check engine AUDI A7 2014 Owner's Manual
Page 229 of 306
Checking  and  filling Engine  hood 
Releasing  the  engine  hood 
The engine  hood  is released  from  inside  the 
vehicle . 
Fig.  191 Dr iver  footwell:  release lever 
Fig. 192 Rocker switch  under  the  hood 
Make sure  the  wiper  arms  are  not  raised  up 
from  the  w indshield.  Otherw ise  the  paint 
could  be  damaged. 
..  Pull  the  lever  under  the  instrument  panel  in 
the  d irect ion  of the  arrow 
~ fig.  191. 
.. Raise  the  hood  slightly~ &-
.. Press  the  rocker  switc h under  the  hood  up
ward 
~ fig.  192. This  re leases  the  catch . 
..  Open  the  hood . 
A WARNING 
Hot  engine  coo lant  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 
compartment . Wait  until  no  steam  or 
coolant  can  be  seen  or  heard  before  care
fully  opening  the  hood. 
Checkin g and  fillin g 22 7 
Working  in the  engine  compartment 
Be especially  careful whenever  you work in 
the  engine  compartment. 
Wh ene ve r y ou must  p erform  an y  wor k in  the 
e ng ine  com pa rtm ent , for  e xample  checking 
a nd filling  diff ere nt  fluids,  th ere  is  a risk of 
inju ry, burn s and accid ent s.  To  pr eve nt  per
so nal  injury alwa ys  observ e the  foll owing 
WARNING S. The engin e compartment  of an y 
v e hicle i s a h az a rdou s are a 
~ ,&. 
h WARNING 
To help  avoid  injury,  before  yo u check  any 
thing  under  the  hood: 
- Turn  off the  engine. 
- Sw itch  off  the  ignition. 
- Apply the  parki ng  brake. 
- Move selector  leve r to  P (Park). 
- Always  let  the engine  cool  down.  Hot 
components  w ill burn  skin  on  contact . 
- To reduce  the  risk of  being  burned,  never 
open  the  hood  if you  see  or  hear  steam 
or  coo la nt  escaping  from  the  engine 
compa rtment.  Wait  unt il no  steam  or 
coolant  can  be  seen  o r heard  before  care
fu lly opening  the  hood. 
- Keep  ch ildren  away  from  the  engine  com
pa rtment. 
- Never  sp ill fluids  on  hot  engine  compo
nents . They  can  cause  a fire  . 
- Never  touch  the  rad iator  fan.  The  auxili
ary  electric  fan  is temperat ure  controlled 
a nd  can  sw itch  on  suddenly  . 
- Never  open  the  coolant  reservoir  cap 
when  the  engine  is still  warm.  The  cool
a nt  system  is  p ressu rized  and  hot  cool
a nt  cou ld  spray  o ut. 
- Protect  your  face,  hands  and  arm  from 
steam  or  hot  engine  coolant  by plac ing  a 
thick  rag  ove r the  cap  when  you  open  the 
coo lant  rese rvoir. 
- Do not  remove  the  engine  cover  under 
any  circumstances.  This  inc reases  the 
ris k of  burns. 
- If  work  on  the  fue l system  o r the  elec tri 
cal  system  is necessary:  
Page 230 of 306
228  Check ing  and  filling 
- Always  disconnect  the  battery. 
- Never  smoke  or wor k near  heaters  or 
open  flames . Fluids  in the  engine  com
partment  could  start  a fire. 
- Keep  an  approved  fire  extinguisher  im
mediately  available. 
- To avoid  electrical  shock  and  persona l in 
jury  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  repa ir 
with  the  engine  running: 
- Fi rst,  fully  apply  the  parking  brake, 
move  se lec tor  lever  to  P (Pa rk) . 
- Always  use  extreme  caution  to  prevent 
clot hing,  jewe lry, or  long  ha ir from  ge t
ting  caught  in the  radiator  fan,  V -belts 
or  other  moving  parts,  or from  contact ing  hot  parts . Tie  back  hair  before 
start ing,  and  do  not  wear  cloth ing  that 
will hang  or  droop  into  the  eng ine . 
- Minimize  exposure  to  emission  and  chemica l ha zards¢ ,&.. 
A WARNING 
California  Propos ition  65  Warning: 
- Engine  exhaust,  some  of  its  constituents, 
and  certa in veh icle  components  conta in 
or  emit  chemicals  known  to  the  State  of 
Califor nia to  cause  cancer  and  b irth  de
fects  a nd  reproduct ive  ha rm.  In  addition , 
certain  fluids  conta ined  in vehicles  and 
certa in  prod ucts  of  co mponent  wear  co n
ta in or  emi t chemicals  known  to  the 
State  o f Ca lifornia  to  cause  can cer  and 
birth  defects  or  other  reproductive  harm . -
Battery  posts,  terminals  and  re lated  ac
cessories  conta in  lead  and  lead  com
pounds,  chemicals  known  to  the  State  of 
California  to  cause  cancer  and  reproduc
tive  harms.  Wash  hands  after  handling . 
(D Note 
When  adding  flu ids,  always  make  sure  that 
they  are  poured  into  the  proper  conta iner 
or  f iller  opening,  otherwise  serious  dam
age  to  vehicle  systems  w ill 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  ve hicle  flu
i ds,  have  yo ur vehicle  inspected  by a n au
thori zed  Audi  dea le r. 
Closing the  engine  hood 
.,.  Pull the  hood  down  un til the  pressure  from 
the  struts  is  reduced. 
.,.  Let the  hood 
drop  down and  latch  in  p lace . 
Do not  try to push  it shut; it  may  fail  to  en
gage ¢&_ . 
A WARNING 
-
A hood  that  is  not  completely  latched 
could  fly  up  and  b lock your  view  while  dr iv 
ing . 
-When  you  close  the  engine  hood,  check  it 
to  make  sure  the  safety  catch  has  p roper 
ly engaged.  The  hood  sho uld  be  flush 
with  the  surrou nding  vehicle  body  pa rts. 
- If you  notice  while  driv ing  that  the  hood 
is not  s ecured  prope rly, stop  at  onc e and 
close  it.  
Page 231 of 306
Checking and  fillin g 229 
Engine  compartment 
Engine compartment  overview 
These are  the  most  important  items  that  you  can check. 
Fig.  193 Typical l ayout  for  conta iners  and  engine  o il filler  cap 
@ Jump  start  poin t(-) with  hex 
head screw  .. ....... ... .. .. .  240,  276 
@ Jump  start  point(+)  under  a cov-
® 
© 
® 
© 
er  .. .. ... ..... ...... ......  240,  276 
Brake fl uid  reservo ir 
((0))  . .  . .  . 237 
Engine  oil  filler  cap 
("1:::r.)  . .  .  .  . 232 
Coolant  expansion  tank 
(-L)  .. . 
Windshield/headlight  washer 
t  .  ('"') con  ainer O  ...... .... ... . 
235 
241 
The engine  oil  filler  neck  (item@) may be  lo
cated  in a d ifferent  a rea depend ing  o n the 
ver
sion  of  the  eng ine. 
Before you  check anything  in the  engine 
compartment,  always read and heed all 
WARNINGS 
c::> &. in  Working  in  the  engine 
compartment  on page  227. 
Engine  oil 
Engine  oil  specifications 
The  engine  in your  Audi  needs  the  right kind 
of  oil. 
The  engine  in your  Audi  is a sophisticated 
powerplant  that  was built  to  exacting  specifi
cations.  This eng ine needs the  right  k ind of 
engine  oil  that  meets  specifications  regarding 
quality  and viscosity  so that  it  can r un 
smooth ly and reliably.  Choosing the  right  o il 
and  changing  oil  within  the  t ime and  mileage 
intervals  p rin ted  in you r vehicle's Wa rranty 
& 
Maintenance  booklet  matters  a lot  more  to
day than  it  did years ago . Audi  has deve loped 
a specia l quality  sta ndard  for  engine oil  that 
will  help  assure  that your  vehicle's  engine will 
get  the  lubrication  it  needs for  proper  opera
tion.  
Page 232 of 306
230  Check ing  and  filling 
Mo dern  engine  lubrication  has taken  a quan
tum  leap  in  the  last few  years.  Many synthetic 
oils  ava ilable  today  provide  better  engine  lu
brication  that  can outlast  traditional  petrole
um-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  (vehicles with  gasoline  engine)  or 
VW 507  00  (veh icles with  diesel  engine)  to 
he lp keep your  vehicle's  eng ine running 
smoothly  and help  prevent  the  fo rmation  of 
harmf ul depos its , somet imes ca lled  "sludge," 
that  over t ime can  lead to  expensive  repairs. 
At  the  time  of  printing , engine  oils  availab le in 
the  U .S . and  Canada  that  meet  the  exacting 
specifi cations  of  A udi oi l st andard  VW  502  00 
(vehicles wi th gasoline  engine)  or VW 507  00 
(vehicles with  diesel  engine)  are synthetic  en
gine  oils . This does not  mean,  however, that 
every synthetic  engine  oil  will  meet  Aud i oil 
standard  VW  502  00  (vehicles with  gaso line 
engine ) or VW 507  00  (veh icles w it h diese l 
engine).  So always be sure that  you  use an ap 
proved oil. 
To help  prevent  the  format ion  of  harmful  de
posi ts use only  oi l with  the  fo llow ing spec ifi
cations  printed  on the  oil  containe r: 
- Aud i oil standard  VW  50 2 00  (ga soline  en 
gine ) 
- Audi  oil sta nd ard  VW  50 7 00  (diesel en -
gine ) 
Oil  container  labe ls may carry the  specif ica 
tion  s ingly  or  i n comb ination  with  other  desig
nations  and oil  q ua lity  standards. 
Visco sity 
Eng ine oi ls are graded  according  to  thei r vis
cosity.  The prope r viscosity grade  oil  for  your 
engine  depends  on  climac tic  or  seasonal  con
d itions  whe re you drive.  You can use oi l w ith  a 
viscosity  g rade of  SAE 5W40  across all  tem 
perat ure ranges for  normal  driving  conditions . 
H oweve r,  if  eng ine o il viscos ity  grade 
SAE 5W40  is not  av ailable,  you  can a lso  use  viscosity  grade  SAE 5W-30  or  SA
E OW-40 as 
l ong  as it  meets  Audi  oil  quality  standard 
VW  502  00  (veh icles with  gasoline  engine)  or 
VW 507  00  (vehicles with  d iesel eng ine) spec
ifications. 
Beca use engine  oi l that  meets  the  Audi  oil 
standard  may not  be availab le everywhere 
when  you  need it,  we  strong ly recommend 
that  you a lways carry  with  you  an ex tra qua rt 
( li ter)  of  oil  that  express ly conforms  to  the 
VW  502  00  (veh icles with  gasoline  engine)  or 
VW  507  00  (vehicles w ith  d iese l eng ine) spec
ifica tion , in case you  have to  top  off  the  oil 
wh ile on t he road. 
Applies to  vehicle s with  gasoline  engine  on
l y: 
Only  if  the  level  of  the  o il is at  or  be low  the 
min imum  ma rk on  the o il dipstick  - and no oi l 
t h at  expressly  conforms  to  A udi o il standard 
VW  502  00  spec ificat ions is available  -may 
yo u top  off  with  a high  quality  engine  oi l, pre f
erab ly synthetic-based,  that  meets  ACEA A3 
or AP I SM spec ificat ions, but  even then,  only 
in v iscosity  grades  SAE 5W-40,  SAE 5W-30,  or 
SAE OW-40.  However, during  the  ent ire time 
betwee n oil  change  intervals,  never top  off 
with  more  than  a total  of  0 .5 qt/liter  engine 
o il  that  does not  conform  to  Audi  o il specifica
t ion VW  502  00. 
Applies to  vehicle s with  die sel engin e only: 
Only  if  the  level  of  the  oil  is at  or  below  the 
min imum  ma rk on  the  o il dipstick  - and no o il 
t h at  expressly  conforms  to  Audi  o il standard 
VW  507  00  spec ificat ions is available  -may 
you top  off  with  a high  quality  engine  oil,  that  meets  ACEA C3 or  API CF specifications,  but 
even then , on ly in viscosity  grades SAE 
5W-40,  SAE 5W-30,  or  SA E OW-40 . However, 
during  the  entire  time  between  o il change  in
terva ls, never top  off  wi th more  than  a  total 
of  0 .5 qt/liter  engine  oil  that  does not  con -
fo rm to  Aud i oil  spec ification  VW  50 7 00 . 
For more  info rmation  about  eng ine oi l that 
has been approved  for  your  veh icle,  please 
contact  e ither  your  authorized  Aud i dealer  o r 
Audi  C ustome r Re lations  at  1 (800)  822-2834 
o r  vis it  our web  site  at www.audiusa .com  or 
www.aud icanada .ca. He re you w ill also find  a  .,.  
Page 233 of 306
current  list  of  oils  (manufacturers, brand 
names etc.)  that  conform  to  Audi  oil  standard 
VW 502  00  (vehicles with  gasoline  engine)  or 
VW  507  00  (vehicles with  diesel  engine). 
C hanging  the  engine  oil 
The engine  oil  and oil  filter  must  be changed 
according  to  the  mileage  (kilomete rs) and 
time  intervals  specified  in your  vehicle's  War
ranty 
& Maintenance  booklet.  Do not  exceed 
these  intervals  -harmful  deposits  from  old 
engine  oil  can reduce engine  performance  and 
can lead to  expensive engine  repairs . 
Changing  the  oil  at  the  recommended  inter
vals is so very  important  because the  lubricat
ing  properties  of  oil  decrease gradually  during 
normal  vehicle  use. If  you are not  sure when 
you  have your  oil  changed,  ask your  author
ized  Audi  Service Advisor . 
Under  some circumstances  the  engine  oil 
should  even be changed  more  frequently . 
Change oil  more  often  if you  drive  mostly 
short  distances,  operate  the  vehicle  in dusty 
areas or  mostly  under  stop-and-go  traffic  con
ditions,  or  when  you  use your  vehicle  where 
temperatures  stay below  freezing  point  for  long  periods. 
Detergent  addit ives in  the oil  will  make fresh 
oil  look  dark  after  the  eng ine has been  run
ning  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 essential  that  you change your  oil  at  the 
recommended  intervals using  only  engine  oil 
that  complies  with  Audi  oil  standard 
VW  502  00  (vehicles with  gasoline  engine)  or 
VW 507  00  (vehicles with  diesel  engine).  Your 
Limited  New Vehicle Warranty  does not  cover 
damage  or  malfunctions  due to  failure  to  fol
low  recommended  maintenance  and use re
quirements  as set  forth in the  Audi  Owner's 
Manual  and Warranty 
& Maintenance  booklet. 
Your dealer  will  have to  deny warranty  cover
age unless you  present  to  the  dealer  proof  in 
Checking  and  filling  231 
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 ade
quate  amount  of  oil  to  lubricate  and  cool  all 
of  its  moving  parts. 
In  order  to  provide  effective  lubrication  and 
cooling  of  internal  engine  components,  all  in
ternal  combustion  engines  consume  a certain 
amount  of  oil.  Oil consumption  varies  from  engine  to  engine  and may change significantly 
over the  life  of  the  engine.  Typically,  engines 
with  a specified  break-in  period  (see  ¢ 
page 204)  consume  more  oil  during  the 
break-in  period  than  they  consume  after  oil 
consumption  has stabilized. 
Under  normal  conditions,  the  rate  of  oil  con
sumption  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  fac
tors  are  the amount  of  oil  dilution  from  water 
condensation  or fuel  residue  and the  oxida
tion  level  of  the  oil.  As any engine  is subject  to 
wear  as mileage  builds  up, the  oil  consump
tion  may increase over time  until  replacement 
of  worn  components  may become  necessary . 
With  all  these  variables  coming  into  play,  no 
standard  rate  of  oil  consumption  can be es
tablished  or  specified.  There is  no alternative 
to  regular  and frequent  checking  of  the  oil  lev
el,  see 
Note . 
If  the yellow  engine  oil  level warning  symbol 
in the  instrument  cluster 
II! lights  up, you 
should  check the  oil  level as soon  as possible 
¢ 
page  232. Top off the  oil  at  your  earliest 
convenience 
9 page  232. 
.&, WARNING 
Before  you check  anything  in the  engine 
compartment,  always read and heed all 
WARNINGS ¢.&. 
in  Working  in  the  engine 
comportment  on page  22 
7. 
-
• 
•  
Page 234 of 306
232  Checking  and  filling 
(D Note 
Driving  with  an insufficient  oi l level  is like
ly to  ca use seve re damage to  the  eng ine. 
@ Tips 
- The oil  pressure  warning  display.  i s 
not  an  indicator  of  the  oil  level.  Do not 
r ely  on  it.  Instead , check the  oil  level  in 
your  engine  at  regular  intervals,  pref 
erably each  t ime you  refuel,  and  always 
before  going  on  a  long  trip . 
-If  you  have the  impression  your  engine 
consumes  excessive amo unts  of  oi l, we 
recommend  that  yo u consult  your  Audi 
dealer  to  have the  ca use of  you r co nce rn 
prope rly diagnosed.  Keep in  mind  that 
t h e accurate  measure men t  of  oil  con
s u mp tion  requires  gre at  ca re  and  may 
ta ke some  time.  Your  Audi dealer  h as in 
str uctions  about  how to  measure oil  con
sumption  accurate ly . 
Checking  the  engine  oil  level 
Fig . 194 Di splay:  o il  leve l in dicato r 
... Pa rk your  vehi cle on a  leve l surfac e. 
...  Shu t the engine  off  when  i t  is wa rm. 
...  Swi tch on ly  th e igni tion  ba ck on. 
...  Wa it  approxima tely two  mi nutes . 
...  Se lect : ICAR !funct io n  button> 
(Car)* sy s
tems 
control  button  > Se rvicing & checks > 
O il level. 
...  Check the  oil  leve l in t he  display¢ fig.  194 . 
Add  engi ne oil  if  the  bar of  the  oil  level  indi
cator  is n ear  "m in" 
¢ page  232. 
Depending  on the  way the  vehicle  is driven 
a nd the  operating  conditions,  oil  consumpt ion  can be u
p to  1/2  quart  pe r 60 0  miles  (0.5  liter 
per  1,000  km) . Con sumption  may be hig he r 
within  the  first  3,000  miles  (5,000  km) . 
(D Tips 
The oil  level indicator  in t he  MM I Disp lay is 
o nl y an information  display . If  t he oil  level 
i s lo w, a min imum  oil  warn ing appears  in 
the  instr ument  cluster.  Add  oil 
¢ 
page  232 . If  the hood  has been opened , 
the  cur ren t oil  leve l is s hown  in the  instru 
m ent  cluste r th e next  t ime the  ignit ion  is 
sw itc hed on. 
Adding  engine  oil 'l:::7: 
Fi g.  195 Eng in e  compa rtm en t:  cove r on  t he e ng in e  o il 
fille r neck 
B efo re y ou  chec k anyt hing  in the  engine  com
par tmen t, 
always  read and  heed  all  WARN
INGS 
¢ .&. in Working in the  engine  com part 
ment  on page  22 
7 . 
...  Shu t the  eng ine off  . 
...  Uns crew  the cap 
"I".:::?-to  the  eng ine o il filling 
hole 
¢ fig . 195,  ¢page  229,  fig . 193 . 
... Carefully  top  off  with  0 . 5 quarts  (0 .5 liters) 
of  the  appropr iate  oil 
¢ page  229 . 
... Check the  oi l level again after  two  min utes 
¢ page  232,  Checking the  engine  oil level. 
...  Top off  the  o il aga in,  if  necessary  . 
...  Screw the  cap back on the  fi lling  hol e . 
.&_ WARNING 
= 
- W hile toppi ng  off,  t he o il  mu st  not  come 
i n cont act wit h hot engi ne part s - fire 
h aza rd !  
Page 235 of 306
-The  oil filler  cap must  be properly se
cured to  prevent  oil from  being sprayed 
on the  hot  engine  and  exhaust  system 
when  the  engine  is running  - fire hazard! 
-If your skin has come  in contact  with the 
engine  oil, you must  subsequently 
cleanse  it thoroughly . 
@ Note 
-Check the  oil level using the  MMI. If the 
message 
Please  reduce  oil  level appears, 
contact  your authorized  Audi dealer  or 
other  qualified  workshop  to  have excess 
oil extracted  if necessary . 
-Audi does  not  recommend  the  use  of  oil 
additives.  They may damage  the  engine 
and  adversely  affect  your  New Vehicle 
Warranty. 
@ For the  sake  of  the  environment 
- Under no circumstances  can the  oil come 
in  contact  with  the  sewage  network  or 
the  soil. 
- Observe and  follow  legal  regulations 
when  disposing  of empty  oil containers. 
Changing  the  engine  oil 
We recommend  that  have your  oil changed  by 
an authorized  Audi dealer or a qualified  serv
ice station . 
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  22 
7. 
T he engine  oil must  be changed  according  to 
the  intervals  specified  in your Warranty 
& 
Maintenance  booklet . This is very  important 
because  the  lubricating  properties  of oil di
minish gradually  during  normal vehicle use. 
Under some  circumstances  the  engine  oil 
should  be changed  more frequently . Change 
oil more often  if you drive mostly  short  dis
tances , operate  the vehicle  in dusty  areas  or 
under  predominantly  stop-and-go  traffic  con
ditions , or  have your vehicle where  tempera-
Checking  and  filling  233 
tu  res  remain  below freezing  for extended  pe
riods. 
Detergent  additives  in the  oil will make fresh 
oil look dark after  the  engine  has  been  run ning for  a short  time.  This is normal  and  is not 
a reason  to  change  the  oil more  often  than 
recommended. 
Because of the  problem  of proper  disposal, 
along  with the  special tools  and  necessary  ex
pertise  requir ed, we strongly  recommend  that 
you have your oil changed  by an authorized 
Audi dealer or a qualified  service station. 
If you  choose  to  change  your oil  yourself, 
please  note  the  following  important  informa
tion: 
_& 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  en-
gine oil, let the  engine  cool down to  the 
touch. 
- When  removing the  oil drain  plug with 
your fingers,  stay  as far away as  possible. 
Always keep your forearm  parallel to  the 
ground  to  help prevent  hot  oil from  run
ning down your arm. 
- Drain the  oil into a container  designed 
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 children. 
- Continuous  contact  with  used  engine  oil 
is harmful  to  your skin. Always protect 
your skin by washing  oil 
off thoroughly 
with  soap  and water. 
(D Note 
Never  mix oil additives  with your engine 
oil. These additives  can  damage your en
gine and  adversely affect  your Audi  Limit
ed  New  Vehicle Warranty. 
• 
•  
Page 236 of 306
234  Check ing  and  filling 
@ For the  sake of the  environment 
- Before  changing  your  oil , first  make  sure 
you  know  where  you  can  properly  dispose 
of  the  used  o il. 
- Always  dispose  of  used  engine  oil  proper
l y.  Do not  dump  it  on  garden  soi l, wood
ed  areas,  into  open  streams  or  down 
sewage  dra ins. 
- Recycle  used  engine  oil by taking  it  to  a 
used  engine  oil collection  facility  in your 
area,  or  contact  a service  station . 
Engine  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 sea led  and  generally  re
q uir es  little  attention . 
The  cooling  system  has  been  filled  at  the  fac 
tory  with  a  pe rmanent  coolant  which  does  not 
need  to  be  c hanged.  The  coolant  consists  of  a 
mixture  of  spec ia lly conditioned  water  and  the 
manufacturer 's  glyco l-b ased  coo lant  add i-
tive  G l3  antifreeze  with  ant icorrosion  addi 
tives  (50%  for  USA models ; 60%  for  Canadian 
mod els).  This  mixture  both  assures  the  nec es
sary  frost  protection  and  protects  metal  com ponents  in the  engine's  cooling  sys tem  from 
corrosion  and  scaling . It  a lso  raises  the  boil
ing  point  of  the  coolant . 
Do not  red uce  the  concentration  o f the  coo l
ant  in the  summer  by adding  plain  water. 
The 
proportion  of  coolant  add itive  mu st  be at 
l e a st  50 % but  not  more than  60 % 
to  main
tain  antifreez e protection  and  cooling  efficien
cy . If  the  coolant  frost  prote ct ion  is too  low, 
the  coo lant  cou ld freeze  and  damage  the  veh i
cle  hea ting  and  eng ine  cooling  system. 
For yea r-round  d riving,  antifreeze  is added  at 
the  fac to ry for  temperatures  down  to: 
-- 31°F( -35°C)USA 
- -40  °F (  -40  °C) Canada.  If 
you  must  add  coolant,  use  a  mixture  o f wa 
ter  and  coolant  additive . Mixing the  coo lant 
additive  with  distilled  water  is  recommended. 
A WARNING 
-
Before  you  c heck  anything  in the  engine 
compartment,  always  read  and  heed  a ll 
WAR NINGS 
c::, & in Working  in the  engine 
compartment  on page  22 
7 . 
(D Note 
- Before  winter  sets  in,  have  the  coo lant 
checked  to  see  if the  coolant  additive  in 
your  vehicle  is sufficient  to  meet  the  cli mate  conditions . This  is  especia lly impor
tan t if you  live  in a  reg io n  where  the  win
t er  is ex treme ly cold.  If ne cessa ry, i n
crease  the  pr opo rtion  of  coo lant  add itive 
t o  60%. 
- Whe n adding  coolant  additive  to  yo ur 
c oolin g sys tem,  remembe r: 
- We  recommend  using  on ly coolant  ad 
d itive  Gl2++  or  Gl3  (check  the  label) 
for your vehicle . This coolant additive is 
ava ila ble  at  autho rized  Aud i deale rs. 
Other  types  of  antifreeze  ca n sig nifi
ca ntly  reduce  co rr os io n  protection.  The 
r es ult ing  co rrosion  c an c ause  a  los s o f 
coolant  and  serious  engine  damage. 
- Do  not  add  any  type  of  rad iator  leak  seal
a n t  to  y our  vehicle 's  engine  coolant. 
Add ing  radiator  repai r fl uid  may  adverse 
ly affect  the  function  and  performance  of 
your  cooling  system  and  co uld  resu lt  in 
damage  not  covered  by yo ur New Vehicle 
Limited  Warranty. 
- 
Page 237 of 306
Checking the  engine  coolant  level 
The engine  coolant  level can be checked  with 
a quick glance . 
Fig. 196 Eng ine  compartment:  cover on the  coolant 
expansion  tank 
Before  you  check  anything  in the  engine  com
partment, 
alwa ys read and  hee d all W ARN
ING S ¢.&. in Working  in the  engine  compart
ment  on page  22 
7 . 
.,.  Park your  vehicle  on  a  level  surface. 
.,.  Switch  off  the  ignit ion. 
.,.  Read  the  engine  coolant  level  from  the  cool
ant  expansion  tank¢ 
fig. 196, ¢ page  229 , 
fig.  193 . 
With  a cold  engine,  the  coolant 
level  should  be  between  the  "min" and 
"max"  mar kings.  When  the  engine  is warm, 
the  leve l may  be  slightly  above  the  "max" 
marking. 
The  location  of  the  coolant  expansion  tank 
can  be  seen  in the  engine  compartment  illus
tration¢ 
page  229 . 
To obtain an  accurate  read ing,  the  eng ine 
must  be  switched  off. 
The expans ion tank  in you r vehicle  is  equipped 
with  an  electric  coolant  level  sensor . 
When  the coolant  level is  too  low,  the warning 
light  in the  Auto -Check  System ¢ 
page  17 will 
illum inate  u ntil  you  add  coolant  a nd  the  level 
has  been  restored  to  normal.  Even though 
there  is an  electric  coolant  level  sensor,  we 
still  recommend  you  check  the  coolan t  leve l 
from  time  to  time. 
Coolant  loss 
Coolant  loss  may  indicate  a leak in the  cool ing 
system.  In  the  event  of coolant  loss,  the  cool-
Checkin g and  fillin g 235 
ing  system  should  be  inspected  immediately 
by your  authorized  Audi  dealer . It  is not 
enough  merely  to  add  coolant. 
In  a 
s ea led system,  losses  can  occur  on ly if 
the  boiling  point  of the  coo lant  is exceeded  as 
a  result  of  overheating. 
A WARNING 
The  cooling  system  is  under  pressure  and 
can  get  very  hot.  Reduce  the  risk of  scald
ing  from  hot  coolant  by follow ing  these 
steps. 
- Turn  off  the engine  and  allow  it  to cool 
down. 
- Protect  your  face,  hands  and  arms  from 
escap ing  f lu id  and  steam  by cover ing  the 
cap  with  a  la rge,  th ick rag. 
- Turn  the cap  slowly  and very  carefully  in 
a  counter-clockwise  d irect ion  while  ap
plyi ng  light,  downward  pressure  on  the 
top  of the  cap  . 
- To avo id  being  burned,  do  not  sp ill anti
freeze  or  coolant  on  the  exhaust  system 
or  hot  engine  parts.  Under  certa in cond i
tions,  the  ethylene  gly col  in  engine  coo l
a nt  can  catch  fire. 
(D Note 
Do not  add  any  type  of  radiator  leak  sea L
ant  to  your  veh icle's  engine  coo lant . Add
i ng  radiato r repa ir flui d  may  adverse ly af
fect  the  funct io n and  performa nce  o f your 
cooling  system  and  could  result  in  damage 
not  covered  by your  New Vehicle  Limited 
War ranty. 
Adding  coolant 
Be very careful  when  adding  engine  coolant . 
Before you  che ck anyth ing  in the  eng ine  com
partmen t, 
alway s read  and  heed all  WARN
INGS ¢.&_ in  Working in the  engine compart
ment  on page 
227 . 
.,. Tur n  off the  engi ne. 
.,.  Let the  engine  cool  down.  
Page 238 of 306
236  Check ing  and  filling 
•  Place a thick  rag ov er the  coolant  expansion 
tank ¢ 
page  235,  fig . 196 and care fully 
twist  the  cap counter-clockwise  ¢ &_. 
• Add coolant  mixed in the  correct  ratio 
¢ page  234,  Coolant. 
• Twist the  cap on again tightly . 
Replacement  engine  coolant  must  conform  to 
exact  specifications  ¢ 
page  234, Coolant . 
We recommend  using on ly coo lant  addi-
tive 
Gl2++,  Gl3 or  in an emergency Gl2 +. Do 
not use a different  additive.  In an emergency 
use plain water  unt il you can get  the  correct 
addit ive and  can  restore  the  correct  ratio . This 
should  be done  as  soon  as  possible . 
If you have lost  a considerable  amount  of 
coolant,  then  you should  add  cold antifree ze 
and  cold water  only when  the  eng ine is co ld. 
A lways use 
new engine  coolant  when  refi lling. 
Do not fill coolant  above the  "MAX" mark.  Ex
cess  coolant  will be forced  out  t hrough the 
press ure relief valve in the  cap when  the  en
gin e becom es hot. 
A WARNING 
- The coo ling system  is under  p ress ure and 
can get  very hot.  Reduce the  risk of 
scalding  from  hot  coolant  by following 
these  steps . 
- Tu rn o ff the  eng ine a nd a llow i t to  cool 
down. 
- Pr otect  your f ace, hands  and  arms from 
escaping  f luid and  steam  by cover ing 
the  cap with  a  large,  thick  rag. 
- Tu rn  the cap slowly and very ca re fully 
in a counte r-clockwise direct ion while 
applying  light,  downwa rd  p ress ure on 
the  top  of the  cap. 
- To avoid being  burned,  do  not spi ll an 
tifreeze  or coolant  on the  exhaust  sys
tem  or hot  engine  parts.  Under certa in 
conditions,  the  ethylene  glyco l in en
g ine coolant  can catch f ire. 
- Antifreeze  is poisonous.  Always store  an
t ifreeze  in its original  container  and well 
out  of the  reach of children.  -
If  you drain the  coo lant,  it  m ust  be 
caught  and safely stored  in a proper  con
tainer  clearly marked  "poison". 
(D Note 
- Coo lant  poll utes  the  environment  and 
cou ld cause  an engine  fire . Excess cool
ant  will be forced  out  through  the  pres
sure  relief valve  in the  cap when  the  en
gine  becomes  hot . 
- If, in an emergency,  only water  can  be 
added,  the  correct  ratio  between  water 
and  antifreeze  ¢ 
page  234 must  be re
stored  as  soon  as  possible . 
® For the  sake of  the  environment 
Drained coolant  should  not  be reused.  Al
ways d ispose  of used  coolant  while observ 
i ng all environmental  regulations . 
Radiator fan 
The radiator  fan  switches  on automatically  by 
itself . 
An auxiliary electric  radiator  fan switches  on 
and  off depending  on coolan t temperature 
and  othe r vehicle operat ing condit ions. 
After you switch  the  engine  off, the  aux iliary 
fan  can continue  running  for  up to  10  m inutes 
- even w it h  the  ignition  off. It  can even switc h 
o n  aga in  later  by  itself¢ 
A, if 
- the  temper ature  of the  engine  coo lant  rises 
due  to  the  heat  build-up from  the  engine  in 
the  engine  compartment,  or 
- the  engine  compartment  heats  up because 
the  vehicle  is  parked  in intense  sunlig ht. 
A WARNING 
- To reduce the  risk of personal  injury nev
er touch  t he  rad iator  fan . 
- The auxiliary electric  fan  is temperat ure 
controlled  and  can sw itch  on suddenly 
even when the  engine  is not  ru nning . 
- The auxiliary radiator  fan  sw itches  on a u
tomatically  when  the  engine  coo la nt 
reaches  a certai n temperature  and wi ll  ..,.