check engine light AUDI A4 2016 Owners Manual
Page 5 of 278
..... N 
0 ::..:: co ..... 
Safety  belts  . . . . . .  . .  . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . 133 
Belt  tensioners  . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . 136 
Airbag  system  . .  . .  . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . 138 
Important  information  . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . 138 
Fr ont  airbags  . . . .  . .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . 142 
Monito ring  the  Advanced Airbag  System  . 148 
Side airbags  . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  . .  . .  .  1S2 
Side curtain  airbags  . . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . .  . . .  lSS 
Child  safety  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . 1S8 
Important  information  . . . . . . . .  . .  . . . .  . 158 
Child  seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .  . . .  .  163 
Securing  child  seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  167 
LATCH  system  (Lower anchorages  and 
tethers  for  children)  . . . . . . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  .  171 
Addit ional  information  175 
Driver  messages . .  . . . . . . . .  . .  . .  . .  . 176 
Intelligent  Technology  . . . . .  . . . .  . 176 
Notice  about  data recorded  by the  Event 
Data  Recorder and vehicle  control 
modules  . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . 176 
E lectronic  Stabilization  Control  ( ESC) . . .  . 177 
Braking  . . .  .  . .  . .  . . . .  . . . . . . . . .  . .  . .  . .  .  180 
Electro-mechanical  power  assist,  dynamic 
steering  .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .  .  181 
Driving  with  your  quattro  . . . . . . . . . . . .  .  182 
Energy  management  .  . . . . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  .  182 
Driving  and  the  environment  . . .  . 185 
Breaking  in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .  . . .  .  185 
Avoid  damaging  the  vehicle  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  .  185 
Driving  through  water  on  roads  .  . .  . .  . .  .  185 
Cata lytic  converter  . .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . .  .  186 
Shutting  down  vehicle  . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . .  . 186 
Economical  and  environmentally-friendly 
driving  . .  . .  . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  . .  . .  .  187 
allroad:  D riving  offroad  . . . . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  .  188 
Trailer  mode  . . . .  .  . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . 190 
Driving  with  a trailer  . . . . . . . . . .  . .  . . . .  . 190 
Trailer  mode  notes.  . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  . . . .  . 192 
Operating  instructions  ...... .. ..  . 
Care  and  cleaning  ........... .. ..  . 
General  information  ..... ... .. .. .. .. .  193 
193  193 
~ Car washes  . . .  . . . .  . . . .  . . . . .  . . .  . . .  . .  .  193 ..... v:, ..... 
Table  of  contents 
Cleaning  and care information  . .  . . .  . .  . .  194 
Placing your  v ehicle  out  of  service  .  . . .  . .  197 
Fuel  and  Refueling  . .  .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . . 198 
Fuel  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  198 
Refueling  . . .  . .  .  . . .  . . . .  .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  200 
Checking  and  Filling  . . . . . .  . . .  . .  . . 203 
Hood  . . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . . .  . .  . .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  203 
Engine compartment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  20S 
Engine oil  .  . . . .  . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  205 
Cooling  system  .  . .  . . . . . . . . .  . . . .  . . . .  . .  208 
Brake fluid  .. .. .. .. ... ........... ...  2 11 
Battery  ......... .. .................  212 
Windsh ield/headlight*  washer  conta iner.  216 
Wheels  ...... .. .. ................. 217 
Wheels  and  Tires ... ...... ....... .. ..  217 
Tire  pressure  monitoring  system  235 
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . 237 
Emergency  assistance  . . . . . . . . . . . 23 7 
Vehicle  tool  kit  .  . .  . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  . .  23 7 
Space-saving  spare tire (compact  spare 
tire)  .  . . .  . .  . .  . .  .  . . .  . . . .  .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  237 
Inflatable  spare tire  . . . . .  .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  238 
Inflating  inflatable spare tire  . . .  . . .  . .  . .  239 
Replacing wheels  .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  240 
Fuses  and  bulbs  . . . .  . .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . . 246 
Fuses..... .... .. ......... .... .... ..  246 
Bulbs.  . . . .  . . . .  . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  249 
Emergency  situations  . . . .  . . . . . .  . . 250 
General  . . .  . .  . .  .  . . .  . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .  . .  250 
Starting  by pushing  or towing  . . . . . . . .  . .  250 
Starting  with  jumper cables  . . . . .  . .  . .  . .  250 
Useofjumpercables  ................. 251 
Towing  with  a tow truck  .  . . . . . .  . . .  . .  . .  252 
Raising the  vehicle . .  . . . . . . .  . . . .  . . . .  . .  254 
Technical  data  . . .  . . . .  . .  . . .  . .  . .  . .  . . 255 
Technical  data  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  . . 255 
Vehicle  identification  ......... ...... . . 
Weights  ... ... .. .. ................  . 
Dimensions  .. .. . ... ................  . 255 
255 
256 
3  
Page 13 of 278
,...., 
N 
0 
""' CX) ,...., 
I.Cl U"I ,...., 
I.Cl ,...., 
A WARNING 
-Always  observe  the  warning  in ¢ page  203, 
before  opening  t he  hood  and  checking  the 
engine  coolant  level. 
- Never  open  the  engine  hood  if you  see  or 
hear  steam,  or  if you  see  engine  coolant 
dr ipping  from  the  engine  compartment.  You 
cou ld  burn  yourself.  Let the  engine  cool  off 
firstsothatyoucannothearo rseeany 
steam  or  engine  coo lant. 
0 Note 
- Mounting  additional lights or  accessories  in 
front  of the  air  inlets  reduces  the  cooling  ef
fect  of the  radiator.  At h igh  outside  temper
atu res  or  high  engine  load,  the engine  could 
overheat. 
- The  front spoiler  has  been  designed  to  prop
erly  distribute  the  cooling  air when  the  vehi
cle  is  moving.  If the  spoiler  is  damaged, this 
could  reduce  the  cooling  effect  and  the  en
gine  could  then  overheat.  Ask your  author
ized  Audi  dealer  for  assistance. 
Tachometer  (engine  rev counter ) 
The tachometer  indicates  the  engine RPM (revo
lutions  per  minutes). 
If  engine  RPM drops  below  1,500,  you  should 
downshift  to  the  next  lower  gear.  The  red  area  at 
the  end  of the  scale  indicates maximum  permis
sible  eng ine  RPM  after the  break-in  period.  Be
fore  reaching  this  area,  move the selector  lever 
to  position  D/5  or  ease  your  foot  off  the  accelera
tor  pedal. 
(D Note 
The  tachometer  needle@¢ page  10,  fig.  3 
should  only  briefly  be  in the  red  zone: you 
could  damage  your  eng ine!  The  beginning  of 
the  red  zone  varies depending  on the  engine. 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
Upshifting  early saves fuel  and  reduces  en
gine  noise. 
Instruments  and indicator  lights 
~button 
Fig. 4 SET button  in the instrument  cluster 
The !SET I button  performs  the  following  func
tions: 
Switching  on time,  date, temperature 
display  and odometer 
The  display  appears  for  approximately  30  sec
onds  when  you  press  the 
ISETI button¢ fig . 4 
with  the  ignition off. 
Starting  the  Auto-Check  sequence 
The Auto-Check  system  constantly  monitors  cer
tain  indiv idual  functions  and  components of  the 
vehicle  when  the ignition  is  turned  on and  when 
the  vehicle  is  moving. 
With  the  ignition  turned  on,  you  can  start  the 
"Auto-Check  sequence"  by pressing  the 
! SETI but
ton.  You can perform  an  Auto-Check  sequence 
when  the  vehicle  is stat ionary  and  the  ignition  is 
turned  on  or  when  the  vehicle  is  moving  slower 
than  3  mph  (5  km/h). 
In  addition,  the  number  of  keys  initialised  for 
your  vehicle  is  displayed. 
L2 3/3 means  that 
th ree  keys  have  been  initialised.  This feature  e na
bles  used  car  buye rs to  make  su re  they  have  re
ceived  all  of the  keys. 
If you  are  given  only  two  keys,  for  instance, you 
should  take  the  veh icle  and  the existing  keys  to 
an  authorized  Audi dealer to  have  the  missing  key 
disabled.  It  is also important  to notify  your  insur
ance  company  about  the loss. 
Setting  the  speed warning 
By pressing  the ISETI button  briefly, you  can  set 
threshold  1 of the  speed  warning  wh ile you  are 
driv ing 
¢page  88. By ma intaining  pressure  on 
11  
Page 15 of 278
..... N 
0 ::..:: co ..... <J:) Lil 
..... <J:) ..... 
Indicator  lights 
Description 
The  indicator lights  i n the  inst rument  cluste r 
b link  or  t urn  on.  They  ind icate  func tions  or  ma l
f u nctions ¢& . 
Messages  may  appea r with  some  indica to r li ghts. 
A wa rni ng  sig nal w ill sound  at  the  same  time. 
The  messages  disappear  aga in after  a  short  t ime. 
To d isp lay  a mess age  ag ai n,  p ress  t he 
ISE TI bu t
ton ¢ 
page 11. If  severa l ma lf u nctions  occur, 
each  of  the  indicator/warning  lamps  will  be  dis
p layed  i n succession  for  abo ut  two  seconds  at  a 
time. 
Some  ind icators  ligh ts  in the  disp lay  can  turn  o n 
in several  colo rs. 
8_ WARNING 
- Failure  to  heed  warning  lights  and  other  im
portant  vehicle  informat ion  may  result  in 
serious  persona l injury  or  vehicle  damage. 
- Whenever  sta lled  or  stopped  for  repair, 
move  th@ vehicle  a safe  distance  off  th@ 
road , stop  the  engine,  and  turn  on  t he 
eme rgency  flasher ¢ 
page 50. 
-The  engine  compartment  of  any  motor  vehi 
cle  is a  potentia lly hazardous  a rea . Befo re 
yo u check  any thing  in the  engine  compart
m en t,  stop  the  engi ne  a nd  let  it cool  dow n. 
Alway s exe rcise  ex treme  c aution  w hen  work
ing  unde r the  hood¢ 
page 203. 
Overview 
Some  in dicator  lights  turn  o n briefly  to  che ck the 
f u nction  o f that  system  when  you  swi tch the  ig ni
tion  o n. These  systems  are  marke d with  a ./ in 
the  following  tables . If  one  of  these  indicator 
lights  does  not  turn  on,  there  is  a  malfunction  in 
that  system. 
Red indicator  lights 
--------------
US A  models: 
Brake  system ./ 
¢page 15 
Instruments  and  ind icator  lights 
Canada model s: 
Br ake  system  ./ 
¢page 15 
USA models: 
Electromechanical  parking  brake 
¢ page 16 
Canada  models: 
El ectromec hanic al p arking  b rake 
¢ page 16 
Safety  be lts 
¢ page 16 
Electromechanical  steering  ./ 
¢page 181 
Battery 
¢page 16 
Engine  oi l pressu re 
¢ page 17 
En gine  o il level 
¢ page 17 
En gine  cooling  sys tem 
¢ page 17 
Steering  co lumn  lock 
¢ page 18 
Ig nitio n  lock 
¢ page 18 
USA models: 
Speed  warning  system 
¢page 87 
Canada models: 
Speed  warning  system 
¢page 87 
Ad ap tive  cruise  cont ro l./ 
¢ page 100 
Yellow  indicator  lights 
--------------
Elec tronic  Stab ilizati on  Contro l 
(ESC)  ./ 
¢page 18 
El ec tronic  Stab ilization  Contro l 
( ES C)  ./ 
¢page 18 
Electronic  Stab ilization  Contro l 
(ESC) 
¢ page 177 
13  
Page 17 of 278
..... N 
0 ::..:: co ..... <J:) Lil 
..... <J:) ..... 
Adaptive cr uise control* 
c:>page  100 
Adaptive cr uise control* 
c:>page 100 
High beam 
c:>page49 
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  211. 
.,. 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
ing  brake system  fault!  See  owner's  manual 
- If the  indicator  light  and  the  message  appear 
when  stationary  or after  switching  the  igni-
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:> page20 . 
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 203 , 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 . 
15  
Page 19 of 278
9:::1: Engine  oil  pressure 
The red  engine  oil pressure  warning symbol  re
quires immediate  service or repair . Driving with  a 
low-oil-pressure  indication  is likely to  inflict  se 
vere damage  to the  engine. 
•  Turn off  engine!  Oil pressure  too  low 
If  the  indicator  lig ht  t urns  on  and  the  message 
appears,  the  oi l pressu re  is too  low. 
~ P ull off the  road. 
~ Stop  t he vehicle . 
~ Turnoff  the  engine. 
~ Check the  engine  oil  level¢ page  207 . 
~ If  the  engine  oil  leve l is too  low,  add  engine  oi l 
¢ 
page  207 . Make sure  that  t he oil  pressure 
warning  symbol. appears  no  longe r in the 
display  before  you  s ta rt  driving  ag ain. 
~ If the  engi ne oil  leve l is  cor rect  and  t he  i ndic a
tor  lig ht  still tur ns  on,  turn  t he  eng ine 
off and 
do  not  continue  driving . Seek  p ro fessional  as 
s istance . 
(D Tips 
- The engine  oil  pressure  symbol. is not 
an  indicator  for a  low  engine  oil  level.  Do 
not  rely on  it.  Instead,  check the  oil  level  in 
your  engine  at  regular  intervals,  preferably  each  time  you  refuel,  and  always  before 
going  on  a long  trip. 
- The yellow  oil  level  warning  indication 
Ill 
requires  oil  refill  or workshop  service  with 
out  delay . Do not  wait  until  the  red oil 
pressure  warning.  starts  to  flash  before 
you  respond  to  the  low  oil  level  warning 
Ill . By then , your  engine  may already  have 
suffered  serious  damage . 
~ . Engine  oil  level 
•  WARNING: Please  add  oil  immediately 
If the  indicator  lig ht  and  the  message  ap pear, 
a dd  engine  o il i mm edi ate ly 
¢page  205. 
;:; Ill Add oil,  max XX XX l. You may cont.  driv . 
0 
~ When  the  symbol II and  driver  message  appea r, ,...., 
~ add  the  amount  of oi l appea ring  in the  display  at 
:;;:  the  next  opportunity¢ 
page  205. ,...., 
Instruments  and  ind icator  lights 
-L Eng ine  cooling  system 
A malfunction  in the  engine  cooling system  must 
be repaired  as soon  as possible . 
• Turn off  engine  and  check coolant  level 
If  the  indicator  light  turns  on  and  the  message 
appea rs,  the  coo lant  tempe rat ure  is too  high  o r 
t h e coo lant  leve l is too  low. 
~ Pull off the  ro ad. 
~ Stop  the  vehicle. 
~ Tur noff  th e engine. 
~ Check coolant  leve l¢ page  209 . 
~ Add  coolant  if  necessary¢ page  210. 
~ Continue  dr iv ing  only  afte r the  e ngine  coolant 
warni ng/ indicator  light  goes  out . 
~ Contact  your  authorized  Audi  dealer  for  assis-
t ance  if  necessa ry. 
If  the  engi ne  coo lant  level  is correct , then  t he  ra 
dia to r f an  may  be  the  cause  of t he  mal func tion. 
•  Coolant  temperature!  Let engine  run with 
vehicle  stationary 
If  the indicator lig ht tur ns on  and the messa ge 
appea rs,  let  the  engine  run  a t  idle for  a few  mi 
nutes  to  c ool down. 
A WARNING 
-- If  yo ur  vehicle  should  break  down  for  me 
cha nica l o r  ot her  reasons,  park  at  a  safe  dis
t ance  from  mov ing  t raff ic, t urn  off  t he e n
g in e a nd  turn  on  the  haz ard warning  lights 
¢ p age  S O,  Em ergency  fla she rs. 
- N ever open  t he hood  if you  see  o r hear 
s te am  or coo lant  esca p in g fr om  th e engine 
co mpartm ent  - you  ris k  being  scald ed . W ait 
un til yo u can  no  longe r see  or  hear  steam  or 
coo lant  escapin g. 
- T he  engine  co mpart ment  of an y vehicl e  is  a 
d anger ous  are a.  B efore  y ou  perfo rm  any 
wo rk  in  the  eng ine  com partment,  t urn  of 
the  eng ine  a nd  a llow  it  to  cool.  Follow  t he 
warn ing  stickers 
¢page  203. 
(D Note 
Do  not  con tinue  dr iv in g if the . symbol  i llu-
minates.  The re  is  a  malf u nction  in the  engine 
IJi,,, 
17  
Page 22 of 278
Instruments  and  indicator  lights 
(0) Worn  brake  pads 
EiJ Brake pads! 
If the  warn ing  light  illum inates,  immed iate ly 
contact  your  authorized  A ud i dealer  o r qualified 
wo rkshop  to  have  all brake  pads  inspected.  O n 
USA models  the  wa rni ng  lig ht 
EiJ comes  on to 
gethe r wi th the  war ning  l igh t 
1111 . Both sets  of 
b rake  pads  on  an  ax le  m ust  always  be  rep lace d at 
the  same  time . 
A WARNING 
Driv ing with  bad  bra kes  can  ca use  a co llision 
and  ser ious  personal  in jury. 
- If  the  wa rning  light 
EiJ and  the  warning 
light 
11111 ) w ith  the  message Brake pads ! 
comes  on  in the  instrument  cl uster  display, 
i mmediately  contact  your  author ized  Audi 
dealer  or  qualified  workshop  to  have  all 
bra ke pads  checked  o r rep laced  if necessary. 
EPC Electronic  power  control 
This warning/indicator  light  monitors  the  elec
tronic  power  control . 
-
The~  warni ng/indicator  light  (Electronic  Powe r 
Control)  ill uminates  when  you  switch  the  ign ition 
on  as  a function  check. 
(D} Tips 
If this  wa rning/in dicator  light  ill uminates 
wh ile you  are  driving,  then  there  is a  mal func
tion  in the  eng ine electron ics.  Have the  ma l
function  corrected  as  soon  as  possib le by yo ur 
author ized  A udi dealer  or  a qualified  repair  fa
cility . 
0 Malfunction  Indicator  Lamp  (MIL) 
The  Malfunc tion  Ind ica tor  Lam p (M IL) is  part  of 
the  On-Boa rd  Di ag nosti c (O BD  II)  system.  The 
symbo l 
('4 lights  up whe n the  ignition  is swi tch 
e d  on  and  wi ll turn  off after  the  engine  has  sta rt· 
e d  and  has  sett led  at  a constant  idle speed . This 
i n dicates  that  the  MIL is working  p roperly. 
l )  - : USA  mode ls  o nly 
20 
The wa rning  lig ht  ill uminates  w hen  the re is  a 
malfunction  in the  engine  electronic  system. 
Contact  yo ur aut ho rized Aud i dea le r  and  have the 
malfunction  corrected. 
An  impro per ly  closed  fue l filler  cap  may  also 
ca use  the  MIL light  to  illuminate ¢ 
page  200 . 
For more  info rm ation c::> page 29 . 
!?) Engine  speed  limitation 
App lies  to vehicles : wi th  engine  speed  limitatio n 
lfl Do not  exceed max.  engine speed of XXXX 
rpm 
The lfl symbo l illu min ates  when  the re is  an en
gine  co ntro l ma lf u nct ion.  The~  indica tor  ligh t 
in the  instrument  clus ter  also  illum ina tes . T he 
engine  spee d is limited  to  the  s peed  displayed  in 
the  d river info rmation  system.  Keep in mind  t hat 
the  engine  speed  w ill not  exceed  the  value  dis 
played  in the  driver  information  system,  for  ex
amp le w hen  downshifting. 
D rive to  your  authorized  A udi  dealer  immediate ly 
to  have the  mal function  cor rected . 
~~. Engine  oil  sensor 
•  Oil  level! Sensor defective 
If the  symbol  illuminates,  contact  your  author 
i zed Audi dealer  and  have the  oil sensor  inspect
ed.  Until yo u have this  done,  chec k the  oi l level 
each  time  you  refuel  just  to  be  on the  safe  side 
¢ page  207. 
Bu Tank  system 
Ii] Please refuel 
If the  indicato r light  turns  on for  the  first  time 
and  t he message  appea rs, the re are  about 
2.1- 2.4  gallons  (7  • 9  lite rs) of fuel  left  in  the 
ta nk.  Time  to  refuel¢ 
page  200 . 
Ii] Fuel tank  system malfunct ion! Contact deal -
er  ..,.  
Page 25 of 278
,...., 
N 
0 
""' CX) ,...., 
I.Cl U"I ,...., 
I.Cl ,...., 
Driver  information 
system 
Introduction 
The Driver information  display  inside  the instru
ment  cluster  provides you,  the  driver, with  im
portant  information. 
Fig. 7 Instrument  cluster:  ce nter display 
Fig.  8 Wipe r lever:  contro ls  for  the  menu display 
Center  display 
With  the  ignition  on,  the  display  in th e  Driver  In
formation  System  shows  the following  informa
tion : 
- CD* inserted  or  Radio* station  set 
- Outs ide  temperature*:  At temperatures  below 
41  °f (+S 
0
(), a snowflake  symbol  appears in 
front  of  the  temperature  display¢ ,1,. . 
- Warning  if one  of  the doors, front  lid or  engine 
compartment  lid  is not  closed. 
Additional  functions 
You can  open  the  following  functions  in the  Driv
er  Information  System  display  by pressing  the 
I RESETI button¢ fig.  8 one  or  more  t imes : 
Digital  speedometer* 
Tire  pressure  monitoring* 
¢pag e235 
Driver  in forma tion  system 
Trip computer* ¢page24 
Efficiency  program* ¢page26 
Service  interval  display ¢page28 
Speed  warning ¢page Bl 
Gearshift  selector  posit ions  Au -i=>page  91 
tomatic  transm ission 
Adaptive  cruise  control* 
¢ page  98 
Auto  Check Control 
Some  functions  and  vehicle  components are 
scanned  for their  operating  status  when  you 
switch  the  ignition  on  and  while  you  are  driving.  Malfunctions  or  required  service  procedures  are 
signaled  audibly  and  indicated  by red  and  yellow 
illum inated  symbols  and reminders  in the  dis
play. 
A WARNING 
--
- Never  rely exclus ively on  the  outside  tem
pe rature  display  to determine  if a  road  sur
face  is  icy or  not.  Keep  in  m ind  that  road 
surfaces,  especially bridges  and  overpasses, 
could  be  ice covered  and  slippery  even  at an 
outside  temperat ure  above  41 °f (+S °C). 
- Always  remember,  even  if  the "snowflake" 
symbol  (ice warning)  does  not  appear in the 
display,  black  ice could  be  on  the  road. 
- Always  reduce  your  speed  and  dr ive with 
specia l care  in  cold  weather  conditions  when 
the  chance  of encountering  icy road  surfaces 
increases. 
(j) Tips 
If the  vehicle  is  stationary,  or if you  are  driv
ing  at  a very  low  speed,  the  temperature 
shown  in the  disp lay might  be  slightly  higher 
than  the  actual  outside  temperature.  This is 
caused  by the  heat  being  radiated  from  the 
engine. 
23  
Page 192 of 278
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.  
Page 193 of 278
..... N 
0 ::..:: co ..... oJ) Lil 
..... oJ) ..... 
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  
Page 205 of 278
,...., 
N 
0 
""' CX) ,...., 
I.Cl U"I ,...., 
I.Cl ,...., 
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