check engine AUDI A5 COUPE 2011 Owner's Manual

Intelligent technology
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Driver notification in the instrument
cluster display
If battery power drops into the range where it can limit the ability of
the engine to start, this is shown in the instrument cluster display
with the following driver message:
Lo w b attery charge : batt ery will be charged while driving
Th is notification rem inds you that the starting capability of the
engine may be limited . As soon as you start driving again, the batte ry
w ill be recharged and the notification w ill go out.
Dri ver notification appears and goes out again
If th is dr iver notification appears after the ignition is turned o n or
while driving a nd it goes out again afte r a w hile, the battery has been
adequate ly recharged.
Driver no tification appears and does not go out
again
If th is dr iver notifica tion appears afte r the ignition is turned o n or
while driving and does not go out again, the battery 's state of charge
is not in the optimal range . Starting ability is restricted. Have the
battery checked as soon as poss ible by an au thor ized Aud i dea le r o r
qualified workshop. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Driving and environment
------------------------------------------------'
depending upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather conditions,
trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating .
-Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating. If you antici­
pate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possible - for
example when you see that the next traffic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
- Try and keep well below your car's maximum speed.
Accelerating gently reduces fuel consumption, engine wear, and does
not disturb the environment .
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and eng ine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds . If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption will be reduced by one half.
Never drive faster than the posted speed limit and weather condi­
tions permit. •
Reducin~ unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up fuel.
-Shut the engine off when you are not driving the vehic le .
- Do not warm up the vehicle by letting the engine run at
idle.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic jams, when waiting for
trains to pass at railroad crossings, or at traffic lights that have long
waits on red. Turning the engine off for just 30 -40 seconds saves
more fuel than is burned starting the engine again .
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up fully when it is running
at idle. However, wear and noxious emissions are especia lly high
when the eng ine is warming up. So you should dr ive away as soon as
you start the engine and avoid running at high rpms while the engine
is still warming up.
0 Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after starting . If warning
lights should come on to indicate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces heat, which could result in
overheat ing or other damage to the vehicle or other property. •
Regular maintenance
A badly tuned engine unnecessarily wastes a lot of fuel .
- Have your vehic le serviced at regular intervals .
By having your vehicle regularly serviced by an authorized Audi dealer
helps to ensure that it runs properly and economically . The condit ion
of your vehicle not on ly affects its safety and ability to hold its val ue,
it also affects fuel consumption.
Check your oil each time you fill your tank.
Th e amount of oil used is related to engine load and speed.
It is normal for the oil consumption of a new engine to reach its
lowest value after a certain mileage has been driven.
You must dr ive your veh icle about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers)
before you can properly assess oi l consumption .
Thi s also applies to fuel consumption and eng ine output.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in pla ce to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or s ideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer => & in "Driving instruc­
tions" on
page 252.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harde r. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additional load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the label located either on the
dr iver's side B-pillar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications.
Lights
The headl ight settings should be checked w ith the trailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit
turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to p revent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Driving instruct!ons
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other veh icles .
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results in a highly unstable
distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low
speeds only to avo id the r isk of losing steer ing control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. Th is means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissible,
wh ile keeping the trailer as light as possible under the c ircumstances.
Whenever possible, trans fer some cargo to the luggage compart ­
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
Th e higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icularly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately i f the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating. _,

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Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
- Open the dr iver's door.
F ig . 20 3 Driver 's sid e
f oo twell : e ng in e ho od
r elease leve r
-Pull the re lease lever on the left under the instrument
panel ~ fig. 203 in the directio n of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly under spring press ure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 204 Rel ease le ver
unde r th e eng in e hood
Before opening the eng ine hood, make sure that the wi nd­
shield wipers are flat against the win dshiel d. Otherwise, they
cou ld damage the paint on the hood .
Pull up on t he release under the hood~ fig. 20 4. T his
releases the catch.
- Open t he hood all the way~& .
& WARNING
Hot eng ine coolant can burn you.
• To redu ce the r isk o f be ing burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compa rt­
ment. Wait until no ste am or co olant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood .•

Checking and filling Ill
-------------~--
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 fail to engage=:> &.
& WARNING
A hood that is not completely 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 engaged. The hood should be flush with
the surrounding vehicle body parts.
• If you notice while driving that the hood is not secured prop­
erly, 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 is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent personal injury always
observe the following WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area=>& .
& WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check anything under the hood:
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Apply the parking brake.
Safety first
& WARNING (continued)
• Move selector lever of automatic transmission to "P" (Park);
put manual transmission in Neutral.
• Always let the engine cool down. Hot components will burn
skin on contact.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart­
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood.
• Keep children away from the engine compartment.
• Never spill fluids on hot engine components. 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.
• 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 immediately 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: ..,
Vehicle care Technical data

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© Windshield/headlight* washer container (W ) . . . . . . . 290
(J) Power steering reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
The position of the engine oil filling hole=:> fig. 205 (item@) can
differ depending on the engine design .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS=:>
& in "Working in the engine
compartment" on
page 275. •
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The engine oil used in your Audi needs the right kind of oil.
The engine in your Audi is a sophisticated power plant that was built
to exacting specifications. This engine needs the right kind of engine
oil that meets specifications regarding quality and viscosity so that it
can run smoothly and reliably. Choosing the right oil and changing oil
within the time and mileage intervals printed in your vehicle's
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet matters a lot more today than it did
years ago. Audi has developed a special quality standard for engine oil
that will help assure that your vehicle's engine will get the lubrication
it needs for proper operation.
Modern engine lubrication has taken a quantum leap in the last few
years. Many synthetic oils available today provide better engine lubri­
cation that can outlast traditional petroleum-based oils, making
them a smart choice for use throughout the life of your Audi.
Whether you use synthetic or petroleum-based engine oil, the oil that
you use must conform to Audi's oil quality standard VW 502 00 to help keep your vehicle's engine running smoothly and help prevent
the formation of harmful deposits, sometimes called "sludge", that
over time can lead to expensive repairs.
Safety first
At the time of printing, engine oils available in the U.S. and Canada
that meet the exacting specifications of Audi oil standard VW 502 00
are synthetic engine oils. This does not mean, however, that every
synthetic engine oil will meet Audi oil standard VW 502 00. So always
be sure that you use an approved oil.
To help prevent the formation of harmful deposits use only oil with
the following specifications printed on the oil container:
Audi oil standard VW 502 00
Oil container labels may carry the specification singly or in combina­
tion with other designations and oil quality standards.
Viscosity
Engine oils are graded according to their viscosity. The proper
viscosity grade oil for your engine depends on climactic or seasonal conditions where you drive. You can use oil with a viscosity grade of
SAE SW40 across all temperature ranges for normal driving condi­
tions.
However, if engine oil viscosity grade SAE SW40 is not available, you
can also use viscosity grade SAE SW-30 or SAE OW-40 as long as it
meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications.
Because engine oil that meets the Audi oil standard may not be avail­
able everywhere when you need it, we strongly recommend that you
always carry with you an extra quart (liter) of oil that expressly
conforms to the VW 502 00 specification, in case you have to top off
the oil while on the road.
Only if the level of the oil is at or below the minimum mark - and no
oil that expressly conforms to Audi oil standard VW 502 00 specifica­
tions is available -may you top off with a high quality engine oil, pref­
erably synthetic-based, that meets ACEA A3, ACEA AS or ACEA BS or
API SL specifications, but even then, only in viscosity grades SAE SW-
40, SAE SW-30, or SAE OW-40. However, during the entire time
between oil change intervals, never top off with more than a total of
0.5 qt/liter engine oil that does not conform to Audi oil specification
vw 502 00. ..
Vehicle care Technical data

-Checking and filling
-------=----- -=-----------------------------------------
For more information about engine oil that has been approved for
your veh icle, please contact either your authorized Audi dealer or
Audi Customer Relations at 1 (800) 822-2834 or visit our web site at
www.audiusa .com or www.audicanada.ca . Here you will also find a
current list of oils (manufacturers, brand names etc.) that conform to
Audi oil standard VW 502 00 .
Changing the engine oil
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed according to the mileage
(kilometers) and time intervals specified in your vehicle's Warranty
&
Maintenance booklet . Do not exceed these intervals - harmful
deposits from o ld engine oil can reduce engine performance and can
lead to expensive engine repa irs.
Changing the oil at the recommended intervals is so very important
because the lubricating properties of oil decrease gradually during
normal vehicle use. If you are not sure when you have your oil
changed, ask your authorized Audi Service Adviso r.
Under some circumstances the engine o il should even be changed
more frequent ly. Change oil more often if you drive mostly short
distances, operate the veh icle in dusty areas or mostly under stop­
and-go traffic conditions, or when you use your vehicle where temper­
atures stay below freez ing po int for long periods.
Detergent additives in the oil will make fresh oil look dark after the
engine has been running for a short time. This is normal and is not a
reason to change the oil more often than recommended .
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of maintenance
It is essentia l that you change yo ur oil at the recommended intervals
using only engine oil that complies with Audi oil standard
VW 502 00. Your Limited New Vehicle Warranty does not cover
damage or malfunctions due to fa ilure to follow recommended main­
tenance and use requirements as set forth in the Audi Owner's
Manual and Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. Your dealer will have
to deny warranty coverage unless you present to the dealer proof in
the form of Service or Repair Orders that all scheduled maintenance
was performed in a timely manner. •
Engine oil consumption
The engine in your vehicle depends on an adequate
amount of oil to lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
In order to provide effective lubrication and cooling of internal
eng ine components, all inte rnal comb ustion eng ines consume a
certain amount of oil. Oil consumption varies from engine to engine
and may change sign ifican tly over the life of the engine. Typically,
engines with a specified break-in period (see~
page 246) consume
more oil dur ing the break- in period than they consume after oil
consumption has stab ilized.
Under normal conditions, the rate of oil consumption depends on the
quality and viscosity of the oil, the RPM (revolutions per minute) at
which the engine is operated, the ambient temperature and road
conditions. Further factors are the amount of oil dilution from water
condensation or fuel residue and the oxidation level of the oil. As any
eng ine is subject to wear as mileage builds up, the oil consumption
may increase over time until replacement of worn components may
become necessary.
With all these variab les coming into play, no standard rate of oil
consumption can be established or specified . There is no alternative
to regular and frequent checking of the oil level, see
Note .
If the yellow engine oil level warning symbol in the instrument
cluster lights up, you should check the oil level as soon as possible
~ page 279. Top off the oil at your earliest convenience~ page 279.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment , always
read and heed all WARNINGS ~
& in "Working in the engine
compartment" on page
275.

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0 Note
Dr iv ing with an insufficient oil level is likely to cause severe damage
to the engine .
[ i ] Tips
• The oil pressure warning display~ is not an indicator of the 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 .
• If you have the impression your engine consumes excessive
amounts of oil, we recommend that you consult an authorized Audi
dealer to have the cause of your concern properly diagnosed. Keep in
m ind that the accurate measurement of o il consumption requires
great care and may take some time. An authorized Audi dealer has
instructions about how to measure oil consumption accurately .•
Checking the engine oil level
Fig. 206 MMI Display:
Oil leve l ind icator
Read oil level
-Park your vehicle so that it is horizontally level.
- Shut the engine off when it is at operating temperature.
Vehicle OP-eration
-Wait approx . two minutes.
- Select: Function button
[CAR]> Oil level.
- Read the oil level in the MMI* Display => fig. 206. Add
engine oil if the bar of the oil level indicator is near "Min"
=>
page 279
Depending on the way the vehicle is driven and the operating condi­
tions, oil consumpt ion can be up to a 1/2 quart per 600 mi les (0.5
liter per 1,000 km). Consumption may be higher within the first
3,000 miles (5,000 km) .
[ i ] Tips
Th e oil level indicator in the MMI* Display is on ly an information
display.
If the oi l level is too low, a m inimum o il warning appears in
the instrument cluster. Add oil=>
page 2 79. If the hood has been
opened, the current oil level is shown in the instrument cluster the
next time the ignition is switched on .•
Adding engine oil <t=:;,:
Fig. 207 Engine
com partment: Oil filler
cap location
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 275. .,,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

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- Unscrew the cap~ to the engine oil filling hole
=>
page 279, fig . 207.
- Carefully top off with the app ropriate oil in 0.5 liter doses.
- Check the oil le v e l again after two minutes=>
page 2 79.
- Top off the oil aga in , if necessary .
- S crew the cap bac k on th e fi lling hole.
& WARNING
• While topping off, the oil must not come in contact with hot
engine parts -fire hazard!
• The oil filler cap must be properly secured to prevent oil from
being sprayed on the hot engine and e xhaust system when the
engine i s running · fire hazard!
• If your skin has come in contact with the engine oil , you mu st
s ub sequently cleanse it thoroughly .
0 Note
• Check the oil level using the radio or MMI*. If the message Please
reduce oil level
appears, contact your authorized Audi dealer or other
qualified wo rkshop to have excess o il extra cted if necessary.
• Audi does not recommend the use of oil additives. They may
damage the engine and adversely affect your New V ehicl e
Warranty.
<£> For the sake of the environment
• Under no circumstances can the o il come in contact with the
sew age netwo rk or the so il.
• Observe and fo llow legal reg ulat ions when dispos ing of empty oil
conta iners. •
Changing the engine oil
We reco mmend tha t ha ve your oil chan ged by an auth o ­
ri zed Audi deal er or a qualified s erv ic e sta tion.
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always read
and heed all WARNINGS=>
& in "Working in the engine compart­
ment" on
page 275.
Th e en gine oi l must be changed a ccording to the i nte rvals spe cifi ed i n
your Warranty
& Maintenance booklet. This is very important because
the lubricating prope rties of oil diminis h gradually during normal
veh icle use.
Under some circumstances the engine o il should be changed more
frequently . Change o il more often if yo u drive most ly sho rt dista nces,
operate the vehicle in dusty areas or under predom inant ly stop-and­
go tra ffic condi tions , or have your vehi cle where tempera tures rem ain
be low freezing for extended per iods.
Detergent ad ditives in the oi l will make fresh oil look dark after the
eng ine has bee n ru nning fo r a short t ime . This is normal a nd is not a
reason to change the oil mo re often than recommen ded .
B eca u se of the prob lem of pro per disposal, along with the s peci al
too ls and necessary expertise required, we strong ly recommend that
you have your o il changed by a n autho rized
Audi dealer or a qualified
serv ice stat io n.
If you choo se to change your oil yourself , please note the following
i m po rtant informat ion:
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury if you must change the engine
oil in your vehicle yourself :
• Wear eye protection.
• To reduce the risk of burns from hot engine oil, let the engine
cool down to the touch.
~

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& WARNING (co ntinued )
• When removing the oil drain plug w ith your fingers , sta y as far
away as possible . Alway s keep your forearm parallel to the ground
to help p revent hot oil from running down your arm.
• Drain the oil into a container de signed for this purpose, one
large enough to hold at least the total amount of oil in your
engine .
• Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it well out of the reach of chil­
dren.
• Continuous contact with u sed engine oil is harmful to your
skin. Always protect your skin by washing oil off thoroughly with
soap and water.
0 Note
N ever mix o il additives wi th you r engine oil. These a dditives can
damage your engine and adversely affect your Audi L imited New
Vehicle Warranty.
ffi For the sake of the environment
• Before changing your oil, first ma ke s ure you know w here yo u can
prope rly dispose of the used o il.
• Always dispose of used engine oil properly . Do not dump it on
garden so il, wooded areas , into open streams or down sewage drains .
• Recy cle used e ngine o il by taking it to a used eng ine oil colle ction
facili ty in your area, or contact a service statio n.•
Safety first
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it keeps the
engi ne f rom over heat in g and it prote cts the engine fro m
free zing in the winter .
The coo ling system is sealed and generally requires little attention.
Th e cool ing sys tem h as been filled a t the f actory w ith a permanent
coo lant wh ic h does not need to be changed . The coolant consists of a
mi xtu re of water and the manufacturer 's glyco l-basedcoo lant add i­
t ive Gl2++ antifreeze w ith anticor ros ion addit ives (50% for USA
mode ls ; 60% for Ca nadian mode ls). This mixture both ass ures the
necessa ry frost protect ion and p rotects meta l components in the
engine's cooling system from corrosion and scaling. It also raises the
boiling poin t of the coo lant.
Do not red uce the concentrat io n of the coolant in t he summer by
adding p lain wate r. The proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50 % but not more than 60 %
to maintain antifreeze protection
and coolin g efficiency. If the coolan t fros t pro tection is too low , the
coo la nt cou ld freeze and damage t he veh icle heat ing and engine
cooling system .
For year-ro und d riving, a ntifree ze is adde d at the fac to ry fo r tempe r­
atures down to:
• - 31°F(-3 5°C) USA
• -40°F ( -40°() Canada.
Yo u can mix the Gl2 ++ coo lant add itive with other additives (G12 + or
Gl2) . A lways check wi th yo ur auth o rized Audi dealer .
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, always
read and heed all WARNINGS =>
& in "Working in the engine
compartment " on
page 275.
Vehicle care Technical data