2016 AUDI A4 warning

Trailer mod e
Trailer mode
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Tr aile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your veh icle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount . Always check w ith the t rail­
er hitch man ufact urer to make su re that you are
using the co rrect hitch .
Do not use a bump er hit ch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system. No mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From t ime to t ime, check that a ll hitch mount ing
bolts rema in securely fastened.
When you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra iler hitch ba ll mount . This prevents the hitch
from caus ing damage shou ld your veh icle be
s truck from be hind ¢
,&..
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
190
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system ¢&. .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between you r vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
Traile r lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
r ec t wiring , switches, and relays.
M irrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outs ide mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors . It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
.&_ WARNING
- If a tra ile r has e lectr ica l brakes p lease no te
t hat these brakes are not activated by the
factory-fit ted contro l unit -risk of accident!
'
- After removing the trai ler hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch co uld fly forward and in ­
jure you or yo ur passengers.
Operating instructions
Ma ximum traile r we ight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trai ler is held securely in
place to p revent i t from shifting forward, back ­
ward or sideways.
Nev er allow a pa ssen ger to rid e in a trailer ¢ &.
in Driving instructions on page 191.
Engine cooling system
Towing a tra iler makes the engine work harder . It
i s important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cool ing system has enoug h fluid.

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Tire pressure
When tow ing a tra ile r, infl ate the tires of yo ur
ve hicl e to the co ld tire press ure listed under "Fu ll
l oad" on the label located on the driver's side B­
pi llar (visib le when th e door is open). Inflate
tra ile r tir es to t railer and tire manufacture rs'
specifications.
Light s
The headlight settings should be checked wi th
the trai ler attached before driv ing
off . Check to
make sure both veh icle and trai ler lights are
wo rking prope rly .
Safety chains
Be s ure trai ler s afety chains are p ro p erly conne ct­
ed from the trailer to the hitc h on the vehicle .
L eave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners . When you install safety cha ins, make
sure they w ill not drag on the road when yo u are
driving.
The chains s hou ld cross under the t railer tongue
to p revent it from dropp ing in case of separat ion
from t he hitc h.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra core
and consideration.
To ob tain the best possible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the fo llowing :
.,. Do no t tow a lo ad ed t railer w hen yo ur car i tse lf
i s not lo ad ed.
.,. Be especia lly caref ul when passing ot he r
vehicles .
.,. Observe speed limits.
.,. Do not d rive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.,. Always apply brakes early .
.,. Moni to r th e temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
T owing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car res ults
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avo ided, drive at very low speeds o nly
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
Trailer mode
A "ba lanced" rig is easier to opera te and co ntrol.
This means that the tow vehicle sho uld be loaded
to the extent possib le and permissib le, w hile
keeping the trailer as light as possible under the
cir cumstances . Wheneve r poss ib le, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow ve hicle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loa ding consi de rations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the mo re diff icult it be­
comes for the driver to control the r ig. Do not
drive at t he max imum permissib le speed. Reduce
you r sp eed even more if load, weathe r or wind
cond it ions are u nfavo rab le -pa rticularly when
go ing down hill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightes t sign of sway ing .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating .
Observe speed limits . In some a reas, speeds fo r
vehicles towing trailers are lower tha n for regular
vehicles .
Always apply bra kes early . When d riving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the e ngine
braki ng effect to slow the vehicle . Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overhea t and fa il.
Coolant temperature
The coo lant tempe rature gauge c:> page 10 m ust
be obse rved caref ully. If the needle moves close
to the upper end of the scale, reduce speed im­
me diate ly and/or t urn
off th e a ir cond it io ne r .
If the coolant temperat ure warning light . in
t h e instr ument cluster starts flashing, pull
off
the road, stop and let the engine idle for about
two m inu tes to pre vent heat build -u p .
A WARNING ,.__ -
A nyone not prope rly restr ained in a moving
ve hicl e is at a m uch grea te r risk in an a cci ­
d ent. Never le t anyon e ride in your car w ho is
n o t pr ope rly we arin g th e res tra ints p ro vid ed
by Au di .
191

..... N
0 ::..:: co ..... ..... Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can a lso be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your authorized Audi dealer. Read and fol­ l ow the instructions for use on the packaging.
A WARNING
- Using clean ing and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health.
-Always store cleaning and care products out of reach of chi ldren to reduce the r isk of po i­
soning .
@) For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not dispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits remain on the vehicle,
the mor e the surface may b e damaged . High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damag ing effect.
Before washing, rinse off heavy deposits with
p lenty of water .
S tu bborn depos its s uch as bird d roppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a
microfiber cloth.
A lso , wash the underside of yo ur vehicle once
road sa lt stops being used for the season.
Pressure washers
When washing your ve hicles w ith a pressure
washer, always follow the operating instructions
p rovided w ith the pressure washer. This is espe­
cially importa nt in regard to the pressu re and
sp raying distance . Do no t aim the sp ray directly
at seals on side windows, doors, the hood, the
l uggage compartment lid or the sunroof * or at
Ca re and cleaning
ti res, rubber hoses, insulating mate rial, sensors *
or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of at least
40.64 cm (40 cm) .
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use rota ry nozzles or high pressure noz­
zles.
T he water temperatu re must not be above 140 °F
(60
°().
Automat ic car wa she s
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make s ure that the windows and roo f* are closed
and the windshield wipers are off . Follow instruc ­
tions from the car wash operator, especially if
there are accessories attached to your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing
by hand
Clean the ve hicl e starting from the top and wor k­
i ng down using a soft sponge o r cleaning br ush.
U se solvent -free cleaning produ cts.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by
hand
T o avo id damag ing the pa int w hen washing, fi rst
remove dust and large par ticl es from you r vehi­
cle . Insects, grease spots and fingerprints are
best removed with a special cleaner for matte
finish paint.
Apply t he product using a microf iber cloth . To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the ve hicl e thoroug hly w ith wate r. Then
cl ean usi ng a neutral shampoo and a soft micro­
fiber cloth .
Rinse the ve hicle thorough ly aga in and let it air
dry. Remove any wate r residue using a sham my.
- On ly wash the vehicle when the ign ition is
off and follow the instr uctions from the car
193

Care and cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Te xtil es
Deposits adhering to Vacuum cleaner
a rt ifici al le ather , the surface
Alcant ara Water-based deposits Absorben
t cloth and mild soap solutiona>
such as coffee, tea,
blood, etc.
O il-based deposits Apply a m ild soap solution a), blot away the dissolved oil or
such as oil, make-up, dye, treat afterward with water, if necessary
etc.
Special deposits such Special stain remover, b lot with absorbent material, treat
as ink, na il polish, la- afterward with mild soap solution, if necessary a)
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Natural leather Fresh stains Wool cloth with a mild soap so
lutiona)
Water-based deposits fresh sta ins: absorbent cloth
such as coffee, tea, d ried stains: stain remover suitable for leather
blood, etc.
Oil-based deposits Fresh staiins: absorbent cloth and stain remover suitable
such as oil, make-up, for leather
etc. dried stains: oil cleaning spray
Special deposits such Spot remover suitab le for leather
as ink, nai l polish, la -
tex paint, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
Ca re Regularly apply cond ition ing cream that protects from
light and penet rates into the materia l. Use specia lly-co l-
ored conditioning cream, if necessary.
Carbon parts Deposits clean the same way as plastic parts
a) Mild soap solution: maximum two tablesp oons of neutral soap in 1 quart (l liter) of water
_& WARNING
The windshie ld may not be trea ted with wa­
ter-repelling windshield coating agents. Un­
favorable conditions s uch as wetness, dark­
ness, or low sun can result in increased glare .
Wiper blade chatter is also possible.
(D Note
- Headlights/tail light s
-Never clean headlights or tail lights with a
dry cloth or sponge.
- Do not use any cleaning product that con­
tains alcohol, because they could cause
cracks to form.
- Wheels
196
-
- Never use any paint polish or other abra­
sive materials.
- Damage to the protect ive layer on the
rims such as stone chips or scratches must
be repaired immediately.
- Sensors /camera lenses
- Neve r use wa rm or ho t wa ter to remove
snow or ice from the camera lens . This
could cause the lens to crack .
- N eve r use ab rasive cleaning materials or
a lcohol to clea n the camera lens . This
could cause scratches and cracks .
-Doo r window s
-Remove snow and ice on windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plast ic scraper. To

Fuel and Refueling
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufactur­
ers is carbon deposit build-up ca used by the type
of gasoline you use.
Although gasoline grades d iffer from one manu­
facturer to another, they have certain things in
common. All gasoline grades contain substances
that can cause deposits to collect on v ital engine
parts, such as fuel injectors and intake valves. Al­
though most gasoline brands include additives to
keep engine and fuel systems clean, they are not
equally effective.
Audi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent Gas­
oline. For more information on TOP TIER Deter­
gent Gasoline, please go to the official website (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended period of using inadequate
fue ls, built-up carbon depos its can rob your en­
g ine of peak performance.
CD Note
- Damage or malfunction due to poor fuel
quality is not covered by the Audi New Vehi­
cle Limited Warranty .
- Do not add aftermarket fuel additive prod­
ucts to yo ur fuel tank.
Refueling
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel f iller flap .
If the power locking system should fail, you can
still open the flap manually -for detailed instruc­
tions see
c> page 202.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your vehicle
in
c> page 256 .
The label on the inside of the fuel filler flap tells
you the correct fue l for your vehicle. For more in­
formation about fuel specifications, see
<=>page 198.
Your vehicle fuel tank has an on-board refuelling
vapor recovery system. This feature he lps to pre­
vent fuel vapors from escaping from the tank and
200
polluting the environment whi le you refuel your
vehicle. In order to fill the tank proper ly while
protecting the env ironment, please follow th is
refueling procedure carefully.
A WARNING
Under normal operating conditions, never car­
ry additional fuel containers in your car. Gas
can isters and other containers used to trans­
port fue l can be dangerous. Such containers,
full or empty, may leak and could cause a fire
in a col lision.
If you must transport fuel to
use for your lawn mower, snow blower, etc.,
be very careful and always observe local and
state laws regarding the use, transportation
and storage of such fuel containers. Make cer­
tain the container meets industry standards (ANSI/ASTM F852 -86).
CD Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fuel tank is
complete ly empty. The irregular supply of
fuel can cause misfiring. Gasoline could enter the exhaust system and damage the catalytic
converte r.
Refuelling
Fig. 175 R ight rea r vehicle side: Open ing the fuel filler flap
Fig. 176 Fuel filler flap w ith attac hed fuel cap

..... N
0 ::..:: co ..... ..... When activating the central locking, the fuel fill­
er flap is automatically unlocked or locked. Re­
fue l the vehicle with the ignit ion turned
off.
T a king the fuel cap off
.,. Turn off the ignition.
.,. Press the left side of the fue l filler flap to open
it
c:> fig . 175 -arrow -.
.,. Unscrew fue l cap counter -clockwise and hang it
on the fue l filler flap
c:> fig. 176.
Refuelling proc edure
.,. Inse rt the fue l nozzle from the gasoline pump
into the fuel filler neck as far as it will go .
.,. Se lect a medium refuelling rate so that the
nozzle switches off automatically when the
tank is full.
Putting the fuel cap back on
.,. After filling your tank, tw ist the f uel cap clock-
wise as far as it wi ll go .
.,. Close the fuel filler flap.
To avoid fuel spill ing o r evaporating from the f uel
tank always close fuel cap proper ly and com ­
pletely.
A WARNING
Improper refueling or handling of fuel can
cause fire, explosion and severe b urns.
-
- Fuel is highly flammable and can cause se­
vere burns and other injur ies .
- Failure to shut the engine off wh ile refuel ­
ing and/or to insert the pump nozz le fully
into the fuel filler neck could ca use fue l to
spray out of filler neck or to ove rflow. Fuel
spray and overflowing fue l can cause a fire.
- Never use a cellular telephone wh ile refuel­
ing. The electromagnetic radiation can
cause spa rks that can ignite f uel vapors and
cause a fire.
- Never get back into your vehicle while refu­
eling. If in except ional circumstances you
must get back in your vehicle while refuel­
ing, make certain that you close the door
and touch meta l to discha rge static ele ctric­
ity befo re touching the filler noz zle ag ain.
Fuel and R efueling
Stat ic elect ricity can cause sparks that can
ignite fue l vapors released during refueling.
- Never smo ke or have an open flame any ­
where in or near your vehicle when ref ueling
or filling a portable fuel container .
- For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you do not trave l with a po rtable fuel
container in your veh icle. The container, fu ll
or empty may leak and co uld cause a fire,
especially in a crash.
- If, under except ional circumstances, you
m ust transport a portable fuel container,
p lease observe the following:
- Never fill a portab le fue l conta iner while it
is anywhere in or on the vehicle (for exam­
ple, in the l uggage compa rtment, o r on
the trunk). Static electricity can build up
while filling and can ignite fuel vapors caus ing a f ire .
-Always place a portab le fue l conta iner on
the ground before fi lling .
-A lways keep the f iller nozzle comp lete ly
inside the portable container before and
during f il li ng.
- If filling a portable conta iner made of
metal, the filler nozz le must always be in
contact with the container . This will he lp
prevent stat ic elec trici ty from discharging
and ca use a fire.
- Never spill fue l inside the vehicle o r lug­
gage compartment. F uel vapors a re highly
flammable.
- Always observe loca l and state/prov incial
laws rega rding the use, storage a nd trans­
po rtation of fuel contai ners.
- Make ce rtain the f uel con tainer mee ts i n­
dust ry standards (A NSI/ AS TM F852 -86).
(D Note
If any fuel has sp illed onto the car, it should
be removed immed iately to p revent damage
to the pa int.
@) For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated nozzle
switches off automatically for the first time,
201

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I.Cl U"I ,....,
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Checking and Filling Hood
Releasing and opening the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehi­
cle.
Fig. 179 Driver's side footwell: engine hood re lease lever
... ~ - -
Fig. 1 80 Release lever under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that
the windshield wipers are flat against the w ind­
shie ld. Otherwise, they could damage the paint
on the hood.
.. Wi th the driver's door open, pu ll the leve r un­
der the instrument panel in the direction of the
arrow ¢
fig. 179 .
.. Raise the hood slightly¢&.
.. Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
¢fig . 180. This releases the catch.
.. Open the hood.
A WARNING
Hot engine coo lant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of be ing burned, never
open t he hood if yo u see or hear steam or
coolant esca ping from the eng ine compart­
me nt. Wait unt il no s team or coolant ca n be
Checking and Filling
seen or hea rd before carefully opening the
hood.
Closing the engine hood
.. Pull the hood down until the pressure from the
struts is reduced.
"' Le t the hood
drop down and latch in p lace. Do
not try to push it shut;
it may fail to engage
¢ &, .
A WARNING
A hood that i s not comple tely latched co uld
fly up a nd blo ck your view while driv ing.
- W hen you close the engine hood, check it to
ma ke sure the s afety catch h as prope rly en­
ga ged. The hood should be flush with t he
surroundi ng ve hicl e body pa rts.
- If you no tic e while driv ing t hat t he hoo d is
not secured properly, stop at once and close
it.
Working in the engine compartment
Be e specially careful whenever you work in the
engine compartment.
-
Whenever you mu st perform an y work in the
engine compartment, for example checking and
filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burn s and a ccidents. To prevent per sonal injury
always observe the following WARNINGS. The
eng ine compa rtment of any vehicle is a hazard ­
ous area
¢ .&. .
A WARNING
-~
To help avoid injury, before you check any­
th ing under the hood:
- Turn off the engine.
- Remove the ignition key .
- Apply the par king brake.
- Move selector leve r of autom atic t ransm is-
sion to "P" (Park); put manual transm ission
in Neutral.
- Always let the engine cool down. Ho t com ­
ponents w ill bur n skin on contact .
203

Checking and Filling
-To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment . Wait until no steam or coolant can be
seen or heard before carefully 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 auxiliary
electric fan is temperature controlled and
can switch on suddenly .
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap when
the engine is still warm. The coolant system is pressurized and hot coolant 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 electrical
system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open
flames. Fluids in the engine compartment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher imme­
diately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal injury
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 of automatic transmission
204
to "P" (Park); put manual transmission in
Neutral.
- 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 contacting 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 chemi­
cal hazards
c::> /.1. .
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 Cali­
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm . In addition, certain flu­
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod­
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related acces­
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive 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 damage 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 fluids, have
your vehicle inspected by an authorized Audi
dealer.