Check ing and F illing
Engine compartment
Working in the engine compartment
Special care is required if you are working in the
engine compartment
Fo r wo rk in th e engine compa rtmen t, s uch as
c h ec kin g and filli ng flu id s, th ere is a risk of in
j u ry, sc aldin g, ac cide nts, a nd b urn s. For this
rea son, foll ow all the warning s and gener al
s a fe ty p recaution s pr ov ided in the f ollow ing in·
f o rm ation . Th e en gine c omp artmen t is a dan
ger ous are a.
¢ ,&.
_& WARNING
- T urn the engine off.
- Switch the ign ition off .
- Set the parking brake .
- Select the P selector lever pos ition .
- let the engine cool down.
- Never open the hood if you can see steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart
ment, because th is increases the r isk of
burns . Wait until no steam or coolant is es
caping .
- Keep ch ildren away from the engine com
partment .
- Never spill flu ids on a hot engine. These flu
ids (such as the anti -freezing agent con
ta ined in the coolant) can ignite .
- Avoid short circu its in the electrical system,
especially to the battery .
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the rad iator fan can sw itch
on even if the ign ition is switched off, which
increases the risk of injury .
- Never open the cap on the coolant expan sion tank when the eng ine is warm. The
cooling system is under pressu re .
- To protect your face, hands, and arms from
hot steam or coolant, cover the cap with a
large cloth when opening.
- Do not remove the engine cover under any
circumstances. This increases the risk of
burns.
- If tests need to be performed w ith the en
gine running, there is additional danger d ue
304
to moving components (such as the ribbed
be lt, alternator and rad iator fan) and from
the high-voltage ignition system.
- Do not under any circumstances activate the
throttle inadvertently (for example, by hand
from the engine compartment) if the vehi
cle is stat ionary but the eng ine is running
and a gear is engaged . Otherwise, the veh i
cle will start to move immediately and this
could result in an acc ident.
- Pay attent ion to the following warnings list
ed when wor k on the fue l system o r on the
electrical equipment is req uired.
- Always disconnect the vehicle battery
from the vehicle electrical system.
- Do not smoke .
- Never work near open flames.
- Always have a working fire extinguisher
nearby
- To reduce the r isk of e lectr ic shock and in
jury, never touch the follow ing components
when the engine is running or is being start
ed:
- Ign ition cable
- Other components in the electronic high-
voltage ign ition system
- If you must check or perform work on the engine whi le it is running:
- Set the parking brake and place the selec
tor lever in the P (park) pos ition first.
- Always proceed w ith extreme cau tion so
that clothing, jewelry or long hair do not become ca ught in the rad iator fan, fan
belt or other moving components or do
not come into contact with hot compo
nents. Tie back long hair before beginning
work and do not wear clothing that can hang down into the engine .
- Limit your exposure to exhaust and chemi
cals to as short a time as possible¢.&. .
_& WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning :
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certa in vehicle components conta in or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali-
fornia to cause cancer and birth defects and ..,
Checking and Filling
-If you notice that the hood is not latched
wh ile you are dr iv ing, stop immediately and
Engine compartment overview
The most important check points .
close it, because driving when the hood is
not latched increases the r isk of an accident.
F ig. 247 Ty pical lo ca tion of th e reservoir a nd the engine o il filler op ening
@ Washer fluid reservoir (0) . . . . . . 316
@ Jump start po int( +) under a cover,
(-) with hex head screw . ...... .. 314,356
@ Eng ine oil filling opening
(
® Brake fluid reservoir (0)) . . . . . . . 31 1
The location of the engine oil filling hole and the coo lant expansion tank~
fig. 247 (items @and
@) may differ depending on the engine version .
A WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS before check
ing anything in the eng ine compartment
~ page 304.
306
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci
fications .
The serv ice interval d isplay in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an o il change. We recommend that you
have you r oil changed by an author ized Audi Se rv
i ce Adv isor.
If you have to top off the oil between oil changes, u se the Audi oil quality standard specif ied in the
tab~.
~
and have the cooling system inspected. If the
cooling system is not leaking, a loss can come
from the coolant boiling through overheating and being pushed out of the cooling system.
A WARNING
- The cooling system is under pressure. Do
not open the coolant expansion tank cap
when the engine is hot. This increases the
risk of burns .
- The coolant add itive and the coolant can be
dangerous to your health. For this reason,
keep the coolant in the original container
and away from children. There is a risk of
poisoning.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can switch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of injury.
(D Note
Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty. There may be a ir in the cooling sys
tem, which increases the risk of engine dam
age . If this is the case, do not continue driv
ing . See an authorized Audi dealer or author
ized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick
glance .
Fig. 250 Engine compa rtment: Cover o n the brake fluid
rese rvoir
Before you check anything in the eng ine compart
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
Checking and Filling
c::> .&. in Working in the engine compartment on
page 304.
" Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid
reservoir
c::> fig. 250, c::> page 306, fig. 247. The
brake fluid level must be between the "MIN"
and "MAX" markings.
The brake flu id reservoir is located at the rear
partition of the engine compartment on the left
side
~ page 306 .
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/indicato r
light (USA models:
11111 , Canada models : II>
will come on c::> page 29. Do not continue to oper
ate the vehicle. The complete brake system
should be thoroughly checked by an authorized
Audi 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 authorized Audi dealer
immediately .
@ Tips
The brake fluid reservoir is located under
neath the cover.
Changing brake fluid
Hove the broke fluid changed by on 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 ape
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
311
Check ing and F illing
right brake fluid and the know -how to do this for
you.
A WARNING
- Brake fluid is poisonous. It must be stored
only in the closed orig inal container out of
the reach of chi ldren!
- B rake failure can resu lt from old or inappro
pr iate brake flu id. Observe these precau
t ions:
- Use on ly brake fluid that mee ts SA E speci
fi cation) 17 0 3 and confo rms to Fede ral
Motor Ve hicle Standard 116. Always check
wit h your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake fluid.
The cor rect type o f brake fluid is a lso 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 flu id is left in the system too long.
This ca n ser iously affect t he efficiency of
the bra kes as well as your safety. This
could result in an acc ident.
{U) Note
Brake fluid w ill damage the pa int of yo ur vehi
cle.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal of
brake flu id as we ll as the special tools re
quired and the necessary expertise, we rec
ommend tha t you have the brake fluid
changed by your author ized Audi d ealer.
Battery
General information
Unde r normal operating conditions, the battery
i n your Audi does not need any maintenance.
W ith
high outs ide temperat ures o r long da ily
d rives we recommend that you have the electro
lyte leve l checked by an a uth orized Audi dea le r or
qua lified wor kshop. The e lectroly te leve l should
a lso be checked each time the batte ry is ch a rged
¢ page 314.
312
Have t he battery chec ke d when yo u take yo ur ve
hicle in for service . You are we ll advised to re
place a battery that is o lder than 5 yea rs .
With ce rta in types o f airbag deployment, t he
b atte ry is disconnected from the veh icle elect ri
ca l system for safety reasons ¢.&
in Repair, care
and disposal of the airbags on page 268.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some ve hicl e fu nctions (power window regula
tors, for examp le) are lost if the batte ry te rm i
nals a re disconnected . These f unc tions have to be
relearned after the battery term inals are con
nected again . To p revent this, the battery should
o nl y be disconnected from the vehicle electrical
system when absolute ly necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not d rive yo ur vehicle ove r a period of
severa l days o r weeks, electr ica l components are
grad ua lly cut back or switched of f. T his reduces
energy consumpt ion and maintains start ing ca
pability over a longer period ¢
page 138.
Some of the convenience functions may not oper
ate, such as the inter ior lights or the power seat
adjustment . The convenience functions will be
available again w hen you turn on the ignit io n and
start the eng ine .
Winter operation
Dur ing the winte r months, battery capacity tends
to decrease as tempe ratures drop. This is be
ca use more power is also consumed while start
i ng, and t he headlights, rear w indow defogger,
etc ., are used more often.
Avo id unnecessary powe r consumption, partic u
l a rly in city traffic or when traveling o nly short
distances . Let your author ized Audi dealer check
the capacity of the vehicle battery before win ter
sets in ¢
page 314 . A well charged battery will
n ot only p reve nt sta rting prob lems when the
we ather is co ld , but will also last longer.
@ Tips
I f yo ur vehicle is left sta nding for several
weeks at extreme ly low te mpera tures, th e ve-
h icl e b att ery should be re mo ved and store d
II>-
® Mud and snow capability
"M/5" or "M+S" indicates the tire
is suitable for driving on mud and
snow. £ indicates a winter tire.
@ Composition of the tire cord
and materials
The number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay
ers in the tire . In general: the
more layers, the more weight a
tire can carry. Tire manufacturers must also specify the materials
used in the ti re . These inc lude
stee l, nylon, polyester and other
materials.
@ Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the maxi
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry.
@ Un iform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance
Treadwear, traction and tempera
ture ranges
¢page 333.
@ Running direction
T he arrows indicate the running
direction of unidirectional tires.
You must always follow the speci
fied running direction
¢page 348.
Wheels
~ Maximum permitted tire
pressure
T his number indicates the maxi
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated under normal operat
ing conditions .
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 t ransmission, power steer
ing, power brakes, power win
dows , powe r seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent tha t these
items are avai lab le as factory- in
stalled equipment (whether in
s t alled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the w idth of the tire in percent.
Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a
low sidewall for improved steer
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement .
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinfo rced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim. ...
319
Maximum (permissible )
inflat ion pressure
means the maximum cold infla
tion pressure to wh ich a t ire may
be inflated . Also called "maxi
mum inflation pressure ."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs . (68 kilograms)
times the numbe r of occupants
seated in the veh icle up to the to
tal seating capacity of your vehi
c le .
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants
in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an
inflated new tire .
Overall width
means the linear dis ta n ce be
tween the exteriors of the side
walls of an inflated tire, inc luding
e levations due to labeling, deco
rations, or protect ive bands or
ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated
parallel cords .
Wheels
Production options weight
means the combined weight of
those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not pre
viously considered in curb weight
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
roof rack , heavy d uty ba tte ry , and
special trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which
the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantia lly 90
degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Recommended inflation
pressure
see ¢ page 320, Cold tire infla
tion pressure .
Reinforced tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in
fl at ion pressures than the corre
sponding standard tire. Rein
forced tires may be identified as
"X L", "x l", "EXTRA LOA D", or "RF"
on the s idewa ll. ..,
321
&_ WARNING . -
-Only use tire/rim combina-tions and suitable wheel bolts
that have been approved by
Audi. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and an accident
could result.
-For technical reasons, it is not possible to use tires from oth
er vehicles - in some cases,
you cannot even use tires from
the same vehicle model.
-Make sure that the tires you select have enough clearance
to the vehicle. Replacement
tires should not be chosen simply based on the nominal
size, because tires with a dif
ferent construction can differ
greatly even if they are the
same size. If there is not
enough clearance, the tires or
the vehicle can be damaged
and this can reduce driving
safety and increase the risk of
an accident.
-Only use tires that are more than six years old when abso
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so.
-If you install wheel covers on
the vehicle, make sure they al low enough air circulation to
Wheels
cool the brake system. If they
do not, this could increase the
risk of an accident.
Tire wear/damage
Fig. 254 Tire profile: treadwear indica
tor
Tire wear
Check the tires regularly for wear.
-Inflation pressure that is too low or high can increase tire wear
considerably.
-Driving quickly through curves,
rapid acceleration and heavy
braking increase tire wear.
-Have an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili
ty check the wheel alignment if
there is unusual wear.
-Have the wheels rebalanced if an imbalance is causing noticeable
vibration in the steering wheel.
If you do not, the tires and other
vehicle components could wear more quickly. .,..
325
Wheels
plus maximum load . The maxi
mum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is in
tended to carry ("seat ing capaci
ty") with an assumed weight of
150 lbs (68 kg) for each passen
ger at a designated seating posi
tion and the total weight of any luggage in the vehicle. If you tow
a trailer , the weight of the trailer
hitch and the tongue weight of
the loaded trailer must be includ
ed as part of the vehicle load .
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(" GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle 's two axles.
The fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi
cle Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including
the weight of a trailer hitch and
the tongue weight of the loaded
trailer) is limited . The more pas
sengers in the vehicle or passen
gers who are heavier than the
standard weights assumed mean
that less weight can be carried as
luggage.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
330
are listed on the safety compli
ance sticker label located on the
driver's side B-pillar
~ page 327,
fig . 255 .
& WARNING ~ -
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per
sonal injury, and even death.
-Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to
carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and increase the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that
has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance .
-Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail sud
denly, including a blowout and
sudden deflation, causing loss
of control and a crash .
-Always make sure that the to tal load being transported -
including the weight of a trail
er hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer - does not make the vehicle
heavier than the vehicle 's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.