service AUDI A4 AVANT 2008 User Guide
Page 34 of 368
Driver information display
-Check coolant level :::> page 281.
-Add coolant if necessary=> page 282.
-Continue driving only after the engine coolant
warning/indicator light goes out.
-Contact your authorized Audi dealer for assistance if
necessary.
If the engine coolant level is correct, then the radiator fan may be
the cause of the malfunction.
I f the generator warning/indicator light should also illuminate
=> page 22, then the fan belt may be damaged.
& WARNING
• If your vehicle should break down for mechanical or other
reasons, park at a safe distance from moving traffic, turn off the
engine and turn on the hazard warning lights
=> page 79, "Emer
gency flasher
A" .
• Never open the hood if you see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment -you risk being scalded .
Wait until you can no longer see or hear steam or coolant escaping.
• The engine compartment of any vehicle is a dangerous area.
Before you perform any work in the engine compartment, turn of
the engine and allow it to cool. Follow the warning stickers
=> page 265, "Engine compartment" .
0 Note
Do not continue driving if the-~-symbol illuminates. It indicates a
cooling system malfunction likely to result in serious damage to the
engine. •
Engine oil pressure malfunction ~
The red engine oil pressure warning symbol requires
immediate service or repair. Driving with a low-oil-pres
sure indication is likely to result in serious damage to the
engine.
If the 9=::;,. symbol appears in the display and blinks, the oil
pressure is too low. In addition to the symbol, the following
message also appears in the display:
Switch off engine, check oil level
Immediate actions
-Pull off the road and stop the vehicle.
-Shut the engine down.
-Check the engine oil level with the dipstick=> page 277.
Dipstick reading checks too lovv
-Top off oil to the proper level => page 278.
-Make sure that the oil pressure warning symbol 9=::;f.
appears no longer in the display before you start driving
again.
Dipstick reading checks OK
-If the 9=::;f. symbol starts flashing again even though the
engine oil level checks OK on the dipstick,
do not start
driving again and do not let the engine run at idle .
Instead, contact your authorized Audi dealer for assis-
tance.
.,_
Page 35 of 368
[ i J 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 interval s, preferably each time you refuel , and
always before going on a long trip.
• The yellow oil level warning indication requires oil refill or
workshop service without delay . Do not wait until the red oil pre s
s ure warning symbol
~ starts to fla sh before you respond to the
low oil level warning
-... . By then , your engine may already have
s uffered serious damage. •
Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol means WARNING .
Yellow symbols mean:
Controls and equip
ment
Fig . 2 0 Display : lo w
fu el lev el warn ing
( priority 2 )
Driver information display
Low fuel leve l ~ page34
Check engine oil level ~ page34
Engine oil sensor malfunction ~ page34
-
Light/rain* senso r defective ~ page34
Worn b rake pad s ~ page34
USA models: ~ page34 Speed wa rn ing 1 ..
Canada models: ~ page34 Speed wa rning 1
Dyn amic headl ight ra nge con-
~ page34 trol* defect ive
W inds hield washer fluid level low
~ page34
-
USA models : ~ page34 Speed warn ing 2
Canada models : ~ page34 Speed war ning 2
Battery voltage too high or too
~ page35 low
Defective light bulb
~ page35
Adaptiv e light* defective ~ page35
Ye llow symbo ls ind icate a p riority 2 mal funct ion - Warning!
When a yellow symbo l appears, a warning tone wil l sound
once.
Check the displaye d functio n as so on as possi ble. I f more than one ._
irechnical data
Page 37 of 368
Battery voltage low .::::3
If the symbol illuminates, contact your authorized Audi dealer
and have the following components inspected:
• drive belt
• generator
• battery charge
Also see if the generator warning/indicator light illuminates
=> page 22. •
Defective light bulb warning ~
The defective light bulb warning tells you when a vehicle
light bulb has become defective.
If a defective bulb has been detected by the system or a light bulb
burns out, the symbol wi th a message appears in the display to
tell you which bulb is burnt out and where it is located . For example :
REAR LEFT TURN SIGNAL
After 5 seconds, the message d isappears . If you want to reca ll the
message into the display, press the CHECK button.
There are three reasons why the defective bulb message wou ld
appear in the display:
• the light bulb has burnt
out => page 328.
• the fuse is "blown"=> page 326, "Replacing a fuse" .
• the wire connec tion to the light bulb is defective .
Have the bulb replaced or the connection repaired by your autho
rized Audi Service department .
& WARNING
• Light bulb s are pres sur ized and c ou ld expl ode whi le they are
be ing changed causing seri ou s pe rso nal inju ry .
Controls and equip
ment
Dri ver inf orma tio n di spl ay
& WARNI NG ( conti nued )
• Work with due care wh en h andling th e high-vol tage s ecti on of
gas disch arge (xe non
I la mp s*. Fa ili ng to d o so could result in de ath
or se riou s inj ury !
•
Ap plie s to veh ic les: with a dapt iv e ligh t
Adaptive light defective
When th is symbol illuminates, it means that adaptive light is
defective. Go to an authorized dea lership to have the headlights or
the control unit for the adaptive light repa ired. •
Speed warning system
Overview
The speed warning system helps you to keep your driving
speed below a
set speed limit.
Fig . 21 Disp lay : s pee d
wa rning syste m
.,.
irechnical data
Page 45 of 368
Inquiry
• Service=:, page 17
Menu off
All the displays appear on the screen which are shown in vehicles
without menu display.
Help
The Help function helps you to make the right selection. •
Open Help
The DIS (Driver Information System) has a Help function.
Open the Help function as follows:
Fig. 32 DIS (Driver
Information System)
display: Start menu,
Help selected
- Press the [Reset] button. The Start menu appears
==> page 41, fig. 30.
-
Select==> page 42, fig. 31 the Help function with the
rocker switch.
- Activate your selection by pressing the [ Reset] button.
Controls and equip
ment
Driver information display
- To leave the Help menu, press the [Reset] button again.
The Help menu is there to provide information. You cannot make
any settings in this menu.
Meanings of the symbols in the display:
Selection bar Selected function Red background (active)
,I Check mark Selected
0
Box Not
selected
•
Triangle pointing up Previous page
... Triangle pointing down Next page
Adjust settings (part 1)
The DIS (Driver Information System) settings are menu
guided.
Fig . 33 Display:
Settings menu,
computer selected
•
irechnical data
Page 127 of 368
Warm and cold -
----------------
Warm and cold
Climate controls
Description
The air conditioner is fully automatic and is designed to
maintain a comfortable and uniform climate inside the
vehicle.
We recommend the fo llowing settings:
- Select and set a temperature between 71 °F (+22 °C) and
84 °F (+29 °C).
- Press the [AUTO
I button.
With this setting, you attain maximum comfort in the least amount
of time . C hange this sett ing, as des ired, to meet your personal
needs .
The climate contro ls are a combination of heating, ventilation and
cool ing systems, which automatica lly reduce humidity and coo l the
air inside your vehicle .
The air temperature, air flow and air distribution are automatically
regu lated to achieve and maintain the desired passenger compart
ment temperatu re as quickly as possible.
The system automatically compensates for changes in the outside
temperature and for the intensity of the sunlight entering the
veh ic le. We recommend you use the
Automati c mode=> page 127
for year-round comfort.
Please note the follow ing :
Turn on the air conditioner to reduce hum idity in the veh ic le. This
a lso prevent the windows from fogging up.
Controls and equip
ment
When the outside temperature is high and the air is very humid,
c o ndensat ion from the evaporator may drip under the vehicle. This
is normal and does not ind icate a leak.
If the outside temperature is low, the fan norma lly on ly switches to
a higher speed once the engine coolant has warmed up suff iciently .
The air conditioner temporarily switches off when you drive off from a standstill using ful l throttle to save engine power.
The compressor also switches off if the coolant temperature is too
high so that the engine can be adequate ly cooled under extreme
loads .
Air p ollut ants filt er
The air po llutants fi lter (a combined part ic le filter and activated
charcoal filter) reduces or e liminates outside air pol lution (dust, or
pollen) from enter ing the vehic le .
The air po llutants filter must be changed at the intervals specified
in you r Maintenance
& Wa rranty booklet, so that the air cond itioner
can proper ly work.
If you drive your vehic le in an area with high air pol lution, the filter
may need to be changed more frequently than speci fied in your
Audi Maintenance
& Warranty book let. If in doubt, ask your autho
ri zed Aud i Service Adv isor fo r advice .
& WARNING
Reduced vi sibility i s da ng erou s and can cause accident s.
• For safe driving it is very important that all windows be free of
ice , snow and cond ensa tion .
• Fully familiarize yourself with the proper us e and function of
the heating and ventilation sy stem and e speci ally how to defog
and defrost the window s.
...
Page 169 of 368
________________________________________________ D_r_iv _ i
_ n..; g::;_ S_ a_ fe---' ly'-----"'
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant safety
always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving always:
- Make sure that all lights and signals are operat ing
correctly.
- Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
- Make sure that all windows are clean and afford good
visibility to the outside.
- Secure all luggage and other items
carefully=> page 122.
-Make sure that nothing can interfere with the pedals.
- Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors correctly for your height .
- Instruct passengers to adjust the head restraints
according to their height.
- Make sure to use the right child restraint correctly to
protect
children => page 210, "Child Safety".
- Sit properly in your seat and make sure that your passen
gers do the
same => page 95, "General recommenda
tions".
- Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Also instruct
your passengers to fasten their safety belts properly
=> page 176. •
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of the
vehicle, the driver as well as the driver's ability to concen
trate on the road without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the vehicle and all
of its occupants. If your ability to drive is impaired, safety
risks for everybody in the vehicle increase and you also
become a hazard to everyone else on the road
=>& .There
fore:
Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers or by
using a cellular telephone .
NEVER drive when your driving ability is impaired (by
medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
- Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and speed limits
and plain common sense .
- ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and weather
conditions.
- Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive for more
than two hours at a stretch.
- Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pressure or when
you are stressed .
& WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 171 of 368
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_ n..; g::;_ S_ a_ fe---' ly'---__ lfflJI
& WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help reduce
the risk of serious personal injury:
• Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that
there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone and
the steering wheel.
• Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering
wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions
to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag
inflates.
• Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with
your hands at other positions inside the steering wheel rim or on
the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the
driver's airbag inflates
• Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the
ability of the supplemental driver's airbag to protect you in a colli
sion.
• Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or
place any part of your body too close to the area where the airbags
are located.
• Before driving, always adjust the front seats and head
restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are properly
restrained.
• Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving . Your seat
may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle.
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child safety seats
~ page 210.
Special precautions apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat
~ page 187 . •
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the
event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust the
seat for the front passenger to the following position:
- Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible.
There must be a minimum of 10 inches (25 cm) between
the breastbone and the instrument
panel=> &.
-Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in an upright
position and your back comes in full contact with it
whenever the vehicle is moving.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as
even with the top of your head as possible but not lower
than eye level and so that it is as close to the back of your
head as
possible => page 171.
-Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the front
passenger seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts
correctly=> page 181.
For detailed information on how to adjust the front passenger's
seat, see
~ page 95.
& WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too
close to the airbag can be seriously injured or killed by the airbag
as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
.,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 175 of 368
Driving Safely -
--------------=-='------'
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area unobstructed and that
are firmly secured so that they cannot slip out of position. You can
obtain suitable floor mats from your authorized Audi Dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached to these fasteners.
Properly securing the floor mats will prevent them from sliding into
positions that could interfere with the pedals or impair safe opera
tion of your vehicle in other ways .
& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a loss of vehicle
control and increase the risk of serious personal injury.
• Always make sure that floor mats are properly secured.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings in the
vehicle that cannot be properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the pedals or the ability to
control the vehicle.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings on top
of already installed floor mats. Additional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal area and interfere with
the pedals.
• Always properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have been
taken out for cleaning.
• Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver foot
well while the vehicle is moving. Objects can become trapped under the brake pedal and accelerator pedal causing a loss of
vehicle control. •
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All
luggage and other objects must be properly stowed
and secured in the luggage compartment.
Fig. 165 Safe load
positioning: heavy
cargo positioned as
far
forward as possible.
Loose items in the luggage compartment can shift
suddenly, changing vehicle handling characteristics. Loose
items can also increase the risk of serious personal injury in
a sudden vehicle maneuver or in a collision.
- Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
- Always place and properly secure heavy items in the
luggage compartment as far forward as possible
=> fig. 165.
- Secure luggage using the tie-downs provided
=> page 107, "Luggage compartment".
- Make sure that the rear seat back is securely latched in
place. .,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 177 of 368
Driving Safely -
--------------=-='------'
Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with four tie
downs to secure luggage and other items.
Use the tie -downs to secure your cargo properly => page 173,
"Loading the luggage compartment".
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even smaller items that
are loose in the vehicle will become heavy missiles that can cause
serious injury. Items in the vehicle possess energy which vary with
vehicle speed and the weight of the item. Vehicle speed is the most
significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed of 30 mph (48 km/h),
the forces acting on a 10 lbs. (4,5 kg) object are about 20 times the
normal weight of the item. This means that the weight of the item
would suddenly be about 200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imagine the inju
ries that a 200 lbs . (90 kg) item flying freely through the passenger
compartment could cause in a collision like this.
& WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used to secure items to tie
downs can fail during hard braking or in a collision and cause
serious personal injury.
• Always use suitable mounting straps and properly secure
items to the tie-downs in the luggage compartment to help
prevent items from shifting or flying forward as dangerous
missiles.
• When the rear seat backrest is folded down, always use suit
able mounting straps and properly secure items to the tie-downs
in the luggage compartment to help prevent items from flying
forward as dangerous missiles into the passenger compartment.
• Never attach a child safety seat tether strap to a tie-down.
•
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Reporting safety defects
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a
crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSAl in addi
tion to notifying Audi of America, Inc. If NHTSA receives similar
complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your dealer, or Audi of America, Inc.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY:
1-800-424-9153);
go to
http://www.safercar.gov;
or write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 187 of 368
_________________________________________________ s_a _f_e _t .!,y _ b
;,;;..;; e.;.lt ;;,,; s;;...__1111
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other important informa
tion
=> page 180.
[ i] Tips
The seat height adjustment on the front seats can also be used the adjust the position of the safety belts .•
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly positioned safety belts can cause severe inju
nes.
Wearing safety belts improperly can cause serious injury or
death. Safety belts can only work when they are correctly
positioned on the body. Improper seating positions reduce
the effectiveness of safety belts and will even increase the
risk of injury and death by moving the safety belt to critical
areas of the body . Improper seating positions also increase
the risk of serious injury and death when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant who is not in the correct seating position. A driver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle
occupants and especially for children. Therefore:
- Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect sitting posi
tion in the vehicle while
traveling =>& .
& WARNING
Improperly worn safety belts increase the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.
• Always make sure that all vehicle occupants are correctly
restrained and stay in a correct seating position whenever the
vehicle is being used.
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
(continued)
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other important infor
mation
=> page 180. •
Safety belt tensioner
How safety belt pretensioners work
In front, side and rear collisions above a particular
severity, safety belts in use are tensioned automatically.
The safety belts are equipped with safety belt pretensioners . The
system is activated by sensors in front, side and rear collisions of
great severity. This tightens the belt and takes up belt
slack=> & in
"Care, service and disposal of safety belt pretensioner". Taking up
the slack helps to reduce forward occupant movement during a collision .
0 Note
Never let the belt remain over a rear seat back that has been folded
forward. The rear belt pretensioner will be activated unnecessarily
in a collision and then has to be replaced .
[ i] Tips
The safety belt pretensioner can only be activated once.
• In minor frontal, side and rear -end collisions, in a rollover and in
accidents involving very little impact force, the safety belt preten
sioner are not activated.
• When the safety belt pretensioner is activated, a fine dust is
released. This is normal and is not caused by a fire in the vehicle.
• The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the
vehicle or components of the system are scrapped. A qualified
deal -_,,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data