
Instruments and indicator lights
"O~ I I ~ .,
TPMS
14 USA m
odel s:
Anti-loc k braking system (ABS) de
fective,/
¢ page 18
Canada mod els :
Anti-lock braking system (ABS) de
fective,/
¢ page 18
USA models :
Safety systems,/
¢page 19
Canada model s:
Safety systems ./
¢page 19
Worn brake pads
¢ page 19
Electromechanical parking b rake
¢page 16
Tire pressure monitoring
system,/
¢ page214
Tire pressure monitoring system
¢page214
Electronic power control./
¢page20
Malf unct ion ind icator Lamp (MIL)
,I
c::>page 20
Engine speed limitat ion
c::> page20
Engine oil level
c::> page 17
Engine oil sensor
c::>page20
Battery
c::>page 16
Tank system
c::>page20
Windshield washe r fl uid leve l
¢page20
Wi ndshield wipers
¢page20
Remote control key
c>page 73
Battery in remote control key
¢ page32
Defect ive light bulb warning
¢ page 21
Rear fog lig ht(s)*
<=> page 21
Headlight range control
¢page 21
Adaptive l ight*
c> page 21
Light -/ rain senso r*
c> page 21
Sport d iffe rential*
c> page 21
Ignition lock
c>page22
Steering co lumn lock
c> page 17
Electromechanica l steer ing, dy
namic steering*,/
c>page 174
Rear spo ile r
c> page 171
Transmission
c>page86
Transmission
c>page 86
Other indicator light s
--------------Turn signals
c>page22
USA models: Cruise contro l
c>page 78
Canad a model s: C ru ise contro l
c>page 78
Adaptive c ruise cont rol*
c> page 90
Adaptive c ruise control*
c> page 90
High beam
c>page44

M N
0:: loo ,...., \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 ,....,
BRAKE /((f) ) Brake system
The ligh t illu min ates when t he igni tion is switch
ed on.
It goes ou t after the engine h as bee n
started . This indicates t hat the brake war ning
light is f unctioning p ro p er ly .
If the brake warning light doe s not light up
when the engine is cranking, there may be a malfunction in the electrical system . In this
case , contact your authorized Audi dealer.
If the b rake system wa rning/ind icator light tu rns
on, there is a br ak e system malfunc tion.
1111 (USA mod els )/ . (Canada models) Stop
vehicle and check brake fluid level
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, proceed as follows:
~ P ull off the road.
~ Stop the vehicle.
~ Turnoff the engine.
~ Check the brake fluid level c::> page 195.
~ Contact you r nearest author ized repa ir facility if
n ecessary .
Warning! Fault in brake system. Contact dealer
If the ABS indicator light ~ (U SA mode ls)l [i]
(Canada models), the ESC indicato r light
J.i) and
the brake system indicator light
1111 (USA mod
e ls)/ . (Canada models) turn on and the mes
sage appears, the ABS, ESC and braking d istribu
tion are not wor king
c::> .&. .
Carefully drive to your authorized Audi dealer im
mediately to have the malfunct io n corrected
c::> .&. .
1111 (USA models )ta (Canada models ) Park
ing brake system fault ! See owner's manual
- If the indicator light and the message appear
when stationary or after switching the ign i·
tion on ,
check if you can re lease the park ing
brake. After releasing the parking brake, care
fully drive to your authorized Aud i dealer im
med iate ly to have the malfunction corrected . If
yo u cannot release the pa rking brake, see k pro
fessional ass ista nce.
- If the indicator light and the message appear
while driving , the emergency b ra ki ng funct io n
Instruments and indicator lights
may no t be ava ilable . It may not be possible to
set the parking brake or re lease it once it has
been set. Seek professiona l assistance .
( U SA mode ls):
If the war ning ligh t 1111 and the
warning light
Ill appear togethe r, immedia tely
contact your authorized Audi dealer or qua lified
wor kshop to have all b rake pads inspected
c::> page 19.
When the light comes on, an au dible warning sig
nal is also given.
A WARNING
-- Always observe the warn ings in
c::> page 187, before opening the h ood and
checking the brake flu id.
- Driving with low brake fluid is a safety haz
ard. Stop the car and get professional ass is
tance.
- If the 1111 (USA models) . (Canada mod
e ls) brake system indicator light turns on to
gether with t he ABS and ESC ind icator
lig hts, the ABS/ESC regulat ing funct ion may
have fa iled. Functions that stabilize the ve
h icl e are no longe r available. This co uld
c a use t he ve hicle to swerve and increas e t he
ris k of s liding. Drive carefu lly to the neares t
author ized Audi dealer or other qualified
wo rkshop and have the malf unct ion co rrect
ed.
- If the b rake wa rning/in dicator light does
not go out after a few seconds and the pa rk
ing brake is released, or lights up wh ile you
are driving, the fl uid level in the brake f lu id
rese rvoir is too low. If y ou believe t hat it is
safe to do so, proceed immediately at low
speed to the nea rest authorized A udi dealer
or qualified workshop and have t he b rake
sy stem inspec ted.
- Always keep in min d that after s evera l brak e
a pplicat ions, you wi ll n eed gre ate r pr essure
o n th e br ake pe dal t o s to p you r ve hicle . Do
no t rely on st rained bra kes to respond with
maxim um stop ping power i n cr itica l s itua
tions . You must a llow for increased braking
d istances. The extra d istance used up by
fading brakes could lead to an accident .
15

M N
0:: l-oo ,...., \!) ..,.,
The brake system will still re spond e ven with
out the a ssistance of the ABS system. See your
authorized Audi dealer a s soon as possible to re
store full braking performance.
For more infor
mat ion regarding the ABS
c::;, page 169 .
Malfunction in the brake system
If the b rake wa rning light c::;, page 15 and the ABS
warning i lluminate together there may be a mal
function in the ABS, and there may also be a ma l
function in the brake system itse lf
c::;, ,& . The ABS
will not work and you will notice a change in
braking r esponse and p erformance.
In the event of a malfunct ion in the brake sys
tem
the warn ing/indicator light 1111 (USA mod
e ls)/ . (Canada models) in the instrument cl us
ter flashes
c::;, page 15.
M alfuncti on in the elect ronic diffe rential
lock (EDL)
The EDL works together with the ABS. The ABS
war ning light will come on if there is a malfunc
tion in the EDL system
c::;, page 169 . See your au
thor ized Audi deal er as soon as possible .
.8, WARNING
-If the 9 (USA models) ,11J (Canada mod
els) w arning light doe s not go ou t, or if it
comes on w hile driving, the AB S sys tem is
not working properly . The ve hicle can then
be stopped on ly with the sta ndard brakes
(without ABS). You w ill not have the protec
t ion ABS p rov ides . Contact your authorized
Audi dealer as soon as poss ible.
- USA models: If the
1111 warning light and
the
rJln wa rning light come on together, the
rear wheels could lock up first under hard
braking. Rear wheel lock -up can cause loss
of vehicle cont rol and a n accident . Have yo ur
vehicle repaired imme dia tely by your au
th oriz e d Au di dea le r or qua lified w ork s h o p.
D rive s lowly and avo id sud den, ha rd brake
applica tions .
- Canada m odels:
If the bra ke warn ing lig ht
• and t he AB S warnin g lig ht
rlJ come on
N
~ 1 ) - : USA mod els onl y
Instruments and indicator lights
together, t he rear w heels could lock up fi rst
under hard bra king. Rear wheel lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle contro l and an acci
dent . Have your ve hicle repa ired immediate
ly by your author ized Audi dealer or qua li
fied workshop . Dr ive s low ly and avoid s ud
de n, ha rd bra ke ap plications.
tli I !f Safety systems
T he II (USA models) ;fll (Canada models) indi
c a tor lig ht monitors the s afety sys tems (e .g . air
bags, p retensioners) and illumina tes fo r a few
secon ds each time you switc h the ignition on .
If the II (USA models)/ m (Canada mode ls) in
dica tor light does not go ou t, o r if i t illumin ates
whi le you a re d riving, or if i t starts to blin k, then
t h ere is a ma lf u nction somewhere in the system .
If the light does not illum inate when yo u switch
the ignit ion on, this a lso means there is a ma l
funct ion.
.8, WARNING ,---~
If yo u have a ma lfunction in t he safety sys
tems, co ntact you r auth orized Audi dea le r i m
mediately . Otherwise th e sa fet y syst ems may
n ot wor k properly in a n acc ident.
(0) Worn brake pads
EiJ Brake pads!
If the warning light illuminates, immed iate ly
contact your author ized Audi dea ler or qua lified
wor kshop to have all b rake pads inspected . On
U SA mode ls the warning ligh t
EiJ comes on to
ge ther w it h t he wa rning light
1111 -Both se ts of
brake pads on an ax le must always be replaced at
t h e same time.
.8, WARNING
-Driving w it h ba d brakes can cause a collision
and se rious pers onal injury.
- If the warn ing light
EiJ and the warn ing
light
llll1l wi th the message Brake pads! ..,
19

Instruments and indicator lights
co mes on in the i nstrument cl uster display,
immediately contac t your author ized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop to have all
brake pads checked o r replaced if necessary.
EPC Electronic power control
This warning/indicator light monitors the elec
tronic power control .
The (m warning/indicator light (Electronic Power
Control) i llum inates when yo u switch the ignition
on as a function check.
(D Tips
If this warning/indicator light ill uminates
while you are dr iv ing, then the re is a malfunc
tion in the eng ine electronics. Have the mal
fu nction corrected as soon as possible by your
author ized A udi dealer or a qualified repair fa
cility.
o Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Malfu nction Indicator Lamp (M IL) is part of
the On-Board Diagno stic (OB D II) system . The
symbo l
('4 lights up whe n the ign ition is switch
ed on and will turn off afte r th e engine has star t
ed an d has sett le d at a constant idle speed . This
indicates that the MIL is working proper ly.
The warning ligh t illumina tes when there is a
malfunct ion in the engine e lectronic system .
Contact your authorized A udi dealer and have the
malfunctio n corrected .
An improperly close d fu e l fi ller cap may also
cause the MIL li ght to il lum inate ¢
page 185 .
For mo re info rmat io n ¢page 28.
!?) Engine speed limitation
Applies to vehicles: with engine speed limitation
(Iii Do not ex ceed max. engine speed of XXXX
rpm
The engine speed is automatically lim ited to the
speed d isp layed in the dr iver information system.
T his protect s the eng ine from overheat ing.
20
The eng ine speed limita tion deactivates once the
engine is no longe r in the critical temperature
r ange and you have re leased t he accelerator ped
a l once .
I f the engine speed limitation was activated by
an engine contro l ma lf u nction, the indicato r light
(m also turns on. Make sure that the speed does
not g o above the speed disp layed. Dr ive to your
authorized Aud i dea ler immediately to have the
malfunction cor rected .
~~, Engine oil sensor
• Oil level! S ensor defective
If the symbol illuminates, contact yo ur author
i zed Audi dealer and have the oil sensor inspect
ed . Until you have this done, check the oil level
each time you refue l just to be on the safe s ide
¢ page 191.
ffi Tank system
IIJ Please refuel
If the indicato r light turns on for the first t ime
and t he m essage appea rs, there are about
2 .1- 2. 4 gallons (7 -9 liters) of fuel left i n the
t ank . T ime to re fuel
¢page 184.
D Fuel tank syst em malfunction! Contact deal
er
If the indicator light turns on and this message
appears , there is a malfunct io n in the tank sys
tem .
Drive to your authorized A udi dealer immediate ly
to have the malfunct ion corrected.
' G> Windshield washer fluid level
II Please refill washer fluid
If the symbol illuminates, add w indshield washer
fl uid to t he washer system and also to the head
li ght washer system*¢
page 200 .
~ Windshield wipers
El Windshield wiper defective

Smart Technolog y
-Manua l retraction: At speeds up to about
10 mph (20 km/h) , retract the rear spoiler by
pressing and holding the switch. At speeds be
tween 10 mph (20 km/h) and 75 mph (120 km/h), retract the rear spoiler by tapping
on the switch
Ind icat or light
- Rear sp oile r: sy st em m alfu ncti on
The rear spoiler may not have extended due to a
malfunct ion . This cou ld change the vehicle's driv
ing characteristics at high speeds . Do not drive at
speeds above 85 mph (140 km/h) . Drive to the
nearest authorized Audi dealer or qualified repair
facility to have the malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
Dr iv ing at higher speeds w ithout the rear
spoiler deployed can impa ir handling charac
teristics, mak ing the veh icle harder to co ntrol.
- Always make sure that the spoiler is de-
ployed when driving at speeds over 85 mph
(140 km/h) . If the rear spoiler warn ing/ indi
c ator light in t he instrument cluster comes
on, the rear spoi ler may not have deployed .
- Never dr ive at speeds highe r than 85 mph
(140 km/ h) if the spoiler is not deployed.
Have the spo iler inspected as soon as possi
ble by an author ized Audi dealer or qualif ied
workshop.
- Always obey speed limi ts and o ther traffic
laws .
A WARNING ,.__.__
Improper ope ration of the rear spoiler can
cause crushing injuries .
- Always make sure that nobody, espec ia lly
children, is in the way when the rear spo iler
is deployed or retracted .
(D Note
Never push the vehicle or apply fo rce to the
rea r spo ile r - i t cou ld be damaged.
(D Tips
Clean the spo ile r compartment every 2 to 3
months. The spoiler compartment m ust al-
172
-
ways be free of ice, snow, leaves or other de bris .
Braking
What affects braking efficiency?
New brake pads
During the first 250 miles (400 km), new brake
pads do not possess their full braking e ffect, they
have to be "broken in" first¢.&. . The break -in pe
riod can be considerably longe r for vehicles with
ceramic brake rotors*. You can compensate for
th is slightly reduced braking power by pushing
harder on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy braking
loads during the b reak-in period.
Op era ting condition s and dri ving h abit s
The brakes on today's automobiles are still sub
j ect to wear, depending largely on operating con
dit ions and driving habits ¢.&, . On vehicles that
are either dr iven most ly in stop-and-go city traf
fic or are driven hard, the brake pads should be
checked by yo ur autho rized Aud i dealer more of
ten than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte·
nan ce bookl et.
Fail ure to have you r brake pads
i nspected c an resu lt in red uced b rake pe rform
ance.
On steep slopes, you shou ld use the braking ef
fect of the engine. This way, you prevent unnec
essary wear on the bra ke system. If yo u must use
you r brakes, do not hold the brakes down contin
u ously. Pump the brakes at intervals .
Operating noise
Noises may occur when brakin g depending on the
speed, braking force and ou ts ide cond itions su ch
as tempera ture and hum idity.
Due to the nature of the materials used in ceram
i c bra ke roto rs*, noises may become mo re appa
r ent at low speeds.
Effect of water and road salt
In certa in situations, for examp le after driv ing
through water, in heavy rain, after overnight con
densation or after washing your car , the braking
effect can be redu ced by moistu re or ice on the
1111>

brake rotors and brake pads. The brakes must be
dried first with a few carefu l brake applications .
At h igher speeds and with the w indshield w ipers
turned on, the brake pads press against the brake rotors for a sho rt amount of time. This occurs at
regular intervals without the driver noticing and
prov ides for better brake response time under
wet conditions.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered road
and the brakes are not used. Likew ise, you clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs
and pads with a few cautious applications of the
brake ¢,&. .
Due to their surface characteristics, ceram ic
brake rotors* absorb moisture in such conditions.
This can cause a temporary reduction in braking
force compared to dry brakes . You can compen
sate for this by press ing the brake pedal harder .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to bui ld up on
the brake pads and corrosion to form on the discs
if the car is not driven regularly or only for short
trips with little use of the brakes .
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corro
sion has formed on the discs, it is advisable to
clean off the pads and discs by brak ing firmly a
few t imes from a moderately high speed¢& .
Fa ul ts i n the brake sys te m
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake
pedal travel, then one of the two brake circuits
may have failed¢&.
Low brak e flu id l eve l
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the
brake fluid level is too low. The brake fluid leve l is
monitored e lectronically.
Brake boo ste r
The brake booster increases the pressure that you
genera te with the brake pedal.
It works only M
"" when the engine is running.¢ & 0:: l-oo ,...., \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 ,....,
Smart T echno log y
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in
spection of the condition of the brake pads
thro ugh the openings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
¢ page 218, Replacing wheels .
A WARNING ...__
-New brake pads don't have the best stop
ping power and must be "broken-in" during
the initial 250 miles (400 kilometers) . The
break-in per iod can be cons iderably longer
for vehi cles w ith ceramic b rake rotors*. You
can compensate for this by p ress ing the
b rake peda l more fi rmly. This a lso applies
later when new pads are installed.
- You shou ld perform braking maneuvers for
the purpose of cleaning the brake system
only if road conditions permit. Other road
users must not be put at risk -you may
cause an accident!
-
- Before descend ing a steep grade, reduce
speed and sh ift transmission into a lower
gear or lower dr iving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or
too often . This could cause the brakes to get
hot and dimin ish braking effic iency .
- Do not "ride the brakes" by rest ing your foot
on the pedal when you do not intend to
brake. This may cause the brakes to over
heat, premature wear and increased stop
p ing distance.
- Under certain cl imatic and operat ing condi
tions such as passing t hrough water, dr iv ing
in heavy rain or after washing the veh icle,
the effect iveness of the brakes can be re
duced . In winter, ice can accumulate on the
brake pads, linings, discs and drums . Care
fu lly apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry
and ice coatings will be cleaned off after a
few careful brake applications.
- Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads without using your
brakes can a lso affect braking efficiency.
Clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
173

M N
0:: loo ,...., \!) 1.1"1
N 1.1"1 ,....,
Driving and the
environment
Breaking in
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers ):
"' Do not use full throttle .
"' Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than
2/3 of the max imum permitted RPM .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
"' Speeds can gradually be increased to the maxi
mum perm issible road or engine speed.
During and after break-in period
"'Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it
is cold. This applies whether the transmission is
in N (Neutral) or in gear .
After the break-in period
"'Do not exceed maximum engine speed under
any circumstances.
"'U pshift into the next higher gear
before reach
ing the red area at the end of the tachometer
scale
c=> page 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the engine's
internal friction is higher than later when all the
moving parts have been broken in. How well this
break-in process is done depends to a considera
ble extent on the way the vehicle is driven during
the first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
(D Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automati
cally reduced. However, these rpm limits are
p rog rammed for an engine wel l run- in, not a
new engine.
@) For the sake of the environment
Do not dr ive with unnecessarily high eng ine
speeds -upshifting early saves fuel, reduces
noise and protects the environment.
Driving and the environment
New tires
If your vehicle is running on new tires, drive very
carefully for the fi rst 350 m iles (500 kilometers)
after fitting .
New tires tend to be slippery and must also
be "broken-in". Be sure to remember this dur
ing the first
350 miles (500 kilometers).
Brake gently. Avoid following closely behind
other vehicles or other situations that might
require sudden, hard brak ing .
Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are d riving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., ma ke certain that low
lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust system
parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
T his is espec ially true for veh icles with low-s lung
chassis (sports chassis)* and fully loaded
vehicles.
Driving through water on
roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage when
driving through water, for example on f looded
roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the bot
tom of the vehicle body.
- Do not drive faster than walking speed.
A WARNING
= -
After driving through water, mud, slush, etc.,
the brakes may be s low to take effect because
of wet brake rotors and pads. Dry the brakes
first by braking carefully to restore the full braking effect.
(D Note
Vehicle components such as the engine,
transmission, suspension or electrical system
can be severely damaged by driving through
water . ""
177

"' N
0:: loo
rl I.O
"' N
"' rl
forced out through the pressure relief valve
in the cap when the engine becomes hot.
- If, in an emergency, only water can be add
ed, the correct ratio between water and an
tifreeze
q page 192 must be restored as
soon as possib le.
@ For the sake of the environment
Drained coolant should not be reused . Always
dispose of used coolant while observ ing a ll
environmental regulations.
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by it
self.
The radiator fan is driven by the engine via the V
be lt. The viscous clutch regulates the speed of
the fan according to the temperature of the cool
ant.
An auxiliary e lectr ic radiator fan * switches on and
off depending on coo lant temperature and other
veh icle operating conditions.
Afte r you switch the engine off, the a uxiliary fan
can cont inue running for up to 10 minutes -even
with the ignition off. It can even switch on again
l ater by itself
Q .&. , if
- the temperature of the engine coolant rises due
to the heat bui ld-up from the eng ine in the en
gine compartment, or
- the engine compartment heats up because the
vehicle is parked in intense sunlight.
_& WARNING
- To reduce the r isk of personal injury never
touch the radiator fan.
- The aux iliary e lectr ic fan is temperature con
trolled and can switch on suddenly even
when the engine is not running.
- The auxiliary radiator fan switches on auto
matically when the engine coo lant reaches a
certain temperature and will continue to run
until the coolant temperature drops.
Ch eck in g and Fillin g
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The broke fluid level con be checked with a quick
glance.
F ig . 1 66 Engine compartment: Cover on the brake fluid
r eservoir
Before you check anyth ing in the engine compart
ment,
a lw ays r ead and h eed all WARNING S
q ,& in Working in the engine compartment on
page 187.
., Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid
reservoir
q fig. 166, r:> page 189, fig. 161. The
brake fluid level must be between the "MIN"
and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservo ir is located at the rear
part ition of the engine compartment on the left
s ide
q page 189.
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 below
the "MIN" mark, the brake warning/indicator
light (U.S. models:
1111 , Canad ian models: .
will come on
Q page 15 . Do not continue to oper
ate the vehicl e. The complete brake system
shou ld be thoroughly chec ked by an autho rized
A udi dealer or qualified workshop and the cause
corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate .
Contact an a uthorized Audi dea ler
immedi ately .
(0 Tips
The brake fl uid reservoir is located under
neath the cover.
195