
122 Driving Safel y
Retracting rollover protection
Fig. 136 Deployed roll bar w it h release loop .
Fig. 137 Dep lo yed r ollbar w it h po wer t op frame facing
up wa rd .
If the rollover protect ion has t riggered but
the vehicle was not involved in an acc iden t
'
you can ret ract the ro llover protec tion your-
se lf in an eme rgency. Drive to your authorized
Audi dealer o r qualified repair facility immedi
ately to have the malfunction corrected .
With the power top open
> Pull the loop upwa rd in the di re ction of the
arrow and ho ld i t in p lace
~ fig. 136 .
> Slide the roll bar down .
> Release the loop just before the rollbar
reaches its end position by approximately 1-2 in . (3-5 cm).
> Press the rollbar down until it stops.
> Make sure the rollbar is secure before re-
leasing it.
> Close the cover@¢ fig. 13 7.
> Repeat the procedure on the other rollbar.
Wi th the power top clo sed
> Switch the ign it ion on.
> Press the convertible switch to adjust the
co nvertible frame unt il it is vertical
¢ fig . 137 .
> Pull the loop upward in the direction of the
arrow and hold it in place
¢ fig . 136.
> Slide the rollbar down.
> Release the loop just before the rollbar
r eaches its end position (3-5 cm).
> Press the rollbar down until it stops .
> Make sure the rollbar is secure before re-
l e asing it .
> Close the cover@¢ fig. 13 7.
> Repeat t he p rocedu re on the othe r rollb ar .
> Yo u can now close the power top again .
_&. WARNING
--Make sure you r head or othe r parts of
your body are not located in the area
above the ro llbar when press ing the roll
bar down. If the roll bar is not secured
correctly , it cou ld deploy agai n as soo n as
you release it and cause injur ies .
- Have the rollover protection system
checked by your authorized Audi dealer if
it is fa ulty . Otherwise, the system may
not deploy correctly in a coll is ion.
- Mod ifying the rollover protecti on system
or ind ividual components is not pe rm it
ted .
- Wo rk on the rollover p rotection system
should only be pe rform ed by yo ur au
thor ized A udi dealer or qua lified wo rk
shop. O the rwise the sys tem m ay not
fu nction correc tly in a collision or it co uld
deploy unexpectedly.
- H ave the system inspected at service in
tervals . This ensures the system wi ll al
ways be ready for use . Have your author
ized Audi dealer check the rollove r pro
tect ion system every two years at the lat
est .

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_& WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can
cause serious personal injury in an acci
dent .
- Expectant mothers must a lways wear the
lap portion of the safety belt as low as
poss ible across the pelv is and be low the
rounding of the abdomen.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
¢ &. in Fas
tening safety belts on page 12
7.
Unfastening safety belts
Unbuckle the safety belt with the red release
button only after the vehicle has stopped .
Fig. 14 8 Re lea sing the to ngue from the buckle
... Push the red re lease but ton on the buc kle
¢
fig. 148 . The belt tongue wi ll spring out
of the buckle
¢ ,&. .
0 .... N 9 :r
~
... Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you
gu ide the belt tongue to its stowed position.
_& WARNING
Never unfasten safety belt while the veh i
cle is moving. Doing so will increase your
r isk of being inju red or killed .
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly posi tioned safety bel ts can cause
severe injuries .
Wearing safety be lts improperly can cause se
rious injury or death. S afety belts can only
work when they are correct ly positioned on
the body . Improper seating positions reduce
the effect iveness of safety belts and w ill even
Safety belts 129
increase the risk of injury and death by mov
ing the safety be lt to critica l areas of the
body. Improper seating positions a lso in
crease the risk of serious injury and death
when an airbag deploys and strikes an occu
pant who is not in the correct seating posi
t ion. A driver is respo ns ible for the safety of
all vehicle occupants and especially for chil
dren. Therefore:
... Never perm it anyone to assume an incorrect
sitt ing pos ition in the vehicle while traveli ng
¢ ,&. .
_& WARNING
Improperly worn safety bel ts increase the
r isk of ser ious persona l injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used .
- Always ma ke s ure that all vehi cle occu
pants are correctly restrained and stay in
a co rrect seating position whenever the
veh icle is being used .
- Always read and heed a ll WARNI NGS and
other important information
¢ page 126.
Safety belt preten-
• s1oners
How safety belt pretensioners work
In front, side and rear-end collisions above a
particular severity, safety belts are tensioned automatically.
T he safety belts are equipped with safety belt
pretensioners . The system is act ivated by se n
sors i n fro nt, side and rear -end co llisions of
great seve rity . This tightens the belt and takes
up belt slack¢
& in Service and disposal of
safety b elt pretension er on page 130.
Taking
up the slack he lps to reduce fo rward occupant
movement during a collision .
(D Note
Never let the belt remain ove r a rear seat
back that has been fo lded forward .

130 Safety belts
The safety be lt pretensioner can only be
activated once .
- In m inor frontal and side coll isions in
'
rear-end collisions and in accidents in-
vo lving very little impact force, the safe
ty belt pretensioner are not activated .
- When the safety be lt pretensioners are
activated, a fine dust is released. This is
norma l and is not caused by a f ire in the
vehicle.
- The relevant safety requirements must
be observed when the vehicle or compo
nents of the system are scrapped . An au
thorized Audi dealer or qualified wor k
shop is fam iliar with these regulations
and will be p leased to pass on the infor
mation to you.
- Be sure to observe all safety, environ
mental and other regulations if the vehi
cle or indiv id ual parts of the system , par
ticularly the sa fety belt o r airbag, are to
be disposed. We recommend you have
your a uthorized Audi dea ler perform this
serv ice for you .
Service and disposal of safety belt
pretension er
The safety belt pretensioners are parts of the
safety belts on yo ur Audi . Installing, remov
ing , servicing or repa iring of belt prete nsion
e rs can damage the safety be lt system and
prevent it from working correct ly in a colli
sion.
There are some impo rtant things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of
the system will not be impaired and that dis
carded components do not cause injury or po l
lute the environment.
A WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair proce
dures can increase the risk of personal in
jury and death by preventing a safety belt pretens ion e r from act ivat ing when needed
or act ivat ing it unexpectedly: -
The belt pretensioner system can be acti
vated only once. If be lt pretensioners
have been activated, the system must be
replaced .
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts
of the safety be lt system.
- Safety belt systems incl uding safety belt
pretens ioners cannot be repaired. Spe
cial procedures are required for removal, installation and disposa l of th is system.
- For any work on the safety belt system,
we strongly recommend that you see
your author ized Audi dealer or qualif ied
technician who has an Audi approved re pa ir manua l, train ing and spe cial eq uip
men t necess ary.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and p reten
s ioners might be classif ied as Perchlorate
Materia l - specia l hand ling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca.gov/h azardouswaste/per
ch lorate. When the veh icle or parts o f the
restraint system including airbag modu les
safety be lts with pretensioners are scrap
ped, all applicab le laws and regulations
must be observed. Your author ized Audi
dealer is familiar with these requirements
and we recommend that you have your
dealer perform th is service for you.

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-Never attach any objects such as cu
pholders or telephone mountings to the
surfaces covering the airbag units.
- For cleaning the horn pad or instrument
panel, use only a soft, dry cloth or one
moistened with plain water. Solvents or
cleaners could damage the airbag cover
or change the stiffness or strength of the
material so that the airbag cannot de
ploy and protect properly.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts
of the airbag system.
-All work on the steering wheel, instru
ment panel, front seats or electrical sys
tem (including the installation of audio
equipment , cellular telephones and CB
radios, etc.) must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training
and special equipment necessary.
- For any work on the airbag system, we
strongly recommend that you see your
authorized Audi dealer or qualified work
shop.
- Never modify the front bumper or parts
of the vehicle body .
- Always make sure that the side airbag
can inflate without interference:
- Never install seat covers or replace
ment upholstery over the front seat backs that have not been specifically
approved by Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags
inflate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or
to the seam in the area of the side air
bag module must always be repaired
immediately by an authorized Audi
dealer.
- The airbag system can be activated only
once. After an airbag has inflated, it must be replaced by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified technician who has
the technical information, training and
special equipment necessary.
- The airbag system can be deployed only
once. After an airbag has been deployed,
it must be replaced with new replace-
Airbag system 145
ment parts designed and approved espe
cially for your Audi model version . Re
placement of complete airbag systems
or airbag components must be per
formed by qualified workshops only. Make sure that any airbag service action
is entered in your Audi Warranty
& Main
tenance booklet under
AIRBAG REPLACE
MENT RECORD.
- In accidents when an airbag is deployed,
the vehicle battery separates the alterna
tor and the starter from the vehicle elec
trical system for safety reasons with a pyrotechnic circuit interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit inter
rupter must only be performed by a
qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
- If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter
is scrapped, all applicable safety pre
cautions must be followed.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and preten
sioners might be classified as Perchlorate
Material -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/per-
ch lorate. When the vehicle or parts of the
restraint system including airbag modules
safety belts with pretensioners are scrap
ped, all applicable laws and regulations
must be observed. Your authorized Audi
dealer is familiar with these requirements
and we recommend that you have your
dealer perform this service for you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag Sys
tem performs in a crash. For example, using
tire-rim combinations not approved by Audi ,
lowering the vehicle, changing the stiffness of
the suspension, including the springs, suspen
sion struts, shock absorbers etc. can change
the forces that are measured by the airbag
sensors and sent to the electronic control unit. Some suspension changes can, for
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(D Note
-Be aware that just one tank fi lling with
le ad ed fuel will already seriously de
grade the performance of the catalytic
converter.
- Do not exceed the correct engine oil leve l
c>page 199.
-Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes
complete ly empty. The engine could mis
fire. Unburned fuel could also get into
the exhaust system and this could cause
the catalyt ic converter to overheat.
- Do not turn off the ignition while the ve
hicle is moving .
- Do not continue to operate your vehicle
under these condit ions, as otherwise fuel
can reach the catalytic converter. This
could result in overheat ing of the con
verter, requ iring its replacement.
- To assure efficient operat ion of the Emis
s ion Control System:
- Have your vehicle maintained properly
and in accordance with the service rec
ommendations in your Warranty
&
Ma intenance booklet.
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as
improper use of the vehicle will impa ir
the funct ion of the emission control
system and could lead to damage .
@) For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Control System is
operating properly, the exhaust gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operating states. This depends on
the s ulfur content of the fuel being used.
Using a d ifferent brand of fuel may help,
or filling the tank w ith lead-free super
grade gasoline .
Shutting down vehicle
If you would like your veh icle to remain inop
erat ive for a longer period of time, contact an
Audi or other specialized dealer. They can ad
vise you on necessary precautions e .g. corro
sion prevention, maintenance and storage.
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 181
Pay attention to additional information con
cerning the battery . Refer to
c> page 205 .
Operate your vehicle
economically and
minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex
haust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely depend on three factors:
- your personal d riving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitat ions
If you ant ic ipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This sec
tion w ill give you some tips on how you can
help the env ironment and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumption estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTEC TION AGENCY
( E PA) and Transpo rt Canada may not cor re
spond to your actual consump tion on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi
cle load and speed, road and weather con
dit ions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac
celerating.
.,. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most f uel when they a re ac
ce lerat ing. If you ant icipate what is going to
happe n next, you will need to brake less and,
th us, acce lerate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for examp le when you see
that the next traff ic light is red.
•
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182 Driving and en vironm ent
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage .
"'Try and keep well below your car 's max imum
speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment. F ue l consumption, exhaust emissions and en
g ine no ise increase d isproportionately at high
speeds. If you dr ive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by one half. Never dr ive faster
than the posted speed limit and weather con
d itions permit .
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel.
"'Shut the engine off when you are not dr iv ing
the vehicle .
"'Do not warm up the veh icle by letting the
engine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut
off the e ngine in traff ic
jams, when waiting for trains to pass at ra il
road crossings , or at traff ic lights that have
l ong wa its on red. Turning the engine
off fo r
just
30-40 seconds saves more fue l than is
bu rned s tarting the eng ine again .
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fu lly when it is running at idle . Howeve r, wear
and nox ious em issions are especially high
when the engine is warming up. So you should
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up .
([) Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af
ter starti ng . If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
wou ld go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which cou ld result in over- heating o
r othe r damage to the ve hicle or
other property .
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
"' Have your ve hicle serviced at reg ular in ter -
vals.
By having your veh icle regu la rly serviced by an
a utho rized Aud i dea le r helps to ensure that it
runs properly and econom ic all y. The cond it ion
of your veh icle not on ly affe cts its safety and
ability to ho ld its va lue, it a lso affects
fuel
con sumption .
Check your oil ea ch time you fill your tank.
The amount of o il used is re lated to engine
load and speed .
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certa in
mileage has bee n driven.
You must drive your veh icle about 3,000 m iles
(5,000 kilometers) before you can properly
assess oil consumpt ion.
This also app lies to fue l cons umption and en
gine output.
(D Note
- Have your vehicle maintained proper ly
and in accordance with the service rec
ommendations in your Warranty
& Main
tenance booklet. Lack of proper ma inte
nance as well as improper use of the ve
hicle will impair the function of the
em iss ion contro l system and cou ld lead
to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control Sys tem unless ap
proved by the manufacture r.
- Do not alte r or remove any device, such
a s hea t sh ie lds, swi tches, ig nitio n w ires,
valves, which are designe d to p rotec t
your vehicle's Emission Control System
and other impo rtant vehicle compo
nents .

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Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
especia lly we ll 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.
Q;) 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
spec ified criter ia in this chapter .
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fuel blend meets the
spec ificat ions, 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 respons ibility 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 l ems 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 differ from one manufacturer to another, they have cer tain
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.
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 191
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.
CJ) 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
s ide panel behind the fuel filler flap.
If the power locking system should fail, you
can still open the flap manually -for detailed
instructions see
~ page 193.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve
hicle in
~page 262 .
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 190 .
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 pollut ing 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.
A 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, ..,.
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Checking and fillin g 197
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 174 Typical layout for containers and engine oil filler cap
(D Coolant expansion tank (- L) . . . 202
@ Jump start point(+) under a cov-
er .. .. ... ....... ........ ..
207, 256
@ Engine o il filler cap (
head screw ............ .... .
207, 256
© Brake flu id reservoi r((())) . . . . . 204
® W indshie ld/headlight* washer
container
(0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
A WARNING
Before yo u check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
q .& in Working in the engine
compartment on page 195.
-
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact
specifications .
The service interval disp lay in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform y ou when it
is time for an oil change. We recommend that
you have your oil changed by an authorized
Audi Se rv ice Advisor .
If you have to top off the o il between o il
changes, use the Audi o il quality standard
specified in the tab le.
Audi oil quality standard
Gasoline
VW 502 00 or
eng ine vw 504 00 ...