2018 AUDI A4 light

Check ing and F illing
I f you must add oi l between oi l changes, use an
oil that matches the Audi oi l quality standard
listed on the st icker. The sticker is located at the
front of the engine
compartment <=> page 325,
fig. 268.
Au di r ec omm end s
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A udi r ecommends Longli fe high performa nce
e ngin e oil from Audi G enuin e Part s
Using the proper engine oil is important for the
functionality and service life of the eng ine. Your
engine was factory-filled with a h igh-quality oil
which can usually be used throughout the entire
yea r.
0 Note
Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not
cover damage o r malfunctions due to failure
to follow recommended maintenance and use
requirements as set fo rth in the Aud i Owner's
Man ual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
- Use only a high qual ity eng ine oi l th at ex-
p ressly complies with the Audi oil q uality
standard specified for your vehicle's engine .
Using any other oil can cause se rious engine
damage .
- Do not mix any lubricants or other additives into the engine oil. Doing so can cause en­
gine damage.
(D Tips
If you need to add oil and there is none availa ­
ble that meets the Audi oi l quality standard
your engine requi res, you may add a total of
no more than 0.5 qt (0.5 l) of a h igh-quality
"synthet ic" o il that meets the following speci­
fications.
- Vehicles with gasoline eng ine: ACEA A3 or
API SM with a viscosity grade of SAE OW-30,
SAE 5W-30 or SAE 5W-40.
- Vehicles w ith diesel eng ine: ACEA C3 or
API CF with a v iscosity grade of SAE OW-30
or SAE 5W-30 .
- For more information about engine oi l that
has been approved for your vehicle, please
contact eithe r your authorized Aud i dealer
or Audi Custome r Relat ions at
326
1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audi usa .com or www .audicanada .ca.
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an ade­
quate amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of
its moving ports.
In order to prov ide effect ive lub ricat ion and cool ­
ing of internal engine components, all internal
combustion engines consume a certain amount
of oil. Oil consumption var ies from engine to en­
gine and may change significantly over the life of
the engine. Typically, engines w ith a specified
break-in period
(see<=> page 80) consume more
o il dur ing the break-in per iod than they consume
after o il consumption has stabi lized .
U nder normal cond itions, the rate of oil con­
sumption depends on the quality and viscos ity of
the oil, the RPM (revolutions per m inute) at
wh ich the engine is operated, the amb ient tem­
perature and road condit ions. Furthe r facto rs a re
t h e amo unt of o il di lution from wate r condensa­
t ion or fue l residue a nd the oxidat ion level of the
oi l. As any engine is subject to wear as mileage
builds up, the oi l consumption may increase ove r
ti me until replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With a ll these variab les coming into p lay, no
standard rate of oil cons umption can be estab ­
li shed or specified . There is no alternative to reg­
ular and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil leve l warning symbo l El
in the instrument cluster lights up, you should
check the o il level as soon as possible
<=> page 32 7. Top off the o il at your earliest con­
venience
<=> page 32 7.
A WARNING
Before you check anyth ing in the e ngine com­
partment, always read and heed all WARN­
I NGS<=> .&. in Working in the engine compart-
ment on page 323.
1iJ>,

areas, into open streams or down sewage
drains.
- Recycle used engine oil by taking it to a used
engine oil collection facility in your area, or
contact a service stat ion .
Cooling system
Coolant
The engine coo ling system is filled with a mixture
of purified water and coolant additive at the fac­
tory. This coolant must not be not changed.
The coolant level is monitored through
the. in­
dicator light
¢ page 30. However , we do recom­
mend occasiona lly checking the coolant level
manually.
If you must add coolant, use a mixture of water
and coolant addit ive. Mixing the coolant additive
with distilled water is recommended.
Coolant additive
The coolant additive is made of anti -freezing and
corrosion protection agents. Only use the fol low­
ing coolant additives . These additives may be
mixed with each other.
Coolant additive Specification
G13
TL 774 J
G12++ TL
774 G
The amount of coo lant additive that needs to be
mixed with water depends on the climate where
the vehicle will be operated. If the coolant addi­
tive percentage is too low, the coolant can freeze
and damage the engine.
Coolant Freeze protec-
additive tion
Warm min . 40% min. -13 °F
regions max .
45% (
- 25 °()
Cold min.
50% max
. -40 °F
regions max.
55% (-40 °()
(D Note
-
Before the start of winter, have an author­
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility check if the coolant additive in your
Checking and Filling
vehicle matches the percentage appropriate
for the climate. This is especia lly important
when driving in colder climates.
- If the appropriate coo lant additive is not
available in an emergency, do not add any
other additive. You could damage the en­
gine. If this happens, only use water and re­
store the correct mixture ratio with the
specified coolant add itive as soon as poss i­
ble .
- Only refill w ith new coolant.
- Radiator sealant must not be mixed with
the coolant.
Adding coolant
Fig. 270 E ngine compartment: re lease button on coolant
expansion tank
Observe the safety precautions ¢,&. in Working
in the engine compartment on page 323.
Checking the engine coolant level
.. Park the vehicle on a level surface .
.. Switch the ignition off .
.. Read the coolant level on the coolant expansion
tank
¢ fig. 270.
.. The coolant level must be between the MIN and
MAX markings when the engine in co ld. When
the engine is warm it can be slightly above the
MAX marking.
Adding coolant
.. Let the eng ine cool down .
.. Place a cloth over the coolant expansion tank
cap .
.. Push the release button ¢ fig. 2 70 and carefu l­
ly unscrew the cap to the left until you feel re-
sistance¢ ,A. IIJ,-
329

Checking and Filling
Charging the vehicle battery
Fig. 272 Engine co mpa rtment : connec tors for a c harger
and jump start cab le s
Req uirement: only use chargers with a m aximum
c hargi ng vo lta ge of 30 amp s/14.8 Volt s.
The
vehicle battery cables remain connected .
.,. Read the warnings c> .&. in General warnings
about batteries on page 331
and c> ,&. .
.,. Switch off the ignition and all electrical equip ­
ment .
.,. Open the hood 9 page 324 .
.,. Open the red cover on the positive terminal
c>fig. 272 .
.,. Clamp the charger terminal clamps to the jump
s ta rt pin s
according to the instruct ions . (pin
under the red cover = "positive ", p in with hex­
agonal head= "negative ") .
.,. Inse rt the powe r cable for the charg ing device
i nto the socke t and switch the dev ice on .
.,. At the end of the charging process , switch the
charger off and pull the power cab le out of the
socket .
.,. Remove the charger terminal clamps.
.,. Close the red cover on the positive terminal.
.,. Close the hood c> page 324 .
A WARNING
-A highly explosive mixtu re of gases can form
when cha rging batter ies. On ly charge the
vehicle batte ry in well-ven tilated areas.
- A drai ned vehicle battery can freeze at tem­
peratu res a round 32
QF (0 QC). A froze n or
thawed veh icle bat tery must not be charged
and must not be used anymore. The ba ttery
housing can crac k and battery acid can leak
o ut if ice forms, wh ich increases the r isk of
an exp losion and chemical burns. Contact an
332
author ized Audi dealer or authorized A udi
Service Facility for more information.
- Do not connect or disconnect the charging
cable whi le charging because this increases
the risk of an explos ion.
@ Tips
- Only charge the vehicle battery t hrough the
connect ions in the engine compartme nt.
- Read all of the manufacturer's instructions
for the charger before charging the vehicle
battery.
Windshield washer system
Fi g. 2 7 3 Engine compar tm ent: washer flui d res ervoir cap
The windshield washer fluid reservoir¢ contains
t he cleaning solution for the windshield and th e
headlight washer system *
c> page 325, fig. 268 .
The reservoir capaci ty can be found in
c> page 381.
To reduce the risk of lime scale deposits on the
spray no zzles, use clean water with low amounts
of calcium . Always add w indow cleaner to the wa­
ter . When the outside temperatures are cold, an
anti -freezing agent should be added to the water
so that it does not freeze .
(D Note
-The concentration o f ant i-freez ing agent
must be adjusted to the ve hicle operat ing
conditions in the respective climate . A con­
cent ration t hat is too high can lead to vehi­
cl e damage.
- Never add radiator anti-freeze or other addi­
t ives to the washer fluid.

Wheels
Wheels
Whee ls and Ti res
General information
.,. Check your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts, cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob ­
jects from the tire tread.
.,. If driving over curbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap­ proach the curb at an angle.
.,.Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
.,.Protect your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
.,.Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running
direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled .
.,. Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry location
with as little exposure to light as
possible.
(D N ote
-Please note that summer and
winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical in those seasons . Audi recom­
mends using winter tires dur­
ing the winter months . Low
temperatures significantly de­ crease the elasticity of summ­
er tires, which affects traction
33 4
and b raking ability. If summer
tires are used in very cold
temperatures, cracks can form
on the tread bars, resulting in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be used in winter driving condi­
tions. The surface of the rims
does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or similar
substances.
Tire designations
F ig. 27 4 Tire des ignat ions on the side-
wall II>

Wheels
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la­
bel, you should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell­
tale when one or more of your tires is significant­
ly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure . Driving on a signifi­
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over­
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop­
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's re­
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres­
sure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the sys­
tem is not operating properly. The TPMS mal­
function indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi­
mately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated . This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal­
function exists .
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly .
352
· If the tire pressure monitoring indicator
appears
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too low
or if there is a system malfunction.
Using the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitor­
ing system compares the tire tread circumfer­
ence and vibration characteristics of the individu­
al tires. If the pressure changes in one or more
tires, this is indicated in the instrument cluster
display with an indicator light
[I] and a message.
If only one tire is affected, the location of that
tire will be indicated.
The tire pressures must be stored in the Infotain­
ment system again each time the pressures
change (switching between partial and full load
pressure) or after changing or replacing a tire on
your vehicle
c:> page 353. The tire pressure moni­
toring system only monitors the tire pressure you
have stored . Refer to the tire pressure label for
the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle
c:> page 344, fig . 2 77.
Tire tread circumference and vibration character­
istics can change and cause a tire pressure warn­
ing if:
- the tire pressure in one or more tires is too low
- the tires have structural damage
- the tire was replaced or the tire pressure was
changed and it was not stored
c:> page 353
- tires that are only partially used are replaced
with new tires
Indicator lights
[I]-Loss of pressure in at least one tire c:> ,&..
Check the tires and replace or repair if necessary.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires and
store the pressure again in the Infotainment sys­
tem
c:> page 353.
mm (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
pressure: malfunction! See owner's manual.
If
mm appears after switching the ignition on or
while driving and the
[I] indicator light in the in­
strument cluster blinks for approximately one minute and then stays on, there is system mal-
function. Try to store the correct tire pressures
IJJ,,,

a co .... N ,....
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q page 353. In some cases, you must drive for
several minutes after storing the pressures until
the indicator light turns off . If the indicator lig ht
does turn off or turns on aga in after a short peri­
od of time, drive to an authorized Audi dealer or
author ized Audi Service Facility immed iately to
have the ma lfunction corrected .
A WARNING
-If the t ire pressu re indica tor appea rs in the
display, red uce your speed immed iate ly and
avoid any har d st eer ing or braking maneu­
vers. Stop a s soon as possib le and check the
ti res and their press ure.
- T he driver is responsi ble for main taining the
cor rect ti re pressure. You must check the
tire pressure regu larly .
- Under certa in conditions (s uch as a sporty
driving style, winte r cond itio ns or unpaved
roads), the tire pressure monitoring system
indicator may be delayed.
(D Tips
- The t ire press ure monitoring sys tem can al ­
so stop work ing when there is an ESC mal ­
funct ion .
- Usin g snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The t ire press ure moni toring sys tem in yo ur
A udi was ca librated with "A udi Orig inal
Tires"¢
page 341 . Using these ti res is rec­
ommended.
Storing tire pressures
If the tire pressure changes or a tire is replaced,
it must be confirmed in the Infotainment sys­ tem.
~ Make s ure before storing that the tire pressures
of a ll fo ur ti res meet the specified values and
are adapted to the load
¢ page 344.
~ Switch the ign ition on.
~ Select in the Infotainment system: I MENUI but­
ton
> Vehicle > Service & checks > Tire pre s­
s ure monitoring > Store tire pres sure > Yes ,
store now .
Wheel s
{!) Tips
Do not store the tire pressures if snow chains
are installed.
353

Care and cleaning
Care and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your vehi­
cle's value.
It can also be a requirement when
submitting warranty claims for corrosion damage
and paint defects on the body.
The required cleaning and care products can be
obtained from an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Service Facility. Read and follow the in­
structions for use on the packaging .
A WARNING
-Using cleaning and care products incorrectly
can be dangerous to your health .
- Always store cleaning and care products out
of reach of children to reduce the risk of poi­
soning .
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably purchase environmentally-friend­
ly cleaning products.
- Do not dispose of leftover cleaning and care
products with household trash.
Car washes
The longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road salt remain on the ve­ hicle, the more the surface can be damaged. High
temperatures such as those caused by sunlight
increase the damaging effect .
Before washing, rinse off heavy deposits with
plenty of water.
Stubborn deposits such as bird droppings or tree
sap are best removed with plenty of water and a microfiber cloth.
Also, wash the underside of your vehicle once road salt stops being used for the season .
Pressure washers
When washing your veh icle w ith a pressure wash ­
er, always follow the operating instructions pro­
vided with the pressure washer. This is especially
important in regard to the pressure and spraying
distance. Do not aim the spray directly at the
354
seals on the side windows, doors, lids or the sun­
roof* or at tires, rubber hoses, insulating materi­
al, sensors* or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of
at least 16 in (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a pressure
washer.
Never use cone nozzles or high pressure nozzles.
The water temperature must not be above 140 °F
(60 °().
Automatic car washes
Spray off the vehicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof* 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 vehicle starting from the top and work­
ing down using a soft sponge or cleaning brush.
Use solvent-free cleaning products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint by
hand
To avoid damaging the paint when washing, first
remove dust and large particles from your vehi­
cle. Insects, grease spots and fingerprints are
best removed with a special cleaner for matte
finish paint .
Apply the product using a microfiber cloth. To
avoid damaging the paint surface, do not use too
much pressure.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. Then
clean using a neutral shampoo and a soft micro­
fiber cloth .
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly again and let it air
dry. Remove any water residue using a chamois .
A WARNING
-
- Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is
off and follow the instructions from the car

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wash operator to reduce the risk of acci­dents.
- To reduce the risk of cuts, protect yourself
from sharp metal components when wash­
ing the underbody or the inside of the wheel
housings .
- After washing the vehicle, the brak ing effect
may be delayed due to mo isture on the
brake rotors or ice in the w inter . This in­
creases the risk of an acc ident. The brakes
must be d ried fi rst w ith a few careful b rake
applications.
(D Note
- If you wash t he vehicle in an automatic car
wash, yo u m ust fold the exte rior m irrors in
to reduce the risk of damage to the mirrors.
Power folding exte rior m irrors* must on ly
be fo lded in a nd out using the power folding
fu nct ion.
- To reduce the risk of damage to the rims
and tires, compare the width between the
whee ls on your vehi cle w it h t he dis tan ce be­
tween the g uide rai ls in the
car wash.
- To reduce t he risk of damage, compare the
height and width o f you r vehicle wi th the
Ca re and cleaning
height and w idth of the inside of the car
was h.
- T o red uce the risk of pa int damage, do not
was h the vehicle in d irect sun light .
- T o red uce the risk of d am age to the s urf ace,
do not use insect removing sponges, k itche n
sponges or similar items .
- Mat te finish painted veh icle components:
- To reduce the risk of damage to the sur-
face, do not use polishing agents or hard
wax .
- Never use protective wax. It can destroy
the matte finish effect .
- Do not place any stickers or magnetic
signs on vehicle parts painted with matte
finish paint . The paint cou ld be damaged
when the stickers or magne ts are re­
moved .
@ For the sake of the environment
Only wash t he vehicle in facilities s pec ially de­
s ign ed for that pu rpose . This will reduce the
r isk of dirty wate r contaminated with oil from
ente ring the sewe r sys tem.
Cleaning and care information
W hen cleani ng and ca ring for individua l vehicle
components, refer to the follow ing tables . The
i n formation contained there is simply recom­
mendations. For quest ions or for components t
h at are not liste d, co n su lt an autho riz ed Au di
dealer or authorized A udi Se rvice Fac ility . Also
fo llow the information found
in ¢ .&. .
Exterior cleaning
Component Situation Solution
Windshield wiper
Deposits c:> page 61, Cleaning the wiper blades
blades
Headlights /
Deposi ts So
ft spo nge wi th a mild so ap sol ution3>
Tail light s
S ensors /
Deposits Sensors: soft cloth w it h solvent-free cleaning solut ion
Camera len ses Camera le nses: soft clot h w ith alcohol-free cleaning solu-
tion
Snow/ice H
and br ush/solvent-free de-icing spray
Wheels Road salt Water
Brake dust Acid-free special cleaning solution
355