Checking and Filling
"'Park your vehicle on a level surface.
"'Turn off the ignition.
"'Read the engine coolant level from the coolant
expansion tank
c:> fig . 200, <=> page 223,
fig. 197. With a cold engine, the coolant level
should be between the "MIN" and "MAX" mark
ings . 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 illustration
<=> page 223 .
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
c::> page 29 will
blink until you add coolant and the level has been
restored to normal. Even though there is an elec
tric coolant level sensor, we still recommend 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 cooling
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 re
sult of overheating.
0 Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant
to your vehicle's engine coolant . Adding radia
tor repair fluid may adversely affect the func
tion 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 compart
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
228
c::> A in Working in the engine compartment on
page
221.
Requirement: There must be a residual amount
of coolant in the expansion tank
<=>(i) .
"'Turn off the engine.
"' Let the engine cool down.
"' Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank
c::> page 22 7, fig. 200 and carefully turn
the cap counter-clockwise
c::> .&, .
"'Add coolant mixed in the correct ratio
c::> page 22 7, Coolant up to the MAX marking.
"'Make sure that the fluid level remains stable.
Add more coolant if necessary .
"'Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to ex
act specifications
c::> page 22 7, Coolant.
We recommend using only coolant additive Gl2+
+, Gl3
or in an emergency Gl2+. Do not use a
different additive. In an emergency use plain wa
ter until you can get the correct additive and can
restore the correct ratio. This should be done as
soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of cool
ant, then you should add cold antifree ze and cold
water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Excess
coolant will be forced out through the pressure
relief valve in the cap when the engine becomes
hot.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure and
can get very hot. Reduce the risk of scalding
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 applying
light, downward pressure on the top of
the cap.
ll-
Checking and F ill in g
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear
partition of the engine compartment on t he left
side ¢
page 223.
The fl uid level may drop slightly after some time
due to the automatic adjustment of the brake
pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the b ra ke fluid level fal ls considerably below
the "MIN" mark, the brake warn ing/indicator
light (U.S. models:
1111 , Canadian models: . )
will come on¢
page 18 and ¢ page 28 . Do not
continue to operate the vehicle . The complete
brake system shou ld be thoroughly checked by an
author ized Audi dealer or qualif ied workshop and
the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the brake warning/indicator light will illum i
nate. Contact an authorized Aud i dealer
immedi
a tel y.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced technician.
Brake flu id abso rbs moisture from the a ir . If the
water content in the brake fluid is too high, cor rosion in the b rake system may result after a pe ri
od of time. The boiling point of the bra ke fluid
will also decrease conside rably and decrease
b ra ki ng per fo rmance .
Therefore, th e brake flu id must be changed
ev ery
tw o years .
Always use new b rake fluid w hich con
forms to Fede ra l Motor Vehicle Standa rd " FMVSS
1 16 DOT 4".
The brake fluid rese rvoir can be difficult to reach,
therefo re, we recommend that yo u have the
b rake fluid changed by your authori zed
Audi
dealer .
Your dealer has the cor rect too ls, the
right brake f luid and the know -how to do t his for
you.
A WARNING
- Brake fluid is po isonous. It must be stored
only in the closed orig inal container out of
the reach of children!
- Brake fai lure can result from old or inappro
pr iate brake fluid . Observe these precau
t ions:
230
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE spec i
ficat io n
J 1703 and conforms to Federal
Motor Vehicle Sta ndard 116 . Always check
with your aut horized Aud i dea ler to make
su re you are using the correct brake fl uid .
The co rrect type of brake f lu id is also ind i
cated on t he b rake fluid reservoir.
- The brake fl uid must be new. Heavy use of
the b rakes can cause a vapor lock if the
brake fluid is left in t he system too long.
This can se riou sly affec t the efficiency of
the b rakes as well as yo ur sa fety. This
could result in an acc ident .
(D Note
Bra ke fluid will damage the pai nt of you r vehi
cle.
@ For the sake of the environment
B ecause of the prob lem of prope r disposal of
b rake fluid as well as the spe cial tools re
q ui red and the necessary ex pert ise, we rec
ommend that you have the brake f lu id
cha nged by yo ur autho rize d Aud i dea le r.
Battery
General information
U nder normal operat ing conditions , the battery
i n you r Aud i does not need any maintenance.
With
high outside tem pera tures or long d aily
drives we recommend that you have the e lectro
l yte level checked by an a utho rized Audi dea le r or
qualified workshop. The electrolyte leve l should
a lso be checked each time the battery is charged
¢ page 232.
Have the battery checked when yo u take your ve
hicle in for service. You a re well advised to re
place a battery that is older than 5 years.
With cer tain types of airbag deployment, t he bat
tery is disconnected from the vehicle elect rical
system for safety reasons
Q &. in Repair, care
and disposal of the airbags on page 165.
Hybrid drive *: yo u can find important information
abo ut the high voltage battery under ¢
page 98 . ..,.
M N
co
a:
co
,...., \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 ,....,
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regula
tors , for example) are lost if the battery termi
nals are disconnected. These functions have to be
re learned after th e battery terminals are con
nected again. To prevent this, the batte ry should
only be disconnected from the ve hicle electrical
system when absolutely necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks, e lectrica l components are
gradually cut back or switched off. This reduces
energy consumption and maintains starting ca pability over a longer period
c:> page 196.
Take into consideration that when you un lock
your veh icle, some convenience functions, such
as the interior lights or the power seat adjust
ment, may not be available . The convenience
functions will be ava ilable again when you turn
on the ignition and start the engine.
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends
to decrease as temperatures drop. This is because
more power is also consumed while starting, and
the headlights, rear window defogger, etc ., are
used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, part icu
larly in city traffic or when traveling only short
d istances . Let your authorized Aud i dealer check
the capacity of the vehicle battery before w inter
sets in
c:> page 232. A well charged battery will
not only prevent s tarting problems when the
weather is cold, but will also last longer.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the luggage compart
ment under the floor. Before you check anything
in the lug gage compartment,
read and heed all
WARNINGS
c:> ,&. .
Hybr id drive*: you can find important informat ion
about the high vo ltage battery u nder
c:> page 98.
Checking and Filling
Always heed the safety warnings, when working
on the vehicle battery or the vehicle e lectrica l
system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very important
when working on the battery :
Always heed the following WARNING SYM·
BOLS and safety precautions when working on
the battery.
®
Always wear eye protection.
~
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Al·
ways wear gloves and eye protection.
@
No
· sparks
· flames
· smoking.
~
When a battery is charged, it produces
hydrogen gas which is explosive and
could cause personal injury.
®
Always keep the battery well out of reach
of children.
A WARNING
= -Whenever working on the battery or on the
e lectrica l system, there is the risk of injury,
accident and even fire . Read and heed the fol
lo w ing WARNINGS:
- Always wear eye protection. Do not let bat
tery acid or any lead particles get on your
skin or clothing. Shield yo ur eyes. Exp losive
gases can cause blindness or other injury.
- Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Sulfuric
acid can cause blindness and severe burns .
- Always wear g loves and eye protection. Do
not tilt the battery because acid could leak
out of the ventilation openings.
-If you get battery acid in your eyes or on
your skin, immed iately r ins e with cold wa
ter for several minutes and get medical at
tent ion.
- If you should ingest any battery acid, seek
med ical attention immediate ly .
- Do not expose the battery to an open flame,
elec tric sparks or an open light.
- Do not smoke.
~
231
Wheels
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in
correctly can become loose and resu lt in loss
of vehicle control , which increases the risk of
an acc ident. For the correct tightening specifi
cat ion, refer to
c:> page 261, After changing a
wheel.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads
in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bo lts that fit the r im .
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Aud i dealer or authorized repair
facility. Never repair or disassemble rims
you rself, because this increases the risk of
an accident.
Winter tires
W inter tires sign ificantly improve the vehicle's
handling when driving in w inter condit ions . Be
cause of the ir construction (width, compo und,
tread pattern), summer t ires prov ide less traction
on ice and snow.
.., Use winte r tir es on all four whee ls .
.., Only use winter t ires that are approved for your
vehicle.
.., Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires
c:> .&,.
Your authorized Audi dealer or authorized re
pai r facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires.
.., Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
c:> page 245.
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .1S7 inch (4 mm). The characteristics of w inter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages, re
gardless of the remaining tread.
A WARNING
-Never dr ive faste r than the maximum per
mitted speed for your t ires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much . Th is increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst .
250
-Always adapt your driving to the road and
traffic cond itions. Drive carefully and reduce
your speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
w inter t ires can lose traction on black ice.
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, beca use they provide better handling
when roads are free of snow and ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumpt ion.
(D Tips
You can a lso use all season tires instead of
winter tires. Please note that in some coun
tries where w inter t ires are required, only win
ter tires with the
& symbol may be permit
ted.
· Snow chains
Snow chains improve traction in the snow .
.., Only install snow chains on the rear wheels .
.., Check and correct the seating of the snow
chains if necessary after driving a few feet. Fol
low the instruct ions from the manufacture r.
.., Note the maximum permitted speed when dr iv
ing w ith snow chains . Do not exceed 30 mph
(SO km/h) .
Snow cha ins not onl y improve the
driving in w in
ter road conditions , but also the
braking .
Use of snow chains is only permitted with certain
rim/tire combinations due to technical reasons .
Check with a n author ized Audi dealer or author
iz ed repair facility to see if you may use snow
c hains.
Use
fine-mesh snow chains. They must not add
more than 0.53 inch (13.5 mm) in he ight, includ
i ng the cha in lock.
You must remove the chains when driving on
roads that are
free of snow. When roads are free
of snow , snow cha ins can impair hand ling and
damage the tires, and the chains will quick ly be
destroyed. .,.
M N
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rl I.O
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"' rl
Emergency assistance
Vehicle jack, vehicle tool kit and collapsible spare
tire
Onboard tool kit and vehicle jack
The vehicle tools ond vehicle jack* are stored in
the luggage compartment under the floor cover.
Fig. 209 Luggage compartme nt: on board tool kit and vehi·
cle jack
The vehicle jack* is stored under the on board tool
ki t¢ fig.
209.
Hybrid drive*: the storage location of the on
board too l kit varies ¢
page 105.
The on board tool kit includes:
- Hook for removing wheel covers*
- Plastic hook to remove wheel bolt covers*
- Alignment p in for cha nging wheels
- Wheel bolt wrench
- Folding chocks
- Screwdriver w ith reversible blade
- Socket (removable Torx socket)*
- 10 x 13 open ended wrench (for disconnecting
the battery cables)
- Towing eye
Befo re storing the jack*, make sure it is wound
back down as far as it will go.
A WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack* can cause
ser ious personal injuries.
- Never use the jack* supplied with your Audi
on another vehicle, particularly on a heav ier
-
Emergen cy assistance
one. The jack * is only suitable for use on the
veh icle it came with.
- Using a bumper jack to raise the vehicle will
damage the bumper system. The jack may
slip, causing injury.
- Never support your vehicle on c inder b locks,
bricks or other objects. These may not be
able to support the load and could cause in·
jury when they fa il.
- Never start or run the engine while the vehi
cle is supported by the jack*.
- If you must work under the vehicle, always
use safety stands specifically designed for
this purpose.
- Never use the hexagonal socket in the han
dle of the screwdriver to loosen or tighten
the wheel bolts.
- Always make sure the inflatable spare tire*
and even a flat tire are secured in place and
not loose, otherwise they could fly forward,
causing personal injury to passengers in the
veh icle in an acc ident or sudden maneuver.
(D Tips
Some of the on board items listed above are
provided on certain models only or are option
al extras.
Folding chocks
The folding chocks are part of the on board tool
kit.
--.. ,..
Fig. 210 Open ing foldi ng chock s
To use the chocks, you first have to rais e the sup ·
port plate r::!,>
fig. 210 (!) and then i nsert the lock
ing plate with the two "tabs" into the e longated
holes in the base pl ate@¢
A. .,.
255
Emergency assistance
_& WARNING
- The chock cannot fulfil its funct io n and may
lose its stability if the "tabs" on the support
plate are not inserted correctly into the
elongated holes in the base plate. If th is
happens, the vehicle may start to
move
wh ile a wheel is being changed .
- Never use the folding chocks if they are
damaged o r if they have not been assem
bled correct ly.
Removing bass box
Applies to veh icles: w ith bass box
Before the inflatable spare tire* can be taken
ou t, the bass box must be removed.
F ig . 211 Spare whee l well: Ba ss box
Removing bass box
" Lift up the cargo floor using the hand le .
" Squ eeze the lock ing tabs
q fig. 211 (D of the
con nector.
" Disconne ct the connector @and place the lead
to one side .
"T urn the large screw co unter -clockwise.
" Carefu lly remove the bass box.
Installing bass box
" Carefully place the b ass box in t he wheel. The
inscription " FRON T" on the bass box mus t face
forward .
" Reconnect the connector that was removed .
" Secure the bass box with the large screw.
" Fo ld the cargo floor back down.
256
Inflatable spare tire
Applies to vehicles: with inflatable spare tire
The inflatable spare tire expands to its full diam
eter when it is inflated .
Fig. 212 In flatable spa re tir e with compressor
Removing inflatable spare tire
" Lift up the cargo floo r using t he h andle .
" Remove the dirt tray .
" Tu rn the large screw
q fig . 212 co unter -clock-
w ise .
" Remove the bass box as required
q page 256 .
"Take out the inflatable spare tire.
" Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack* and
the replaced t ire in the luggage c ompa rtment
q page 140.
Stowing the inflatable spare tire
" Release the air by unscrewing the valve stem.
" Screw the
valve stem back in afterwards.
" Wait a few hours befo re p lacing the wheel in
the spare wheel well
9 & .
"Insta ll the bass box as required qpage 256.
" Sec ure t he wheel with the large screw .
" Place the dirt tray back in.
" Fold the cargo floo r ba ck down .
After using the inflatable spare wheel
The inflatab le spare tire can be re-used as lo ng as
i t is not damaged and is not worn down to the
tread wear indicators
q &, .
When you let the a ir out of the inf latab le spare
t ir e, it does not assume its folded shape aga in for
several hours. Until then, it ca nnot be placed
back in the spare wheel we ll and stowed se cu rely . .,.
Emerg enc y ass is tance
CJ) Note
Special care is required if you are repairing the
tire on a steep incline.
@ Tips
- Do not operate the compressor for more
than 12 minutes continuously, otherwise it
can overheat . Once the compressor has
cooled, you can continue to use it.
- If sealant has spi lled out, let it dry and then
you can remove it by peeling it away like a
foil.
- Remember to obtain a new bottle of sea lant
from yo ur authorized Aud i dea ler after re
pairing a tire. After this, the functionality of
the tire repa ir set is restored.
- Obey all laws.
Replacing wheels
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own
and your passenger's safety when changing a
wheel.
.. After you experience a tire fa ilure, pull the car
well away from moving traffic and try to reach
l eve l ground before you stop¢_& .
.. All passengers sho uld
le ave t he car and move
to a safe location (for instance, behind the
guardrail)¢ _&.
.. Engage the
parking br ake to prevent your vehi
cle from rolling unintentionally¢_& .
.. Move
select or lever to pos itio n P ¢ &_ .
.. If you are tow ing a trailer: unhitch the trailer
from your vehicle .
.. Block the diagonally opposite wheel with the
folding chocks or other objects.
.. Take the
jack * and the in flat abl e s par e tir e*
out of the luggage compartment¢ page 255.
A WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while
changing a wheel if you do not follow these
safety precautions:
- If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance
off the road. Turn off the engine, t urn the
260
emergency flashers on and use other warn
ing dev ices to alert other motor ists.
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well away
from the road and traffic.
- To help prevent the vehicle from moving
suddenly and possibly slipping off the jack*,
always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel be
ing changed with the folding chocks or oth
er objects. When one front wheel is lifted
off the ground, placing the Automatic Tra ns
m iss ion in P (Pa rk) w ill
not prevent the veh i
cle from moving.
- Before you change a whee l, be sure the
ground is level and firm.
If necessary, use a
sturdy board under the jack *.
- Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack*
and the replaced tire in the luggage com
pa rtment
¢ page 140.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence
described below step-by-step and in exactly that
order .
1. Remove the d eco rativ e wheel cover*. For
more details see also¢
page 261, Decora
tive wheel covers
or ¢ page 261, Wheels
with wheel bolt caps .
2. Loosen the wheel bolts¢ page 261 .
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the
jack* and align the jack* be low that point
¢ page 262.
4. Lift the car with the jack*¢ page 262 .
5 . Remove the
wheel with th e flat tire and then
install the
inflatable spa re ti re*
¢ page 263.
6. Tig hte n a ll whee l bolts ligh tly .
7 .
Lo we r the vehicle with the jack* .
8 . Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firml y tighten
all wheel bolts ¢
page 261.
9. Replace the decorative wheel co ve r* . ...
Emergency assistance
... Take tight hold of the end of the wrench handle
and turn the wheel bolts
counter-clockwise
about one single turn in the direction of arrow
c::> fig . 218.
Tightening
" Install the wheel bolt wrench over the wheel
bolt and push it down as far as it will go .
... Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench handle
and turn each wheel bolt
clockwise until it is
seated.
A WARNING
- Do not use force or hurry when changing a
wheel -you can cause the vehicle to slip off
the jack* and cause serious personal inju
ries.
- Do not loosen the wheel bolts more than
one turn
before you raise the vehicle with
the jack*. - You risk an injury.
{D) Tips
If a wheel bolt is very tight, you may find it
easier to loosen by carefully pushing down on
the end of the wheel bolt wrench with
one
foot only.
As you do so, hold on to the car to
keep your balance and take care not to slip.
Raising the vehicle
The vehicle must be li~ed with the jack* first be
fore the wheel can be removed.
Fig. 219 Sill panels: mark in gs
262
Fig. 220 Sill: posi tioning the jack
... Engage the parking brake to prevent your vehi
cle from rolling unintentionally
... Move the
selector lever to position P.
... Find the marking (imprint) on the sill that is
nearest the wheel that will be changed
c::> fig. 219 . Behind the marking, there is a lift
ing point
on the sill for the jack*.
"Turn the
jack* located under the lifting point on
the sill to raise the jack until its arm @
c::> fig. 220 is located under the designated plas
tic mount
c::> &. c::>(j).
... Align the jack* so that its arm @ c::> fig. 220 en
gages in the designated lifting point in the door
sill and the movable base ® lies flat on the
ground. The base ® must be
vertical under the
lifting point @.
"Wind the jack* up further until the flat tire
comes off the ground
c::> ,&. .
Position the jack* only under the designated lift
ing points on the sill
c::> fig. 219. There is exactly
one location for each wheel. The jack* must not
be positioned at any other location
c::> .&. c::>(D.
An unstable surface under the jack* can cause
the vehicle to slip off the jack* . Always provide a
firm base for the jack* on the ground . If necessa
ry place a sturdy board or similar support under
the jack*. On
hard, slippery surfaces (such as
tiles) use a rubber mat or similar to prevent the
jack* from slipping
c::> ,&..
A WARNING -
-You or your passengers could be injured
while changing a wheel if you do not follow
these safety precautions: