check engine light AUDI A5 COUPE 2016 User Guide
Page 184 of 264
Trailer  mode 
Tire pressure 
When  towing  a trailer,  inflate  the  tires  of you r 
veh icle to  the  cold tire pressure  listed  under  "Fu ll 
load" on the  label  located  on the  driver's  side  B 
pillar (visib le when the  door is open) . Inflate 
trai ler 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 sur e trailer  safety chains  are  properly  connect
ed  from  the  trai ler 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 w ill not  drag  on the  road when  you are 
driving. 
The chains  shou ld cross  under  the  trailer  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  trailer,  please  note  the  fo llowing : 
..  Do  not tow  a loaded  trailer  when  your car itself 
is  not  load ed . 
..  Be especia lly carefu l 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 trailer  with  an  empty  car resu lts 
in a high ly unstable  distribution  of weight.  If this 
cannot  be avo ided,  drive at  very low speeds  only 
to  avoid the  risk of losing steering  control. 
182 
A "balanced"  rig is easier  to operate  and control. 
This means  that  the  tow vehicle shou ld be  loaded 
to  the  extent  possible  and  permissib le, wh ile 
keeping the  trailer  as  light as  poss ible  under  the 
c ir cumstances . Whenever  possible, transfer 
some  cargo  to  the  luggage  compartment  of  the 
tow veh icle while observing  tongue  load require
ments  and vehicle  load ing considerations . 
Speed 
The higher  the  speed,  the  more  difficult  it  be
comes  for the  driver to  control  the  r ig.  Do not 
drive at  the  maximum  permissible  speed.  Reduce 
your speed  even more  if load, weather  or wind 
cond it ion s are  unfavorab le  -particularly  when 
go ing downh ill. 
Reduce vehicle speed 
immediately if  the  trailer 
shows  the  slightest  sign  of sway ing . 
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  driving 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 tempe rature 
The coolant  temperature  gauge c::> 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  a ir cond itioner  . 
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  . 
A 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. 
- 
Page 193 of 264
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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. 158 Driver's  side  footwell:  engine  hood  re lea se lever 
Fig. 159 Release  lever  under  the  engine  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,  pull  the  lever  un
der  the  instrument  panel  in  the direction  of  the 
arrow 
¢ fig.  158. 
.. Raise  the  hood  slightly¢&. 
..  Press  the rocker  switch  under  the  hood upward 
¢fig . 159. This  releases  the catch. 
..  Open  the  hood. 
A WARNING 
Hot  engine  coolant  can  burn  you. 
- 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 
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 . 
.,.  Le t the  hood 
drop  down and  latch  in place. Do 
not  try to push  it  shut; 
it  may  fail  to  engage 
¢&, . 
A 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  en
gaged.  The  hood  should  be flush  with  the 
surrounding  vehicle  body  parts. 
- If  you  notice  while  driving  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  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 hazard
ous area 
¢ .&.  . 
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);  put  manual  transmission 
in Neutral. 
-Always  let  the engine  cool down.  Hot  com
ponents  will  burn  skin  on  contact. 
191  
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Checking  and Filling 
Engine  compartment 
Engine  compartment 
These are the  most  important  items  that you  can check. 
Fig. 160  Typical layout for containers  and  e ngin e  oil fille r cap 
(D Eng ine  o il filler  cap (<t=:r.)  .. .. ..  . 
@ Jump  start  po int(+)  under  a cover 
@  Brake  fluid  reservoir 
((0) ......  . 
@ Coolant  expansion  tank (- L)  ....  . 
® Jump  start  point( -)  with  hex  head 
195 
202,237 
199 
198 
screw  . . .  . .  . . .  . .  .  .  . . .  . .  .  . .  . .  .  202,  237 
@ Windshield/headlight*  washer  con-
tainer 
(W)  .  . .  . . . .  .  . . .  . .  .  . . .  .  . 204 
The  position  of  the  engine  oil filling  hole 
c:> fig.  160 (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  191. 
Engine  oil 
Engine  oil  specifications 
The engine  oil used  must  conform  to  exact speci
fications. 
T he  serv ice  interval  display in the  instrument 
cluster  of  your vehicle  will  inform you  when  it  is 
time  for an  oi l change . We  recommend  that  you 
have  your  oi l changed  by an  authorized  Audi  Serv
ice  Advisor. 
If you  have  to  top  off  the  oil  between  oil  changes, 
use  the  Audi  oil  quality  standard specified  in the 
table . 
Audi oil  quality  standard 
Gasoline 
VW 502  00  or 
engine vw 504  00 
193  
Page 196 of 264
Check ing  and  F illing 
Using the  proper  engine  oil is impo rtant  for the 
functionality  and  service life of the  engine.  Your  engine  was facto ry-filled with a  h igh-quality  oi l 
which can usually  be  used  throughout  the  entire 
year. 
@) Note 
Your Limited New Vehicle War ranty does  not 
cover damage  or  malfunctions  due  to  failure 
to follow  recommended  maintenance  and  use 
requirements  as  set  forth  in the  Audi Owner's 
Manual and  Warran ty 
& Maintenance  booklet. 
- Use only a high quality  eng ine oil t hat  ex-
p ressly complies  with  the  Audi oil qua lity 
standard  specified for your vehicle's  engine . 
Using a ny o ther  oil can cause  serious  engine 
d am age. 
- D o not  mix any lubricants  o r other  addit ives 
i nto  the  engine  oil.  Doing so ca n cause  en
g ine damage. 
(D Tips 
I f you need  to  add  oil and there  is none  availa
ble t hat  meets  the Audi o il quality standard 
your eng ine  requi res , you m ay  ad d  a tot al  of 
no more  than  0.5 qu art /li ter o f a h igh-quality 
"synthe tic"oil that  meets  t he following  speci 
fications. 
- Vehicles w it h  gasoline  eng ine: 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  information  about  en gine  o il that 
has  been  approve d for your ve hicle, please 
contact  eithe r you r a uthorized  Aud i dea ler 
or A udi C ustome r Relat ions  at 
1 (800)  822-2834  or visit our  web site  at 
www .audiusa .com or www.aud icanada .ca . 
Engine  oil  consumption 
The engine  in your  vehicle  depends  on  an  ade
quate  amoun t of  oil  to  lubricate  and  cool  all  of 
its  moving  parts . 
In order  to  provide effective  lubr ication  and  coo l
ing of in ternal  engine  components,  all internal 
combustion  eng ines consume  a certain  amou nt 
of oil. Oil co nsumption  varies from  engine  to en
g ine and  may change  significant ly over the  life of 
194 
th e engine.  Typically, engines  w ith  a specified 
break-in  period  (see 
r=:> poge  177) consume  more 
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 oil con 
sumption  depends  on the  q ua lity and viscosity of 
the  oil, the  RPM (revo lutions  per  m inute)  at 
which the  engine  is operated,  the  ambient  tem perature  and  road  condit ions.  Further  factors  are 
the  amo unt  of o il di lution  from  water  condensa 
t ion or fuel  residue  a nd the  oxidation  level of  the 
o il.  As any engine  is subject  to  wea r as  mileage 
builds  up,  the  o il cons umption  may increase  ove r 
t i me  unt il repla ce m ent  of wo rn components  m ay 
be come  necessary . 
With  a ll these  va riab les  coming  into  p lay, no 
sta ndard  rate  of o il cons umption  can  be estab
li sh ed or spec ified . T he re  is no alte rn ative  to reg
ul ar and  frequen t checking of the  oi l level, see 
Note . 
If  the yellow engine  oi l leve l wa rning symbo l Ill 
in the  instrument  clus ter lights  up , you sho uld 
c h eck t he o il level as  soon  as  possible 
r=:>  page  195 . Top off the  oi l at your ea rliest  con
venience 
r=:> poge  195. 
A WARNING 
Before you check anyth ing  in the  engine  com
partment,  always read  and  heed  all WARN
INGS 
r=:> .&. in  Working  in  the  engine  compart
ment  on page  191. 
@ Note 
D riving wit h an  insuffic ient  oil  level is like ly to 
cause  severe  damage  to  the  eng ine. 
(D 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 en
gine  at  regular intervals,  preferably  each 
time  you  refuel,  and always  before  going 
on  a long  trip . 
-If you have the  impress io n  your e ngine  con
sumes  excessive amou nts  of oil, we recom-
mend  th at yo u consult  an  authori zed A udi  .,.  
Page 199 of 264
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.... <J:) .... 
specially conditioned  water  and  the  man ufactur
er's  glycol-basedcoo lant  additive  Gl3  antifreeze 
with  anticorrosion  additives  (50%  for  USA mod
e ls;  60%  for Canadian  models).  This m ixture 
both  assures  the  necessary  frost  protection  and 
protects  metal  components  in  the  engine's  cool
ing system  from  corrosion  and  scaling. 
It also 
raises  the  boiling  point  of the  coolant . 
Do not  reduce  the  concentration  of  the  coolant  in 
the  summer  by  adding plain  water. 
Th e propor
tion  of  coolant  addit ive must be  at  l eas t 50° /4 
but  not  more  th an 60 % 
to  maintain  antifreeze 
p rotection  and  cooling  efficiency.  If the  coolant 
frost  protec tion  is too  low, the  coolant  co uld 
freeze  and  damage  the  vehicle  heating  and  en
gine  cooling  system. 
F or yea r-round  driving,  antifreeze  is added  at  the 
factory  for  temperatures  down  to: 
- -31  °F (- 35  °C) USA 
- -40  °F  ( - 40  °C) Canada. 
If you must  add  coolant,  use  a  mixture  of water 
and  coolant  addit ive.  Mixing the  coolant  additive 
with  distilled  water is  recommended. 
A WARNING 
Before you check  anything  in the  engine  com
partment,  always  read  and  heed  all WARN
INGS 
Q &. in  Working  in  the  engine  compart
ment  on page  191. 
(D Note 
- Before winter  sets  in,  have the  coolant 
checked  to  see  if the  coolant  additive  in your 
vehicle  is sufficient  to  meet  the  climate  con
dit ions.  This is especially  important  if you 
li ve in a reg ion where  the  w inte r is ext reme
l y co ld.  If  ne cessary,  in cre ase  the  proport io n 
of  coo lant  add itive  to  60%. 
- When  addi ng coolant  addit ive to  you r cool
i ng system,  remember: 
- We  recommend  using  only  coolant  addi
tive  Gl2++  or  Gl3  for your ve hicle. T his 
coolant  additive  is available  at  authorized 
Audi dea lers.  Othe r types  of  antifreeze  can 
significant ly reduce  cor ros ion  p rotection  . 
Check ing  and  Filling 
The resulting  co rrosion  can cause  a loss  of 
coolant  and  serious  engine  damage. 
- Do not  add  any type  of  radiator  lea k sealant 
to  your vehicle's  engine  coolant.  Adding  ra
diator  repair  fluid  may  adversely  affect  the 
function  and performance  of your  cooling 
system  and  could  resu lt  in damage  not  cov
ered  by your  New Veh icle Limited Warranty. 
Checking the  engine  coolant  level 
The  engine  coolant  level  can be  checked with  a 
quick  glance. 
F ig.  163 Engine  compa rtment:  Cover  on  the  coolant  ex 
pans ion  tank 
..  Before  you check  anything  in  the engine  com
partment, 
al ways  read and  heed  all  WARN 
INGS 
q ..&. in  Working  in  the  engine  compart
ment  on page  191. 
..  Park your ve hicle  on a  leve l sur face . 
..  Tu rn off the  ignit io n . 
..  Read the  eng ine coolan t level from  the  coo la nt 
expansion  tank 
qfig . 163,  Qpage  193, 
fig.  160 . 
With  a cold  engine, the  coolant  level 
should  be  between  the  " MIN"  and  "MAX" mark
ings.  When  the  engine  is  warm,  the  level  may 
be  slightly  above  the  "MAX" marking. 
The location  of  the coolant  expansion  tank  can  be 
seen  in  the  engine  compartment  illustration 
qpage  193. 
To obtain  an  accurate  reading,  the  engine must 
be  switched  off. 
T he  expansion  ta nk in your veh icle  is eq uipped 
with  an  electric  coo lant  level  senso r. 
When  the  coolant  leve l is too  low, the  warning 
light  i n the  Auto-Check System 
Q page  17 will 
197  
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-To avoid  being  burned,  do  not  spill  anti
freeze  or  coolant  on  the  exhaust  system  or  hot  engine  parts.  Under  certain  condi
tions,  the  ethylene  glycol  in  engine  cool ant  can  catch  fire. 
- Antifreeze  is  poisonous.  Always  store  anti
freeze  in  its original  container  and  well  out 
of  the  reach  of  children. 
- If  you  drain  the  coolant,  it  must  be  caught 
and  safely  stored  in a  proper  container 
clearly  marked  "poison". 
(D Note 
-Do not  add  coolant  if the  expansion  tank  is 
empty . Air could  enter  the  cooling  system 
and  damage  the  engine. 
If this  is the  case, 
do  not  continue  driving.  Seek  professional 
assistance. 
- Coolant  pollutes  the  environment  and  could 
cause  an  engine  fire.  Excess coolant  will  be 
forced  out  through  the pressure  relief valve 
in  the  cap  when  the  engine  becomes  hot. 
-If, in an  emergency,  only  water  can  be  add
ed,  the  correct  ratio  between  water  and  an
tifreeze  c::> 
page  196 must be  restored  as 
soon  as  possible. 
@) For the  sake of the  environment 
Drained  coolant  should  not  be reused.  Always 
dispose  of  used coolant  while  observing  all 
environmental  regulations. 
Radiator  fan 
The radiator  fan  switches  on  automatically  by it
self. 
The  radiator  fan is driven  by the  engine  via the  V
belt . The  viscous  clutch  regulates  the speed  of 
the  fan  according  to  the  temperature of  the  cool
ant. 
An auxiliary  electric  radiator fan*  switches  on  and 
off  depending  on  coolant temperature  and  other 
vehicle  operating  conditions. 
After  you  switch  the  engine  off,  the  auxiliary  fan 
can  continue  running for up to  10  minutes  -even 
Checking  and  Filling 
with  the  ignition  off.  It can  even  switch  on  again 
later  by  itself  c::> 
&, if 
- the  temperature  of  the  engine  coolant  rises due 
to  the  heat  build-up from the engine  in  the en
gine  compartment,  or 
- the  engine  compartment  heats  up because  the 
vehicle  is  parked in  intense  sunlight. 
A WARNING 
-To reduce  the  risk  of  personal  injury never 
touch  the  radiator  fan. 
- The  auxiliary  electric  fan  is temperature 
controlled  and  can  switch  on  suddenly  even 
when  the  engine  is  not  running. 
- The  auxiliary  radiator  fan  switches  on  auto
matically  when  the  engine  coolant  reaches  a 
certain  temperature  and  will  continue  to  run 
until  the  coolant  temperature  drops. 
Brake  fluid 
Checking brake fluid  level 
The broke  fluid  level  con  be checked  with  o quick 
glance . 
Fig. 164 Engine  compartmen t: Cover on  the  brake flui d 
re servoir 
Before  you  check  anything  in the  engine  compart 
ment, 
always  read and heed  all WARNINGS 
c::> _.& in Working  in the  engine  comportment  on 
page  191. 
.,.  Read  the  brake  fluid  level  from  the  brake  fluid 
reservoir c::>fig.164, 
c::>poge  193,  fig .160 . The 
brake  fluid  level must  be  between  the "MIN" 
and  "MAX"  markings. 
199  
Page 202 of 264
Check ing  and  F illing 
The  brake  fluid  rese rvoir  is  located  at  the  rear 
partition  of  the  engine  compartment  on  the  l eft 
side 
c!,> pag e 193 . 
The  fl uid  level  may  drop slightly after  some  time 
due  to  the  automatic  adjustment  of  the  brake 
pads . This  is not  cause  for  alarm. 
If th e  b rake  fl uid level  fa lls considerably be low 
the  "M IN"  mark,  the  b rake  warning/ind icator 
lig ht  ( U.S.  mode ls : 
1111 , Canadian  models:. ) 
will  come  on 
c!,> page  15 . Do not  contin ue  to  oper 
ate  the  vehicle . T he  comp lete  brake  system 
should  be  thoroughly  checked  by an  authori zed 
Aud i dealer  or  qualified  workshop  and  the  cause 
corrected . If  the  brake  flu id  level  is too  low,  the 
b rake  warning/indicator  light  will  i llum inate. 
Contact  a n author ized  Audi  dealer 
immediately . 
{D) Tips 
The  brake  fluid  reservoir  is  located  under
neath  the  cover . 
Changing  brake  fluid 
Have the  brake  fluid  changed  by an  experienced 
technician . 
Brake  fluid  absorbs  mo isture  from  the  air.  If  the 
water  content  in the  b rake  fluid  is too  high,  cor
rosion  in  the  brake  system  may  resu lt  afte r ape 
riod  of  t ime.  The  boiling  poi nt  of  the  brake  flu id 
will  also  decrease  cons iderably  and  decrease 
b raking  perfo rman ce. 
Therefore,  the  brake  fluid  must  be  changed 
every 
two year s. 
Always  use  new  brake  fluid  wh ic h  con
forms  to  Fede ral  Motor  Veh icle  Standard  "FMVSS 
1 16  DO T 4". 
The  brake  fluid  reservoir  can  be  diff icult  to  reach, 
therefore,  we  recommend  that  yo u have  the 
brake  fl uid changed  by yo ur autho rized 
Audi 
dealer . 
Your dealer  has  t he  corre ct  tools,  t he 
right  brake  fluid  and  the  know-how  to  do  this  for 
you. 
A WARNING 
- Brake  fluid  is  poisonous. It must  be  stored 
only  in the  closed  orig inal  container  out  of 
the  reach  of  chi ldren! 
200 
- Bra ke fa ilure  ca n result  from  old  or  inapp ro
priate  brake  fluid . Observe  these  precau
tions: 
- Use  only  brake  fluid  t hat  meets  SA E speci
fi ca ti on 
J 170 3  and  con forms  to  Federa l 
Motor  Ve hicle  Standard  116 . Always  check 
wi th yo ur autho rized  Audi  dea le r to  make 
s ur e yo u are  using  the  correct  brake  fluid . 
The  correct  type  of  brake  flu id  is also  ind i
cated  on  the  b rake  fluid  reservo ir . 
- The  brake  fluid  m ust  be  new . Heavy  use  of 
the  brakes  can  cause  a vapo r lock  if the 
brake  fluid  is  left  in the  system  too  long . 
This  can  se riously  affect  the  efficiency  of 
the  b rakes  as  well  as  your  safety . This 
could  resu lt  in an  accident . 
(D Note 
Brake  fluid will  damage  the  paint  of  your  veh i
cle. 
@ For the  sake of  the  environment 
Because  of  the  problem  o f proper  d isposa l o f 
brake  fluid  as  well  as  the  spec ial  too ls  re
q ui red  a nd  the  necessary  expertise,  we  rec
omme nd  that  you  have  the  bra ke f luid 
changed  by yo ur autho rized  Aud i dea le r. 
Battery 
,  General  information 
U nder normal operating  condit ions,  the  battery 
i n your  Audi does  not  need  any  maintenance. 
With 
high outside  temperatures  or  long  daily 
drives  we  recommend  that  you  have  the  elect ro 
lyte  level  c hecked  by an  au thorized  Aud i dealer  o r 
qualified  workshop.  The  electro lyte  level  shou ld 
a lso  be  che cked  each  time  the  battery  is c ha rged 
c:!,> page  202. 
Have  the  batte ry chec ked  when  you  take  yo ur ve
hicle  in for  service.  You are  we ll adv ised  to  re
pla ce a  battery  tha t is older  than  5 yea rs. 
With  certain  types  of  airbag  deployment,  t he 
batte ry  is d iscon nected  from  the  ve hicle  electri
ca l system  for  safety  reasons 
c!,> .&. in Repair, care 
and  disposal  of  the  airbags  on page  1 42.  .,.  
Page 203 of 264
.... N 
0 I-co .... <J:) Lil 
.... <J:) .... 
Disconnecting  the  battery  terminals 
Some vehicle  func tion s (p ower w indow reg ula
tors,  for example)  are  lost  i f th e battery  termi 
na ls are  d isconnected.  These functions  have to  be 
relearned  afte r the  battery  termina ls are  con
nected  aga in. To prevent  th is,  the  batte ry shou ld 
only be disconnected  from  the  vehicle e lectr ica l 
system  w hen abso lute ly necessary  for  repairs. 
Vehicles  not  driven  for  long  periods 
If yo u do not  drive you r vehicle over a period  of 
seve ral  days or weeks,  e lectrical  components  a re 
g radually  c ut  back or sw itched  off. This reduces 
e nergy consumption  and  ma inta ins starting  ca 
pability over a longer  pe riod 
c:> page  175 . 
Some  of the  conven ience  f unctions  may not ope r
ate,  s uch  as the  inte rior lights  or the  power seat 
ad justment.  The convenience functions  will be 
ava ila ble aga in whe n you tu rn o n the  ignition  and 
start  the  engine . 
Winter  operation 
During the  winter  months,  battery  capacity tends 
to dec rease  as temperatu res dr op. This is  be
cause  more  power is also  consumed  wh ile start 
in g,  and  the  head lights , rear  wi ndow defogge r, 
etc.,  are used  more  of ten . 
Avoid un necessa ry power consumption,  part icu
l arly in city traffic  or when  t rave ling on ly short 
d ista nces . Let your authorized  Audi dealer  check 
the  capaci ty of  the vehicle  battery  be fore w inte r 
sets  in 
r=;, pag e 202. A well cha rged  batt ery w ill 
n o t  onl y preven t st arti ng p roble ms w hen the 
wea ther is  cold, but  will  also  last  l on ger . 
(D Tips 
If  your v ehicle is  left  stand ing fo r se ve ral 
wee ks  at  extre mely  low  tem per at ures,  the ve
hicle b attery  sh ould  be re moved  and  stor ed 
w here  it will  not  free ze . Th is will  preve nt  i t 
from  being  dama ged  and  hav ing to  be re 
placed . 
Checking  and  Filling 
Working  on  the  battery 
Be especially  careful  when  working  on  or near 
the  battery. 
The battery  is  located  in the  luggage  compart 
ment  under  the  floor.  Befo re you check anything 
i n the  luggage  compart ment , 
read and  heed all 
WARNINGS 
c:> &_ . 
Always heed  the safety  warnings , when working 
o n  the  veh icle batte ry or t he ve hicle elec trical 
system  to  prevent  in jury . 
The  following  WARNINGS  are  very  important 
when  working  on  the  battery : 
Always  heed the  following  WARNING  SYM-
BOLS and safety  precautions when  wo rking  on 
the  battery. 
® 
Always wear  eye protection. 
A 
Battery  acid contains sulfuric  acid. Al-
ways wear  gloves and  eye protection. 
@ 
No 
- sparks 
- flames 
- smoking. 
~ 
When  a battery  is charged , it  produces 
hydrogen gas which  is explosive and 
could cause personal  injury. 
® 
Always  keep the  battery  well  out  of  reach 
of children. 
A WARNING .....__ -
Wheneve r working on t he  battery  or on the 
e lectr ica l system,  the re is the  r isk of  injury, 
accide nt  a nd eve n fire.  Read and  he ed  the  fol
l ow ing W AR NIN GS: 
- Always wear  eye protection.  Do not  let  bat
tery  acid or any l ead  particles  ge t on you r 
skin o r clothing.  Shield yo ur eyes.  E xplosiv e 
g ases  can  ca use  b lindne ss or other  in jury. 
- Ba tte ry acid contai ns sulfur ic acid. Sulfu ric 
acid can ca use  blindness  and s evere  burns. 
- Always wea r gloves and  eye protection . Do 
n ot tilt  t he  batte ry  because  aci d could  lea k 
out  of the  ventilation  openings.  "" 
201  
Page 204 of 264
Checking  and  Filling 
-If you  get  batt ery acid  in your  eyes  or  on 
your  skin,  immediately  rinse  with  cold  wa 
ter  for  several  minutes  and  get  medical  at
tention . 
- If you  should  ingest  any  battery  acid,  seek 
medical  attention  immediately. 
- Do not  expose  the  battery  to  an  open  flame,  electric  sparks  or  an  open  light . 
- Do not  smoke. 
- Do not  interchange  the  positive  and  nega-
tive  cables. 
- When  working  on  the  battery,  be  sure  not  to  short-circuit  the  terminals  with  tools  or  oth
er  metal  objects.  This would  cause  the  bat 
tery  to  heat  up  very  quickly,  which  could  lead  to  damage  or  explosion  and  personal 
injury. 
- When  a  battery  is charged,  it  produces  hy
drogen  gas  which  is explosive  and  could 
cause  personal  injury. 
- Always  keep  the  battery  well  out  of the 
reach  of children. 
- Before  work  is  done  on  the  electrical  sys
tem,  disconnect  the  nega tive ground  cable . 
- Before  performing  any  work  on  the  electri cal  system,  switch  off  the  engine  and  igni
tion  as  well  as  any  electrical  equipment.  The  negative  cable  on  the  battery  must  be  dis
connected.  If you  are  just going  to  replace  a 
light  bulb,  then  it  is enough  to switch  off 
the  lights. 
- Before  disconnecting  the  battery,  sw itch  off 
the  anti-theft  alarm  system!  Otherwise  you 
will set  off  the  alarm. 
- When  disconnecting  the  battery, first  dis
connect  the negative  cable and  then  the 
positive  cable. 
- Before  reconnecting  the  battery,  make  sure 
all  electrical  consumers are  switched  off. 
Reconnect  the  positive  cable  first  and  then 
the  negative  cable.  Never  interchange  the 
cabl es - this  could  start  a fire! 
- Never  charge  a frozen  or  a thawed-out  bat
tery . It  could  explode!  If  a  battery  has  fro
zen,  then  it must  be  replaced.  A discharged 
battery  can  freeze  over  at  32°F  (0°C). 
- Make  sure  the  vent  hose  is always  attached 
to  the  opening  on  the  side  of the  battery. 
202 
- Never  use  batteries  which  are  damaged . 
There  is the  danger  of  an  explosion!  Always 
replace  a  damaged  battery. 
A WARNING 
California  Proposition  65  Warning: 
- Battery  posts,  terminals  and  related  acces
sories  contain  lead and lead  compounds, 
chemicals  known  to  the  State  of California 
to  cause  cancer  and  reproductive  problems. 
Wash  hands  after  handling . 
(D Note 
- Do not  disconnect  the  vehicle  battery  when 
the  ignition  is  switched  on  or when  the  en
gine  is  running,  otherwise,  you  will damage 
electronic  components  in the  electrical  sys
tem . 
-If your  vehicle  is going  to  stand  for  a  long 
period  of time  without  being  driven,  protect 
the  battery  from  "freezing" , otherwise  it 
will  be damaged  and  will then  have to  be  re
placed. 
Battery  charging 
Starting  the  engine  requires  a well charged  bat tery . 
Fig. 165 En g in e  compar tment : Co nnectors  for charger  and 
jumper  cab les 
Always read and  heed  all WARNINGS below 
9 A and ¢ A in Working  on  the  battery  on 
page  201. 
.,.  Turn  off  the  ignition  and  all  electrical  consum
ers. 
.,.  Make sure  the area  is well  ventilated  when  you 
charge  the  battery. 
Iii>- 
Page 206 of 264
Checking  and  Filling 
the  energy  m anag ement  functions  correctly  after 
replacing  the  battery. 
I f  it  is  not  poss ible  to  use  a  battery  of th is  type, 
the  new  battery  must  have  the  same  capacity, 
voltage  (12 -volts),  amperage,  construction  and 
p lug  sealing . 
When  insta lling  the  batte ry,  make  sure  the  igni
tion  and  all  elec trical  consumers  are  turned  off. 
CD Note 
Ma ke  sure  the  ventilation  hose  on  the  side  of 
t he  batte ry is connected,  othe rw ise  f umes  or 
bat tery  acid  can  lea k out. 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
Because  of the  prob lem  of  proper  dispo sal  of 
a  ba tte ry, we  recommen d your  author ized 
Audi de aler  change  the  battery  fo r you . Bat
teries  contain  su lf u ric acid  and  lea d and  must 
always  be  disposed  of  properly  in compliance 
w ith  all  environmental  regu lations.  D ispos ing 
of vehicle  batteries  improperly  is very  danger
ous  to  the  env ironment. 
Windshield/headlight* 
washer  container 
F ig.  16 6 Engine  co mpar tment : Cove r o n  th e w ind shie ld 
and  head lig ht '  was her  fluid  conta iner 
The washer  fl uid containe r is m arked  with  the 
symbo l 
O on  its  cap ~ fig. 166 , ¢ page  193 , 
fig . 160  . 
.,. Befo re yo u check  anything  in the  engine  com
partment, 
alway s read  and  heed  all  WARN
INGS ¢,& in  Working  in  the  engine  compor t
ment  on page  191. 
204 
.,.  Lift the  filler  cap  tongue  to  add  washe r fl uid. 
You ca n fill the  conta iner  to  the  top. 
.,.  Press  the  cap  back  onto  the  filler  neck  after  fill -
ing  the  container . 
You can  find  the  reservoir 
capacit y in the  table  in 
~ page  242. 
Clean  water  should  be  used  when  filling  up . If 
possib le ,  use  soft  wate r to  prevent  scaling  on  the 
washer  jets.  Always add  a  glass  cleaner  solution 
(with  frost  p rotection  in the  winter) . 
CD Note 
Do not  mix engine  coolant  antifreeze  or  any 
other  additives  to  fill  up  the  winds hield  wash
er  reservoir.