could also get into the ex­
haust system and this could cause the cata­
lyt ic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn
off the ignition while the vehicle
is moving .
- Do not continue to operate your veh icle un­
der these conditions, as otherwise fuel can
reach the catalytic converter . This could re­
sult in overheating of the conve rter, requ ir­
ing its replacement.
- T o assure efficient operation of the Emission
Cont ro l System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and
in accordance with the se rvice recommen­
dations in yo ur Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet.
- Lack of proper maintenance as we ll as im­
proper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system
and could lead to damage.
(® For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emiss ion C ontrol System is op­
e rat ing proper ly, the exhaust gas can have a
sulfur-like exhaust gas sme ll under some op­
erat ing states. This depends on the sulfur
content of the fuel being used. Us ing a d iffe r­
ent brand of fue l may he lp, or fi llin g the tank
wi th lead-free s uper grade gaso line.
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like you r vehicle to remai n inope ra­
tive for a longer period of time, con tact an Audi
o r other spec ia liz ed dealer. They can adv ise you .,.

Driving and th e environment
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot
of fuel .
.,. Have your vehicle serviced at regula r intervals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
authorized Audi dealer he lps to ensure that it
runs properly and economically. The condition of
your vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to hold its value, it also affects
f uel c onsump­
tion .
C he ck you r oil e ach t ime you fill you r ta nk .
The amount of oil used is related to engine load
and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new en­
g ine to reach its lowes t va lue after a cer tain mile ­
age has been d riven .
You must d rive you r vehicle about 3,000 miles
(5 ,000 k ilometers) before you can properly as­
sess o il cons umption .
This a lso applies to fuel consumption and engine
output.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and
in accordance w ith the service recommenda­
tions in you r Warra nty
& M aintenance book­
l et . Lack of p roper m aintenance as well as
i mprope r use of the vehicle will impair the
funct ion of the emission control system and
could lead to damage.
- Do not a lter or remove any component of
the Emission Cont ro l System unless ap­
proved by the manufacturer.
- Do not a lter o r remove any dev ice, such as
heat shie lds, switches, ignition wires,
va lves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Emiss ion Control System and other
i mportant veh icle components.
180
· Fewer short trips
Fuel consumption will always be relatively high
on short trips .
.,. Try to avoid dr iv ing short distances with a cold
eng ine .
The eng ine and catalytic converter have to reach
their opt imal
oper atin g temperature to reduce
fuel consumpt ion and noxious emissions effec­
tively .
Just after starting, a co ld engine in a mid-s ize car
on ly achieves a fuel economy of 6-8 mi les per
gallon (30-40 l/100 km). After about a half a
mile, fuel economy climbs to 12 mpg (20 l/100
km) . After about
2.5 miles (4 km), the eng ine is
at its proper operating temperature and fuel
economy has reached a norma l level. So you can
see that you should avo id short trips whenever
poss ible .
The
out side t emp eratur e is also cr itical in th is re­
gard. Your car consumes more fuel in the winter
than in the summer.

Care and cleaning
Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care he lps to maintain your vehi ­
cle's value.
It can also be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your authorized Audi dealer . Read and fol­
low the instructions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
-Using cleaning and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
- Always store cleaning and care products out of reach of children to reduce the risk of poi­
soning .
@ For the sake of the environment
-Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not dispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash .
Car washes
The longer that deposits remain on the vehicle,
the more the surface may be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect.
Before washing, rinse
off heavy deposits with
p lenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird dropp ings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth .
A ls o, wash the underside of your veh icle once
road salt stops be ing used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icles with a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instructions provided with the pressure washer. This is espe­
cially important in regard to the p ressure and
spray ing distance. Do not direct the stream of
water directly onto sea ls for the side windows,
doors, luggage compartment lid or hood or onto
184
the tires , rubber hoses, insulat ing material, the
power top, sensors* or camera lenses *. Keep a
distance of at least 16 inches (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rotary nozzles or high pressure noz­
zles.
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °().
Automatic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and power top are
closed and the windshield wipers are off. Follow
instructions from the car wash operator, especial­
ly if there are accessories attached to your vehi­
cle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the veh icle starting from the top and work­
ing down using a soft sponge or cleaning brush.
Use solvent -free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing, first
remove dust and large particles from your vehi ­
c le. Insects, grease spots and fingerprints are
best removed with a specia l cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth . To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use too much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft micro­
fiber cloth .
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and le t it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a sham my.
A WARNING
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car
-

Fuel and Refueling
Fuel and Refueling
Fuel
Fuel supply
Using the right fuel helps keep the environment
clean and prevents engine damage.
Fuel recommendation
The fuel recommended for your vehicle is unlead­
ed premium
grade gasoline. Audi recommends
using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline with a mini­ mum octane rating of 91 AKI (95 RON). For more
information on TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline,
please go to the official website
(www.toptiergas.com).
The recommended gasoline octane rating for
your eng ine can also be found on a label located
on the ins ide of the fuel filler flap. This rating
may be specified as AKI or RON.
Your vehicle may also be operated using unlead­
ed regular gasoline with a minimum octane rat­ ing of 87 AKl/91 RON . However, using 87 AKl/91
RON octane fue l will s lightly reduce eng ine per­
formance.
Use unleaded gasoline only. Unleaded gasoline
is available throughout the USA, Canada, and in
most European countries. We recommend that
you do not take your vehicle to areas or countries
where unleaded gasoline may not be available.
For more informat ion on refueling your vehicle,
see
~page 192.
Octane rating
Octane rating ind icates a gasoline's ability to re­
sist engine damaging "knock" caused by prema­
ture ignition and detonation. Therefore, buying
the correct grade of gasoline is very important to
he lp prevent possible eng ine damage and a loss
of engine performance.
Gasoline most commonly used in the United
States and Canada has the following octane rat­
i n gs that can usually be found on the filler pump:
- Premium Grade : 91 - 96 AKI
- Regular Grade: 87 -90 AKI
190
Explanation of the abbreviations:
AKI= Anti Knock Index= (R+M)/2 = (RON+MON)/
2
RON = Re search Octane Number
MON= Motor Octane Number.
CJ) Note
- Do not use any fuel with octane ratings low­
er than 87 AKI or 91 RON otherwise expen­
sive engine damage will occur.
- Do
not use leaded gasoline. The use of lead­
ed gasoline will severely damage your vehi­
cle's catalytic converter and its ability to
control exhaust emissions.
Blended gasoline
Use of gasoline containing alcohol or MTBE
( methyl tertiary butyl ether)
You may use unleaded gasoline blended with a l­
cohol or MTBE (commonly referred to as oxygen­
ates) if the blended mixture mee ts the following
criteria:
Blend of gasoline methanol (wood alcohol or
methyl alcohol)
- Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or h igher .
- Blend must contain no more than 3% metha-
nol.
- Blend must contain more than 2% co-solvents.
Blend of gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol or
ethyl alcohol)
-Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or h igher.
- Blend must not contain more than 1S% etha-
nol.
- Veh icles with flex ible fuel engine: blend must
not contain more than 85% ethanol.
Blend of gasoline and MTBE
-Anti-knock index must be 87 AKI or higher.
- Blend must contain not more than 15% MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform es­
pecially well for winter or summer dr iv ing . Dur-
i ng seasonal change-over, we suggest that you ""