check engine AUDI A5 CABRIOLET 2015 User Guide
Page 175 of 268
Operating  noise 
Noises  may occur when  braking depending  on the 
speed,  braking  force and  outside  conditions  such 
as temperature  and  humidity. 
Effect  of water  and  road  salt 
In certain  situat ions, for  example  after  driving 
through  water,  in  heavy ra in, after  overn ight  con
densat ion or  after washing your  car,  the braking 
effect  can be reduced  by moisture  or  ice on  the 
brake  rotors  and  brake pads. The  brakes must be 
dried  first  with  a  few carefu l brake applications. 
At  higher  speeds  and with  the  w indshie ld w ipers 
turned  on, the  brake pads  press against  the brake 
rotors  for a short  amount  of  time.  This occurs at 
regular  intervals  without  the  driver  noticing  and 
provides for  better  brake response time  under 
wet  conditions. 
The effectiveness  of  the  brakes can be reduced 
when  the  vehicle  is driven  on a salt-covered  road 
and the  brakes are not  used. Likewise, you  clean 
off  accumulated  salt  coating  from  brake discs 
and  pads with  a few  cautious  applications  of  the 
brake ¢.& . 
Corrosion 
There may be a tendency  for  dirt  to  build  up on 
the  brake pads and  corros ion to  form  on the  discs 
if  the  car is  not driven  regularly  or  only  for  short 
tr ips with  little use of  the  brakes. 
If  the  brakes are not  used frequently,  or  if  corro
sion  has formed  on the  discs, it  is advisab le to 
clean off  the  pads and discs by braking  firmly  a 
few  t imes from  a moderately  high  speed¢.&. 
Faults  in the brake system 
If  you should  notice  a  sudden increase in  brake 
pedal trave l, then  one of  the  two  brake circuits 
may  have  failed 
c:> .& . 
Low brake  fluid level 
Malfunctions  can occur  in the  brake system  if  the 
brake  fluid  level  is too  low.  The  brake fluid  leve l is 
~ monitored  e lectronically. 
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Smart  Technology 
Brake booster 
T he  brake booster  increases  the  pressure that you 
generate  w ith  the  brake  pedal. 
It works  on ly 
when  the  engine  is running 
.c:> .& 
Brake lining  wear  status 
Brake  lining  wear  may be checked  by visual  in
spect ion of the  condition  of  the brake pads 
through  the  openings  in  the  wheel.  If necessary, 
the  wheel  may be  removed for this  inspection 
c:> page  230,  Replacing  wheels. 
_8 WARNING "'---
-New brake pads don't  have the  best  stop
pin g power  and  must  be "broken-in"  during 
the  initial  250  miles  (400  kilometers).  You 
can compensate  for  this  by press ing the 
brake pedal  more  firmly.  This also applies 
later  when  new pads  are installed. 
-
- You shou ld perform  braking maneuvers for 
the  purpose  of  cleaning the brake  system 
only  if road  conditions  permit.  Other  road 
users  must  not  be put  at  r isk -you  may 
cause  an acciden t! 
- Before  descending  a steep  grade,  reduce 
speed and shift  transmission  into a lower 
gear  or lower  driving  range.  Do not  ride the 
brakes or  hold  the  pedal down too long  or 
too  often . This could  cause the  brakes to  get 
hot  and diminish  braking  efficiency. 
- Do  not  "ride  the brakes"  by resting  your foot 
on  the  pedal  when you do not  intend to 
brake. This  may cause  the brakes to  over
heat,  premature  wear  and  increased stop
p in g distance. 
- Under  certain  cl imatic  and operat ing condi
tions  such as  passing through  water,  dr iv ing 
in heavy rain  or  after  washing  the  vehicle, 
the  effectiveness  of  the  brakes can be re
duced.  In  winter,  ice can accumulate  on the 
b rak e pads, linings,  discs and  drums.  Care
fully  apply  brakes for  a test.  Brakes  will dry 
and  ice coatings  will be cleaned off  after  a 
few  careful  brake applications. 
- Driving  for  an  extended period  of  time  on 
salt -covered roads wi thout  using your 
brakes can a lso affect  braking  efficiency . 
173  
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Driving  and  th e  environment 
(D Tips 
- Check  the  depth  of  the  water  before  driving 
through  it. 
- Do not  stop  the  veh icle,  drive  in  reverse  or 
switch  the  engine 
off when  driving  through 
water. 
- Keep  in  mind  that  oncoming  vehicles  may 
create  waves  that  raise  the  water  level  and 
make  it too  deep  for  your  vehicle  to  dr ive 
through  safely. 
- Avoid driving  through  sa lt  water  because  it 
can  cause  corrosion. 
Catalytic  converter 
It  is very  important  that  your  emission  control 
system  (catalytic  converter)  is functioning  prop erly  to  ensure  that  your  vehicle  is running  in  an 
environmentally  sound  manner . 
~ Always  use  lead-free  gasoline c:::;, page  190, 
Fuel supply . 
~ Never  run  the  tank  down  a ll the  way to  empty . 
~ Never  put  too  much  motor  oil  in your  engine 
c:::;,  page  199, 9::?1 Adding  engine  oil  . 
~ Never try to  push- or tow -start  your  veh icle. 
The cata lytic  conve rter  is an  eff icient  "clean-up" 
dev ice  bu ilt  into  the  exhaust  system  of  the  vehi
cle.  The  cataly tic converter  burns  many  of  the 
pollutants  in the  exhaust  gas  before  they  are  re 
leased  into  the  atmosphere. 
The  ex clusive  use  of  u nleaded  fuel  is critically  im
por tant  for  the  life  of the  catalyt ic converte r and 
p roper  functioning  o f the  engine. 
A WARNING ,..___ -
- The  temperature  of  the  exhaust  system  is 
high,  both  when  driving  and  after  stopping 
the  engine. 
- Never  touch  the  exha ust  tail  pipes  once  they 
have  become  hot.  This could  result  in  burns. 
- Do not  park  o r operate  the  vehicle  in  areas 
whe re the  hot  exhaust  system  may  come  in 
contact  with  dry  grass,  brush,  fue l spill  or 
other  mater ial  which  can  cause  a fire. 
- Do not  apply  additional  undercoating  or 
rustproofing  on  or  near  the  exha ust  man i-
178 
fold,  exha ust  pipes,  catalytic  converter  or 
heat  shields.  During  driv ing,  the  substance 
used  for  undercoat ing  could  overheat  and 
cause  a f ire. 
Cl) Note 
- Be aware  that  just  one  tank  fill ing  with 
le ad· 
ed 
fue l w ill  already  ser iously  degrade  the 
performance  of the  catalytic  converter. 
- Do not  exceed  the  correct  engine  oil  level 
c:::;,page  199. 
-Do not  drive  until  the  fue l tank  becomes 
completely  empty.  The  engine  co uld  m isfire. 
Unburned  fuel  could  also  get  into  the  ex
haust  system  and  this  could  cause  the  cata
lyt ic converter  to  overheat. 
- Do not  turn 
off the  ignition  while  the  vehicle 
is  moving . 
- Do not  continue  to  operate  your  veh icle  un
der  these  conditions,  as  otherwise  fuel  can 
reach  the  catalytic  converter . This  could  re
sult  in  overheating  of  the  conve rter,  requ ir
ing  its  replacement. 
- T o assure  efficient  operation  of  the  Emission 
Cont ro l System: 
- Have your  vehicle  maintained  properly  and 
in  accordance  with  the  se rvice recommen
dations  in yo ur Warranty 
& Maintenance 
booklet. 
- Lack  of  proper  maintenance  as  we ll as  im
proper  use  of the  vehicle  will  impair  the 
function  of the  emission  control  system 
and  could  lead  to  damage. 
(® For the  sake of  the  environment 
Even when  the  Emiss ion  C ontrol  System  is op
e rat ing  proper ly, the  exhaust  gas  can  have  a 
sulfur-like  exhaust  gas  sme ll under  some  op
erat ing  states.  This  depends  on  the  sulfur 
content  of  the  fuel  being  used.  Us ing  a  d iffe r
ent  brand  of fue l may  he lp, or fi llin g  the  tank 
wi th  lead-free  s uper  grade  gaso line. 
Shutting  down  vehicle 
If you  would  like you r vehicle  to  remai n inope ra
tive  for  a  longer  period  of time,  con tact  an Audi 
o r other  spec ia liz ed  dealer.  They  can  adv ise you  .,.  
Page 183 of 268
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Trailer  mode Driving  with  a  trailer 
General  information 
Your Audi was  designed  primarily  for passenger 
transportation. 
If  you  plan  to  tow  a tra iler,  p lease  remember  that 
the  additiona l load  will  affect durability,  econo
my  and  performance . 
T railer  towing  not  on ly places  more  stress on  the 
vehicle,  it also  calls  for  more  concentrat ion  from 
the  driver . 
F or  this  reason,  a lways  fo llow  the  operating  and 
d riving  instructions  provided  and  use  common 
sense. 
Technical requirements 
Traile r hitch 
Use  a weight-carrying  hitch  conforming  to  the 
gross  trailer  weight.  The  hitch  must  be  suitable 
for  your vehicle  and trailer  and  must  be mounted 
securely  on  the  veh icle 's  chassis  at  a technically 
sound 
location . Use  on ly a tra iler  hitc h with  a  re
movable  ba ll mou nt.  Always  chec k w ith  the  t ra il
e r  hitch  m anu fac tur er to  make  sure  that  you  a re 
using  the  co rrec t hitch. 
Do not use a bumper hitch . 
The hitch must  be  installed  in such  a way  that  it 
does  not  in terfere  with the  impact-absorbi ng 
bumper  system.  No mod ificat ions  should  b e 
mad e to  the  vehicle  exhaust  and  brake  systems . 
Fr om  time  to  t ime,  c hec k t hat  a ll h itch  mou nti ng 
bo lts  remain  sec urely  fastened . 
When  you  are  no t tow ing a  trailer, 
remove the 
trai ler  hitch  ball  mount . Th is  prevents  the  hitc h 
fr om  caus ing damage  should  you r vehicle  be 
s truck  from  behind¢,&. . 
Trailer  brakes 
If yo ur tra iler  is equipped  w it h  a  braking  system, 
check  to  be  s ure that  it  conforms  to  all  regu la
tions. 
Trailer  mode 
T he  trailer  hyd raulic  brake  system  must  not  be  di 
rect ly connected  to the  ve hicle's  hydraulic  b rake 
system ¢.&. . 
Safety  chains 
Alw ays  use  s afety  ch ains  be tween  your  ve hicle 
and  t he tra ile r. 
Trailer  lights 
Tra ile r li ghts  must  meet  all  regulations.  Be sure 
to  check  w it h  your  author ized  Audi deal er for  cor
r e ct  w iring,  sw itches,  and  relays. 
Mirrors 
If you  are  unable  to  see  the  traffic  behind  you  us
i ng  the  regular  o uts ide  mirrors,  then  you 
must in 
sta ll extended  mirrors . 
It is importa nt  that  you 
always have  clea r vision  to  the  rea r. 
_&. WARNING 
- I f a  trai ler  has  elec trical  brake s please  note 
th at  these  b ra kes  are  not  acti va ted  by  the 
factory -fitted  contro l unit  -ris k  of  acci dent! 
- After  removing  the  t railer  hi tch,  do  n ot store 
it  in your  vehicle . In case  o f su dden  braking, 
the  hi tch could  fly forward  and  injure  you  or 
your  passe ngers. 
Operating  instructions 
Maximum  traile r weight 
A trai ler  for you r vehicle  is limited  to  a  typical 
class  1 or  class  2  trailer. 
Trailer  load  distribution 
B e  sure  the  load  in  the  t ra iler  i s held  secure ly in 
pla ce to  prevent  it  from  sh ifting  forw ard ,  back 
war d or  sideways . 
Never allow a passenger to ride in a  trailer¢.&. 
in Driving in struc tion s on page  182. 
Engine  cooling  system 
Towing  a  trailer  makes  the  engine  work  harder . It 
is  important  that  the  cooling  system's  pe rform
ance  is  up  to  the  additional  load . Ma ke  s ure  that 
t h e coo ling  system  has  enoug h fluid. 
IIJJ, 
181  
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Trailer  mode 
Tire pressure 
When tow ing a trailer,  inflate  the  tires of your ve
hicle to  the cold tire  pressure  listed  under  " Full 
load" on the  label  located  on the  driver's side  B 
pillar (visible when  the  door  is open).  Inflate 
trailer  tires  to  trailer  and tire  manufacturers' 
specifications. 
Lights 
The  headlight  settings  should  be checked with 
the  trailer  attached  before driving off . Check to 
make sure  both  vehicle and  trailer  lights  are 
working properly. 
Safety  chains 
Be  su re  trailer  safety chains  are properly  connect
ed from  the  trailer  to the  hitch on  the vehicle. 
Leave  enough  slack in the  chains  to  permit turn
ing corners.  When you  install safety  chains,  make 
sure  they will not  drag  on the  road when  you are 
driving. 
The chains  shou ld cross under  the  trai ler tongue 
to  prevent  it from  dropping  in case  of separation 
from  the  hitch. 
Driving  instructions 
Driving  with  a trailer  always  requires  extra  care 
and  consideration. 
To obtain  the  best  possible handling  of vehicle 
and  trai ler,  please  note  the  following: 
..  Do  not tow  a loaded  trailer  when your car  itself 
is not  loaded  . 
..  Be especia lly careful when  passing  other 
vehicles. 
..  Observe speed  limits. 
..  Do not  drive at  the  maximum  permissible 
speed . 
..  Always apply  brakes  early. 
..  Monitor the  temperature  gauge. 
Weight  distribution 
Towing a  loaded  trai ler with an empty  car  results 
in a highly unstable  distribution  of weight.  If this 
cannot  be avoided,  drive at  very low speeds  only 
to  avoid  the  risk of  losing steering  control. 
182 
A "balanced"  rig is easier  to operate  and  contro l. 
This means  that  the  tow vehicle shou ld be loaded 
to  the  extent  possible  and  permissib le, wh ile 
keep ing the  trailer  as  light  as  possible  under  the 
c ir cumstances.  Whenever  poss ible, transfer 
some  cargo to  the  luggage  compartment  of the 
tow veh icle while observing  tongue  load  require
ments  and  vehicle  load ing considerat ions . 
Speed 
The higher  the  speed,  the  more  difficult  it be
comes  for the  driver to  control  the  rig. Do  not 
drive at  the  maximum  permissible  speed.  Reduce 
your speed  even more  if load, weather  or w ind 
cond it ions  are  unfavorab le  - particularly  when 
go ing downh ill. 
Reduce veh icle speed 
immediately if the  trailer 
shows  the  slightest  sign of swaying. 
Do not try 
to  stop the  swaying by  accelerating. 
Observe speed  limits.  In some  areas,  speeds  for 
vehicles towing  tra ilers  are  lower than  for  regular 
vehicles. 
Always apply  brakes  early. When  dr iving down
hill,  shift  into  a  lower  gear  to  use the  engine 
braking  effect to  slow  the vehicle.  Use of the 
brakes  alone  can cause  them to  overheat  and  fail. 
Coolant  temperature 
The coolant  temperature  gauge¢ page  10 must 
be observed  carefully. If the  needle  moves close 
to  the  upper  end  of the  scale,  reduce speed  im
med iately  and/or  turn off the  air conditioner  . 
If the  coolant  temperature  warning  light . in 
the  instrument  cluster  starts  flashing,  pull off 
the  road,  stop  and  let the  engine 
idle for  about 
two  m inutes  to  prevent  heat build-up  . 
&_ WARNING 
Anyone not  properly restrained  in a moving 
vehicle  is  at a much  greater  risk  in an  acci
dent.  Never let anyone  ride  in your car who is 
not  properly  wearing the restraints  provided 
by Audi. 
- 
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Checking  and  Filling Hood 
Releasing  and  opening  the  engine  hood 
The  engine  hood  is released  from  inside  the  vehi
cle. 
Fig. 170  Driver's  side footwell:  e ng in e hood  release  lever 
Fig. 171  Releas e lev er un der t he e ngin e hood 
Before opening  the  engine  hood,  make  sure  that 
the  windshield  wipers  are  flat  against  the  wind
shield . Otherwise,  they  could  damage  the  paint 
on  the  hood. 
..  With  the  driver's  door  open,  pu ll the  lever  un
der  the  instrument  panel  in the  direction  of  the 
arrow 
c::> fig . 170. 
..  Ra ise  the  hood  slightly c::> &. 
..  Press  the  rocker  switch  under  the  hood  upward 
c::> fig . 171. This  releases  the  catch . 
..  Open  the  hood. 
A WARNING 
Hot  engine  coolant  can  burn  you. 
- To  reduce  the  r isk  of  being  burned,  never 
open  the  hood if you  see  or  hear  steam  or 
coolant  escaping  from  the engine  compa rt
ment.  Wait until no  steam  or coolant  can  be 
Checking  and Filling 
seen or heard  before  carefully  opening  the 
hood . 
Closing  the  engine  hood 
.. Pull the  hood  down  until  the  pressure  from  the 
struts  is reduced. 
"'  Let  the  hood 
drop  down and  latch  in  place. Do 
not  try to push  it shut; 
it  may  fa il to  engage 
c::> &. -
A WARNING 
A hood  that is not  comp letely  latched  could 
fly  up and  block  your  view  while  driving. 
- When  you  close  the engine  hood,  check it  to 
make  sure the safety  catch  has  properly  en
gaged . The  hood  should  be  flush with  the 
surrounding  vehicle  body  parts. 
- If  you  notice  while  driv ing that  the  hood  is 
not  secured  properly, stop  at  once  and  close 
it. 
Working  in the  engine  compartment 
Be  especially  careful whenever you  work in  the 
engine  compartment. 
-
Whenever  you must  perform  any work  in the 
engine  compartment,  for example  checking  and 
filling  different  fluids , there  i s a risk  of injury , 
burns  and accidents.  To prevent  personal injury 
always  observe the  following WARNINGS . The 
engine  compartment  of any vehicle  is a hazard
ous  area 
c:> .&. . 
A WARNING 
-
To help  avoid  injury,  before you  check  any-
thing  under  the  hood: 
- Turn  off the  engine. 
- Remove  the ignition  key . 
- Apply the  parking  brake. 
- Move selector  lever  of  automatic  transmis-
sion  to  "P" (Park) . 
-Always  let the  engine cool  down. Hot  com 
ponents  wi ll burn  skin on contact . 
- To  reduce  the  risk of  being  burned,  never 
open  the  hood  if you see or  hear  steam  o r 
coo lant  escaping  from the  engine 
195  
Page 198 of 268
Checking  and  Filling 
compartment.  Wait  until  no  steam  or  cool
ant  can  be  seen  or  heard  before  carefully 
opening  the  hood. 
- Keep  children  away  from  the  engine  com
partment. 
- Never  spill  fluids  on  hot  engine  compo
nents.  They  can  cause  a fire. 
- Never  touch  the  radiator fan.  The  auxiliary 
electric  fan  is temperature  controlled  and 
can  switch  on  suddenly. 
- Never  open  the  coolant  reservoir  cap  when 
the  engine  is still  warm . The  coolant  system 
is  pressurized  and  hot  coolant  could  spray 
out . 
- Protect  your  face,  hands and  arm  from 
steam  or  hot  engine  coolant  by placing  a 
thick  rag  over  the  cap  when  you  open  the  coolant  reservoir . 
- Do not  remove  the  engine  cover  under  any 
circumstances . This  increases  the  risk of 
burns . 
- If work  on  the  fuel  system  or the  electrical 
system  is necessary : 
= Always disconnect the battery. 
- Never smoke  or  work  near  heaters or  open 
flames.  Fluids  in the  engine  compartment 
could  start  a fire. 
- Keep an  approved  fire  extinguisher  imme
diately  available. 
- To  avoid  electrical  shock  and  personal  injury 
while  the engine  is running  or  being  started, 
never  touch: 
- Ignition  cables 
- Other  components  of  the  high  voltage 
electronic  ignition system. 
- If you  must  perform  a check  or  repair  with 
the  engine  running: 
- First,  fully  apply  the  parking  brake,  move 
selector  lever of automatic  transmission 
to  "P"  (Park) . 
- Always use  extreme  caution  to  prevent 
clothing,  jewelry,  or  long  hair  from  getting 
196 
caught  in the radiator fan,  V-belts  or  other 
moving  parts,  or  from  contacting  hot 
parts.  Tie back  hair  before  starting,  and  do 
not  wear  clothing  that  will  hang  or  droop 
into  the  engine. 
- Minimize  exposure  to  emission  and  chemi
cal  hazards 
¢ A . 
A WARNING 
California  Proposition  65  Warning: 
- Engine  exhaust,  some  of  its  constituents, 
and  certain  vehicle  components  contain  or 
emit  chemicals  known  to  the  State  of Cali
fornia  to  cause  cancer  and  birth defects  and 
reproductive  harm.  In addition,  certain  flu
ids  contained  in vehicles  and  certain  prod
ucts  of  component  wear  contain  or  emit 
chemicals  known  to the  State  of  California 
to  cause  cancer  and  birth  defects or  other 
reproductive  harm. 
- Battery  posts,  terminals  and  related acces
sories  contain  lead and lead  compounds, 
chemicals  known  to  the  State  of  California 
to  cause cancer and reproductive harms. 
Wash  hands  after  handling. 
([) Note 
When  adding  fluids,  always  make  sure  that 
they  are  poured  into  the  proper  container  or 
filler  opening,  otherwise  serious  damage  to 
vehicle  systems  will occur. 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
To detect  leaks  in time,  inspect the  vehicle 
floor  pan  from  underneath  regularly.  If you 
see  spots  from  oil  or other  vehicle  fluids,  have 
your  vehicle  inspected  by an  authorized  Audi  dealer .  
Page 199 of 268
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Checking and Filling 
Engine  compartment 
Engine  compartment 
These are the  most  important  items  that you  can check. 
Fig. 172 Typical  layout  for  containers  and  eng ine  oil filler  cap 
(D Eng ine  o il filler  cap (<t=r.)  .. .. ..  . 
@ Jump  start  point(+)  under  a cover 
@  Brake  fluid  reservoir((();)  .... ..  . 
@ Coolant  expansion  tank (- L)  .. ..  . 
® Jump  start  point(-)  with  hex  head 
199 
206,241 
203 
202 
screw  . . .  . .  . . .  . .  .  .  . .  .  . .  .  . .  . .  .  206,  241 
@ Windshield/headlight*  washer  con-
tainer 
(Q)  .  . . . .  . .  .  .  . .  .  . .  . .  . .  . 208 
The  position  of  the engine  oil  filling hole 
c:> fig.  172 (item@) can  differ  depending  on  the 
engine  design . 
A WARNING 
Before  you  check  anything  in the  engine  com
partment,  always  read  and  heed  all WARN
INGS 
c:> &. in  Working  in the  engine  compart
ment  on page  195. 
Engine  oil 
Engine  oil  specifications 
The engine  oil used  must  conform  to exact  speci
fications. 
T he  service  interval  disp lay in the  instrument 
cluster  of  your vehicle  will  inform you  when  it  is 
time  for an  oi l change . W e recommend  that  you 
have  your  oil  changed  by an  authorized  A udi  Serv 
ice  Advisor . 
If you  have to  top  off  the oil  between  oil  changes, 
use  the  Audi  oil  qua lity  standard  specified  in the 
table . 
Audi oil  quality  standard 
Ga soline 
VW 502  00  or 
engine vw 504  00 
197  
Page 200 of 268
Checking  and  F ill in g 
Using the  proper  engine  o il is important  for  the 
functionality  and  service life  of  the  engine.  Your 
engine  was  factory-fi lled w ith  a high-quality  o il 
which  can usually  be used throughout  the  ent ire 
year. 
@) Note 
Your L imited  New Vehicle Warranty  does  not 
cover damage  or  malfunctions  due to  failure 
to  follow  recommended  ma intenance  and use 
requ irements  as set forth  in the  Audi  Ow ne r's 
Manual  and Wa rranty 
& Ma intenance  booklet . 
- Use only  a high  quality  eng ine oil  t hat  ex-
pressly comp lies w ith  the  Audi  o il quality 
standard  specified  for  your  vehicle's  e ngine . 
Using a ny other  oil  can cause se rious engine 
damage. 
- Do not  mix any lubricants  o r othe r addit ives 
i nto  the  engine  oil.  Doing  so can cause en 
g ine damage. 
(D Tips 
If you  need to  add oil  and there  is none availa
ble that  meets  the  Audi  o il quality  standard 
y o ur  eng ine  requires, you  m ay add  a total of 
no more  than  0.5  quart/li ter o f a h igh-quali ty 
"synthet ic"oil  that  meets  the  fo llowing  speci 
fications . 
- V ehicles wi th gasoline  engine:  AC EA A3 o r 
API SM with  a viscosity  grade of  SAE 0W- 30, 
SAE SW -30  or  SAE SW-40 . 
- Fo r  more  informa tion abo ut  engine  oi l that 
has been approved  for  your  vehicle,  please 
contact  either  you r a uthorized  Aud i dea ler 
or  Audi  Customer  Relations  at 
1 (800)  822-2834  or visit  o ur web  site  at 
www .aud iusa.com or  www .aud icanada .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  parts . 
In  order  to  provide  effective  lubrication  and  cool
i n g of  in ternal  engine  components,  all  interna l 
combustion  engines  consume  a certai n amount 
of  oil.  O il consumption  var ies from  engine  to  en
g ine and  may change  significant ly ove r the  life  of 
198 
the  engine.  Typically, eng ines with  a specif ied 
break-in  period  (see 
¢ page  177)  consume  mo re 
o il  dur ing the  b reak -in  per iod than  they  consume 
after  oil  consumption  has stabili zed. 
U nder  normal  cond itions , the  rate  of  oi l con 
s u mption  depends  on t he  qu ality  and viscosity  of 
the  oil,  the  RPM (revolutions  per minute)  at 
which  the  engine  is operated,  the  ambient  tem 
perature  and road  condit ions.  Further  factors  are 
the  amount  of  o il di lution  from  water  condensa 
tion  or fuel  residue and the  ox idat ion  level of  the 
o il.  As any engine  is s ubject  to  wear  as mileage 
builds  up, t he oil  consump tion  may  inc rease ove r 
t ime  unt il rep lacement  of  wo rn  component s may 
become necessary. 
With  a ll these  va riab les  coming  into  p lay, no 
sta ndard  ra te of  oil  consumpt ion can be estab
li shed or  spe cified . There i s no altern ative  to  reg
u la r and freq uent  checking  o f the  oil  leve l, see 
Note . 
If  the yellow  e ngine  oi l leve l wa rning  symbo l El 
in the  instr ument  cluster  lights  up, yo u should 
chec k the o il level  as soon as possible 
¢ page  199 . Top off  the  oil  at  your  ear liest con 
venience  ¢page  199. 
A WARNING 
Before you  chec k anything  in the  eng ine com
partment,  always read and  heed a ll WARN
INGS¢ .&. in  Working  in  the  engine  compart
ment  on page  195 . 
@ Note 
Driving  with  an insufficient  oi l level  is likely  to 
cause severe damage to  the  engine. 
(D Tips 
- The oil  pressu re warning display.  is  not 
an  indicator of  the  oil  level.  Do not  rely on 
it . Instead,  check the  oil  level  in your en
gine  at  regular intervals,  preferably each 
time  you  refuel,  and always  before  going  on a long  trip. 
- If  you  have the  impression  yo ur engine  con
sumes excessive amounts  of  oil,  we r ecom-
mend  that  yo u consult  an au tho rized Audi  .,.  
Page 201 of 268
M N 
ci LL co 
rl I.O 
"' N 
"' rl 
dealer to have  the cause  of  your  concern 
properly  diagnosed.  Keep in  mind  that  the 
accurate  meas urement  of  oil cons umption 
requires  great  care  and  may  take  some  time. 
An authorized  Audi  dealer  has instructions 
about  how  to  measure  oil  consumption  ac
curately. 
Checking  the  engine  oil  level 
Fig. 173 MMI Disp lay:  Oil level  indicator 
Read  oil  level 
• Park  your  vehicle  so  that  it  is horizonta lly  level. 
•  Shut  the  engine off  when  it  is at  operating  tem-
perature. 
•  Switch  only  the  ignition back  on. 
•  Wait  approx.  two  minutes. 
•  Select:  Function  button 
~IC ~A ~R~I > Oil level. Or 
•  Se lect:  Funct ion  button 
ICARI > Car systems* 
control  button > Servicing & checks > Oil  level. 
• Read  the  oil  level in the  MMI* Display 
r:::> fig.  173. Add  engine  o il if  the  bar  of  the  oil 
level  indicator  is near  "min" 
r:::>page  199 
Depending  on  the  way  the  vehicle  is  driven and 
the  operating  conditions,  oil consumpt ion  can  be 
up  to  a  1/2  quart  per  600  miles  (O.S liter  per 
1,000  km) . Consumption  may  be  higher  within 
the  first  3,000  miles  (S,000  km). 
@ Tips 
The  oil level  indicator  in the  MMI* Display  is 
only  an  information  disp lay.  If  the  oil  level is 
too  low,  a  minimum  oil warn ing  appears  in 
the  instrument  cluster.  Add oi l 
¢ page  199. 
If  the  hood  has  been  opened,  the  current  oil 
level  is shown in the  instrument  cluster  the 
next  time  the  ignition  is switched  on. 
Checking  and Filling 
~ Adding  engine  oil 
Fig. 174 Engine compartment:  Cover on the  oil  filler neck 
•  Before  you  check  anything  in the  engine  com
partment, 
always  read and  heed  all WARN
INGS 
¢ .&. in  Working  in  the  engine compart
ment  on page  195. 
• Shut  the  eng ine  off. 
•  Unscrew  the cap~  to  the  eng ine  oil filling 
hole 
¢ fig.  174,  ¢page  197, fig. 172. 
• Carefully  top  off  with  0 . S quarts  (0.5  liters)  of 
the  appropriate  oi l 
¢page 197. 
• Check the  oil  level  again  after  two  minutes 
¢ page  199,  Checking  the engine  oil  level. 
• Top  off  the  o il aga in,  if necessary. 
•  Screw  the  cap  back  on  the  filling  hole. 
A WARNING 
-
- Wh ile topping  off,  the  o il must  not  come  in 
contact  w ith  hot  engine  parts -fire  hazard! 
- The  oil filler  cap  must  be properly  secured  to 
p revent  oil  from  being  sprayed  on  the  hot 
engine  and  exhaust  system when the engine 
is  running  -fire  hazard! 
- If  you r skin  has  come in contac t with  the en
g in e  oi l, you  must  subsequently  cleanse it 
thoroughly. 
CJ) Note 
- Check the  oil  level  using  the  radio or  MMI*. 
If  the  message 
Please  reduce  oil  level ap
pears,  contact  your  authorized  Audi  dealer 
or  qualified  workshop  to  have  excess  oil ex
tracted  if necessary. 
-Audi  does  not  recommend  the  use  of  oil 
additives.  They may  damage  the  engine 
and  adversely  affect your New Vehicle  War-
ranty.  ..,. 
199  
Page 202 of 268
Checking  and  F ill in g 
@ For the  sake  of  the  environment 
- Under no circumstances  can the  oil  come in 
contact  with  the  sewage network  or  the  soil. 
- Observe and fo llow  lega l regu lations  when 
disposing  of  empty  oil  containers . 
Changing  the  engine  oil 
We  recommend  that  hove your  oil changed  by on 
authorized  Audi  dealer  or a qualified  service sta
tion. 
Before you check anything  in the  engine  compa rt 
ment, 
alway s read and heed all  WARNINGS ¢ .&. 
in Working  in the  engine  comportment  on 
page  195. 
The engine  oil  must  be changed according  to  the 
i n terva ls specified  in yo ur Warranty 
& Mainte
nance booklet . This is very important  because the 
lubricat ing propert ies of  o il diminish  gradua lly 
during  normal  vehicle  use. 
Under  some circ umstances  the  engine  oi l sho uld 
be changed  more  frequent ly . Change oil  more  of
ten  if  you drive  most ly short  distances,  operate 
the  vehicle  in dusty  areas or  under  predom inantly 
stop-and-go  traffic  condit ions,  or  have your  vehi
cle where  temperatures  rema in below  freezi ng 
for  extended  periods. 
Detergent  addit ives in the  o il w ill  make fresh  oil 
look  dark  after  the  engine  has been  running  for  a 
short  time.  This is normal  and is not  a reason to 
cha nge the  oil  mo re often  than  recommended . 
Because of  the  problem  of  proper  disposa l, along 
with  the  special tools  and  necessary expertise  re
qu ired, we stro ngly  recommend  that  you  have 
your  oil  changed  by an autho rized 
Aud i deale r or 
a qualif ied se rvice stat ion. 
If  you choose  to change your o il yourself, please 
note  the  fo llowing  important  information : 
A WARNING 
To reduce  the ris k of  persona l inju ry if yo u 
must  c han ge the  engine  oil  in your  ve hicle 
yo urself: 
- Wea r eye p rotection . 
200 
-
-To reduce t he risk of  burns  from  hot  engine 
oil,  let  the  engine  coo l down  to  the  touch. 
- W hen  removing  the  o il drain  p lug with  your 
fingers,  stay  as far  away as possib le. Always 
keep your  forearm  parallel  to  the  ground  to 
he lp prevent  hot  oi l from  running  down your 
arm . 
- Dra in the  oil  into  a c ontainer  designed  for 
this  purpose,  one  la rge enough  to  hold  at 
least  the  tota l amount  of  oil  in your  engine. 
- Engine oil  is poisonous.  Keep  it  we ll out  of 
the  reach of  chi ld ren . 
- Continuous  contact  w it h  used eng ine oi l is 
ha rmf ul to  your  skin.  Always  protect  you r 
skin  by washi ng oil  off  tho roughly  wi th soap 
a nd wate r. 
(D Note 
Never mix  oil  additives  with  your  engine  oil. 
These additives  can damage your  e ngine  and 
adverse ly affect  your  Audi  Limited  New Vehi
cle Warranty. 
@ For the sake of the environment 
- Before  changi ng your  oil,  first  make su re 
you  know where  you ca n prope rly dispose  of 
the  used oil. 
- Always dispose  of  used eng ine oil  properly. 
Do  not  d ump  it  on garden  so il, wooded 
areas,  in to op en st reams o r down  sewage 
drai ns. 
- Recycle used engi ne oil  by taking  it  to  a used 
eng ine oi l collect ion fac ility  in yo ur area, o r 
c ontact  a service  station. 
Cooling  system 
Coolant ' 
The engine  coolant  performs  two  functions:  it 
keeps  the  engine  from  overheating  and  it pro 
tects  the  engine  from  freezing  in the  winter. 
The cooling  system  is sealed and  genera lly re
q u ires  little  attention. 
The cooli ng sys tem has been filled  at  the  f actory 
wi th a permanent  coolan t which  does not  need to 
be changed. The coolant  consists  of  a mixtu re of 
jll,,