
194 Intelligent technology
Basically, energy management consists o f
battery di agno sis, idling current manage
ment
and dyn ami c ene rg y m anagement.
B attery diagno sis
Battery d iagnosis continuously dete rm ines
the state of the battery. Sensors determ ine
battery vo ltage, battery current and battery
temperature. This determines the current
state of charge and the power of the battery.
Idling curr ent mana gem ent
Idling c urrent management reduces energy
consumption while the vehicle is standing.
With the ignition switched off, it contro ls the
energy s upply to the various e lectrica l compo
nents . Data from battery diagnosis is consid
ered.
D epending on the battery's state of charge,
individual consumers are gradually turned off
to prevent excess ive d ischarge of the battery
and thus mainta in start ing capability.
Dynamic en erg y managem ent
While the vehicle is being dr iven, dynamic en
ergy management distributes the energy gen
erated according to the needs of the individu
a l components. It reg ulates cons umption, so
that more electrical energy is not being used
than is being generated and ensures an opti
mal state of charge for the battery.
(D) Tips
- But even energy management cannot
negate the limits of physics. Consider
that the power and life of a battery are
li mited.
- If starting ab ility is threatened, t he indi
cator
light (•i appears ~page 16.
What you should know
The highest priority is given to maintaining
starting capability.
The battery is severely taxed in short-distance
driving, in city traffic and during the co ld time
of year. Abu ndant e lectr ical energy is re- quired, but on
ly a little is generated .
It is also
critica l if the engine is not r unning and electri
ca l components are turned on. In this in
stance energy is be ing consumed but none is
being generated .
It is in precise ly these situations that you will
notice energy management active ly regu lat
ing the d istribution of energy.
V ehicle stand s for an e xtended period
If you do no t drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, e lectrica l compo
nents a re g radually cut back or switched off .
This reduces energy consumption and main
ta ins start ing capability over a longer period .
Some of the convenience functions may not
operate, such as the interior l ights or the
power seat adjustme nt. The convenience
funct ions wi ll be available again when you
switch on the ignition and sta rt the eng ine .
With the engine turned off
If you listen to the radio, for examp le, w ith
the engine turned off or use other MMI func
t io ns, the battery is be ing discharged .
If starting capability is jeopardized d ue to en
ergy consumption, the following warning ap
pears in the MMI d isplay:
Please sta rt the engine soon o r the system
will be turned off .
The warning indicates that the system will be
turned off automatically after 3 minutes . If
you w ish to continue using the funct ions, yo u
have to start the eng ine.
With the eng ine running
Although e lectrical energy is generated when
t h e vehicle is being driven, the battery can be
come discharged . This happens mostly when
li ttle energy is being generated and a great
deal consumed and the battery's state of
c h arge is not opt imal.
To bring the energy ba lance back into equili
brium, consumers which requ ire espec ially
large amounts of energy are temporar ily cut
back or sw itched off . Heat ing systems in .,.

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particular require a great deal of energy. If
you notice, for example, that the heated seats* or the heated rear window are not
heating, they have been temporarily cut back
or switched off. These systems will be availa ble again as soon as the energy balance has
been restored.
You will also notice that engine idle speed has been increased slightly. This is normal and not
a cause for concern . By increasing engine idle
speed the additional energy required is gener
ated and the battery is charged.
Intelligent technology 195
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Avoid damaging the
vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over
curbs, steep ramps, etc., make certain that
low-lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get dam
aged.
T his is especially true for vehicles with low
slung chassis (sports chassis) * and fully load
ed veh icles .
Driving through water
on roads
Note the following to avoid vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on
flooded roads:
- T he water must not be any h igher than the
bottom of the veh icle body.
- Do not d rive faster than wa lking speed.
..&, WARNING
After driving through wate r, m ud, slush,
etc., the brakes may be slow to take effect
because o f wet brake rotors and pads . Dry
the brakes first by braking carefully to re
store the full braking effect.
(D Note
- Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or e lectrical
system can be severely damaged by driv ing through water.
- Check the depth o f the water before driv
ing through it.
- Do not s top the veh icle, drive in reverse
or switc h 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 vehi
cle to drive through safely.
- Avoid driving thro ugh sa lt water because
-
~ it can ca use corrosion. ,....,
Dri vin g and en vironm ent 197
Warming up and
cooling down
By carefully warming up and cooling down
your vehicle, you can help ensure that it is not
overstressed unnecessar ily during sporty dr iv
ing.
When warming up, the vehicle is dr iven at a
maximum engine speed of 6000 RPM in order
to raise the engine o il temperature to a mini
mum of 140
°F (60 °() . The t ires a lso on ly
reach the ir full road holdi ng capabi lity on ce
they have warmed up.
The cooli ng fan can cont inue to run in your ve
hicle after the engine is switched off . Howev
er, driving the veh icle to coo l it down is pa rti c
ul arly important. Dur ing spo rty driving , the
engine and b rakes, the exhaust system, and
the transmission a ll become extremely hot.
Before you park the vehicle, you should drive
it for a few miles/kilometers at light load in
the low rpm range to allow it to cool down .
Catalytic converter
App lies to vehicles: wi th gaso line e ngi ne
It is very important that your emission con
trol system (catalytic converter) is function
ing properly to ensure that your vehicle is run
ning in an environmentally sound manner.
"' Always use lead-free gasoline c:> page 206,
Fuel supply .
"' Never run the tank down all the way to emp
ty.
"' Never put too much mo to r o il in yo ur eng ine
c:> page 21 S, Adding engine oil "t:::r..
"' Never try to push -or tow -start you r vehicle .
T he catalytic co nve rter is an efficient "clean
u p" dev ice bui lt into t he exhaus t system of
the ve hicle . The cata lytic converter bu rns
many of the pollutants in the exha ust gas be
fore they are re leased into the atmosphere.
T he exclus ive use of unleaded fuel is c ritical ly
i mportant for the life of the catalyt ic convert -
er and proper functioning of the engine .
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@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi
cle load and speed, road and weather con
ditions, 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 fuel when they are ac
celerating. If you anticipate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus , accelerate less . Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for example when you see
that the next traffic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
~ Try and keep well below your car's maximum
speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consump
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and en
gine noise increase disproportionately at high
speeds . If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed limit and weather con
ditions permit.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel .
~ Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle.
Driving and environment 199
~ Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the
engine run at idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic
jams , when waiting for trains to pass at rail
road crossings, or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for
just 30 -40 seconds saves more fuel than is
burned starting the engine again.
It takes a long time for the engine to warm up
fully when it is running at idle. However, wear
and noxious emissions 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 .
(D Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af
ter starting . If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
would go unheeded. Extended idling also
produces heat, which could result in over
heating or other damage to the vehicle or
other property.
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a
lot of fuel.
~ Have your vehicle serviced at regular inter-
vals.
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an
Audi dealer helps to ensure that it runs prop
erly and economically. The condition of your
vehicle not only affects its safety and ability to
hold its value, it also affects
fuel consump
tion.
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
The amount of oil used is related to engine
load and speed .
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new
engine to reach its lowest value after a certain
mileage has been driven .
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,...., ..,., ,....,
Vehicle care and clean ing
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your
vehicle 's value. It can also be a requirement
when submitting warranty claims for corro
sion damage and paint defects on the body .
The required cleaning and care products can
be obtained from your authorized Audi dealer
or a qualified workshop . Read and follow the
instructions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
-Us ing clean ing and care products incor
rectly can be dangerous to your hea lth.
- Always store cleaning and care products
out of reach of children to reduce the risk
of poisoning.
@) For the sake of the environment
-Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and
care products with household trash .
Car washes
-
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the
vehicle, the more the surface can be dam
aged. High temperatures such as those
caused by sunlight increase the corrosive ef
fect.
Before washing, wet heavy deposits w ith plen
ty of water.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once road salt stops be ing used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your vehicles with a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instruc
tions provided w ith the pressure washer . Th is
is especially important in regard to the pres
sure and spraying distance. Do not aim the
spray directly at seals on side w indows, doors,
Vehicle care and cleaning 201
the hood, the rear lid or the sunroof* or at
tires, rubber hoses, insulating material, sen sors* 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 °C) .
Automatic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof* are
closed and the windshield wipers are
off. Fol
low instructions from the car wash operator,
especially if there are accessories attached to
your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Only use car washes where the vehicle re
mains stat ionary and the wash ing equipment
moves around the vehicle when washing and
drying. Car washes that move the vehicle
through the car wash using a chain are not
recommended.
Washing by hand
Clean the vehic le starting from the top and
working 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 vehicle. Insects, grease spots and finger
pri nts are best removed w ith a special 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 mi-
crofiber cloth. ..,.
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202 Vehicle care and cleaning
Rinse the vehicle tho roughly again and let it
air dry . Remove any water residue using a
shammy .
S tu bborn depos its s uch as bird dropp ings or
tree sap are best removed with plenty of wa
ter and a microfiber cloth.
A WARNING
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition
is off and follow the instructions from
the car wash operator to reduce the risk
of accidents .
- To reduce the r isk of cuts, protect your
self from sharp meta l compone nts whe n
was hing t he underbody or the ins ide of
t h e whee l hous ings.
- After washing the vehicle, the braking ef
fect may be delayed due to mo isture on
the brake roto rs o r ice in th e winter . The
brakes mus t be dried first with a few
c a refu l br ake appli cat io ns.
(D Note
- If you wash t he veh icle in a n au tomatic
ca r wash, yo u m ust retrac t the r ear spoi l
er if necessary, and fo ld the exter io r mir
r o rs in t o reduce the r is k of dam age. P
ower fo lding ex terior mirrors * mus t on
ly be folde d in an d out using the powe r
folding function.
- To prevent paint damage, do not wash
the vehicle i n direct sunlight.
- T o reduce the ris k of damage to the sur
face, do not use insect removi ng spong
es, kitchen sponges or similar items.
- Matte finish painted vehicle compo
nents :
- To reduce the risk of damage to the
surface, do not use polishi ng agen ts or
ha rd wa x.
- N eve r use car wash cycles that apply
p rotectiv e wax .
It can des troy the
ma tte fi nish effect .
- D o not place any st ickers o r magnet ic
signs on v ehicle parts painted w ith
ma tte fi nish paint. The paint cou ld be
d am aged when the stickers o r m agne ts
a re removed.
~ For the sake of the environment
Only wa sh the ve hicl e in facili tie s sp eci ally
d esigne d for th at pu rpose. Thi s will re duce
the r is k of dirty wate r contam inated with
oi l from entering the sewer system.
Cleaning and care information
When clea ning and cari ng fo r individua l vehi
cle components, refer to the fo llow ing tab le.
The informa tion con tained there is s imply rec
ommendations. Fo r q uest ions or for compo -nents that are not listed
, refer to a n author
i z ed Audi dea ler or a qu alified workshop. Also
f o llow the inform ation fo und in ~ .&. .
Cleaning exterior Component Situation Solution
Wiper blades Dirty
~ page 49, Cleaning windshield wiper blades
Headlights / Dirty Soft sponge with a m ild soap solution a>
tail lights
Sensors/ Dirty Sensors: soft cloth w ith a so lvent-free cleaning product
camera lenses Camera lenses: soft cloth with an alcohol-free cleaning
so lution
Snow/ice Hand b rush/so lvent-free de -icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake d ust Acid-free special cleaning so lution

204 Vehicle care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
T ex tile s,
Stains adhering to Vacuum cleaner
Vin yl, the surface
A lcan ta ra Water -based stains Absorbent cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
O il-based stains Apply a mild soap solutiona>, blot away the d issolved oil
such as oil, make- or dye, treat afterward w ith water, if necessary
up, etc.
Special stains such Special stain remover, blot with absorbent material,
as ballpoint pen, treat afterward with mild soap solutiona>, if necessary
na il polish, latex
pa int, shoe po lish,
etc.
N atu ral leather Fresh stains Cotton cloth with a mild soap solutiona>
Water-based stains Fresh stains: absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, Dr ied stains: sta in remover suitable for leather
blood, etc.
Oi l-based stains Fresh stains: absorbent cloth and sta in remover suitable
such as oil, make- for leather
up, etc. dried stains: Oil cleaning spray
Special stains such Stain remover suitable for leather
as ballpo int pen,
na il polish, latex
pa int, shoe polish,
etc.
Care Regular
ly apply condit ioning c ream that protec ts from
light a nd penetrates into the materia l. Use specially-col-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon part s Dirty Clean tlhe same way as plastic parts
a) Mi ld soap so lut ion : maximum two tablespoons neut ra l soap in 1 quart (I lite r) of water
& WARNING
The windshie ld may not be treated with
water -repe lling windshield coating agents .
Unfavorab le conditions such as wetness,
darkness, or low sun can result in in
creased glare. W iper blade chatter is a lso
possible .
(V Note
-Headlights /tail lights
- Never clean headlights or tail lights
w it h a dry cloth or sponge. -
Do not use any cleaning product that
contains alcohol, because they could
cause cracks to form.
-Wheels
- Never use any paint polish or other
abrasive mater ials.
- Damage to the protective layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratc hes
must be repa ired immediately.
- Sensor s/camera len ses
- Never use warm or hot water to re-
move snow or ice from the camera
le ns. This could cause th e lens to crack . ""

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-Never use abrasive cleaning materials
or alcohol to clean the camera lens.
T his could cause scratches and cracks .
-Window s
-Remove snow and ice on w indows and
exterior mirrors with a plastic scraper .
To avoid scratches, move the scraper only in one direction and not back and
forth.
- Never remove snow or ice from w in
dows and m irrors using wa rm or hot
wate r because this cou ld cause crac ks
to form.
- To avoid damage to the rear window
defogger, do not apply any stickers on
the heating wires on the inside of the
w indow .
-Dec or ati ve p arts /trim
-Never use chrome care or cleaning
products.
-Paint
-To reduce the risk of scratches, the ve-
hicle must be free of dirt and dust be
fore polishing or waxing.
- To prevent paint damage , do not polish
or wax the veh icle in direct sunlight.
- To reduce the risk of paint damage, do
no t polish away rust film .
-Di splay s
-To avoid scratches, do not use dry
cleaning methods on displays .
-Controls
- Make sure that no flu ids enter the con-
trols, because this cou ld cause dam
age .
-Safet y belts
- Do not remove the safety belts to clean
t hem.
- Never clean safety belts or their com
ponents chemically or with cor ros ive
fluids or solvents and never a llow
sharp objects to come into contact
with the safety belts . This cou ld cause
damage to the belt webbing.
- If the re is damage to the webb ing, the
connections, the retractors or the buck
les, have them rep laced by an author-
V ehicl e ca re a nd cl eanin g 205
ized A udi dealer or a qualified work
shop.
- Te xtile s/Vin yl/ Alcant ara
- Never treat Vinyl/Alcantara w ith leath-
er care products, solvents, floor polish,
shoe polish, stain remover or s imilar
p rod ucts.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by an authorized Aud i deale r
or a qualif ied workshop.
- Never use steam cleaners, brushes,
hard sponges, etc. when cleaning .
- Do not turn on the seat heating * to dry
the seat .
- Objects with sharp edges such as zip
pers, rivets on clothing or be lts can
cause damage to the surface .
- Open hook and loop fasteners, for ex
ample on cloth ing, can damage seat
covers . Make sure hook and loop fas
tene rs a re closed .
-Natural leather
- Neve r treat leather w ith solven ts, floo r
polish, shoe polish, stain remover or
similar products.
- Objects with sharp edges such as zip
pers, rivets on clothing or be lts can
cause damage to the surface.
- Never use steam cleaners, brushes,
hard sponges, etc . when cleaning.
- Do not turn on the seat heating* to dry
the seat.
- To help prevent the leather from fad
ing, do not leave the vehicle in di rect
sunlight for long periods of time . If
leaving the vehicle parked for long pe
riods of time, you should cover the
leather to protect it from d irect sun
light .
(D Tips
-Insects are easier to remove from paint
that has been freshly waxed.
- Regular waxing can prevent rust film
from forming.
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