AUDI A4 AVANT 2008 Owners Manual

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e__;_ c_k _in ....::: g:._ a_n _d ;,:_;_ f....;il ....;li .:..n :.::g~--1""
Ap plies to vehi cles: with convent ional batte ries
Checking the battery acid level on
conventional batteries
The acid level of a conventional battery can be checked
visually.
Fig . 215 Engin e
co mp artmen t; Co nve n­
tio na l battery w ith acid
l eve l mar ks (cover
re m ove d)
-The level of acid inside the battery is visible through the
case at the font . Acid level should be exactly at t he "max"
mark or very close be low i t.
If the acid level has dropped below the "m in" mark, the low cell
should be topped to the
"max" mark with distill ed wa ter.
We recommend you have your authorized Audi dea ler test your
battery.
A battery that is older than five years and has a low acid level should be rep laced.
0 Not e
Do not overfill the battery, otherwise battery acid will overflow
through the vent opening . This can damage the paint and cause
corrosion. •
Battery charging
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery.
Always read and he ed all WARNINGS below => & and
=> & in "Working on the battery" on page 286.
-Switch off the ignition and all e lectrica l co nsumers.
-Make sure the area is well ventilated when you cha rge
t h e battery.
-Connec t charger cables . Charger cable s mu st alw ay s be
c onne cte d POSITIVE
G to POSITIVE G and NEGATIVE 8
to NEGATIVE (:).
-Switch on the charger.
-Make sure the charging rate is not over 6 amps.
-T urn off the charger ::::::,& .
-Disconnect the charger cab les .
-Connect both battery cables to the battery if necessary -
first plus, then minus.
It is not nec essary to remove the battery from th e engine compart ­
ment, and it is also not necessary to disconnect the cables.
Norma lly, a battery should be charged at no more than 10 percent
of its rated capacity . .,.
Ve hic le care irechnical data

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For example, a charging current of 4.5 amps would be used on a
battery rated at 45 Ah. Rated capacity of the battery in your vehicle
is listed on the battery housing .
The battery caps should
not be opened when charging a battery.
& WARNING
Charging a battery can be dangerous.
• Always follow the operating instructions provided by the
battery charger manufacturer when charging your battery.
• Never charge a frozen battery . It may explode because of gas
trapped in the ice. Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first.
• Do not reuse batteries which were frozen. The battery housing
may have cracked and weakened when the battery froze.
• Charge the battery in a well ventilated area. Keep away from
open flame or electrical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas gener ­
ated by the battery is explosive.
• To reduce the danger of explosion, never connect or disconnect
charger cables while the charger is operating.
• Fast charging a battery is dangerous and should only be
attempted by a competent technician with the proper equipment.
• Battery acid that may spill during charging should be washed
off with a solution of warm water and baking soda to neutralize
the acid.
0 Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine . This will
seriously damage sensitive electronic components, such as control
units, relays, radio, etc ., as well as the battery charger. •
Disconnecting and connecting the battery
When the battery is disconnected some features on the
vehicle will become inoperative and you must reset them
when the battery is reconnected.
When you disconnect the vehicle battery note the following:
• some data stored in the driver information system is erased,
• the clock stops,
• the factory installed radio locks up,
• the engine management system and the one-touch-up and one­
touch -down functions of the power windows no longer work .
After you reconnect the battery, you must reset the following
features :
Inoperative because the
battery was discon­
nected:
clock
one-touch-up and one-touch­
down feature on the power
windows
engine management
seat memory*
radio station coding
Removing battery
To reset after the battery is
reconnected, see:
=> page 14
=> page 67
=> page 135
=> page 100
Sound System Operating Instruc -
tions booklet .
•
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always
read and heed all WARNINGS :::> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on page
273. ~

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-Switch off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
First disconnect the minus cab le (usual ly black or brown) and then
the plus cable (usual ly red). Then remove the battery mounting
bracket and remove the battery. •
Replacing battery
The new battery must have the same specifications and
dimensions as the old one.
A replacement battery must have the same spec ifications and
dimensions as the o riginal equipment battery. Specifications are
listed on the battery housing.
When installing the battery, make sure the ignition and all electrical
consumers are switched off.
0 Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the side of the battery is
connected, otherwise fumes or battery acid can leak out.
~ For th e sake of th e environm ent
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery, we recom­
mend your authorized Audi dealer change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfur ic acid and lead and must always be
disposed of properly in compliance with a ll environmenta l regula ­
t ions . Dispos ing of vehic le batteries improperly is very dangerous to
the environment. •
Windshield/headlight washer
container
Using plain water is not adequate for filling the wind­
shield washer system and the headlight washer system*.
i w a, a,
Fig . 21 6 Engin e
co mp artment : Wind ­
s hiel d and head ligh t
w as her f luid contain er
~-~ The washer flu id container is marked with the symbol W on
its cap.
-Before you check a nything in the engine compartmen t,
always read and heed all WARNINGS :::::, & in "Working
in t he engine compartment" on
page 273.
-Lift t he fi ller c ap tongu e to add wash er fluid. You can fil l
the container to the top .
-Press the ca p bac k onto the filler neck a fter fi lling the
container.
You can find the reservoir c a pac ity in the tab le in=> page 343.
Use winterized windshield washer solvent during the cold season
even though the ve hic le is equipped with
h eated wash er jets . It _.,
Vehic le care irechnical data

___ C_ h_ e_c _k _ i_n ~g _ a_n_ d_ f_il _li _n_ g~--------------------------------------------
helps to keep your windshield c lean and prevents the fluid from
free zing in the winter .
Follow the directions on the container for the correct amount to be
used .
0 Note
Do not mix engine coo lant antifreeze or any other additives to fill up
the windshield washer reservoir. •

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Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
T ires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehic le. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu lar ly considering the comparat ive ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that a ll-important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and i ts tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regular ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, s lashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowou ts .
Av oiding d am ag e
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, o il, gasoline a nd brake
fluid off the tires.
I nspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc .l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota ­
t ion . This ensu res you to be ab le to mou nt them correctly w he n you
reinstal l them. When removed, the whee
ls or tires should be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
St ore tires in a vertical posit ion i f th ey are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in => &.
The tread dept h of new tires may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusua l vibration or t he veh ic le pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire ction al tires
A unidirectio nal tire can be ide ntif ied by arr ows on the s idewa ll, t hat
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
the specified direct ion of ro tation . This is necessary so t hat these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more info rmation
=> page 324.
& WARNING
Ne w tire s or tire s that are old , wo rn o r damaged cannot p ro vide
maximum control and braking abilit y.
• New tires tend to be slippery and mu st be brok en in . To redu ce
the ri sk of lo sing control , a c ollision and seriou s per sonal injuries ,
dri ve w ith special ca re for the fi rst 350 mile s (560 km l.
• Driving with worn or damaged tire s can lead to lo ss of control ,
sudden tire fa ilure , in cluding a blowout and sudden deflation ,
.,_
Vehicle care

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&, WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
&, WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage.
•
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted .
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF" on the side ­
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire-ground interfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _____ llll
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
L oa d ratin g (code)
means the maximum load that a t ire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure. You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax imum l oad r atin g
means the load rat ing for a t ire at the maximum permiss ib le infla­
tion pressure for that tire.
Ma ximum l oaded vehicle we ight
means the sum of :
(al Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production opt ions weight
M ax imum (permissibl e) infl ati on press ure
means the maximum cold inflatio n pressure to wh ich a t ire may be
inflated. Also ca lled "maximum inflation pressure ."
No rm al occ upant we ight
means 150 lbs. (68 ki lograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the total seati ng capacity of your vehicle .
Occupant distributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overal l diameter of an inflated new tire.
Ove rall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an inf lated t ire, including elevations due to labe ling, decorat ions, or
protective bands or ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated para lle l cords.
Pr odu ction opt io ns weig ht
means the comb ined weight of those installed regular product ion
options weighing over 5 lbs . (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not previously cons idered in curb weight
or accessory weight, inc luding heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy duty ba ttery, and specia l trim .
Radi al pl y tir e
means a pneumat ic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Recomm ended infl ati on p ress ure
see => page 294, "Cold tire inflat io n pressure".
Reinfor ced tir e
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires my be ide ntified as "XL", "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
wh ich the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di ameter
means nom inal d iameter o f the bead seat. I f you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam ­
eter.
Rim siz e design ation
means rim diameter and width.
R im width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .
Vehicle care

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S idewa ll
means t hat port ion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed ra ting <le tt er cod e)
means t he speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298
km/h) => page 306. You may not f ind this informa ­
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law .
The speed rating letter code, whe re applicable, is mo lded on the tire
s idewal l and indicates the maximum perm issible road
speeds => &
in "Winter tires" on page 310.
Tire pr essu re m onitorin g sys tem *
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are under inflated and i lluminates a low tire pressure warning te ll­
tale .
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Trea d sepa ration
mea ns pu lling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Tr eadw ear indi cato rs ( TWI)
mea ns the projections with in the pr incipa l grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
=> page 303, "T read Wear Indicator (TWI)" for m ore information on
measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Qualit y Grading
is a tire information system deve loped by the United States National
H ighway Traff ic Safety Admin istration (N HTSA) t hat is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The U TQG is
n ot a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles or perform in a certain way . It simply
gives ti re buyers additiona l info rmation to combine with other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dea ler recommen -dations
. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in
t hree areas : treadwear, tract ion and tempera ture resista nce. The
U TQG information on the tires, molded into the sidewa lls .
U .S . D OT Tire Identification Number (TIN )
This is the tire's "seria l number" It begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets a ll federa l standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and t he last four numbers represent the wee k and year of manufac ­
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2205 ...
means t hat the tire was produced in the 22t h week of 2005. The
other numbers are marketing codes that may or may not be used by
t he t ire manufacturer. This informat ion is used to c ontac t
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll.
Veh icle capacity we ight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs . (68 kilograms)
t imes t he vehicle's total seating capaci ty as listed on the la bel
located either on the driver's side 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel
fi ller flap .
Vehi cle max imum l oad on th e tir e
means that load on an ind ividual tire that is determ ined by distrib ­
uting to each axle its share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and d ividing by two.
V ehi cle norm al l oa d on th e tir e
means that load on an ind ividual tire that is determ ined by d istrib ­
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weigh t (distributed in accorda nce w ith tab le
below=> page 297) and dividing by two . _.,

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O cc upant loading and distribution for vehicle no rmal load for various d esignated s eating capa cities
Designated seating capacity , num­
ber of occupants
5
Cold tire inflation pressure
Vehicle normal load , number of
occupants
3
Occupant distribution in a normally
loaded vehicle
2 in front, 1 in back seat
T ire pressure affec ts the overall ha ndling, performan ce and safety of a vehicle.
Fig . 21 7 Tire pre ssu re
label : located eit her on
driver's side B-pillar or
in side the fuel filler fl ap
ill
9 ,-, ~ ------------------.. j;l
• (SEATING CAPAQlY :rorAL I :FRONT I : cENTER I :REAR I ) m
Thea,mtwd""'9/Wdoocu,,.....andQ1Vo.....,.....,-,ed .logo, _ .,.
TIRE AND LOAD ING INFORMATION
TIRE SIZE COLO TIRE PRESSURE
FRONT -KPa, -PSI
REAR -KPa, - PSI
SPARE -KPa, -PSI
MANUAL FOR
INFORMATION SEE OWNER'S I
ADDITIONAL
Fig . 218 T ir e pr essu re
label
w arm tir e to matc h "cold t ire in flation press ure" recommenda tions .
The tires wou ld then be underinflated and cou ld fai l suddenly .
M aintaini ng proper t ire pressure is one of the most im po rta nt
thi ngs you ca n do t o help avo id sud den t ire fa ilu re. Underi nflated
tires are a major cause of sudden tire failure. Keeping tires at the
ri ght pressure is also importa nt for safe and r espo nsive ve hicle
handling, traction, braking and load carrying.
Tire pressures are
particularly important when the vehicle is being driven at higher
speed s, and then especially when heavily loaded even within the
•
T ire pressure generally refe rs to the amou nt of air in a t ire that it
needs it to do its job and safely carry the combined load of the entire
veh ic le and i ts c ontents. Tire p ressu re is measu red in kilopascals
(kPa), the international measuring unit and in pounds per square
inch (PSI) . Tir e p res su re is based in part on th e vehic le's design and
load lim it - the greatest amount of weight that the veh ic le can carry
safely and the tire size . The proper tire pressure is frequently
re ferred to as the "recommended cold t ire infla tion pressure." A ir in
the tires expands when the tire heats up because of internal friction
when it fl exe s i n us e. The tir e press ure is high er w he n th e t ire has
warmed up than when it is "cold." It is the inflation pressure in a "c old" tire that c ounts. Theref ore , yo u sho uld never le t air ou t of a
permissible load -carrying capacities approved for your vehicle. ...
Ve hic le care Technical data

___ T_ ir_e _ s_ a_ n
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The recommended tire pressures for your Audi depend on the kind
of tires on your vehicle and the number of passengers and/or
amount of luggage you will be transporting.
The tire pressure label located either on driver's side 8-pillar or
inside the fuel filler flap on your Audi lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the vehicle at its maximum capacity
weight and tires that were on your vehicle at the time it was manu­
fac tured .
If you wish to improve comfort when operating the vehicle at
normal load (up to 3 occupants), you can adjust tire pressures to
those specified for normal vehicle load. Before operating the vehicle at maximum load, you must increase the tire pressures to those
specified for maximum vehicle load
~ & .
If your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system*,
bear in mind that the system can only monitor the tire pressures you have stored
. The system does not recognize the load condition of
your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the tire pressure monitoring system will be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehicle at its maximum
load~& .
See the illustration~ page 297, fig . 217 for the location of the label
either on driver's side 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slightly).
Note that the following table is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change . In the event of discrepancies, the tire
pressure label (e ither on driver's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel filler
flap) always takes precedence.
The table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi model covered by your Owner's Literature at the
vehicle's capacity weight and the tire si zes installed on the respec­
tive models as original equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine Tire size designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load normal load
ment in condition (up to full load
condition (up full load
liter) condition
condition
3 occupants) to 3 occupants)
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
4-cylinder 215/55 R16 93H All Season 35 240
36 250 35 240
36 250
2.0
235/45 R17 94H All Season 33 230 35 240 33 230 35 240
235/45 R17 94V High Performance 30 210
32 220 30 210
32 220
235/40 R18 95V XL High Performance 35 240 39 270 35 240 39 270
6-cylinder 215/55 R16 93H All Season 36 250 36 250 35 240 36 250
3.2
235/45 R17 94H All Season 35 240
35 240
33 230 35 240
235/45 R17 94V High Performance 30
210 32 220 30 210 32 220
235/40 R18 95V XL High Performance 38 260 42 290 38 260 42 290
XL = reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xi, EXTRA LOAID, or RF on the tire sidewall.