2017 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET brake fluid

Adaptive cr uise control*
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Adapt ive cr uise control*
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High beam
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BRAKE /((J)) Brake system
The light illuminates when the ignition is switch­
ed on.
It goes out afte r the engine has been
started. T his indicates that the brake warn ing
light is f unct ion ing properly.
If the brake warning light does not light up
when the engine i s crank ing , there may be a
malfunction in the electrical system. In th is
case , contact your author ized Audi dealer .
If the b rake system warn ing/indicato r light turns
on, there is a b rake system malfunction.
1111 ( USA models )/. (Canada models) Stop
vehicle and check brake fluid level
I f the in dicator lig ht t urns on and t he message
appears, procee d as follows:
.,. Pull off the road .
.. Stop t he vehicle .
.,. Turn off the eng ine .
.,. Check the brake flu id leve l
c:>page 202.
.,. Con tact yo ur nearest au thor ized rep air f aci lity if
ne cessary.
Warning! Fault in brake system. Contact dealer
If the ABS indicato r light fJIE) (U SA mode ls)/ li]
(Canada models), the ESC indica tor light Wand
the brake sys tem ind icator light
1111 (USA mod­
e ls)/ . (C anada models) tur n on and the mes­
sage appears, t he A BS, ES C and bra king dis tribu­
tion are no t wo rking
c:> .&. .
Ca refully drive to your author ized Audi dealer im­
m ediately to have t he m alf unc tion cor rec ted
¢ .&, .
1111 (USA models )/. (Canada models ) Park-
gi ing brake system fault! See owner's manual ...... N
~ - If the indicator light and the message appear ......
8 when stationary or after switching the igni-LL 00
Instruments and ind icator lights
tion on , check if you can rele ase the parki ng
brake. After releasing the par king brake, care ­
fully dr ive to your author ized Audi dealer im­
mediately to have the malfunct ion corrected. If
you cannot re lease the park ing bra ke, seek pro­
fessiona l assistance.
- If the ind icator light and the message appear
while driving , the emergency brak ing funct ion
may not be available. It may not be poss ible to
set the pa rk ing brake or re lease it once it has
been set . See k profess ional assis tance.
( U SA mode ls) : If the warning light
1111 and the
warning light
EiJ appear togethe r, immediately
contact your author ized Audi dea ler or qualified
workshop to have all b rake pads inspec ted
c:> page 18.
When the light comes on, an audible warning sig­
nal is also g iven .
A WARNING
--Always observe the warn ings in
c:> pag e 19 3, befo re open ing the hood and
checking the bra ke fluid.
- Driving with low bra ke fluid is a safety haz­
ard. Stop the car an d get profess io nal assis­
t a nce .
- I f the
1111 (USA models)/ . (Canada mo d­
els) brake sys te m indic at or li ght tur ns on to­
ge the r with the A BS and ESC indic ator
lig hts , the A BS/ES C regu latin g fun ction m ay
h ave fa iled . Functions t hat s ta b ilize the ve ­
hicle are no longer availab le . T his co uld
cause t he ve hicle to swerve an d increase the
risk of s liding. Drive carefully to the nearest
author ized Audi dealer or ot her qualified
wo rkshop and have t he malfunc tion c orrect­
e d .
- If the b rake warning/indicator light does
not go ou t aft er a f ew seco nds and th e park­
ing b rake is r eleased, o r lights up wh ile you
a re drivi ng, the flui d level in the bra ke f lu id
rese rv o ir i s too lo w.
If yo u be lieve th at it is
saf e to do so, proceed immedia tely at lo w
speed to the ne ares t au thorized Au di de aler
or qualified workshop and have the bra ke
sys tem inspected .
~
13

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Fa ults in the brake system
If yo u should notice a sudden increase i n brake
pedal travel, then one of the two brake circuits
may have failed
¢ .&. .
Low brake fluid level
Malf unct ions can occur in the bra ke system if the
b rake fl uid leve l is too low. The brake fluid level
i s monitored e lectronica lly .
Bra ke booste r
The brake booster increases the pressure that
you generate with the brake pedal.
It works on ly
when the engine is run ning
.¢ .&.
Bra ke lining we ar status
Brake lining wear may be checked by visual in­
spection of the condition of the brake pads
through the open ings in the wheel. If necessary,
the wheel may be removed for this inspection
¢ page 228, Replacing wheels.
A WARNING
- New bra ke pads don't have the best stop­
ping power and must be "bro ken- in" dur ing
the init ia l 250 m iles (400 kilometers). Yo u
can compensate for th is by press ing the
brake pedal more firmly. This a lso applies
later when new pads are installed.
- Yo u should perfo rm braking maneuvers for
the p urpose of clean ing the brake system
only if road conditions permit. Other road
users must not be put at risk -you may
cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift t ransm iss ion into a lower
gear or lowe r driving range. Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or
too often. This could ca use the brakes to get
hot and diminish brak ing efficie ncy.
- Do not "r ide t he b rakes" by resting your foot
on the pe dal when yo u do not inten d to
bra ke. This may cause the bra kes to over­
heat, premat ure wear and increased stop ­
ping distance.
- Under certa in climatic and operating condi­
tio ns such as passing thro ugh water, driving
in heavy rain or after washing the vehicle,
Intellig ent Technology
the effectiveness o f the brakes can be re­
duced. In winter, ice can accum ulate on the
brake pads, lin ings, d iscs and drums . Care­
fu lly apply brakes for a test . Brakes will dry
and ice coat ings will be cleaned off after a
few ca refu l brake applications .
- Driving for an extended period of t ime on
salt-covered roads without usi ng your
b rakes can also affect braking eff iciency.
Clea n off acc umul ated salt coat ing from
b rake discs an d pa ds w ith a few careful
b rake appli cat ions .
- I f you d amage the front spoile r, or if you in­
s t all a different spoiler, be s ure the a ir flow
to the front brakes is not obstruc ted. Other­
wise the brake system could overheat reduc­ ing the effectiveness of t he ent ire bra ke sys­
tem.
- Fai lure of one brake circuit w ill impa ir the
braking capability resulting in an increased
stopping distance . Avoid driving the vehicle
and have it towed to the nearest authorized
Aud i dealer or qualified workshop.
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, the
brake pedal must be pressed cons iderab ly
ha rder to make up fo r the lack of booste r
assis tance .
Electro-mechanical
power assist, dynamic
steering
The electro-mechanical power assist helps the
driver when steering.
Power steer ing adapts electronically based on
the vehicle speed.
Indicator lights and messages
• Steering defe ctive! Do not drive vehicle!
If this indicato r light turns on and stays on and
t hi s message appears, the powe r steering may
have failed.
171

Trailer towing 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.
For this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle 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 with the trail­
er hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system . No modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From time to time, check that all hitch mounting
bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer,
remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount . This prevents the hitch
from causing damage shou ld your vehicle be
struck from beh ind ¢
,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
gi check to be sure that it conforms to all regula-......
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Trailer towing
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system ¢.&. .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
T ra iler lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
rect wiring, switches, and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outside mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors. It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
,8. WARNING
-If a tra iler has electr ical brakes please note
that these bra kes are not activated by the
factory-fitted control unit -risk of accident!
- After removing the trailer hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of sudden
braking, the hitch could fly forward and in­
jure you or your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
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 trailer is held sec ure ly in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer¢.&.
in Driving instructions on page 180.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder . It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load . Make sure that
the cool ing system has enough fluid. .,..
179

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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. 169 Driver's side footwell: engine hood re lea se lever
Fig. 170 Release lever under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that
the windshield wipers are flat against the wind­
shield. Otherwise, they could damage the paint
on the hood.
.. With the driver's door open, pull the lever un­
der the instrument panel in the direction of the
arrow
¢ fig. 169.
.. Raise the hood slightly¢&.
.. Press the rocker switch under the hood upward
¢
fig . 170. 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 compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be
Checking and Filling
seen or heard 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 place. Do
not try to push it shut;
it may fail to engage
¢&, .
A WARNING
A hood that is not completely latched could
fly up and block your view while driving.
- When you close the engine hood, check it to
make sure the safety catch has properly en­
gaged. 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.
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 personal injury
always observe the following WARNINGS. The
engine compartment of any vehicle is a hazard­
ous area
¢ .&. .
A WARNING
-~
To help avoid injury, before you check any­
thing under the hood:
- Turn off the engine.
- Remove the ignition key .
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of automatic transmis-
sion to "P" (Park).
-Always let the engine cool down. Hot com­
ponents 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
193

Checking and Filling
compartment. Wait until no steam or cool­
ant 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
to "P" (Park).
- Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing , jewelry, or long hair from get-
194
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::> &.
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.
([) 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 .

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Checking and Filling
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
These are the most important items that you can check.
Fig. 171 Typical layout for containers and e ngin e oil fille r cap
(D Eng ine o il filler cap ( @ Jump start po int(+) under a cover
@ Brake fluid reservoir
((0) ...... .
@ Coolant expansion tank (- L) .... .
® Jump start point( -) with hex head
197
205,239
202
200
screw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205, 239
@ Windshield/headlight* washer con-
tainer
(W) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
The position of the engine oil filling hole
c:> fig. 171 (item@) can differ depending on the
engine design .
A WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
INGS
c:> &. in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 193.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conform to exact speci­
fications.
T he serv ice interval display in the instrument
cluster of your vehicle will inform you when it is
time for an oi l change . We recommend that you
have your oi l changed by an authorized Audi Serv­
ice Advisor.
If you have to top off the oil between oil changes,
use the Audi oil quality standard specified in the
tab~ .
~
195

Checking and Filling
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick
glance.
Fig. 175 Engine compartment: Cover on the brake fluid
r eservoir
Before you check anything in the engine compart­
ment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS
¢ A in Working in the engine compartment on
page 193.
., Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid
reservoir
<=> fig . 175, ¢page 195, fig . 171 . The
brake fluid level must be between the
" MIN"
and "MAX " markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear
partition of the engine compartment on the left
side
¢ page 195.
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 (U .S. models:
1111 , Canadian models: 1111)
will come on¢ page 13 . Do not continue to oper­
ate the vehicle . The complete brake system
should be thoroughly checked by an authorized
Aud i dealer or qualified workshop and the cause
corrected . If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light w ill illuminate.
Contact an author ized Audi dealer
immediately.
(D} Tips
The brake fluid reservoir is located under­
neath the cover.
202
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 ape­
riod of time . The boiling po int of the brake fluid
will a lso 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 Feder-al 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 author ized
Audi
dealer .
Your dealer has the correct tools, the
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 original container out of
the reach of children!
- Brake fai lure can result from o ld or inappro­
priate brake fluid. Observe these precau­
tions:
- Use only brake fluid that meets SAE speci­
fi cation
J 1703 and conforms to Federal
Motor Veh icle Standard 116. Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer to make
sure you are using the correct brake f luid .
The correct type of brake f luid 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 .
lilJJ,

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@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper disposal of
brake fluid as we ll as the special toots 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 an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop. The electrolyte level should
also be checked each time the battery is charged
¢ page 205.
Have the battery checked when you take your ve­
hicle in for serv ice. You are well advised to re­
place a battery t hat is older than 5 years.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some vehicle functions (power window regula­
tors, for example) are lost if the battery termi­ nals are disconnected. These functions have to be
relearned after the battery terminals are con­
nected again. To prevent th is, the battery should
only be disco nnected from the vehicle e lectr ica l
system when abso lutely necessary for repairs.
Vehicles not driven for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period of
several days or weeks, electrical components are
gradually cut back or sw itched off. This reduces
energy consumption and maintains starting ca ­
pability over a longer period¢
page 173.
Some of the conven ience functions may not oper­
ate, such as the interior lights or the power seat
adjustment. The convenience functions will be
available again when you turn on the ignition and
start the engine.
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity tends
to decrease as temperatures drop . T his is be-
Checking and Filling
cause more power is also consumed while start­
ing, and the headlights, rear window defogger,
etc., are used more often.
Avo id unnecessary power consumption, particu­
larly in city traff ic or when traveling only short
distances . Let your authorized Audi dealer check
the capacity of the vehicle battery before winter
sets in ¢
page 205. A well charged battery will
not only prevent starting problems when the
weather is cold, but will also last longer .
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for several
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the ve­
hicle battery should be removed and stored
where it w ill not freeze. This will prevent it
from be ing damaged and having to be re­
placed.
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 floo r. Before you check anything
in the luggage compartment,
read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢
LD.·
Always heed the safety warnings, when working
on the vehicle battery or the veh icle electrical
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.
A
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Al·
ways wear gloves and eye protection .
@
No
- sparks
· flames
· smoking.
203