222 Checking and filling
Checking and filling Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig. 186 Driver foo twell: release lever
Fig. 187 Rocker switch un der the hood
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up
from the windshield. Otherwise the paint
could be damaged .
.,. With the driver's door open, pull the lever
under the instrument panel in the direction
of the arrow ¢
fig. 186.
... Raise the hood slightly¢.&_ .
... Pr ess the rocker switch under the hood up
ward ~
fig. 187. This releases the catch.
.,. Open the hood.
A WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment . Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care
fully opening the hood .
' Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the
engine compartment, for example checking
and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent per
sonal injury always observe the following
WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
¢ ,&. .
A WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check any
thing under the hood:
- Turn off the engine.
- Switch off the ignition .
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever to P (Park).
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care
fully opening the hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com
partment.
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo
nents . They can cause a fire .
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly .
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm . The cool
ant system is pressurized and hot cool
ant could spray out.
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
- Do not remove the engine cover under
any circumstances. This increases the
risk of burns.
- If work on the fuel system or the electri-
cal system is necessary: ..,_
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-Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames. Fluids in the engine com
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in
jury while the engine is running or being
started, never touch :
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever to P (Park).
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact ing hot parts. Tie back hair before
starting, and do not wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical ha zards c:::> & .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de
fects and reproductive harm. In addition ,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con
tain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm .
Checking and filling 223
-Battery posts, terminals and related ac
cessories contain lead and lead com
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
(D Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam
age to vehicle systems will occur.
(® For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly . If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au
thorized Audi dealer.
Closing the engine hood
.,. Pull the hood down until the pressure from
the struts is reduced.
.,. Let the hood
drop down and latch in place.
Do not try to push it shut; it may fail to en
gage
c:::> ,A .
A WARNING
-
A hood that is not completely latched
could fly up and block your view while driv
ing .
- When you close the engine hood, check it
to make sure the safety catch has proper ly engaged. The hood should be flush
with the surrounding vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while driving that the hood
is not secured properly , stop at once and
close it. •
•
224 Checking and filling
Engine compartment
Engine compartment overview
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 188 Typ ical layout for contai ners and eng ine o il filler cap
(D Jump start point(-) with hex
head screw .... ............. 234, 283
@ Jump start point(+) under a cov-
er .. .. ............... .... . 234,283
@ Brake fluid reservoir ((0)) . . . . . 231
© Engine oil filler cap (
® Coolant expansion tank (-L) ... 228
Windshield/headlight washer
. (' " ) container O ............ . . 235
The engine oil filler neck (item @) may be lo
cated in a different area depending on the ver
sion of the engine.
~ WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS
¢ &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 222.
-
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact
specifications.
The service interval display in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it
is time for an oil change. We recommend that
you have your oil changed by an authorized Audi Serv ice Advisor.
If you have to top
off the oil between oi l
changes, use the Audi oil quality standard
specified in the table.
Audi oil quality standard
Gasoline
VW 502 00 or
engine vw 504 00
Diesel vw 507 00
engine
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"' rl
"' rl
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
Fig. 192 Engine co mpa rtment: cove r on the b rake f luid
reservo ir
Before you check anything in the engine com
partment,
al ways r ead and h eed all WARN·
ING S ¢ &. in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 222.
.. Read the brake fluid level from the brake
fl uid reservoir¢
fig. 192, ¢ page 224,
fig. 188 .
The brake f luid level must be be
tween the "MIN" and "MAX" markings .
The location of the brake flu id reservo ir can be
seen in the engine compa rtment illust rat ion
¢ page 224.
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 be
low the "MIN" mark, the brake wa rning/indi
cator ligh t. (U .S. models) . (Canad ian
models) will come on ¢
page 15. Do not con
tinue to operate the vehicle. The comp lete
brake system shou ld be thoroughly checked
by an authorized A udi dealer or other quali
fied facility and the cause corrected.
If the
br ake fluid level is too low, the brake warn ing/
indicator light w ill illuminate. Contact an au·
thor ized Audi dealer
imm ediately .
Checkin g and fillin g 231
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi·
enced technician .
Brake fluid absorbs mois ture from the air. If
the wa ter content in the brake fluid is too
high , corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling point of the
brake flu id will also dec rease considerably and
decrease braking pe rformance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
ev ery two years. Always use new brake flu id
which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle
Standard "F MVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservo ir can be d iff icult to
reach, the refore, we recommend that you
have the brake fluid changed by your author
i zed
Audi d ealer . Your dealer has t he correct
tools, the right brake fl uid and t he know-how
to do this for you .
A WARNING
-.
-Brake fluid is poisonous . It must be stor
ed only in the closed original container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can resu lt from o ld or inap
propriate brake f luid. Observe these pre
cautions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE
spe cificat ion
J 1 7 03 and conforms to
Federa l Moto r Ve hicl e Standard 116.
Always check with yo ur authorized Audi
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct bra ke fluid. The correct type of
brake f luid is also indicated on the
brake f luid reservoir.
- The brake fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes can cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is left in the system too
l ong . This can seriously affect the effi
c iency of the brakes as well as your
safety. Th is cou ld resu lt in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your
vehicle .
232 Checking and filling
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal
of brake fluid as we ll as the special tools
required and the necessary expertise, we recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your author ized Audi dealer.
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the bat
tery in your Audi does not need any mainte
nance. With
high outside temperatures or
long daily drives we recommend that you have
the electro lyte level checked by a service fa
cility . The electrolyte level should also be
checked each time the battery is charged
¢ page 234.
Have the battery checked when you take your
vehicle in for service . You are well adv ised to
replace a battery that is older than 5 years .
With certain types of airbag deployment, the battery is disconnected from the vehicle elec
tr ical system for safety reasons¢
& in Re
pair, care and disposal of the airbags on
page 161.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regu
lators, for example) are lost if the battery ter
minals are disconnected. These functions have
to be relearned after the battery terminals are
connected again. To prevent this , the battery
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
e lectrica l system when absolutely necessary
for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of severa l days or weeks, electrical compo
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main
tains starting capabi lity over a longer period
¢page 198. Some of the convenience func
tions may not operate, such as the interior
lights or power seat adjustment. The conven- ience
functions will be available again when
you switch on the ignition and start the en gine.
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capac ity
tends to decrease as temperatures drop. This
is because more power is a lso consumed whi le
starting, and the headlights, rear window de
fogger, etc., are used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, par
ticu larly in city traffic or when traveling only
short distances. Let your authorized Audi
deale r check the capacity of the vehicle bat
tery before winter sets in¢
page 234 . A well
charged battery will no t only prevent star ting
problems when the weather is cold, but will
also last longer .
@ Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery shou ld be removed and
stored where it w ill not freeze. This will
prevent it from be ing damaged and having
to be replaced .
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 any
thing in the luggage compartment,
read and
heed all WARNINGS
¢ .&, .
Always heed the safety warnings , when work
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle elec
t rical 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.
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreci
ated and most abused parts of
a motor vehicle .
Tires may be the least appreci
ated and most abused parts of
a motor vehicle. Tires are, how
ever, one of the most important
parts of a vehicle, particularly
considering the comparatively
small patch of rubber on each
tire that assures that all-impor
tant contact between you, your
vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire
pressure, making sure that your
vehicle and its tires do not have
to carry more weight than they can safely handle, avoiding
damage from road hazards and
regularly inspecting tires for
damage including cuts, slashes
irregular wear and overall con
dition are the most important
things that you can do to help avoid sudden tire failure includ
ing tread separation and blow-
~ outs.
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Tires and wheels 237
Avoiding damage
If you have to drive over a curb
or similar obstacle , drive very
slowly and as close as possible
at a right angle to the curb.
Always keep chemicals includ ing grease, oil, gasoline and
brake fluid off the tires.
Inspect the t ires regularly for
damage (cuts, cracks or blis
ters, etc.). Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove
them to indicate the direction
of rotation. This ensures you to be able to mount them correct
ly when you reinstall them.
When removed, the wheels or
tires should be stored in a cool, dry and preferably dark place.
Store tires in a vertical position if they are not mounted on
rims, in a horizontal position if
they are mounted on rims.
New tires
New tires have to be broken in
¢ _&. .
The tread depth of new tires
may vary , according to the type .,.
•
•
'
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-If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side when driving, al
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the
wheels and tires for dam age.
(D Note
-Please note that summer and winter tires are de
signed for the conditions
that are typical in those sea
sons. Audi recommends using winter tires during the
winter months. Low tem peratures significantly de
crease the elasticity of
summer tires, which affects
traction and braking ability.
Tires and wheels 239
If summer tires are used in
very cold temperatures, cracks can form on the tread bars, resulting in perma
nent tire damage that can
cause loud driving noise and unbalanced tires. Audi is not
responsible for this type of
damage .
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be used in winter road condi
tions. The surface of the
rims does not have suffi
cient corrosion protection
for this and could be perma
nently damaged by road salt
or similar substances.
•
•
'
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto matic transmission, power
steering, power brakes , power
windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as fac
tory-installed equipment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the width of the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower indi
cate a low sidewall for im proved steering response and
better overall handling on dry
pavement.
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Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire
at the maximum permissible in
flation pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible)
inflation pressure
means the maximum cold infla
tion pressure to which a tire
may be inflated. Also called
"maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the number of occupants seated in the vehicle up to the
total seating capacity of your
vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occu pants in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of
an inflated new tire.
Tires and wheels 241
Overall width
means the linear distance be
tween the exteriors of the side
walls of an inflated tire, includ ing elevations due to labeling,
decorations, or protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular produc
tion options weighing over 5 lbs. (2 . 3 kg) in excess of those
standard items which they re
place, not previously consid
ered in curb weight or accessory
weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special
trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in
which the ply cords that extend
to the beads are laid at sub stantially 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
•
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