Checking and Filling
Engine compartment
Engine compartment overview
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 183 Typical layout for containers and e ngine oil fille r cap
(D Jump start point(-) with hex head Engine oil
screw . .. .... .... .... ..... .. . 214, 253
@ Jump start po int( +) under a cover 214 ,253
@ Brake fluid reservoir (0:) . . . . . . . 211
@ Eng ine oil filler cap(~) . . . . . . . 207
® Coolant expans ion tank (- L) . . . . . 209
® Windshield/headlight washer con-
tainer
(W) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com
partment, always read and heed all WARN
INGS
¢ .&. in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 203.
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci
fications.
The service interval display in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
t ime for an o il change. We recommend that you
have your oil changed by an authorized Audi Serv-
ice Adv isor.
If you have to top off the oi l between oil changes,
use the Audi oil quality standard specified in the
table.
Audi oil quality standard
Gasoline
VW 502 00 or
engine VW S04 00
205
Check ing and F illing
Using the proper engine oil is impo rtant for the
functionality and service life of the engine. Your engine was facto ry-filled with a h igh-quality oi l
which can usually be used throughout the entire
year.
@) Note
Your Limited New Vehicle War ranty does not
cover damage or malfunctions due to failure
to follow recommended maintenance and use
requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warran ty
& Maintenance booklet.
- Use only a high quality eng ine oil t hat ex-
p ressly complies with the Audi oil qua lity
standard specified for your vehicle's engine .
Using a ny o ther oil can cause serious engine
d am age.
- D o not mix any lubricants o r other addit ives
i nto the engine oil. Doing so ca n cause en
g ine damage.
(D Tips
I f you need to add oil and there is none availa
ble t hat meets the Audi o il quality standard
your eng ine requi res , you m ay ad d a tot al of
no more than 0.5 qu art /li ter o f a h igh-quality
"synthe tic"oil that meets t he following speci
fications.
- AC EA A3 o r API SM wi th a viscosity grade o f
SAE 0W-30, SAE SW-30 or SAE SW-40.
- F or more inform ation about engine o il that
has been approve d for your ve hicl e, please
contact eithe r you r a uthorized Audi dea le r
or A udi C ustome r Relat ions at
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit o ur web site at
www.audiusa.com or www.aud icanada.ca.
Engine oil consumption
T he engine in your vehicle depends on an ade
quate amoun t of oil to lubricate and cool all of
its moving par ts.
In order to p rovide effective lubr ication and cool
ing of internal engine components, all interna l
combustion engines consume a cer tain amount
of oil. Oi l co nsumption varies from engine to en
g ine and may change significant ly over the life of
the eng ine . Typically, eng ines with a specified
206
b reak -in period (see q page 188) consume more
oi l during the break-in period than they consume
after o il consumption has stab ilized.
U nder normal cond itions, the ra te of oil con
s u mption depends on the q ua lity and viscos ity o f
the oil , the RPM (revo lutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the amb ient tem
perature and road condit ions. Further facto rs a re
the amount of o il di lution from wate r condensa
tion or fue l resid ue a nd the oxidation level of the
o il. As any engine is subject to wear as mileage
builds up, the o il consumption may increase ove r
ti me until replacement o f wo rn components may
become ne cessary.
With a ll these va riables coming into p lay, no
standard rate of o il consumption can be estab
li sh ed or spec ified . T he re is no alte rnative to reg
u lar and freq uen t che cki ng of the oil level , see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbo l in
the instr ument cluster
II lights up, yo u should
c h eck t he o il level as soon as poss ible
q page 207 . Top off the o il at your earlies t con
venience
q page 207.
_& WARNING
Before you check a nyt hing in the en gine com
partment, always read and heed all WARN
INGS
9 .&. in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 203.
((I) Note
D riving w it h an insuffic ient oil level is li ke ly to
cause severe damage to the engine.
(D Tips
- The oil pressure warning d isplay. is not
an indicator of the oil level. Do not rely on
it. Instead, check the oil level in your en
g ine at regular intervals, preferably each
time you refuel, and always befo re going
on a long trip .
-If you have the impress ion your engine con
sumes excessive amou nts of oil, we recom
mend that yo u consult your Aud i dea le r to
have the cause of yo ur conce rn prope rly .,.
diagnosed. Keep in mind that the accurate
measurement of oil consumption requires
great care and may take some time. Your
Audi dealer has instructions about how to measure oil consumption accurately.
Checking the engine oil level
The engine oil level con be checked in the Info
tainment system
Fig. 184 Infotainment: oil level indicator
~ Park your vehicle on a level surface .
~ Shut the engine off when it is warm .
~ Switch only the ignition back on.
~ Wait approximately two minutes.
~ Select: the ICARI function button > (Ca r)* Sys
tems
control button > Service & control > Oil
level.
~ Check the oil level in the Infotainment system
display ¢
fig. 184. Add engine oil if the bar of
the oil level indicator is near "min"
¢page 207.
Depending on the way the vehicle is driven and
the operating conditions, oil consumption can be
up to 1 quart per 600 miles (0.8 liter per 1,000
km) . Consumpt ion may be higher within the first
3,000 miles (5,000 km).
Because of this, the engine oil level must be
checked regularly . It would be best to check each
time you refuel your veh icle and before long
drives .
(D Tips
The oil level indicator in the instrument clus
ter display is only an informational display. If
the oil level is too low, a minimum oil warn ing
Checking and Filling
appears in the instrument cluster. Add oil. If
the hood was opened, the current oil level is
shown in the instrument cluster the next t ime
the ignition is switched on.
Adding engine oil 9:::7:
Fig. 185 E ngine compar tmen t: cover on the engine oil fill
er neck
Before you check anything in the engine compart
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
¢.,&. in Working in the engine compartment on
page 203 .
~ Shut the engine off .
~ Unscrew the cap~ to the engine oil filling
hole
q fig . 185, ¢page 205, fig. 183 .
~ Carefully top off with 0.5 quarts (0.5 liters) of
the appropriate oil
q page 205.
~ Check the oil level again after two minutes
q page 207, Checking the engine oil level.
~ Top off the oil again, if necessary.
~ Screw the cap back on the filling hole.
A WARNING
--While topping off, the o il must not come in
contact with hot engine parts - fire hazard!
- The oil filler cap must be properly secured
to prevent oil from being sprayed on the hot
engine and exhaust system when the engine
is running -fire hazard!
- If your skin has come in contact with the en
g in e oil, you must subsequently cleanse it
thoroughly.
(D Note
- Check the oil level using the M MI. If the
message
Please reduce oil level appears,
contact your authorized Aud i dea ler or other .,.
207
Check ing and F illing
q ualified workshop to have excess oil ex
tracted if necessary .
-Audi does not recommend the use of oil
addit ives. They may dam age the eng ine
and ad ve rs ely affe ct your New Vehicle
W arranty .
@ For the sake of the environment
-Under no circ umstances can the o il come in
contact with the sewage network or the soil.
- Observe and follow legal regu lations when
disposing of empty oil containers.
Changing the engine oil
We recommend that hove your oil changed by on
authorized Audi dealer or a qualified service sta
tion .
Before you check anyth ing in the eng ine compart
ment,
a lway s read and heed all WARNINGS¢.&.
in Working in the engine comportment on
page 203.
The engine oil must be changed accord ing to the
i n tervals specified in your Wa rranty
& Mainte
nance booklet . This is very important because the
lubricat ing properties of oi l diminish gradually
during normal vehicle use.
Under some circ umstances the engine oil should
be changed more frequently. Change oil more of
ten if yo u drive most ly short distances, operate
the vehicle in dusty areas or under predominantly
stop-and-go traffic condit ions, or have your vehi
cle where temperatu res remain below freezing
for extended periods .
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil
look dark after the engine has been running for a
short t ime. Th is is normal and is not a reason to
cha nge the oil more often than recommended.
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal, along
with the special tools and necessary expertise re
qu ired, we strongly recommend that you have
your oil changed by an authorized
Audi dealer or
a qualified se rvice station .
If you choose to change your o il yourself , please
note the following important information:
208
A WARNING
-
To reduce the risk of persona l injury if you
must change the eng ine oil in your vehicle
yourself:
- Wea r eye protect ion.
- To reduce the r is k of b urns from hot engine
-
oil, let the engine cool down to the touch.
- When removing the oil drain plug with your
fingers, stay as far away as possible. Always
keep your forearm parallel to the ground to
he lp prevent hot oil from run ning down your
arm.
- Drain the oil into a container designed fo r
this purpose, one la rge enough to hold at
least the tota l amount of oil in you r engine.
- Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of
the reach of children .
- Continuous contact with used engine o il is
ha rmf ul to your skin . Always protect your
skin by washi ng oil off thoroughly with soap
a nd water.
(D Note
Never mix oil additives with you r engine oil.
These add itives can damage your e ngine and
adverse ly affect yo ur Audi Limi ted New Vehi
cle War ranty.
@ For the sake of the environment
- Be fore chang ing your oi l, first make sure
you know where you can p roperly dispose of
t h e used oil.
- Always dispose of used e ngine o il properly .
Do not dump it on gard en so il, wooded
areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains.
- Recycle used e ngine o il by ta king it to a used
eng ine oil collect ion fac ility in yo ur area, or
c ont act a servi ce st ation.
Cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro
tects the engine from freezing in the winter .
The cooling system is sealed and generally re
q ui res little atte ntion .
The cooling system has been filled at the factory
with a permanent coolant which does not need to
be changed . The coolant consists of a mixture of
specially condit ioned water and the ma nufactur
er's glycol-based coolant additive G13 an tifreeze
with ant icor rosion additives
(50% for USA mod
e ls;
60% fo r Canadia n models). This m ix tu re
bo th ass ures the necessa ry fros t prote ction and
protects metal componen ts in the engi ne's coo l
ing system from corrosion and scaling .
It also
raises the boiling point of the coolant.
D o not red uce the con cen trat ion of the coolant in
the summer by adding p lain wa ter.
The propor
tion of coolant additive mu st be at least 50 %
but not more than 60%
to maintain antifreeze
protection and cooling efficiency. If the coolant
frost protection is too low, the coolant could
freeze and damage the vehicle heating and en
g ine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at the
factory for temperatures down to:
- -3 1 °F ( -3 5 °C) USA
- -4 0 °F ( - 40 °C) Canada.
If yo u m ust add coo lant, use a m ixt ure of water
and coolant addit ive. Mixing the cool ant additive
with d istilled w ater is recommended .
_& WARNING
Before you che ck anythi ng in t he eng ine com
pa rtment, a lways read and heed a ll WARN
INGS
~ .& in Working in the engine compart
ment on page 203 .
(D Note
-Before winter se ts in, have the coo lant
checked to see if the coolant additive in your
vehicle is sufficient to meet the c limate con -
Checking and Filling
ditions. This is especia lly important if you
live in a region whe re the winter is extreme
ly cold. If necessary, increase the propo rtion
of coolant addit ive to
60%.
- Whe n adding coolant additive to your cool
ing system, remember :
- We recommend us ing o nly coola nt addi
tive G 12++ or G13 (c hec k the label) for
y o ur vehi cle. Thi s coo lant ad ditive is av ail
abl e at a uth orized Au di dea le rs. Ot her
types o f ant ifreeze ca n sign ifican tly re
d uce corrosion protection. The resu lting
cor ros ion can cause a loss of coolant and
se rious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant
to your vehicle's engine coolant . Adding ra
diator repair fluid may adversely affect the
function and performance of your cooling system and could result in damage not cov
ered by your New Veh icle Limited War ra nty .
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with a
quick glance .
Fig. 186 E ngine compar tmen t: cover on t he coo lant expan
s io n t ank
Befo re you check anything in the engine compart
me nt,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
~ .&. in Working in the engine compartment on
page 203.
" Park your veh icle on a leve l s u rface.
" Sw itch off the ig nit ion .
.. Read the eng ine coolant leve l from the coo lant
expansion tan k
r=;,fig. 186, r=;,page 205,
fig . 183.
W ith a cold eng ine, the coolant level ..,.
209
Checking and Filling
should be between the "min " and "max" mark
ings. When the engine is warm, the level may
be slightly above the "max" marking.
The location of the coolant expansion tank can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
<::> page 205.
To obtain an accurate reading, the engine must
be switched off.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with an electric coolant level sensor.
When the coolant level is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System <::>
page 15 will il
luminate until you add coolant and the level has
been restored to normal. Even though there is an
electric coolant level sensor, we still recommend
you check the coolant level from time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cooling
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cooling
system should be inspected immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer. It is not enough merely
to add coolant.
In a
sealed system, losses can occur only if the
boiling point of the coolant is exceeded as a re
sult of overheating.
A WARNING
The cooling system is under pressure and can
get very hot. Reduce the risk of scalding from
hot coolant by following these steps.
-Turn off the engine and allow itto cool down.
- Protect your face, hands and arms from es caping fluid and steam by covering the cap
with a large, thick rag.
- Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counter-clockwise direction while applying
light, downward pressure on the top of the
cap.
- To avoid being burned, do not spill anti
freeze or coolant on the exhaust system or
hot engine parts . Under certain conditions,
the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can
catch fire .
210
(D Note
Do not add any type of radiator leak sealant
to your vehicle's engine coolant. Adding radia
tor repair fluid may adversely affect the func
tion and performance of your cooling system
and could result in damage not covered by
your New Vehicle Limited Warranty .
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anything in the engine compart
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
<::>.& in Working in the engine compartment on
page 203 .
.. Requirement: There must be a residual amount
of coolant in the expansion tank
i:::>Q) .
.. Turn off the engine .
.. Let the engine cool down .
.. Place a thick rag over the coolant expansion
tank <::>
page 209, fig. 186 and carefully twist
the cap counter-clockwise
c::> &,.
.. Add coolant mixed in the correct ratio
<::> page 209, Coolant up to the MAX marking.
.. Make sure that the fluid level remains stable.
Add more coolant if necessary.
.. Twist the cap on again
tightly.
Replacement engine coolant must conform to ex
act specifications <::>
page 209, Coolant.
We recommend using only coolant additive G12+
+, G13 or in an emergency G12+ . Do
not use a
different additive. In an emergency use plain wa
ter until you can get the correct additive and can
restore the correct ratio. This should be done as
soon as possible.
If you have lost a considerable amount of cool
ant, then you should add cold antifreeze and cold
water only when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark . Excess
coolant will be forced out through the pressure
relief valve in the cap when the engine becomes
hot.
~
Checking and Filling
"' Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid
reservoir
¢ fig. 187, ¢page 205, fig. 183. The
brake fluid level must be between the "MIN"
and "MAX" markings.
The location of the brake fluid reservoir can be
seen in the engine compartment illustration
c>page205.
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
1111 (U.S. models)/ . (Canadian models)
will come on¢
page 14. Do not continue to oper
ate the vehicle. The complete brake system
should be thoroughly checked by an authorized
Audi dealer or other qualified facility and the
cause corrected . If the brake fluid level is too
low, the brake warning/indicator light will illumi
nate. Contact an authorized Audi dealer
immedi
ately.
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced
technician.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air . If the
water content in the brake fluid is too high , cor
rosion in the brake system may result after a pe
riod of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid
will also decrease considerably and decrease
braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every
two years.
Always use new brake fluid which con
forms to Federal Motor Vehicle Standard "FMVSS
116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach,
therefore, we recommend that you have the
brake fluid changed by your authorized
Audi
dealer.
Your dealer has the correct tools, the
right brake fluid and the know-how to do this for
you.
212
A WARNING
-
- Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored
only in the closed original container out of
the reach of children!
- Brake failure can result from old or inappro
priate brake fluid. Observe these precau
tions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE speci
fication
J 1703 and conforms to Federal
Motor Vehicle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake fluid.
The correct type of brake fluid is also indi
cated on the brake fluid 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 long .
This can seriously affect the efficiency of
the brakes as well as your safety. This
could result in an accident.
(D Note
Brake fluid will damage the paint of your vehi
cle.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of
brake fluid as well as the special tools re
quired and the necessary expertise, we rec
ommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by your authorized Audi dealer .
Battery
General information
Under normal operating conditions, the battery
in your Audi does not need any maintenance.
With
high outside temperatures or long daily
drives we recommend that you have the electro
lyte level checked by a service facility. The elec
trolyte level should also be checked each time
the battery is charged ¢
page 214.
Have the battery checked when you take your ve
hicle in for service. You are well advised to re
place a battery that is older than S years.
Check ing and F illing
througho ut your vehicle ¢ page 186 . The intelli
gent energy management system wi ll keep the
engine battery charged better than veh icles with
out this system . To make sure the addit ional
electrical energy is avai lab le once again after you
have changed the battery, we recommend that
you install batter ies of t he same type and manu
facture on ly (the same as those insta lled at the
time your veh icle was delive red). Spec ificat ions
are listed on t he b attery housing. Your author
i z ed dealer must code the battery in the energy
management system to enable you to use the en
ergy manag ement functions correctly after re
p lacing the battery.
The new battery must have the same capac ity,
voltage (12 -vo lt), amperage, const ruction and
p lug sealing .
W hen insta lling the ba tte ry, make sure the igni
tion and all elec trical consumers are sw itched
off .
(D Note
Mak e sure the ve ntila tio n hose on t he side of
the batte ry is connecte d, othe rw ise f umes o r
battery acid can lea k out .
@) For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of pr oper disposal of
a ba ttery, we recommen d your au thor ized
Audi dea le r change the battery fo r you. Bat
teries contain su lf u ric acid and lea d and must
always be disposed o f prope rly in comp liance
w ith all environmental regulations. D isposing
of vehicle batteries improperly is very danger
ous to the e nvironment.
216
Windshield washer
system
Fi g. 189 En gin e compar tm en t: was her flui d rese rvoir cap
.., N
-N ~ a, m
The w indshield washer reservoir O contains the
cleaning so lution for the windshie ld and the
headlight washer system *
9 page 205, fig. 183.
The reservoir capacity is found in 9 page 260 .
To reduce the risk of lime scale depos its on the
spray nozzles, use clean water with low amo unts
of calcium. Always add w indow cleaner to the wa
ter. When the outside temperatures are cold, an anti-freez ing agent shou ld be added to the water
so that it does not freeze .
(D Note
-The concentration of ant i-f reez ing agent
must be adjusted to the ve hicle operat ing
conditions i n the respective cl imate . A con
cen tration t hat is too high can lead to vehi
cle damage.
- Never ad d radia tor an ti-freeze or other addi
t ives to the washer fluid .
- Do not use a glass cleaner t hat contains
paint so lvents, because th is could damage
the pain t.
Service interval display
The service interval display detects when your ve
hicle is due for service .
The service interval d isplay wo rks i n two stages:
- Inspection or oil change rem inder: after a cer-
tain distance drive n, a message appears in the
instrument cluster display each t ime t he igni
tion is switched on o r off . The remaining d is-
t ance o r time is disp layed b riefly. .,..